Sakuraba, Igor V, still among the best

[Mr. Miyagi]

Saku did just lose to a top middleweight contender but I think he still needs to be considered among top middleweights. This last Pride has some surprises in it and the fans shouldn't be fickle and decide that all the new winners are suddenly the best. Also, Tre's win against Igor is a big one, but Tre will still have a lot to prove, IMO, even though this win catapults him into the spotlight. Saku and Igor have competed with a lot of frequency and it was just a matter of time before they took spills like this. I'm not convinced that rematches of these fights would transpire the same way. MMA fans have ditched quite a few great fighters over one or two losses (Vitor, Coleman) and later been proven wrong. And if Frank Shamrock competed with the same frequency that Silva, Saku, and Igor V do, then he would have gotten his ass handed to him a long time ago. Last but not least, I also believe that a lighter end middleweight category should be established because the difference between making 170 and making 200 is a huge range.

[desert eagle]

Exactly. It's amazing how a fighter can go from hero to zero in no time in with some mma fans. I really hope Pride sets up some rematches. Igor, Renzo, and Saku will all be back.

[Shimora]

It was only a matter of time before the Saku myth exploded. Its obvious to anyone that understands the fight game that Saku was overrated when people said he was the Number 1 middleweight.
Just because you can destroy a succession of burnt out Gracies and a few B level fighters does not make you number one. Saku has been great for the morale of the Japanese people and he is a great warrior but to put him in the same league as Frank Shamrock & Tito Ortiz has always been pushing it

A good striker will always prove the MMA Submission fighting mentality wrong.