UFC 87 came and UFC 87 went. It brought a lot of upheavals in different divisions and in some, it brought a sense of who is where.

Let’s see what the results of UFC 87 mean to the participants:

Georges St. Pierre:

Won in convincing fashion against one of the most talked about fighters, who was supposed to be his biggest test. Although he did win and dominated while doing so, some people have talked about his reluctance to fight standing up the way he used to. While this can be seen as a bad thing, ultimately, his strategy not only works but also makes him seem invincible similar to how Matt Hughes was at the peak of his game. The only competition left in the division for him come from fighters who are yet to prove themselves to be ready to take on a champion …
Thiago Alves, Anthony Johnson, Marcus Davis and Mike Swick.

The only way Georges is going to lose is if he is tagged by a big puncher who manages to land clean. His wrestling is amazing, his striking is good and the combination of these along with the strategy and brains of Greg Jackson make him a difficult fighter to beat. BJ Penn might be the only one with a chance right now.

Status: Moving up to greatness

Jon Fitch:

Fitch showed once again that he has tremendous heart and a great chin.
Although he lost against Georges, he showed his will and also his ability, making St. Pierre uncomfortable and on the defence in places. What Jon Fitch will be in a year or so is undoubtable, what he will do next: His challenges will include Karo, Swick, Koscheck, a rematch with Sanchez or a fight against Marcus Davis, should Davis be able to win a couple of fights in a row.

Status: Down a spot but that is still temporary

Brock Lesnar:

Lesnar made a statement at UFC 87 … Actually he made two. One Brock showed that he has legitimate skills and has all the natural tools to reach the top of the bracket in very little time. Brock dominated Heath Herring and made the Big Texan look really out of his element, something which very few people can lay claim to. Herring, who looked like he was in the best shape of his life, really looked like he had no answer to Lesnar’s size, strength and wrestling ability. Brock’s next opponent is rumoured to be Cheick Kongo. In my opinion, the only way Cheick is going to get a win there is if he can use his reach and his standup skills. Any attempt to wrestle or control Lesnar will end in disaster. Although he has a long way to go, Lesnar is already a threat to the division’s players.

The second thing that Lesnar made clear is that he wants to be Titoesque but did not bother to go through the complete tapes. Tito may be a showman in the ring, but outside he is one of the most respectful people in the game. Lesnar needs to learn that the only way people will react to him if he decides to play Nelson (from the Simpson’s) is by turning off everytime they see him. After all, Nelson does it much better … right?

Status: Up a few spots in a talent sparse division

Heath Herring:

Heath Herring’s career and luck are things that are really difficult to understand. A man who at one time was one of the most feared competitors in the division suddenly became another in a pool of talented fighters who lost motivation. Then Herring decided to come back to the mainstream of MMA and after a couple of setbacks finally gets himself back into the top 5 in the UFC. Unfortunately, Herring is given Lesnar. After the way he lost the fight at UFC 87, it is clear that Herring needs to work on strategy a lot more than his cardio or overall MMA game. Herring moves down a spot or two but still has a lot of hope and fans behind him to get him back on the horse. Here’s to better luck next time for the Texas Crazy Horse.

Status: Down a few levels with the future uncertain.

Tune in for part two of the UFC 87 Elevator in a day or two.