The UFC Middleweight Division
Prior to Rich Franklin’s tenure as champion and the arrival of Anderson Silva, it seemed as though the UFC’s middleweight division was not being recognized or popularized to the degree that it is today. This division just merely existed in the eyes of the casual UFC fan due to the lack of buildup it was receiving. Yet educated MMA fans will recall names like Frank Shamrock, Evan Tanner, and Phil Baroni when thinking about the middleweight division. The average fan may not remember those fighters because they were not as heavily marketed as Vitor Belfort, Tito Ortiz, Randy Couture or Tank Abbott. In addition, many of the UFC’s pay-per-views had been centered on the other divisions with primary focus on the Light Heavyweight (division which continues to be their flagship division).
Another reason why the Middleweight division may have suffered could be attributed to the title being vacant from the time Murilo Bustamante signed with Pride in 2002, until Evan Tanner captured it in 2005. This three year gap without a title fight unquestionably damaged the aura of the middleweight division. Fighters were in it to improve their win/loss records without having a championship title to aim for. In consequence, the middleweight division seemed to have been waiting on the back burner until fresh faces would regenerate the fans’ interest in this division. Evan Tanner eventually filled the role of champion which briefly put a face on the Middleweight division in the UFC. However Tanner was dethroned at UFC 53 as up-and-comer Rich Franklin would win the title via a TKO and become the center man for the Middleweight division.
Fans once again began to pay attention to the Middleweight division when Franklin earned a slew of victories. By pitting him against Ken Shamrock (resulting in Franklin winning with the knockout), the UFC was able to create a new star. One can say that Rich Franklin was the savior for this weight class in terms of delivering star power and building publicity for fights within the division. Fans rallied behind Franklin as he was known for his impressive knockouts and, as we all know, one way to get the fans on your side is to deliver the knockout. It was during Franklin’s title reign that the UFC began to expand to a mainstream audience. The UFC used the “all-American” persona of Rich Franklin to ‘get over’ with the fans. With this came several interviews, commercials and behind-the-scenes looks at Franklin’s training regimens as well as an appearance as head coach on the UFC’s reality show The Ultimate Fighter. With this extra programming, fans got an in-depth look on the life of the Cincinnati math teacher-turned-MMA fighter, which Dana White and the UFC used to promote Franklin. American viewers immediately identified with Franklin thus granting him a large fan base. This was obvious with the support he received at UFC 58 – USA vs Canada, where he successfully defended his title against David Loiseau. With this event, the UFC had instilled American pride by portraying Canada as an ‘enemy’. This was an interesting tactic in the marketing of the event-what a better way to attract American fans than by selling them on patriotism and trying to prove that they are better than someone else. Of course, American UFC fans bought into the publicity and the UFC gained momentum by creating this subtle story line and what better headliner to use than ‘all-American’ Rich Franklin (Randy Couture would have also fit the bill). Franklin had become the American spirit personified, by beating the fighter that was seen as the foreign menace who threatened to take the title from American soil. What is interesting about this situation is that the Middleweight division was back on the map in the UFC and stronger than ever before, due to their marketable champion, Rich Franklin.
The middleweight division would begin to grow as new fighters would emerge as potential contenders for Franklin’s title. UFC fighters such as Nate Marquardt, Chris Leben (Ultimate Fighter 1) and Yushin Okami were beginning to attract attention and this made the Middleweight division exciting for the fans. However there was one Brazilian Vale Tudo and former Pride fighter who would outshine the other potential contenders, that being Anderson “The Spider” Silva.
Little did those in the Middleweight division know that this former Chute Boxe fighter (currently with Black House) would go on to shake the foundations of this weight class in such little time. Silva’s annihilation of Leben would earn him a title shot against Franklin at the appropriately named UFC 64: Unstoppable, which was somewhat of a foreshadowing for the events that would follow for Silva. There was much confidence from spectators in Franklin defeating Silva. Yet this was not the case, as we saw Silva expertly pick Franklin apart. The American Middleweight superhero that the UFC had created was completely dominated and as a result, fans loathed Silva as they drowned his victory celebration with resounding boos! Consequently the transition in the ranks of the Middleweight division generated interest in this new fighter (Silva) because he had beaten the people’s hero. It is my belief that it was at this point with the surfacing of the Silva era, that the Middleweight division reached a new level of popularity that was never attained before.
After winning the title, Anderson Silva has gone onto defeat several opponents with different styles and put together a seven-fight win streak, with one of those fights in a different weight class. Two of these fights would come by submission while four would come by knockout; and the latest against Cote via TKO due to injury. His incredible knockouts would gain him acceptance from the UFC fans who once booed him. Silva is now considered by many MMA enthusiasts as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world which is an amazing accomplishment and furthermore it positions the Middleweight division in high regard.
A possible downfall for the UFC’s Middleweight division would be that their champion is too dominant, (which isn’t a bad thing) and if there is nobody left to fight, could this division regress back to the state it was in pre-Franklin era? Are there any Middleweight fighters left in the UFC who can challenge Silva right now? Or does the UFC have to extend their reaches into other promotions and try for an inter-promotional supercard? Possibly Anderson Silva versus Cung Le or Vitor Belfort who made his debut in the Middleweight division at Affliction: Banned. One thing is for certain and that is if Anderson Silva continues to obliterate his opponents, he may very well have to continue his quest in the Light Heavyweight division, although it has been said that he wishes to remain in the Middleweight division.
Since Anderson Silva has hammered through the competition in his division, are there any prospects that are capable of giving him a challenge? Well, one name that sticks out is that of fellow countrymen Demian Maia who holds an MMA record of 9-0. However one must wonder if Maia is ready for such a challenge. I believe the right thing to do for Maia, would be to give him the match against Michael Bisping. If Maia proves to be successful, then someone of the caliber of Nate Marquardt or even Patrick Cote would be a true test to see if Maia could hold his own against a champion like Silva. After 2 or 3 more fights, Maia could be the man to step up and carry the middleweight division; considering rumors of Silva’s retirement. I believe in the slow build to the top (helps the fighter grow) and if the UFC is strategic in setting up Maia’s opponents, they would have another potential mega star in jujitsu phenom Demian Maia.
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