What happens if [insert name here] loses?

Everyone is so transfixed on what is going to happen during the big fight tonight, few people have really stopped to consider the fallout.

You can only guess how this fight will play out. But let’s look at what happens should either Silva or Henderson lose.

If Anderson Silva loses, he will suddenly become the ex-champion. But seeing as he has pretty much destroyed everyone put in front of him, who the hell would he fight to earn another shot?

Finding him an opponent would be a nightmare. An immediate rematch would most likely be written into his contract. If he wins, and barring an immediate rematch on Henderson’s part, who is there for him to defend his title against? A third fight between Silva and Franklin would be in no-ones interest, least of all Franklin’s.

If Henderson loses, we may see him simply quit. Without a title at light heavy or middle for him, he would probbaly have to consider if it is worth sticking around. If he wins, I can’t imagine too many middleweights asking for a shot at him. Everyone knows what he is capable of, and his record speaks for itself. But if he beats Silva, then what next? The UFC middleweight division is full of emerging talent but thin on the ground when it comes to elite level competition.

With the above in mind I’ve drawn up a brief list of fighters I think have a legitimate shot at whoever wins tonight’s fight, based on either skills or merit. The list is short, yet deep, with some names you might not expect. (Listed in no particular order)

1: Ricardo Almedia

Almeida reappeared suddenly after a hiatus of some three or four years, but he’s only one fight back after his layoff. Chucking him into a title shot would be a bit harsh, but the Big Dog was one of the world’s top middleweights before he decided to pack it all in. He’d definitely need a few tune-up fights, but with his solid grappling and intelligent style of fighting he could pose a real threat to either Silva or Henderson.

2: Nate Marquardt

Sure, Silva has already taken him out, but there is no doubt Nate choked in that fight. Marquardt is as tough as they come, a big weight cutter and a solid all-rounder with no real weaknesses other than a slight case of reluctance to pull the trigger. He tends to coast in his fights rather than really push the pace, which is deadly against Silva, who always makes you fight his fight. He’d probably fare much better against Henderson on a purely stylistic level, although whether he could do anything with him is another matter. His win over Jeremy Horn showed he can actually finish a fight, so let’s see him take another shot at proving his worth.

3: Yushin Okami

Silva is dying for a fight with Okami, who he calls a ’samurai without honour’ (he’s still bitter about the DQ in Hawaii). Okami, should he actually come to fight three (or five) rounds and not just coast as usual, could prove a threat to Henderson, and you can bet Okami will have followed all of his fights in Pride. Only trouble is Okami needs to decisively beat someone to earn a shot at the title, and he has to get past Tanner first.

4: Thiago Silva

Forgetting his somewhat sloppy brawl with Tomasz Drwal, Silva has looked pretty sharp in his last few fights. Does he deserve a title shot? Hell no. Would he make for an exciting opponent? Hell yes!

5: Rich Franklin

Putting him in against Silva would be just cruel. Putting him in with Henderson would be genuinely entertaining and most likely a lot more competitive, but who would actually put money on him? Not this writer.

(That I can only come up with five worthy names says a lot about the UFC’s MW division)