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[kickass32]

If you were to start your very own MMA organization, and everyone was a free agent, but you could only pick ONE (1) fighter in the 5 weight classes, who would you draft???
Keeping in mind, the age of the fighters. You don't want to pick a fighter that may retire in 2 years or so and leave you with out your marquee fighter.
keeping in mind their skill and ability ( goes without saying) Keeping in mind Charisma and marketability ( if people don't care about the fighters, they don't watch) Keeping in mind their mental states, and those of their trainers and camps (Rampage a year and a half ago...Finklestein....Karo...etc...)

For me, real quick, here are my picks:

HW/ Cain Velasquez...based on age, ability and likability
LHW/ Shogun
MW/ Mousasi...I drop him down where he belongs
WW/ St.Pierre..probably goes without saying
LW/ Penn....I struggled with this between Penn and Melendez...Gilbert is 3-4 years younger, but B.J is B.J

[MMA, Esq.]

HW - Brock Lesner...as much as I hate him, he SELLS PPVs. He'll break his own record when he fights Carwin this summer. Gotta keep the doors open

LHW - Chuck Liddell...I know you said to watch the age, but the first few cards of a new organization are the most important (see Affliction). Just like Brock, Chuck sells PPVs. Can he be beaten tody, of course, but he was the face of MMA for a lot of years, at least in the U.S.

MW - Wanderlei Silva...an emensely popular fighter who never puts on dull fights

WW - GSP...amazingly popular. sells a ton of PPVs

LW - Penn...just too talented not to get

As you can see here, I tried to pick fighters who will put butts in the seats and generate PPV buys. Gotta get revenue to start coming in to survive and I think these guys do that.

[KevoOnTheRadio]

Dude, first off great thread, something different.

I based my criteria on age (someone young that can grow with the promotion), marketability, and ability. Yes, in that order.

HW: Valesquez no doubt.
LHW: Bones Jones
MW: There is a serious lack of top, young middleweight fighters that you can build an organization around. Belfort I guess, young enough, and a finisher.
WW: GSP no doubt
LW: Melendez, because he's younger then B.J. and already known to casual fans.

[Terrorize]

HW: Brock Lesnar becuase people know him and would bring attendion

LHW: Forrest Griffen because has a large fan base, puts on intersting fights, would sell

MW: Hard choice as Anderson Silva is so dominate but possibly Wanderle Silva (enough tho is age) he brings history, casual fans know him as a brawler, hardcore fans know him as one of the best of all time, has exciting fights and sells

WW: GSP enough said

LW: BJ Penn same as above

[Tyreas]

Good topic.

HW: Lesnar
He is the cash cow of MMA right now and an upstart MMA organization needs PPV buys. Quite simply he allows me an opportunity to compete and potentially outbid for future free agents

LHW: Bones Jones
The future of the LHW division. Highly marketable, great character fighter.

MW:Can I trade my MW pick and grab an additional LHW or HW?...ugh if I had to pick I would go for the best available, Anderson Silva.

WW: GSP
No brainer.

LW: BJ Penn
Lots of talent at the LW level but he is easily the biggest and most marketable name.

Now making these picks really doesn't guarantee success. If the NFL(and UFC) has proven anything its all about the depth of your roster and not necessarily the 1st round picks. If these guys cost me an arm and a leg I would drop BJ Penn and Anderson Silva in a heartbeat to sign 5 other up and comers.

People like Swick, Griffin, and Koscheck are needed.

[franky4fingerz]

Originally Posted by kickass32

If you were to start your very own MMA organization, and everyone was a free agent, but you could only pick ONE (1) fighter in the 5 weight classes, who would you draft???
Keeping in mind, the age of the fighters. You don't want to pick a fighter that may retire in 2 years or so and leave you with out your marquee fighter.
keeping in mind their skill and ability ( goes without saying) Keeping in mind Charisma and marketability ( if people don't care about the fighters, they don't watch) Keeping in mind their mental states, and those of their trainers and camps (Rampage a year and a half ago...Finklestein....Karo...etc...)

For me, real quick, here are my picks:

HW/ Cain Velasquez...based on age, ability and likability
LHW/ Shogun
MW/ Mousasi...I drop him down where he belongs
WW/ St.Pierre..probably goes without saying
LW/ Penn....I struggled with this between Penn and Melendez...Gilbert is 3-4 years younger, but B.J is B.J

I like the topic but you need to pay attention to what fighters career goals are going to be when deciding who to draft. Mousasi has said on several occassions that he will never fight at middleweight again. He said the cut was too hard on him and he wants to bulk up over the next few years finishing his career at heavyweight. So the Mousasi pick is asinine based on what he's said about his goals. Just sayin . . . . . .

My picks:

Heavyweight:

Alistair Overeem - With Fedor retiring within the next few years, Overeem still has plenty left in the tank and if you acknowledge you're going to hitch your wagons to him, he'll be an asset. He's marketable as hell in addition to having the tools to beat anyone, anywhere. He'd also bring in some exciting K-1 fights, introducing the American public to a sport they don't seem grasp, but one that's exciting as all hell.

Light Heavyweight:

Rampage Jackson - Problems or not, Rampage is the perfect combination of charisma and talent. He can beat anyone's ass and then cut promo after promo selling his next fight. Rampage can be controller, if you're willing to give a little with his take. If you take a hard line approach with him, then he fucks up so you just have to let him do a little stuff outside of the cage and keep him the fuck away from TUF.

Middleweight:

Chael Sonnen - This guy is a star in waiting. He's the perfect villain that can beat anyone but is not unbeatable himself so he sets up great matchups. Anderson Silva is on his way out of the sport and you never know if he's going to show his ass or try to actually fight. Sonnen will cut you some good promos and give the PPV buying public a reason to hate him.

Welterweight:

The easy pick here would be GSP but I don't like GSP or his new found safe fighting style so I'd let the competition have him. I'd move Penn up to welterweight, considering GSP is the only welterweight that I think beats Penn, and let him wreak shit at 170 pounds. He's a bonafide star and I'd love to hitch my 170 pound division to Penn. It also opens up the lightweight division to have someone else there.

Lightweight:

This is a tough one, but I think I'd move Jose Aldo up from featherweight and let him fuck some 155 pounders up. What he lacks in size, he more than makes up for in speed and well roundedness in addition to power. He's also extremely young to be such a badass.

Featherweight:

Mike Thomas Brown is the picture perfect ambassador to MMA. He's a badass in the cage and a great guy outside the cage. He needs to get over his personal issues and kick the shit out of Manny, a fighter he should have beaten handily, but with Aldo out of the division, Brown goes on a winning streak the likes of Faber.

[kickass32]

I never heard that Mousasi had stated that....so with that being said, I reserve the right to change my MW pick....I'm still pissed at Anderson Silva...so just on principle I am not taking him.....I guess my new MW pick is:

Nate Marquardt

[Pasha K]

HW:

Fedor.

LHW:

Moussasi.

MW:

Wandy

WW:

GSP

LW:

BJ Penn

[TBEAR]

Great thread

HW
JDS...very young and can finish all his fights

LHW
Bones...future of the divison

MW
Maia...young and subs are great

WW....do we need to pick this???
GSP

LW
BJ

[TheDoucheyWun]

HW= JDS
LHW= JBJ
MW= Mousasi
WW=GSP
LW= Benson Henderson

1st 4 nufffff said, LW Benson henderson is the youngest LW champ in any major organization always great fights, and i see big things to come outta this guy