Brendan Schaub is disappointed by the current state of the UFC heavyweight division.
Schaub is not alone in that feeling, either. General morale across the MMA community is low about one of the most legacy-filled and important weight class the sport has seen, and the 11-fight octagon veteran has some strong feelings about what is going on.
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Schaub competed in the UFC heavyweight division from December 2009 to December 2014. He fought notables such as Roy Nelson, Mirko Cro Cop, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Andrei Arlovski, Travis Brown and more, and that’s without even touching the true championship tier of his era.
To see what it has turned into, and in his opinion what is alack of effort around keeping the weight class healthy, Schaub said it’s a grim sight.
“The heavyweight division is so bad,” Schaub said on his YouTube channel. “It’s such a shell of what is used to be, even when I fought. It used to be so good. Go back and watch PRIDE heavyweight grand prixs. Even Bellator 10 years ago was better than this current heavyweight division in the UFC. When I fought, it was the who’s-who. It was murderer’s row. Now it’s just a shell of itself, and it doesn’t have to be.
“If they signed Rico (Verhoeven), if they came to an understanding with Francis (Ngannou), if they signed Gable Steveson, we’re at least cooking with some gas that makes it exciting. Dana (White’s) issue with Francis – but then also Dana said he doesn’t really deal with the guys anymore – then somebody needs to step in and go, ‘Hey man, this heavyweight division is dying, if not dead.’ Your current heavyweight champ is having serious eye surgery. He’s out nine months. Jon Jones wants one more. If you do it at the White House it’s against Alex Pereira. OK. I know Dana has his issue with Francis, but he’s by far the biggest free agent out there. By far.”
Every UFC weight class historically has ebbs and flows of intrigue and depth of talent. Schaub thinks heavyweight is dealing with more than that, and is screaming for help.
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Hopefully someone of significance hears those screams, Schaub said, and starts building a life raft with urgency.
“If (White is) not really dealing with it, have Hunter (Campbell), have Mick Maynard deal with it and get his ass in there,” Schaub said. “Just for the health of the division. … For whatever reason they’re just like, ‘Nah, we’re good with what we’ve got.’ Are you?”
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Brendan Schaub: UFC heavyweight division ‘is dying, if not dead’
