UFC 64: Not so Unstoppable

Wow! Rich "Ace" Franklin gets his arse handed to him by Anderson Silva and we have a new UFC Middleweight Champion! I like Rich Franklin, and I think he was a very good middleweight champion but, Anderson Silva smacked Rich down like it was man vs. boy. Franklin had absolutely no answer for Silva's Muay Thai clinch & the knees that Silva dished out. There seems to be a new teacher in class, and it isn't Mr. Franklin. I can't think of another middleweight fighter right now in the UFC who could go three - or five - rounds with Silva. Franklin is a very intelligent and very capable fighter, and he may well be able to learn from this ass whipping and come back to regain his title, but he may not, either. Maybe Jeremy Horn, if he fights in this class (as opposed to the light heavyweight class where Chuck Lidell whipped him good), maybe Mike Swick? I dunno. Silva may be champion for some time to come...

I'm looking forward to UFC 65, where welterweight champion Matt Hughes will meet George St. Pierre again, and where heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia will meet Jeff Monson as two title belts are on the line. In the first case, I think "GSP" has a very good chance to win, but Matt is always extremely tough to beat. As a Canuck, I'm really pulling for my fellow countryman, of course. In the heavyweight division, Sylvia is so freakin' big and has such long reach, that Monson, as much as he's a great talent, will be hard pressed to pull out a win - although, having said that, Monson is a frickin' beast too, even if he is shorter. Tough call, but I think Sylvia retains his belt.

Speaking of heavyweights, when does Rashad Evans get a chance to fight a top contender? Or Brandon Vera? When will Andrei Arlovski be back to fight again?