Gomi's First UFC Fight: Florian Rumored, Fisher Willing

Sunday, 03 January 2010 18:10

by Dallas Winston

Takanori-Gomi

It appears that Kenny Florian and Spencer Fisher are arising as potential lightweight opponents for newly signed Japanese superstar Takanori Gomi.

ESPN MMA Live claims, "It looks like Gomi will fight Ken-Flo in his UFC debut!" via their Twitter page, and Spencer Fisher just announced on the Underground Forum that he would be honored to take the fight.

Fisher wrote the following on the UG:

"Since I've started mma Gomi is one of the guys I looked up to and copied some of my style from him. And I've always talked about guys diving for my shoelaces and the script might be flipped this time! LOL But of all the fights in the world that one excites me the most. I would have to be in tip top shape to fight someone of his caliber. So I've seen some of the other posts that people said they would like to see me fight him. So I'd like to say Thanks for the support and I wanted to put my two cents in. Spencer"

Both fights would be phenomenal for Gomi's debut. Having two cracks at the lightweight belt already, Florian is higher atop the 155 pound totem pole by a decent measure, but Spencer Fisher was my first inclination to oppose Gomi for the pure enticement of watching the fireworks explode. I believe Gomi is (still) the heaviest handed lightweight around, and that Fisher wields one of the most creative and impressive Muay Thai arsenals in the UFC.

Gomi has never been KO'd or TKO'd in any of his 36 fights, and Joe Stevenson was the first and only to stop Fisher with strikes in his 23-5 career. I can't see any way this wouldn't unfold brilliantly, and I think it's a perfect selection considering Gomi's surprising slide in the tail-end of his career.

Everyone knows Kenflo. He may have lost both of his title shots and look like the Meet the Parents guy, but he's always been a talented ground specialist, his striking game has steadily blossomed into an even deadlier weapon than his BJJ, he's intelligent, he's ultra-technical in everything he does, and the kid's got heart. A win over Florian would quickly (or perhaps immediately) put Gomi in line for a rematch with his prodigiousness, B.J. Penn.

bj-penn

UPDATE: Fisher comments further from the Underground Forum:

"I should have put in there also that I am very happy to fight in the UFC. And I won't bitch or belly ache about anyone that they put in there with me cause everyone that steps into that cage deserves it. Its just that the Gomi fight scares the shit out of me and I fight harder when I'm scared. Again, thanks everyone and the UFC. Spencer"