# Josh Thompson Takes Shots At Ben Henderson...



## _RIVAL_ (Mar 7, 2008)

[/quote]​


> Here’s one thing we bet you didn’t see coming at Thursday’s Strikeforce press conference: Former lightweight champion Josh Thomson took some time out of his busy schedule getting ready to fight Gesias "JZ" Cavalcante on Saturday to kick a little sand in the totally undeserving face of WEC champ Ben Henderson.
> 
> "I think it's a joke that you guys have guys like Ben Henderson ranked above guys like JZ," Thomson said. "You guys got to be freaking kidding me. This kid (JZ) is a beast. The guy's a great fighter … Are you kidding me? Really? You guys have a guy named Ben Henderson ranked above this guy? You guys are out of your mind. This guy's a savage.”
> 
> ...


source....http://www.cagepotato.com/disrespectful-non-sequitur-day-josh-thomson-singles-out-…-ben-henderson


----------



## Pound&Mound (Dec 10, 2007)

lol @ josh thinking he should be ranked in the top 10.


----------



## Rastaman (Feb 25, 2010)

He comes off as an arrogant douche in this article, no doubt. However, I think Josh Thompson is in the top ten LW, however, as #10 exactly.

As for Cavalcante? top ten? Not now not ever. A NC and loss against Aoki, loss to Kawajiri, and a split decision over Kikuno does not qualify you for top ten status. It qualifies you for barely-within-top-twenty status.

As for Ben Henderson, I have reservations about putting him very high, solely because he has faced very weak competition his whole career. I want to rank him higher because he showed amazing submission defense, stamina, and game planning his last few fights, but against Cerrone and Varner? Get him out of the WEC and into the UFC so we can see what he's actually worth. I would like to see him against an opponent like Sam Stout or someone of similar strength.


----------



## osmium (Mar 6, 2007)

Bendo would beat JZ. He gets ranked in the top 15 because he has been winning fights.


----------



## Toxic (Mar 1, 2007)

I think Benderson would lay a beating on Thompson, actually I would love to see Bendo vs Melendez.


----------



## _RIVAL_ (Mar 7, 2008)

Toxic said:


> I think Benderson would lay a beating on Thompson, actually I would love to see Bendo vs Melendez.


Gilbert Melendez would smash Ben Henderson. Gil does everything better. 

Beating Varner and Cerrone doesn't put Henderson in the same catagory as GIlbert Melendez.


----------



## Toxic (Mar 1, 2007)

_RIVAL_ said:


> Gilbert Melendez would smash Ben Henderson. Gil does everything better.
> 
> Beating Varner and Cerrone doesn't put Henderson in the same catagory as GIlbert Melendez.


Melendez striking is nothing to write home about. It only has looked good because he fought Aoki who has the stand up of a 12 year old girl and Thompson who is a glorified brawler. I think it would be a lot better fight than your giving Bendo credit for.


----------



## _RIVAL_ (Mar 7, 2008)

Toxic said:


> Melendez striking is nothing to write home about. It only has looked good because he fought Aoki who has the stand up of a 12 year old girl and Thompson who is a glorified brawler. I think it would be a lot better fight than your giving Bendo credit for.


He also smashed Crusher Kawajiri, Beat Clay Guida, and avenged Ishida. And he also outgrappled Rodrigo Damm. And Thompson is a glorified brawler? lol you're reaching... Josh Thompson is very well rounded, solid striking, wrestling, tdd, scrambles dude is a beast. You're just not giving Gilbert his due.

Melendez may not be exciting to you, but he's world class. Make no mistake.

Benson has only beat Cerrone, and Jaime Varner both of whom will probably reach carreer high stardom with their fued. Its a complete joke to put him on Melendez's level.

Let's get CB Dollaway against John Fitch next while we're making matches...


----------



## Toxic (Mar 1, 2007)

_RIVAL_ said:


> He also smashed Crusher Kawajiri, Beat Clay Guida, and avenged Ishida. And he also outgrappled Rodrigo Damm. And Thompson is a glorified brawler? lol you're reaching... Josh Thompson is very well rounded, solid striking, wrestling, tdd, scrambles dude is a beast. You're just not giving Gilbert his due.
> 
> Melendez may not be exciting to you, but he's world class. Make no mistake.
> 
> ...


Melendez BARELY beat Guida and honestly Clay Guida is about the same level I see Melendez being at and also about the same level I see Bendo at. I realize Bendo has yet to really fight a guy who would even be a gatekeeper in the UFC but he has looked impressive beating solid opponents. I honestly think that as much as your dumping on Varner and Cerrone they are on the same level as a guy like Josh Thompson.


Here is my (American) LW hierarchy

Frankie Edgar/BJ Penn

Gray Maynard/Kenny Florian

Sherk/Dunham/Melendez/Bendo/Guida/Sanchez

Joe Stevenson/Thompson/Varner/Cerrone


----------



## _RIVAL_ (Mar 7, 2008)

Toxic said:


> Melendez BARELY beat Guida and honestly Clay Guida is about the same level I see Melendez being at and also about the same level I see Bendo at. I realize Bendo has yet to really fight a guy who would even be a gatekeeper in the UFC but he has looked impressive beating solid opponents. I honestly think that as much as your dumping on Varner and Cerrone they are on the same level as a guy like Josh Thompson.
> 
> 
> Here is my (American) LW hierarchy
> ...


I disagree on almost every count. And Melendez has shown heavy improvent where Guida has proven to not develop all around skills as effective. In fact I'd take Thompson over Clay Guida in a rematch anyday.

My Heiarchy for American LWs would go....

Edgar/Penn
Melendez/Maynard/Sherk
Florian/Alvarez/Miller/Sotty/Dunham
Guida/Thompson/Noons/Bendo


----------



## E Lit Er Ate (Aug 28, 2010)

Dunham is better than most of the ppl on that list.


thats why he is fighting Florian next and he will beat him.


----------



## _RIVAL_ (Mar 7, 2008)

E Lit Er Ate said:


> Dunham is better than most of the ppl on that list.
> 
> 
> thats why he is fighting Florian next and he will beat him.


I'd rank Florian above Dunham right now...

All opinions aside Florian has defeated, Gomi, Huerta, Guida, Lauzon, Stout, Din Thomas, and Stevenson....

That is alot more than Dunham has acheived thus far.


----------



## Toxic (Mar 1, 2007)

Florian is a great fighter who has never managed to develop his wrestling to a level that allows him to compete at the highest level. The guy can't spell TD defense.


----------



## _RIVAL_ (Mar 7, 2008)

Toxic said:


> Florian is a great fighter who has never managed to develop his wrestling to a level that allows him to compete at the highest level. The guy can't spell TD defense.


It's gonna be a shame if he can never find his way around it. He's got so many tools, he really has the potential to be the best in the world.


----------



## G_Land (Aug 11, 2009)

Thats a really big if. But I agree its to bad he has all those tools but that one.


----------



## osmium (Mar 6, 2007)

Thompson has looked like shit since coming back from that injury so Bendo might be at the same level as him now. Prime Thompson would wreck Bendo standing though.


----------



## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

Why is Thompson poking at the champion of a second rate promotion?


----------



## Toxic (Mar 1, 2007)

kantowrestler said:


> Why is Thompson poking at the champion of a second rate promotion?


If you didn't get the memo, JT is probably the #1 contender in another second rate promotion.


----------



## kantowrestler (Jun 6, 2009)

Yeah, but you are talking about different levels of competition. WEC lightweights are a step below Strikeforce who is not quite at the UFC level but some of their fighters could probably hang with those fighters. We are talking about various levels here that overlap with some and not others!:confused05:


----------



## osmium (Mar 6, 2007)

Pettis, Bendo, and Cerrone would be top 7 LWs in Strikeforce.


----------



## _RIVAL_ (Mar 7, 2008)

osmium said:


> Pettis, Bendo, and Cerrone would be top 7 LWs in Strikeforce.


Sounds about right.


----------

