FanPost

What is a gatekeeper?




Gatekeeper  (ˈɡeɪtˌkiːpə)
n
1.

a person who has charge of a gate and controls who may pass through it

 

Applied to mixed martail arts, the term gatekeeper is used everyday by fans, but what does it mean?  What is the proverbial "gate" to which this fighter holds the "charge"?  After reading way too many posts on this site and countless others, I have determined there to be three levels of fighters to which the term gatekeeper is applied.  After the jump, we will disseminate each level using fighters in the 155 pound division.

 1. In charge of the gate to being elite.

via rds.yahoo.com

Clay Guida holds notable wins over such esteemed fighters as Sammy Schiavo, Nate Diaz and Josh Thomson. Guida, disappointingly, never seems to come up big when positioned in fights with guys who are on their way to the top.  Both Diego Sanchez and Kenny Florianused Guida as a stepping stone on their way to title fights with BJ Penn, and Tyson Griffinand Roger Huerta defeated Guida to solidify themselves as true top 10 lightweights in the UFC during their respective tenure. Guida is a very tough fighter, as witnessed by his recent win over up and comer Rafael Dos Anjos, but needs to beat a legitimate top 15 fighter to be considered in the mix in the UFC's very deep 155 pound division.

2. In charge of the gate to being a respected UFC fighter.

via upload.wikimedia.org

Paul Taylor, holding "notable" wins over Jess Liaudin (x2), Peter Sobotta, and Paul Jenkins, is a rough and tumble British fighter who always comes for a fight and has become a bit of a crowd favorite on the British UFC cards for his roughhouse style.  Taylor holds notable losses over guys that have frequently been lumped into the first category, and recently has been used by the Zuffa brass as a stepping stone for young, up and coming fighters like John HathawayChris Lytle(the reason for this fanpost), Marcus Davis and Paul Kellyhave all dealt Taylor a loss and it seems he may be on the verge of losing his UFC membership card if he goes down in defeat to Sam Stout at UFC 121.

3. In charge of the gate to the UFC.

 

via images.cbssports.com

Josh Neer is a good mixed martial artist.  He is legitimately one of the best 155 pound fighters on the planet.  His problem is that he is not really good enough to consistently win in the UFC.  In his first tenure, he racked up impressive wins against a young Joe Stevenson and an even younger and brasher Melvin Guillard(by slick triangle for those wondering).  But after dropping back-to-back losses to Josh Burkman and Nick Diaz, Neer was given his walking papers.  Outside of the UFC, Neer racked up 6 wins, all finishes, out of 7 attempts and successfully won his UFC "re-debut" against Din Thomas (another man that goes in this category).  But 3 losses in his next four fights, again, got him his pink slip from the UFC.  Neer is currently fighting with whomever will pay him, most recently in the Fight Me promotion based out of St. Louis, Missouri.

So, what say you, Maniacs?  What is your level to which the term, gatekeeper, applied? 

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