| Can somebody please explain to me why Mike | | | | him and was impressed. However, it was hard to |
| Swick is fighting Yushin Okami at UFC 69 in | | | | not notice that Matt Hughes had done something |
| Houston Texas? Is it because Mike Swick is a | | | | very similar in finishing off Joe Riggs quickly in a |
| home town fighter and the UFC wants to make | | | | previous fight. |
| sure that he wins? Is it because he's the only 185 | | | | Swick kept up his winning ways by defeating a |
| pound fighter left with a shot at defeating | | | | great striker in David "The Crow" Loiseau at UFC |
| Anderson Silva and they don't want him to lose a | | | | 63 in September 2006. It is this fight which |
| warm up bout? Or is it because Mike Swick isn't | | | | makes me wonder if Swick is ready for a title |
| ready for a title shot yet? | | | | shot against current 185 champ, Anderson Silva. If |
| Let's look at Yushin Okami's credentials coming | | | | Anderson Silva has a clone, then it is the French |
| into this fight. Okami's record looks impressive | | | | Canadian Loiseau. Both men prefer to strike, but |
| enough, 19-3-0 with a win over current 185 pound | | | | are competent on the ground (especially at |
| champion Anderson Silva. Looking a little closer | | | | defending submissions). Since Swick defeated |
| however, reveals that his win over Silva was a | | | | Loiseau, perhaps he has a shot against Silva. |
| DQ due to an illegal kick. His most notable win | | | | Other fighters worth noting in the 185 pound |
| comes over Rory Singer by submission due to | | | | division are Rich Franklin, Jason MacDonald, Chris |
| punches. However, Rory Singer is not Mike Swick. | | | | Leben and Ed Herman in that order. I guess the |
| Now, let's look at Mike Swick's fight history. I'm | | | | question at hand is whether Mike Swick deserves |
| only going to deal with well known fighters. Mike | | | | a title shot more than these other guys do. The |
| Swick's big fights have been against Chris Legen, | | | | answer is no. I believe Rich Franklin or Jason |
| Joe Riggs and David Loiseau. First of all, let's deal | | | | MacDonald (depending on who wins their fight at |
| with the one loss out of those three fights, a | | | | UFC 68) deserves a shot first. I also believe that |
| knockout loss to Chris Leben. This was scored in | | | | the winner of Silva/Franklin or Silva/MacDonald |
| early 2004, which puts it at 3 years ago and I | | | | should have to face Swick for the title. I am of |
| don't believe it's relevant given that Swick is still | | | | course assuming that Mike Swick will make short |
| very young and still improving with each fight. | | | | work of Yushin Okami 69. |
| Mike pulled off a typical Mike "Quick" Swick | | | | So, if my predictions are correct, we should be |
| guillotine, also known as "The Swickotine", Choke | | | | seeing Mike Swick facing one of Anderson Silva, |
| against Joe "Diesel" Riggs at UFC 60. He locked in | | | | Jason MacDonald or Rich Franklin for the UFC 185 |
| the Swickotine early in the first round and I | | | | pound belt sometime in mid to later 2007. Perhaps |
| believe this is the fight where people sat up and | | | | at UFC 71. |
| took notice of Swick as a real contender. At the | | | | Take it easy and keep watching the fights! |
| time I thought "who is this guy?", I read up on | | | | |