Jose Aldo def. Chad Mendes via Knockout(knee), Rd 1
What Happened: Despite a fence grabbing offense, Aldo's takedown defense was sterling against Mendes. When Mendes finally got his hands on Aldo, he released a waistlock and shot in, only to be met by a perfectly timed knee from Aldo that dropped him. Aldo swarmed briefly, but there was no more offense needed.
Thoughts: Aldo has always had incredible takedown defense, but after his last two fights I thought Mendes would be able to pull him down. Once it was clear that wasn't the case, I knew Mendes was in for a long (or short) night. Dropping some muscle mass apparently worked well for Aldo, who looked much less drained by the weight cut and didn't settle for letting his opponent lean on him. He had great sense to throw that knee, knowing that Mendes was going to shoot as he turned around. I thought this could look like Faber's fight, but the difference in striking skill between Faber and Mendes was clear; and Mendes' better wrestling had no effect on Aldo. Great to see the champ return to form.
Next for Aldo: Aldo is the only champion where at this moment I can't think of a single legit challenger for Aldo; and not just guys who can pose a threat to Aldo, but guys who are actually in line for a title shot. Initially I might have suggested the winner of Dustin Poirer vs Eric Koch, but Koch's injury puts that bout off for now. Other than that, a more likely suggestion might be Hatsu Hioki should he get past Bart Palaszewski. However, there isn't a guy out there that I don't think would get crushed by Aldo at this point.
Next for Mendes: Though still a top featherweight, Mendes had absolutely nothing for Aldo. If Poirer vs Koch does happen, he may be tabbed to face the loser of that or Hioki vs Palaszewski.
Vitor Belfort def. Anthony Johnson via Submission (Rear-naked choke), Rd 1
What Happened: Johnson came in aggressive, throwing wild strikes and closing the distance quickly. He took Belfort to the ground twice, but two curious stand ups played in Belfort's favor. It wasn't long before Belfort found his rhythm, and made Johnson pay for his recklessness. Gassed from the pace he was pushing and the punches he was taking, Johnson resorted to shooting desperate takedowns. Belfort sprawled and brawled, working his way to Johnson's back before sinking in a rear-naked choke for the tap.
Thoughts: I have to say, I was pretty satisfied to see Johnson get his comeuppance after missing weight by 11 lbs...after moving up in weight. The fact that he missed weight so grossly was bad enough, but his unapologetic behavior following the debacle really sealed his fate for me, and showed how unprofessional and immature he is. I actually had him to win the fight initially, but after his weight cutting snafu something told me his performance would be sub par. Johnson has a ton of ability and potential, and it's a shame to see it wasted on someone who doesn't have the mental capacity to take advantage of it. As for Belfort, he impressed me with his composure from the bottom but other than that, vintage Vitor...minus the submission.
Next for Belfort: He's already signed on to coach TUF Brazil opposite Wanderlei Silva, and the two will meet in Rio De Janeiro this June.
Next for Johnson: I think there's one more cut left for Johnson: a cut from the UFC's roster. There is a high likelihood it will happen, and if so he deserves it. He needs to show that he's mature enough to be in the UFC before he comes back. If for some reason he's allowed to stay he should suffer a marked demotion; the loser of Brian Stann vs Alessio Sakara or Yushin Okami vs Tim Boestch would suffice.
Rousimar Palhares def. Mike Massenzio via Submission (Heel hook), Rd 1
What Happened: Palhares did what he does best. He shot in on Massenzio, pulled guard and went straight for the leg. Once he gets a hold of it, it's usually a matter of time before the fight is over; and it was no different in this fight.
Thoughts: Everyone knows it's coming, but not many can stop it. That's what happens when you're in the guard of a sinewy freak of nature wired specifically for ripping your leg off frothing at the mouth for some ambulatory abolition. I knew it was going to happen, but I thought Massenzio's height and reach advantage, as well as his own grappling acumen would at least allow him to stave it off for a bit longer.
Next for Palhares: One has to think Palhares is approaching the door to a title shot. He's 7-2 in the UFC and has only lost to Nate Marquardt and Dan Henderson, both of whom were top 5 middleweights when they fought. He should fight the winner of the upcoming Demian Maia vs Michael Bisping match up to see who will be next in line after the winner of Chael Sonnen vs Mark Munoz.
Next for Massenzio: Massenzio has had a rough UFC run, and I wouldn't be surprised if he's cut following this loss, but if one thing could save him it could be his impressive decision win over Steve Cantwell in his previous bout. If he stays around he could take on CB Dollaway, Jorge Rivera, or Tom Lawlor
Carlo Prater def. Erick Silva via Disqualification (Punches to the back of the head), Rd 1
What Happened: Some BS, that's what. Prater immediately eats a knee to the body and goes down for a single. Silva starts raining hammerfists and Prater tries to drive for the takedown, but the punches are too much and the fight is stopped. What looked to be a clear TKO victory for Silva controversially turns out to be a DQ win for Prater, because Silva landed punches to the back of Prater's head.
Thoughts: I know refs are human and make mistakes, but this was a terrible call and should have been a no contest. I'm not one of the people who say Silva barely landed to the back of the head; from what I saw he landed several (possibly) illegal shots, and I was saying this even before the stoppage or the DQ announcement. What garnered my ire was that Prater couldn't continue due to an injury sustained completely independent of the illegal blows, and yet it was still ruled a DQ win for him. If he was injured or knoced out due to the punches in question, DQ Silva; otherwise, it's clearly a no contest. If Prater can continue, deduct a point from Silva. Talk to the injured fighter before making your decision. It's not rocket science.
Next for Prater: This should be viewed as a loss for him because he was clearly the lesser fighter. He should fight Luis Ramos, another Silva victim.
Next for Silva: I fully expect this loss to be treated as a win, but with the way things went it's hard for me to place Silva in the division; so I'll defer to Sherdog.com's suggestion that he face the winner of Josh Neer vs Duane Ludwig.
Edson Barboza def. Terry Etim via Knockout (Spinning wheel kick), Rd 1
What Happened: Etim looked good early in the fight, using great footwork and combinations to keep Barboza honest. Then came the leg kicks, which slowed Etim down considerably and rendered his output more conservative. The fight looked to be going in the direction of competitive decision for Barboza when he launched an incredible spinning wheel kick, catching Etim in the jaw with his heel. Etim was out immediately, and fell backward as stiffly as a freshly chopped tree.
Thoughts: Amazing knockout for Barboza, the first of it's kind in the UFC. Barboza has always been regarded a great prospect, but lacked that defining performance in the UFC to really distinguish him from the rest of the pack. In a way, this was that performance. I say "in a way" because no one knows who Mike Lullo is, I thought he lost to Anthony Njokuani, barely scraped by against Ross Pearson, and was far from dominant in this fight until the KO. I'm sure many will forget how relatively unspectacular he's looked until now due to this knockout, but with time he could be a major player in the division.
Next for Barboza: He's done well against the strikers they've put him up against, but it's about time we see how he deals with a good wrestler. Etim revealed that his takedown defense could use work, and although he got back to his feet quickly, Etim is no wrestler. He may not be able to spring up so readily against a good wrestler. Once again I'll defer to Sherdog because I like him facing the winner of Evan Dunham vs Nik Lentz, and I'll throw my own in there with Gleison Tibau.
Next for Etim: Etim just can't seem to crack the upper crust of the division, even though he has excellent stand up and grappling. Yves Edwards or rematch with Sam Stout might make for a good match up.
Prelim Quick Hits
Thiago Tavares def. Sam Stout via Decision (Unanimous), Rd 1: A very closely contested fight, but Tavares didn't do much to win it but narrowly take two rounds on the judges scorecards. Stout had the most significant action of the bout, rocking Tavares at the end of the fight. Tavares took the first with takedowns, Stout clearly took the third, and the second was the toss up. I personally had it 10-10 for a draw.
Gabriel Gonzaga def. Edinaldo Oliveira via Submission (Rear-naked Choke), Rd 1: Gonzaga is back, and I knew Oliveira would be shown to be overrated. Everyone made a deal of him being a major training partner of current heavyweight champ Junior dos Santos, but the guy has proven nothing in his actual fight career. Never jump on a guy's bandwagon because of what he does in training.
Yuri Alcantara def. Michihiro Omigawa via Decision (Unanimous), Rd 3: As a huge fan of Omigawa this one had me a bit sour, but Alcantara showed some solid skills and Omigawa gained even more of my respect for being tough as nails. He survived an armbar at the end of the first round in which his arm was badly hyperextended, and went on to finish the fight like nothing happened. Unfortunately, he didn't get the win, and could very well be on his way out of the UFC.
Mike Pyle def. Ricardo Funch via TKO (Knee and Punches), Rd 1: Pyle provided tonight's squash match (since Silva vs Prater was screwed up) at the expense of a surprisingly-back-in-the-UFC Funch. Funch never belonged in the UFC.
Felipe Arantes def. Antonio Carvalho via Decision (Unanimous), Rd 3: On paper this was a fight Carvalho should have won. He's faced better opposition and shown better skills. Maybe it was Octagon jitters, but Carvalho just couldn't get it together tonight, and looked stiff and tight on all his strikes. He showed that if he could bring it to the ground, he had a clear advantage, but after his initial display he couldn't muster up any meaningful offense. Hopefully he does well in his next outing because I like the guy.
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