Is Yushin Okami (Finally) Ready for a Shot at the Gold?

The plight of Yushin Okami is familiar to virtually any and all fans of the man: Okami is a man that consistently finds himself hovering around the top of most people’s Middleweight rankings but is virtually absent from any and all discussions about potential challengers to current UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva’s throne. An eight-year veteran of the sport, Okami actually has a better record than current #1 contender and mile-a-minute trash-talker Chael Sonnen. And as always, fans of the man will be more than happy to tell you that Okami was the last person to defeat Anderson Silva, even if it was because Silva threw an illegal kick and got himself disqualified. As Okami heads into his eleventh UFC fight at today’s UFC Live: Jones vs. Matyushenko event, is the time finally right for Silva/Okami 2?

Perhaps the best answer to that question is another question: how noticeable has Yushin Okami’s run in the UFC been? UFC President Dana White has gone on record time and time again and said that he loves exciting fights, to the point of letting entertaining fighters leapfrog the competition for a shot at the gold. His unwillingness to grant expert grappler Jon Fitch another shot at Welterweight gold, despite winning four in a row since his loss to current UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre, is the clearest example I can personally think of. So let’s break it down as such: in Okami’s wins in the UFC, four have come by decision, three have come by (T)KO, and he’s won one by submission. He’s also lost two by unanimous decision. Clearly, this is a fighter that can last 15 minutes.

Unfortunately for Okami, being able to grind out a decision just isn’t what it used to be. The perception has simply changed, now favoring those who finish and finish quickly over those who display the stamina and heart to go all three rounds. I see this as the biggest reason that Yushin Okami still hasn’t gotten a rematch with Anderson Silva: in a world that favors the quick knockout and submission, the art of dominating but not finishing an opponent is something that more often than not results in boos nowadays. Veterans and newcomers alike can put on clinics against their opponents and still be criticized for stalling and/or not finishing an opponent. I’d actually love to argue this point, since I think a dominant performance is a dominant performance no matter if the fighter was able to finish his opponent or not, and that such a performance should be held up equally as high as a sudden blitzkrieg KO or a lightning-fast submission. But for the sake of this article, let’s just say that this perception favoring the fast finish has become the norm, and it’s one of the main things holding Okami back.

That said, it’s not like Okami’s future is hopeless. As he has shown in the past, Yushin Okami can finish fights. With his record in the UFC a very solid 8-2, with his only losses coming to Rich Franklin and Chael Sonnen, Okami may be only a couple of finishes away from finally getting his moment in the spotlight. In fact, if Anderson Silva can get past both Chael Sonnen and Vitor Belfort (who is next in line no matter who wins), I honestly don’t see anyone else for the champion to face except for Okami, not unless some hot new prospect shows up and lights up the division. It’s possible, but until I see it with my own eyes, I think Okami’s time to shine is coming a lot sooner than most people think.

And what do you think, fans and friends? Is Okami being unfairly treated? Should he have already gotten a shot at the title? And if you don’t think so, what will Okami have to do in order to get you to support him getting a title shot?