Top of the UFC Welterweight division holds hate in the heart of fans
Posted by Joshua Wood (Editor in Chief)Oct 26
If you’ve frequented the social networks recently you’d be hard pressed not to see the wrath of many MMA fans and their angst towards the UFC welterweight division. Most recently their attention was focused on Jake Shields who was making his UFC debut at Saturdays UFC 121. When it’s not Shields though the fans have targeted Jon Fitch, if not Fitch it was Josh Koscheck and if not Koscheck it was Thiago Silva.
The UFC welterweight division holds a lot of hate in the heart of MMA fans, even the current champion Georges St-Pierre has been targeted by some fans. So the question is why all the hate towards the top fighters at one single weight class?
The fact they are all at 170 pounds is basic luck, but the reason for the hate is a little more complicated.
Jake Shields: Even before his UFC 121 debut, Shields was public enemy number one for UFC fans. Unhappy that the former Strikeforce and EliteXC champion was in line for a title shot, should he defeat Martin Kampmann. They were calling him over-rated even before his fight, but the lackluster unanimous decision victory over Kampmann has only added fuel to the fire.
Jon Fitch: Fans have been all over Jon Fitch for quite some time over his fighting style and lack of finishing fights. Riding a streak of eight decisions in a row and having over 50% of his fight ending in decision, fans use this as justification and a base for their hate, even though has gone 7-1 in that span.
Thiago Alves: The issue fans have with Thiago Alves is not his fighting style but his lack of respect for the sport. Twice in the last four fights Alves has missed weight and the fight had to be moved to a catchweight bout. In 2006 Alves also tested positive for banned diuretics, which is typically used to help cut water weight.
Josh Koscheck: If you have watched any of the Ultimate fighter’s twelfth season you’d understand why many fans hate Josh Koscheck. A member of the original season of the show, Koscheck was a trash talker on the show and also became a foundering father of the art of the lay and pry. Over time he has worked hard to become a very well-rounded fighter, but the guy still loves to rub people the wrong way and is pretty darn good at it too. As Koscheck stated recently on twitter towards fans “u haters follow some1 u hate?”
Georges St-Pierre: How does one of the top pound for pound fighters in the world draw hate from fans? Well some blood thirsty fans believe if GSP is the best he should be finishing fights and not playing it safe. Three of his last four title defenses have gone the distance with GSP winning a unanimous decision in dominating fashion against Fitch, Alves and Dan Hardy, yet fans have complained.
(The views above are not those of MMAValor but those of MMA fans taken off social networks)
