Jim Gramm
MMA Sucka Special Contributor
This past weekend the UFC crowned three new TUF winners, with Norman Parke and Robert Whittaker taking the TUF Smashes Lightweight and Welterweight crowns respectively, and Colton Smith winning the TUF 16 welterweight final. Winning TUF is a big accomplishment for any fighter but it doesn’t always mean you are destined for UFC greatness.
Despite winners of the show going on to become world champions like Forrest Griffin and Rashad Evans, there are others that have gone into obscurity like Kendall Grove or Efrain Escudero. In this article I will assess each fighter’s skills to see if they will be a star or just a trivia fact in the history of mixed martial arts.
Let’s start with Northern Ireland’s Norman Parke, who won the TUF Smashes lightweight division. At just 25 years old, Parke already has 17 victories under his belt with 12 coming by way of submission. While he didn’t have a finish in the competition, he showed an understanding of all areas of the game with an above average skill set.
The downfall for Parke is that he is pretty much a finished product. He definitely has talent but I’m not sure there is much room for improvement. Compared to the other two winners, he doesn’t have a lot of upside to get better in two or three years. I like Norman and see him having a future in the UFC, just not as a championship contender.
The other winner from the Smashes is Australian Robert Whittaker. Whittaker was able to blast his way into the welterweight finals with two first round knockouts on the show. In his TUF Smashes finale bout, he wasn’t able to finish Brad Scott but the two took part in a bout which will be fondly remembered as it was an exciting affair. Whittaker showed great resolve and an ability to put together solid combinations.
With his size, strength and knockout ability, I believe Whittaker has serious potential. This fight marked the first time he won without getting a finish, and the UFC loves finishers. It’s tough to say he will become a world champion but anyone who can win with one punch is never out of a fight. If Whittaker can adopt the sprawl and brawl style, he could very well fight for the title one day.
In the 16th version of TUF in the United States, US Army Staff Sargent Colton Smith was able to come out on top over 15 other welterweights. Out of the three new winners, Smith had the least amount of experience with just 6 fights to his credit. What he lacked in fight experience, he more than made up for it with his sheer focus, desire, and incredible work ethic.
He’s the most raw talent of the three and has the biggest upside. Smith has shown the ability to out work and out will his opponents to get the victory. If he adds more striking from the top, we may be seeing a bigger Clay Guida type fighter that will be a match-up nightmare for any welterweight. Colton can go on to have a great UFC career but he will have to develop some stand-up skills if he ever wants to compete at a championship level.
If I had to choose one that could be a champion, I would have to say Robert Whittaker. Few fighters can throw that hard, that fast and be technical all at the same time. At only 21 years old, he will have plenty of time to work on his game. I have enjoyed each fighters time on their respective shows.
No matter what they do in the rest of their careers, no one can take winning TUF away from them. No matter where they go or what they do from here, I will be watching and rooting for them.
