2017-05-18
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SP ICON 2.0 Org Rankings and Divisional Recap for May 2017

Editorial by Sliced Bread

 Hey guys; sorry for the lateness of these rankings, I know I promised them earlier.  Unfortunately moving house is busy shit, so I haven’t had a whole lot of spare time to do any write ups at all. 

Hopefully I can rescue it with this; because as well as giving you the rankings, I’m gonna give reviews of what’s been going on in the divisions in the last few events, as there have been significant results in all the divisions that have not yet been covered in any kind of write up.What I will also be doing is adding manager’s names into the rankings with their fighters, so that everybody can see who’s hot and who is not. 
So without further ado I’ll jump straight into it. 

Division 5: Heavyweight

#1. Otto Dahl © (The Philosopher)

#2. Brutus Leagatius (Marcus Crassus)

#3. Heavy Rain (Pablo Spezziale)

#4. Rayko Oswald (Bronko Buster)

#5. Jarome Patches (James Listerman)

 

Divisional Recap:

I have said this many times, but the Heavyweight Division lacks any kind of depth to it.  Otto Dahl may be the most underrated champion in the org right now, and he has been a victim of his own competition.  Even the ROTR winner Heavy Rain, billed as potentially a tough opponent for Dahl, with his head kicks and KO Power, was dusted inside of a round.  It is very difficult to know how good Dahl actually is, because he’s never actually been in a fight where someone has threatened him.  He is rumoured to be rematching the man he won the belt off, Brutus Leagatius, for his next defence.  Perhaps the Greek Kickboxer can give him something to think about; otherwise it will result in another struggle for contenders.  The one bright spark perhaps is Rayko Oswald; a newcomer to the division, but he has barely any experience, with only two fights to his name, and is likely to get thrown to the sharks a bit too soon, all because there may not be anyone else.  Don’t write off Jarome Patches just yet either; the skilled clinch rapist came into some trouble against Heavy Rain, but he has plenty of time to rebound, that’s if we can find anyone for him to fight.  We need Heavyweight contenders badly; or maybe we should just send 205lb phenom Jonas Lofmark up there and see how he does against the larger guys….

 

Division 4: Welterweight

#1. Settakian Fett © (Marcus Crassus)

#2. Vinku Intianni (Jay Tycoon)

#3. Wally Markberg (Skood Jedrzejczk)

#4. Joe Derby (Mr Peanut)

#5. Kyle Robson (Stu Mack)

Divisional Recap:

This division was previously ranked up at second when I did the March Rankings; it is unlucky to find itself this far down, but the reality is, a couple of the other divisions have improved significantly in the last 2 months and this division is really whacky with some of the stuff that has happened.  During March; Settakian Fett made the most of his ROTR win and defeated Vinku Intianni for the championship, which resulted in Intianni changing management and looking pretty savage ever since, destroying 2 reputable opponents in Alonzo Trotter and Trevor Lawson. The funny thing is; Alonzo Trotter was offered an opportunity to talk his way into a title fight.  Trotter and Wally Markberg would go at it on the forums and whoever the public voted for would get the next title shot.  However Trotter decided against this; instead deciding to badmouth the org and the concept; which got Markberg the title shot by default and got Trotter dismantled by Intianni.  So now we have a rematch of the Pinnacle title fight; with Intianni looking to reclaim the title against Fett.  These two are clearly the best 2 in the division; so don’t be surprised if they end up fighting yet again after this one. 

Also to be considered is the continuously curious situation of Wally Markberg.  Markberg has excellent experience in the division, and has beaten most of the guys there, but it is continuously difficult to see the former champion beating the two guys ranked above him.  He still has his wrestling and his knockout power; but there is no clear path to victory against the top two other than landing a miracle punch.  The Boston born Markberg could end up facing guys he’s already beaten; or hungry prospects looking to take his spot in the rankings, his position is unenviable.  Ranked no.4 & 5 are two guys who are to face each other; Kyle Robson and Joe Derby.  Robson looks unstoppable so far; bulldozing his way through the lower-mid tier of the division, he is highly touted, with an amateur wrestling background and some pretty nasty power in his hands.  He faces his biggest test yet in Derby; who is looking to make his own title run.  Joe Derby is the best boxer in the division, this combined with the fact he has power and fights incredibly well off his back make him a handful for anybody in the division.  This is an intriguing matchup from a divisional standpoint as the winner will get a chance to potentially break into the top 3 and get a title shot.  Stylistically it will answer some fun questions; can Robson impose his skillset on his most skilled opponent to date?  Will he need to go back to his wrestling?  Can Derby stay away from the power and stay off of his back?  The division could really hot up this month and the landscape could look very different this time next month, as 170 has been a volatile environment for a long time. 

 

Division 3: Middleweight

#1. Oscar Stolt © (The Philosopher)

#2. Neyman Gariniho (Rocco Mediate)

#3. Archibald Knox (Marcus Crassus)

#4. Vicenzo Nibali (Marcus Crassus)

#5. John Chester (Darren Hayden)

 

Divisional Recap:

Long considered one of the worst divisions at SP ICON; Middleweight has really gained some steam as of late.  There have been a few additions which have improved the division overall; not least the addition of former LFC Middleweight Champion Neyman Gariniho. Gariniho is likely one of the most skilled 300K fighters in the entire game at the moment; and it will be a compelling fight when he takes on Oscar Stolt for the Middleweight Championship.  It is a champion vs champion matchup; that either brings in some new blood at the top in Gariniho or gives Stolt the legit win he needs to become a true 300K superstar.  Either way; the org can’t lose with this fight, and the plot thickens even more when you go into the contenders of the division.  Similar to Otto Dahl of the Heavyweight Division; Stolt is defined by his competition, whilst his beat-down of Archibald Knox at PINNACLE was impressive, he has not truly had a challenge in the cage yet.  The Philosopher has certainly been unfortunate in the org with both his champions oft without a fight. That is soon to change; you would assume, as in addition to Gariniho, Vicenzo Nibali has arrived in the division.  He made an emphatic debut when he submitted John Chester, a feat many did not believe possible, he may now be the best pure grappler in the division, which definitely adds a new dimension to the title picture. 

Then of course there is Archibald Knox; who rebounded incredibly from his loss at PINNACLE against Publius Sestius.  The one concern however; is that Knox managed to pick up a 15 day injury from knocking a guy out in 40 seconds…. Even so; when Knox recovers, he will be back in the mix as a legitimate threat to the title, with knockout power and a dominating clinch game.  The one complication in the division; which probably prevents it from being higher up the list, is that both Nibali and Knox are managed by Marcus Crassus, meaning they are unlikely to ever fight each other.  Regardless of this; the next couple of months should see some excellent matchups in the division, as in addition to the bona fide title contenders, there are other solid fighters amongst the division who can make things interesting.  John Chester; a very skilled submission artist, may never win the belt, but he is a dangerous fight for anyone and has proved he can still pick up some wins in the division.  Publius Sestius and Aaron Ward are still very much a work in progress; but both have potential if they can bring their skills up to par with the big guns. 

 

Division 2: Lightweight

#1. Mnajdra Sheze © (Juice Box)

#2. Froyo Hoyo (Mickey Hart)

#3. Jallu Pesonen (Marky Mark)

#4. Widar Blixt (The Philosopher)

#5. Grogory Damkratov (Maxim Serebryakov)

 

Divisional Recap:

This division has been on a bit of a roller coaster ride since March.  Long time champion Grogory Damkratov lost the belt to Froyo Hoyo at PINNACLE; before Hoyo succumbed to Mnajdra Sheze’s Triangle Choke just two weeks after he won the title.  On top of this Sheze’s first title defence looks to be an extremely challenging task; he faces Jallu Pesonen who has been running through some of the divisions’ very best on his way to the top.  His win over Ephram Urani in particular was impressive, as he shut the wrestler down so well that Urani has not been seen since.  Both Pesonen and Sheze are undefeated; so it’s very difficult to know how it will go, but it should be a fascinating fight, as Pesonen puts his Bisping-esque rangy boxing and defence against Sheze’s powerful strikes and submissions.  On top of that; we have fast rising prospect Widar Blixt, who many fear will put the democracy of this division to bed and establish a solid dictatorship.  He is another fighter managed by The Philosopher; a manager who will be looking to hold 3 out of 5 belts with the org if Blixt manages to eventually capture the title.  There is also Grogory Damkratov; the former champ who has knockout power, chin of iron and the heart of a lion.  Damkratov can make his way back into the fold if he wins a fight or two; and his exciting style would always make for interesting match ups.  Ephram Urani may one day resurface in the division; unless he chooses to make his return to the newly formed 145lbs division.  Urani is a small Lightweight so the latter option would be understandable; but we all know there are a couple of losses he definitely wants the opportunity to avenge.  The real dark horse in all of this is a young fighter named Joan Vila.  The Spanish striker has lost two fights; but they were against Blixt and Pesonen, two guys who are right in the mix at the top of the division.  He has since changed management; now in the hands of the legendary Klatz Matz, it will be interesting to see what kind of run he can make in this ever growing division.  There will be excellent fights in this division; it’s just a matter of time; it may very soon be the best division in the org, with just a couple more quality additions needed for it to rival the marquee division.

 

Division 1: Light Heavyweight

#1. Jonas Lofmark © (Rocco Mediate)

#2. Jimmy Ryan (NorthernNinjas)

#3. Charley Hanagan (Buff Minion)

#4. Joao De Silva (Bradley Burns)

#5. Quintus Octavian (Marcus Crassus)

Divisional Recap:

This division has always been the best ever since the 300K restriction was applied to the org; only now, however the position comes under considerable threat.  The problem which is surfacing is that the champ Jonas Lofmark has faced more or less everybody in the division, and has beaten them all.  There was rumour of a new contender; when former LFC Light Heavyweight Champion Hero Galanos (Managed by Chris Karter) signed with the org.  The idea was a super fight between Lofmark and Galanos; however Lofmark wanted to take some well deserved time off as his manager was taking a small break from the game.  Unfortunately Galanos did not want to wait; which robbed us of this potential classic.  The champ’s career has gone from the dull to the sublime recently.  If we go back to March; Lofmark squeaked past ROTR winner Joao De Silva in a majority decision, in a close but extremely tedious affair.  A month later; perennial no.1 contender Jimmy Ryan almost took Lofmark’s head off with a vicious head kick, and Lofmark was forced to use his heart and wrestling to defeat Ryan by TKO only moments later.  All good things must come to an end; and Lofmark’s title reign has never looked more vulnerable than the moment he was sent to the canvas by Ryan.  The question that remains is who will end this reign of terror over the division? One possibility is Charley Hanagan; a jiu jitsu wizard with wrestling comparable to that of Lofmark.  We also hear stories about how Hanagan can strike; but we haven’t seen it as of yet, he has simply not needed those skills so far.  He does however; look absolutely terrifying, having submitted all of his opponents in short order; most recently Pollo Tropical.  How much Pollo has left in the tank after a couple of shocking losses is questionable; but no-one has ever made it look that easy to beat him.  Hanagan was able to take him down in seconds; then proceeded to manoeuvre his way into side control before yanking on the arm until Tropical tapped.  Hanagan is probably the guy nobody wants to fight right now; because we simply know so little about him other than the fact he is a savage ex-convict outside the cage, and a submission machine inside it.  Another possibility of course is Quintus Octavian; the loudmouthed Roman who has had something of a resurgence, finally avenging his debut loss to Anthony Johnson.  He now faces Jimmy Ryan; a fight he talked himself into with repetitive taunting of Ryan over the last 3-5 months.  It is a very tough fight; and the build-up is sure to be compelling, but if Octavian finds a way to win it, he may finally be in line to fight for the belt after all this time.  Another option of course is Jimmy Ryan; who finds himself in somewhat of a limbo at the moment.  He has come the closest to beating Lofmark; clearly taking the first round in their first fight, before knocking him down with THAT kick in the second fight.  However; the fact that remains, and will continue to infuriate both Ryan and his manager NorthernNinjas is that Lofmark was a little bit better than Ryan both times, so he will have to work very hard to get a third fight with the champ.  It will be interesting to see how he rebounds from the second loss; as he finally faces longtime rival Quintus Octavian.  Ryan will be looking to shut Octavian up once and for all; but it won’t be easy, Octavian for all his talk is a skilled boxer with underrated jiu jitsu, so Ryan must be very careful in this fight.  Then of course you must consider Joao De Silva, who will be in the mix for a long time to come it seems.  “JDS” is a tough competitor who whilst not particularly exciting or spectacular; will give anybody in the division a hard time.  He is hard to hit; hard to take down and hard to submit, a true challenge for most styles of fighter.  He has already competed in a razor thin decision loss to Lofmark; so he has proven he is evenly matched with the champ.  It will be interesting to see what adjustments he makes in the coming months in order to right that wrong.  The division is still one of the more interesting; but if Lofmark can overcome the next couple of challenges put in front of him, it becomes difficult to see where the next contenders are coming from.  So in the next month or 2 we will see a high profile grudge match that should be a great build-up and a very competitive fight, and the next contender for the belt should be determined in time for Jonas Lofmark’s return to competition.

 

Summary:

Thanks guys for reading; I hope everybody is still enjoying the org and I am going to be trying to up the excitement more in the coming months; where we will be looking at who will compete in the next Rumble on The Rocks Tournament! Scheduled for December; same rules as last time, just better prizes! Lastly; I wanna give you some food for thought by making a top 10 P4P list based on my own judgement rather than MMA Tycoon’s broken ranking system.  These will be based on skills; hype, record within the org and competition faced. 

 

P4P Rankings:

#1. Jonas Lofmark © 205lbs (Rocco Mediate)

#2. Oscar Stolt © 185lbs (The Philosopher)

#3. Settakian Fett © 170lbs (Marcus Crassus)

#4. Mnajdra Sheze © 155lbs (Juice Box)

#5. Otto Dahl © 265lbs (The Philosopher)

#6. Neyman Gariniho 185lbs (Rocco Mediate)

#7. Vinku Intianni 170lbs (Marky Mark)

#8. Jimmy Ryan 205lbs (NorthernNinjas)

#9. Froyo Hoyo 155lbs (Mickey Hart)

#10. Archibald Knox 185lbs (Marcus Crassus)

 

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