All of the guys that you mentioned are under contract. That’s what’s really sad, and I’ve thrown their names out there before. I’ve added N’Pumbu to that list, Grove, and a handful of other prospects.

Wiuff has been fighting at 205 and while he did just beat Fujita, I think he’d rather fight smaller competition.

I like Carwin and Velasquez, but I don’t think Wain will be a big deal. We’ll see, though. Honestly, I think that all of the guys you mentioned (particularly Mustapha Al Turk, who I’ve come to like alot, and Tengiz).

I’d love to see Imes back in the UFC. The guy had back to back gogoplata wins not to long ago, and that’s pretty impressive for a heavyweight. My suggestion was to bring in guys who are seasoned to test this new talent, the new guys that the UFC should bring in, not to bring them in and make them title contenders.

And “dicks” would be quite the understatement. People throw fits over the Diaz Brothers behavior, so what do you think would happen if the UFC would give a guy who’s not only a subpar-fighter (and that’s what Fulton is, sorry. The only decent opposition in the last 5 years were Rothwell, Wiuff and Horn – and he lost against them) but also a well-known racist who says that blacks and latinos are the cause for AIDS and have to be eradicated.

As for Hoffman: a win over Buentello five years ago hardly qualifies for another shot in the UFC. Not at age 42 (at least Coleman has name-value), and not as a convicted wifebeater.

It’d make more sense for the UFC to bring in guys like Tengiz Tegoradze, Mustapha Al Turk, Rafael Calcavante, Chris Tuchscherer, or to take Roy Nelson under contract as soon as the IFL perishes. Or bring back a guy like Travis Wiuff. Hell, even Brad “The Hillbilly Heartthrob” Imes would be a better option to widen the division than Hoffman and Fulton.

Or they should just do what they do now: scout the sport for actual prospects like Shane Carwin, Neil Wain or Cain Velasquez, people with ability and talent…

Preach, they’re dicks, but they’re damn good fighters with more experience and ability than 80% of the division under contract at 265.

If you don’t think that this division needs to be thickened up, then you’re delusional. And, Preach, whether or not you like the guys (and they’re not the best people), they’re solid fighters.

Bobby Hoffman?
Travis Fulton?

I honestly don’t think that the UFC is in dire need of a wifebeater and a racist…

For the record, I was shocked a little pissed when Silva got the title shot ahead of Marquardt. I thought that was a little wierd. Silva proved that he was a monster. The difference for me is that Silva wasn’t coming off a loss three fights ago. He had beaten a bunch of solid guys.

I agree with Vee about Couture. I didn’t take his win over Big Tim that seriously, given that he had a bunch of opportunities to finish, and didn’t. Obviously, I looked at him differently after the Gonzaga fight.

Again, I’ll point out that I started talking about this six months ago and absolutely nothing had improved. If anything, the division has gotten worse with the losses of CroCop, Sylvia and Arlovski. And the promise of a negotiation with Fedor, Barnett, Rizzo or any of the guys they’ve lost is increasingly unlikely.

You may say this division is still standing, but look at the number of heavyweight fights on the upcoming cards, and you’ll see what I mean. They are running out of matchups. It’s closer than you think before this boat starts to think.

I’m more of an optimist, hoping for exciting matches in the future. Even if the HW division does not pick up, the LW, WW, MW and especially LHW picture looks pretty good. Liddell & Rampage could leave right now and that division will still be exciting.

I don’t know the deal behind Ben Rothwell, but why wasn’t he signed?

It isn’t a total collapse yet, but if they keep going down this road it could be in trouble.