Strikeforce: Tate vs Rousey Recap

"OUCH!" was the thought most were left with following the championship bout this Saturday between champion Miesha Tate and challenger Ronda Rousey, who snatched the title away in dramatic and cringe-inducing fashion. It capped off a rather pleasing night of fights where the women lived up to their top billing status, and coupled with a title eliminator bout between Sarah Kaufman and Alexis Davis, largely stole the whole show with their displays of heart, determination, and violence. As much as people lament or vent about how close to death Strikeforce is, no one can deny that since they were acquired by Zuffa they have put forth nothing but quality entertainment; even if they don't employ the biggest names in the sport to do so.

Strikeforce Women's Bantamweight Title Fight
Ronda Rousey def. Miesha Tate (c) via Submission (Armbar), Rd 1
What Happened: Tate came out a ball of fire, Rousey responded in kind, and it wasn't long before the two were clinched up and tumbling to the ground in an exciting bout of grappling. Miesha got the better of the brief stand up exchanges, but it was clear Rousey was the stronger of the two in the clinch and on the ground. After surviving a particularly tight armbar that appeared to dislocate her elbow (upon watching the replay it appeared she actually rotated her arm and turned her elbow inward toward her body, so it looked much worse than it actually was), the second time was a charm for Rousey as she locked in another armbar, and this time actually did badly dislocate Tate's elbow, inducing the tap late in the round.
Thoughts: Although mildly, Rousey was finally tested. Tate brought the fight to her and made her go through a little adversity. Rousey showed why her judo and ground control (and of course her armbar) aren't to be messed with, which brings me to why I was overall pretty disappointed in Tate's performance. Although Tate's striking is modest, she has the advantage in that category over Rousey and it might have been in her best interest to test that out on Rousey. However, she decided to eschew that gameplan in favor of rushing inside, brawling, and looking to take her down. I know Tate is a wrestler, and stated that her wrestling could trump Rousey's judo; well, if she was worried on fighting smart she might have tested out Rousey's limited striking. It seemed that her anger and pride led her to run right into Rousey's wheelhouse, and I feel she could have done much better.
I made no secret about the fact that although I'm glad this fight brought attention to women's MMA, I didn't like the fact that Rousey essentially talked trash in order to leapfrog the rightful challenger in Sarah Kaufman, who ended up on the undercard having to earn a title shot she already earned. So needless to say, I was rooting for Tate to win, although I predicted a Rousey win. The reason for the prediction is that I believe women's MMA is still some years behind men's MMA in terms of depth and overall talent level. Rousey is essentially a fighter who's really good and rushing in, throwing women to the ground, and armbarring them. Everyone knows it's coming, and yet she can do it over and over again with relatively little resistance. This is reminiscent of the sport years ago, when you didn't have to be well-rounded to compete at the very top. One-trick ponies definitely still exist in men's MMA, but how many of them are champions? How many of them get to the highest level in MMA and are still able to just use that one trick without needing to evolve? Rousey is the #1 women's bantamweight in the world right now, and she's essentially a fighter with great judo and a mean armbar. MMA as a whole is a young sport, and women's MMA is even younger; it'll be interesting to see how female fighters develop and evolve in the coming years. One thing's for sure, Rousey may not be well-rounded, but as things are now that one trick she does is pretty damn exciting. The attitude she displayed after the fight, on the other hand, didn't excite me at all.
Next for Rousey: Sarah Kaufman will finally get the title shot she already deserved, and it'll likely be against a tougher opponent in Rousey. It will be interesting to see how Kaufman's strength and preference to keep fights standing plays into the fight.
Next for Tate: The shallowness of the women's bantamweight division makes the matchmaking pretty straightforward. Alexis Davis lost the title eliminator to Kaufman, so that's who Tate should fight next.

Josh Thomson def. KJ Noons via Decision (Unanimous), Rd 3
What Happened: Thomson was apparently wary of Noons' boxing acumen, and opted to use his superior wrestling instead. Although he should some flashes of solid stand up, mostly in the first round, Thomson relied on his wrestling more and more, and controlled Noons on the ground for the majority of the fight. The most significant action came in the third round, which saw Thomson lock in a tight arm triangle, and come close to locking in another and a rear naked choke.
Thoughts: Well it wasn't exciting, but it was effective. Thomson hadn't fought in over a year, and explained that changes in training to focus on staying healthy actually contributed to him tiring in the fight. He may show disdain for his performance, but I'm sure he's happy to get the win and acknowledges that he fought Noons pretty intelligently in being the only man to hold him down for extended periods of time. It looks like his claim that his fight with Noons should have been the main event turned out to be very untrue, and in actuality it was arguably the least eventful fight on the card.
Next for Thomson: Looks like it'll be a rubber match with Gilbert Melendez for the lightweight strap. Hopefully he can stay healthy long enough for it to happen relatively soon.
Next for Noons: Honestly, I'm glad Noons lost because I don't think he has any chance against Melendez. He was soundly outclassed by Jorge Masvidal and didn't look overly impressive in his win over Billy Evangelista. Although he has made strides and is a solid fighter, he still isn't well-rounded enough to compete and win at the top of the division. Caros Fodor, who took a tough loss on the card, may be a good next step for him.

Kazuo Misaki def. Paul Daley via Decision (Split), Rd 3
What Happened: Misaki used pressure, movement, and plain old veteran savvy to render Daley's usually dangerous stand up tentative and subdued. Daley seemed less willing to engage than he usually is, and actually resorted to shooting eight takedowns; easily more than he had attempted in the last few years combined, if not rivaling the amount he's attempted in his entire career to that point. Misaki seemed content to be on his back but still defended five of those eight. A turning point occurred when a Daley elbow from the top sliced open a deep cut above Misaki's left eye, but he was deemed fit to continue and came out even more aggressive when the fight resumed. In the end, Misaki did enough to take home the decision on two judges scorecards.
Thoughts: I've never been of the ilk that viewed Daley as a great striker, as many do. Sure, he is definitely a dangerous one, as he is without a doubt one of the hardest hitters at welterweight, but other than his patented left hook he hasn't displayed a wealth of other tools to give solid competitors trouble. It seems many fighters have figured that out and largely avoid the left hook, as evidenced by his inability to land it too often or solidly in the past few years against opposition that decide not to stand in the pocket with him. He's definitely improved his takedown defense and overall ground game, but it'll never be his strong suit; he needs to vary up his striking assault to be at a high level. Misaki, meanwhile, looked spry and rejuvenated in his more natural weight class. His aggression, intensity, and spirit seemed to catch Daley off guard and had him on the defensive for a lot of the fight. You know something is up when you see Daley trying to steal rounds or slow things down with takedowns. Daley was obviously annoyed at the decision, but the truth is that Misaki looked the more impressive fighter that night.
Next for Misaki: He looked great in his welterweight debut, and figures to quickly find himself in the mix, given the shallowness of the welterweight division in Strikeforce. Tarec Saffiedine now appears to be the odd man out in the welterweight division after the inclusion of Nate Marquardt, so pairing him with Misaki sounds like as good a bout as any.
Next for Daley: Daley lost a close decision here, and should be paired with another welterweight who lost a close decision in his last outing: Tyler Stinson, who took really made Saffiedine work to secure a decision win.

Lumumba Sayers def. Scott Smith via Submission (Guillotine Choke), Rd 1
What Happened: Smith looked slow and lethargic for this brief encounter, and didn't get the time to unleash one of his trademark dramatic comebacks as Sayers countered a guillotine attempt with an impressive backdrop slam, and followed it up with a guillotine of his own to get the quick tap.
Thoughts: Watching Smith fight has just become sad, and I fear for his health in the future after taking so much punishment over his career. Through my concern for his well-being there is also disappointment and outright disgust for the fact that after all this time he still seems as if he hasn't learned to do much besides throw his right hand and take punishment. He has decent kicks that he doesn't use, and seemingly little to no wrestling or ground game to speak of. For the past few years I've said that if he works on his overall game he could be a pretty good middleweight, but unfortunately he seems to have digressed more than anything. The way he tapped to that choke immediately despite it seemingly not being tightly locked in and having a clear route to escape was just saddening. He simply can't compete against even upper-mid level guys anymore.
Next for Sayers: Sayers still has yet to see the second round, and while he looked impressive, I don't know how much that actually means coming against Smith. Sherdog says he should welcome Lorenz Larkin to middleweight, and I don't see why that wouldn't be a good idea.
Next for Smith: Smith has lost four straight and looked terrible in every one of those losses. In fact, he looked terrible in his vintage comeback win against Cung Le as well. I would say the last time Smith impressed was in his quick knockout of Terry Martin in 2008. If he doesn't hang 'em up, he should see a vast downsizing in competition. Antwain Britt has the shaky chin and questionable defense to possibly put Smith back in the win column.

Ronaldo Souza def. Bristol Marunde via Submission (Arm Triangle), Rd 3
What Happened: Marunde didn't have much for Souza throughout, and all he could do was survive until the final round. Souza both out-struck (including a great spinning wheel kick that landed on Marunde's jaw) and out-grappled him for two and a half rounds until finally catching him in an arm triangle against the cage.
Thoughts: This takes the cake for mismatch of the night. One can't complain too much, as Souza was penciled in to take on prospect Derek Brunson before a failed eye exam took Brunson out of the equation with little time left to find a replacement. The much less heralded Marunde stepped in to try and catch lightning in a bottle. Even though he was lost handily, he survived longer than most thought he would against Souza, which brings up my constant flip-flopping notions of Souza's standing. Sometimes he looks like a real force in the division, citing his wins over Matt Lindland and Robbie Lawler. Other times he can really see his limits, such as in his title loss to Luke Rockhold, and even in wins against Tim Kennedy and Joey Villasenor. This fight was somewhere in between, as he clearly showed he was the dominant fighter, but didn't dominate as thoroughly as many of us thought he was capable of doing against an opponent of Marunde's caliber. Tough to see where he really goes from here.
Next for Souza: He doesn't deserve a title rematch just yet, and Rockhold seems to be booked to fight Kennedy next, so the best solution would be to re-book his fight with Brunson. If that doesn't work, the closest to viable opponent he hasn't yet beaten would be Lumumba Sayers.
Next for Marunde: Not sure where he fits in the division, making his debut against the former champion. He handled himself reasonably well for being so over-matched, but she shouldn't be facing anyone near Souza's level for his next bout. Scott Smith or Melvin Manhoef (if he's still under contract) might suffice.

The Prelims
Sarah Kaufman def. Alexis Davis via Decision (Majority), Rd 3
In what was arguably fight of the night, Kaufman and Davis engaged in a relentless, nonstop, bloody brawl for the better part of 3 rounds. Both women left it all in the cage and let the leather fly. It was a great way to prepare the audience for how great women in the main event could be. It was a close affair, but Kaufman seemed to edge Davis out a bit in effective striking over the first two rounds. Davis finally got to show off her considerable ground skills in the third round, as she took Kaufman down and punished her with strikes and submission threats for the latter part of the round. Kaufman held on, and the damage she had done in the first two rounds was deemed enough to get her the win, and a title shot. Fantastic fight, and Davis shouldn't fall far at all with the loss. Besides, it's hard to sink too far in shallow waters anyway.
Roger Bowling def. Brandon Saling via TKO (punches), Rd 2
In another fight of the night candidate, Bowling and Sayers stood in front of each other and threw bombs for stretches of their fight. Saling showed off a crazy chin, as he was able to walk through some very solid strikes and keep going. Bowling being the more well-rounded and better trained of the two took to wrestling when things got heavy, and the largely self-trained Saling showed some decent takedown defense, as well as a great deal of heart and determination, surviving a couple topside crucifixes until his demise early in the second round. Bowling got sucked into firefights a few times, but never strayed far enough from his gameplan to let it get him into too much trouble, which was impressive. As for Saling, Neo-Nazi sex offender or not, with a good team around him he could become someone to watch at 170...if they keep him around. He is (or was) a Neo-Nazi sex offender, after all.
Pat Healy def. Caros Fodor via Submission (Arm Triangle), Rd 3
This was my upset pick of the night, and it paid off. I think Fodor is a great talent and has a bright future in the sport, but I didn't think he could handle the size and experience advantage Healy had over him. Fodor handled himself very well in the first round in gaining good positioning on and battering Healy, but ever the crafty veteran, Healy survived the slow start and turned things up with relentless takedowns and pressure. I was actually surprised he locked in the submission and got Fodor to tap, as I thought he'd take home a clear-cut decision, but Healy seems to be the resident spoiler on the Strikeforce roster. Fodor will come back strong, and Healy should be inching closer to title talks already.
Ryan Couture def. Conor Heun via TKO (punches), Rd 3
Very impressive win for Couture, who hadn't impressed me a whole lot prior (which was why I picked against him). I thought Heun would more than hold his own on the ground, and that his penchant for swinging for the fences would overwhelm Couture's very modest stand up. Well Couture went a long way in improving his stand up, and used a lot of the grinding clinch work his father Randy popularized. In earning his first stoppage due to strikes he also showed evolution in that he utilized effective ground and pound, where he probably would have just searched for a submission in earlier fights. The old man should be proud.

UFC on Fox 2 Re-cap

The UFC's second offering on Fox delivered where the first one could not in that there was significantly more than a minute of actual fighting, and substantially less pre-fight build up. It's a shame that all three main card fights went to decision, and that most of the excitement and entertainment took place on the undercard. All in all it was a solid offering, although I didn't do nearly as well picking fights for this event (6 for 10) as I did for UFC on FX 1 (9 for 10). A lot of questions were answered and a couple title shots are set. Let's get to it. Since there were only three main card fights, I took the liberty of choosing a couple undercard fights I enjoyed to cover in detail.

Rashad Evans def. Phil Davis via Decision (Unanimous), Rd 5
What Happened: Evans more or less dominated Davis everywhere; out-striking, out-wrestling, and out-grappling him for a large majority of the 25 minute encounter. Davis looked solid in the first round, but a takedown by Evans off of a Davis kick followed by a mounted crucifix tempered Davis' striking and wrestling considerably. The result was a lopsided decision for Evans.
Thoughts: I said it when the fight was originally booked (followed by relief when Davis pulled out due to injury), and I said it again when the fight was re-booked: Davis is not ready for a huge push. This fight was a nice gauge of where he is, but I didn't have much doubt Evans would just be too seasoned and well-rounded for Davis at this point. It's a shame this was a 5-rounder, and not Sonnen vs Bisping, because the first round showed us exactly what the rest of the fight would look like. Nonetheless, it was a learning experience for Davis, as his holes have been exposed and defined, so he'll know what to focus on and improve. Davis has the potential to be a major title contender; his time just isn't now. Evans looked solid and showed he has the conditioning to go 5 rounds, as he has recently been known to slow down considerably around the 3rd round in fights.
Next for Evans: A light heavyweight title tilt with current kingpin Jon Jones.
Next for Davis: Now that he has a better idea of what he needs to improve on to be a top 205er, Davis should still be fighting upper-mid level guys. He could take on the loser of the upcoming Quinton Jackson vs Ryan Bader fight, or take on a solid upper level gatekeeper in the division like Forrest Griffin or Rich Franklin.

Chael Sonnen def. Michael Bisping via Decision (Unanimous), Rd 3
What Happened: Sonnen relentlessly pressured Bisping, who spent too much time in close quarters to really let his footwork dictate the fight. Not too much damage was done to either man, and Bisping kept the fight off the ground for extended periods in the first two rounds, but in the third round Sonnen took him down and put his stamp on the fight. His takedowns and control granted him a close decision.
Thoughts: Bisping looked very good overall in the fight, and I'm glad for that because I've always said people disrespect his skills just because they don't like his personality. Bisping has always had impeccable all around skills; technical stand up, solid takedown defense, and crafty guard, and a great ability to get back to his feet. He showed pretty much all of this against Sonnen, and hopefully people will finally give him his respect even in defeat since he made the fight much more competitive than many thought he would. Sonnen was his usual aggressive self, though he looked considerably less polished in the stand up than he usually does. However, his flailing technique did get him on the inside throughout the fight, so I can't knock him too much; but he will need to bring a bit more to the table against Silva.
Next for Sonnen: His workmanlike victory gives him his much desired rematch with the reigning middleweight champion Anderson Silva, and Sonnen will need to bring his A game, because the fight is likely to take place in Brazil.
Next for Bisping: Bisping put on a solid performance, and shouldn't fall far down the ladder. A fight with fellow runner-up Demian Maia; a fight that was originally scheduled for this event before Munoz pulled out 11 days prior with an elbow injury.

Chris Weidman def. Demian Maia via Decision (Unanimous), Rd 3
What Happened: In a rather tepid bout, Weidman used well-placed takedowns to take a decision, almost by default. The two were almost even on the feet, with Weidman edging Maia out with slightly cleaner striking, and they were mostly a stalemate on the ground.
Thoughts: Worst fight on the card, by far. Both men looked exhausted partway through the 2nd round, and were winging slow looping shots at each other. Maia resorted for shooting lazy takedowns from feet away, and in general just looked lethargic. Weidman took the fight on 11 days' notice and had to cut a lot of weight so he has a bit of an excuse for the performace, but what about Maia? He had a fight scheduled the entire time and still looked to have terrible cardio. Terrible fight.
Next for Weidman: Although it wasn't a very impressive performance, it's easily the most important win of his career, and will likely vault him into the mix. Rousimar Palhares would make for a great match up. Weidman's not afraid to go to the ground with great grapplers, and we should see how that eagerness plays off against a man who could wear a necklace of legs.
Next for Maia: A perplexedly bad performance for Maia, and that's saying something considering the fact that he hasn't overwhelmingly impressed in quite some time. Having split his last four and gone to decision in his last seven, he has not looked the same since his first career loss: a knockout against Nate Marquardt. He has played things very safe since then, preferring positional control and distance striking to taking risks to finish as he did before. It may draw parallels to Georges St. Pierre post-Matt Serra knockout; except St. Pierre hasn't lost since adopting that style. Maia needs to get back to basics, and he'll need a step down to get back on track. CB Dollaway or Dongi Yang might be appropriate to get him back on track. Or better yet, what's Jason Miller doing?

Evan Dunham def. Nik Lentz via TKO (Doctor Stoppage), Rd 2
What Happened: A wild and entertaining fight saw both fighters have their moments, scoring shots standing and working their wrestling. Lentz eschewed his usual methodical grinding approach in favor for an all-out brawl. After a back and forth 2 rounds which saw Dunham land some hard elbows in the guard before the bell, the fight was up for grabs heading into the third. Unfortunately, a bad cut under Lentz's left eye was rapidly swelling his eye shut, and the cageside doctor had to call the bout.
Thoughts: Once known for boring and plodding (and winning) in his fights, Lentz has to have gained some new fans with his new risk taking style. However, it has yet to give him a victory in his last 3 fights. It's unfortunate that this fight had to be stopped because he may have very well been up 2 rounds to none on the cards. Dunham looked impressive and scrappy as usual, and overcame his usual slow start to turn it on in the second. Both guys looked like solid 155ers tonight, and although Dunham walked away with the W, Lentz put on a great performance; and still walked away with some extra change after winning Fight of the Night. Odd that some people still label Lentz boring when 2 of his last 3 fights have won the award.
Next for Dunham: Dunham is working his way back to the top 10 after hitting a snag, and continues to look solid. I mentioned after UFC 142 that Edson Barboza needs to face someone well rounded, who has the skills to really test his wrestling as well as his submissions; Dunham may be that guy.
Next for Lentz: I'll be angry if Lentz is cut after this loss. Even though he's hit a rough patch, you can't deny the fact that he went unbeaten in his first 7 UFC fights. On top of that, he has finally shed his "boring" label in a lot of people's eyes. Now he just needs to find that happy medium that allows him to be exciting and win at the same time. Lentz's last few fights have really brought forth the notion that the size he gives up works against him. Although he's got great technique and wrestling, bigger guys have been able to take him down fairly regularly as well. A drop to 145 may be in order, where he won't be at a size disadvantage and his wrestling may be even more effective. If he stays at 155, I'd actually like to see him take on George Sotiropoulos. Where has that guy been?

Lavar Johnson def. Joey Beltran via KO (Punches), Rd 1
What Happened: Johnson showed his reach, size, and power advantage early, dropping Beltran with a body punch in the opening seconds. From there it was all Johnson; landing stiff jabs almost at will and battering Beltran around the cage. Beltran found his mark with a few combinations, but nothing of significance. Johnson went in for the kill at the end of the first round, drilling Beltran with uppercuts until he was out on his feet and slowly slumping down face-first on the canvas.
Thoughts: I knew Johnson would be coming in the bigger man, but I honestly expected Beltran to weather the early storm and turn it up. Johnson has shown questionable cardio and takedown defense, and an utter lack of a ground game. For his UFC debut he seemed relaxed and confident, managing a more deliberate pace while still scoring with big punches. It was an unexpectedly impressive performance from him. Beltran just couldn't get it together, and his normally granite chin just couldn't stand up to the power Johnson wields. It was the first time he'd ever been stopped by strikes, and it was a doosey.
Next for Johnson: I know he's coming off a loss, but the thought of Johnson vs Shane Carwin looks pretty awesome. Not that it would make too much sense. Perhaps the winner of the upcoming Stefan Struve vs Dave Herman fight, or Gabriel Gonzaga if they want to see if his wrestling or ground game have really improved.
Next for Beltran: Tough loss for Beltran, but I think he could live to fight another day in the UFC. He could take on fellow loser on the night, John Olav Einemo. Better yet, he did drop a considerable amount of weight for this fight and he's still carrying some extra heft. It would be smart for him to try the cut to 205.

The Prelims
Mike Russow def. John Olav Einemo via Decision (Unanimous), Rd 3
Russow takes home a workmanlike decision with little action. It was the stinker on the card until Maia-Weidman took that title by lopsided decision. Einemo showed flashes of goodness, but conditioning as well as experience problems prevented him from capitalizing on some opportunities. Russow has quietly put together quite the streak (4 straight in the UFC; 11 straight overall), but his style probably won't endear him to fans. Einemo shows promise, but needs to work on his cardio and clean up some iffy grappling tendencies he brings into the sport with him.
Cub Swanson def. George Roop via TKO (Punches), Rd 2
These two brought it like I knew they would, and I actually had this long tabbed as fight of the night until Dunham-Lentz came along and snatched that away. It started off well for Roop, who used his range well to keep Swanson from landing well, but Swanson soon started to find his range and take advantage of Roop's questionable defense. In the second he answered that questionable defense by landing an absolute bomb that sent Roop's mouthpiece rocketing out of his face, the end was academic.
Charles Oliveira def. Eric Wiselt via Submission (Modified Calf Slicer), Rd 1
Oliveira's featherweight debut didn't last long, and neither did Eric Wisely's streak of not being finished in 6 defeats. Oliveira quickly went to work on a heel hook, and once that was defended, he locked up the leg and grabbed a hold of Wisely's back, pulling him down while still triangling the trapped leg. This interesting variation on the calf slicer left Wisely to live up to his name nad choose to opt out of the fight before risking major damage. Not only did Oliveira take home Submission of the Night, but now enjoys the distinction of owning the first and only calf slicer victory in UFC history. So in case you're not familiar with a calf slicer:


Michael Johnson def. Shane Roller via Decision (Unanimous), Rd 3
Honestly I picked Roller to take this one because Johnson is good at finding ways to lose, but he looked very much improved in this fight. His stand up was sharper and his footwork was on point, leaving Roller constantly a step behind him. However, he almost live up to his aforementioned reputation in the 3rd when he allowed Roller to take his back, lock in a body triangle, and threaten him with chokes and shots from back mount. In the end, Johnson kept his composure and survived to take home the decision based on winning the first 2 rounds.
Chris Camozzi def. Dustin Jacoby via Submission (Guillotine), Rd 3
The only fight of the night I wasn't able to see, this one mostly gets a mention because I dismissively predicted that Camozzi would win by submission in the 3rd round...and he totally did. Why can't I predict more of the fights I actually care about so flawlessly?

UFC 142 Recap

Another exciting night of fights has come to a close, and I have to say it was the worst night of picks for me that I can remember. Whether from last minute mind changes, misinformation, hesitation, or bad calls, things just wouldn't go my way tonight. But enough of the pity party, let's get on with the recap.

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.

UFC 141 Recap

I really wanted to do an entry for UFC 140, which was one of the best events of 2011, but was just plain too busy; so I had to get this one out. That urgency was just exacerbated by the fact that we have all witnessed Brock Lesnar's last fight in the octagon, which was of no surprise given how trying times have been for him in the past couple years. Overall the event was decent; it started off pretty slow but picked up when the main card started. I predicted a decision-heavy event and it definitely delivered on that front. IT also delivered in the realm of upsets, including a major one that definitely makes the welterweight division more interesting. Here we go.


Alistair Overeem def. Brock Lesnar via TKO (Liver Kick and Punches), Rd 1
What Happened: Lesnar threw out his usual plan of bull rushing at the bell in favor of a more calculated approach, but it was all for naught. After stuffing an early takedown, Overeem proceeded to walk Lesnar down, throwing punches and tagging him in the process with hard knees to the body. A well-placed body kick spelled the end for Lesnar, as he collapsed against the cage and covered up as Overeem rained punches. Most of them were blocked, but the end was academic; Lesnar was done.
Thoughts: I went back and forth on picking for this fight because of the multitude of variables involved. Aside from the typical "anything can happen when heavyweights get in there" factor, there was Lesnar's 14 month layoff and his bout with diverticulitis, as well as Overeem's lackluster last showing against Fabricio Werdum and his recent drama with the NSAC. In the end I settled on Overeem by TKO, and by fight time I felt confident in that choice. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Lesnar's MMA wrestling is overrated. Guys like Jon Fitch, Cain Velasquez, Cole Konrad, Chael Sonnen, Jacob Volkmann, etc are very successful with their wrestling because the are relentless in the pursuit of a takedown. If you stuff one, they'll transition to another and pressure you the whole time. Lesnar is in the same boat as guys like Mark Munoz and Johny Hendricks in that they tend to give up after they are initially stuffed and back up. This is why they struggle working a wrestling-centric top control game. The difference with Lesnar is that unlike a Munoz or Hendricks, he doesn't have the striking skill offense or defense to make up for it. If he can't take someone down quickly, he gets hit; and when he gets hit, he doesn't react well. Once Overeem easily stuffed him and hit him with that first body shot Lesnar looked lost and hopeless, and I knew it was just a matter of time because Lesnar wasn't going to really push the pace and make the fight ugly.
Next for Overeem: Junior dos Santos for the title. Overeem made a bold statement in disposing of Lesnar and making it look easy. Overeem is one of the best strikers at heavyweight, and this upcoming title fight will likely settle the question of who the best striker in the division really is.
Next for Lesnar: Sitting on the couch in his huge ranch laughing at all the haters who view his MMA stint as a failure when he did in 7 fights what most guys won't do in their entire careers, and made millions doing it. He may not have earned his initial title shot, and he may have trouble taking a hit, but Lesnar chose to take the hardest possible road in this sport and did pretty damn well considering he came into the game late and with wrestling as his sole skill. The man deserves respect.

Nate Diaz def. Donald Cerrone via Decision (Unanimous), Rd 3
What Happened: It was a slugfest, and Diaz's boxing proved superior. He landed punches in high volume at will, and although Cerrone had some success with leg and body kicks in the 2nd and 3rd rounds, he couldn't do enough to avoid a lopsided decision loss.
Thoughts: This was considered an upset and I'm not entirely sure why. I picked Cerrone along with most people, but I couldn't believe so many were writing Diaz off. I might write him off against a great wrestler, but not a striker. Now although I acknowledge that Diaz is looking more and more like his brother with each fight (which is a very good thing), something seemed very off with Cerrone. Though he's not usually a paragon of striking defense, this time around he seemed to just allow Diaz to hit him constantly. Cerrone has always had a habit that I didn't like: he tends to close the distance by just walking into his opponents instead of moving in quickly. Thus far it has done him well (I usually cringe a little when he does it), but against someone he didn't have such a height and reach advantage over it proved to be part of his undoing. There were several occasions where he walked right up to Diaz to close the distance and took 3 and 4 punch combinations right to the face. Overall, it was just a bad performance for Cerrone, and a great one for Nate. Still not a fan of Nate or his brother, but I can't deny that they are great at what they do.
Next for Diaz: It's about time he starts getting mentioned in the title conversation. He should fight the winner of Anthony Pettis vs Joe Lauzon, in what could possibly be a title eliminator.
Next for Cerrone: Taking 5 fights in 10 months may have just been too much for Cerrone, but I think he should come back stronger. The loser of the aforementioned Pettis vs Lauzon fight, or perhaps that beef he has with Cole miller should finally come to a head.

Johny Hendricks def. Jon Fitch via KO (Punch), Rd 1
What Happened: It only took 12 seconds, so not much. Fitch let his guard down and caught a thunderous left hand which had him out immediately. Fitch took another bomb and immediately sought to recover and look for a tie-up, but he was done.
Thoughts: Not much to say about the fight itself, but this is bound to happen when you've had as much success as Fitch. MMA is unpredictable and anyone can get caught; you just have to get to the top before that happens. It's difficult for guys like him (unmarketable for title shots) because they have to win more fights to get another shot at the belt. Fitch's 5-0-1 record since his last title bid would be more than enough for a marketable contender to get another shot, but instead he had to keep fighting, and like anyone else it was a matter of time before he lost. I thought Hendricks had a decent style for stifling Fitch's game, but this was a huge upset.
Next for Hendricks: He has catapulted himself to the contender's list with this emphatic win. He could face the winner of Jake Ellenberger vs Diego Sanchez in a title eliminator. If that winner is catapulted to a title shot Hendricks could fight the Josh Koscheck, provided he gets past Mike Pierce in February.
Next for Fitch: Anyone can get caught, and this loss doesn't take away from the fact that Fitch is an amazing 13-2-1 in the UFC. He is still a major player in the division. He should take on the loser of Sanchez vs Ellenberger, Martin Kampmann should he fall to Thiago Alves, or even the loser of the upcoming interim title fight between Nick Diaz and Carlos Condit.

Alexander Gustafsson def. Vladimir Matyushenko via TKO (punches), Rd 1
What Happened: Gustafsson made short work of Matyushenko dropping him with a jab as Matyushenko jumped in sloppily with a strike of his own, and sealing the deal with punches on the turtling veteran.
Thoughts: Gustafsson is looking more and more like the prospect to watch at 205. Matyushenko made a quick but glaring mistake and Gustafsson capitalized on it big time. It seems Matyushenko became a little too comfortable with how well he has been doing in the striking department and his carelessness really cost him in this bout, similar to Mark Hominick's blunder against Chan Sung Jung. Gustafsson is showing smooth striking, and with his ever evolving grappling game he could be a force to be reckoned with in the near future.
Next for Gustafsson: Gustafsson is arguably the top prospect in the UFC that has not been booked in a high profile fight, so I think the UFC should take care in how they match him up. They rushed Jon Jones and he ran away with it; we will soon see how Phil Davis does; and I think Gustafsson has at least a couple fights left before going high profile. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira seems to be viewed as a gauge for up and comers, and if that doesn't work out then Brandon Vera might make a great next fight for him.
Next for Matyushenko: One of the premier veterans at 205, it's clear he won't make a run at the title but he can still serve as a stern test for any prospect. A respectable 4-2 in his recent UFC run, his only losses have come to the current champ and Gustafsson, and he has looked very impressive in his wins. Kyle Kingsbury or Krzysztof Soszynski could be next for "the Janitor."

Jimy Hettes def. Nam Phan via Decision (Unanimous), Rd 3
What Happened: From bell to bell Hettes completely dominated Phan, taking him down almost at will, landing hard punches from the top, and threatening with submissions. Phan simply had nothing for him and couldn't muster any meaningful offense on the feet.
Thoughts: Nam Phan is a blackbelt? A purplebelt, Hettes made him look more like a "blechbelt." Hettes was my underdog pick for this fight, but I had no clue he would dominate Phan so thoroughly (although I've thought Phan was overrate since even before he fought in the UFC; it was the basis for picking Hettes over him). He's utterly relentless in his pursuit of takedowns, he's got great timing for judo throws and sweep takedowns, his ground and pound is nasty, and his overall grappling is very solid. And he's only 24. Watch out for this kid.
Next for Hettes: Hettes has risen as a great new prospect at 145, and should be built up carefully. Sherdog.com suggested the winner of Jonathan Brookins vs Rahni Yahya, and I think that would be a good choice, as it would be a steady increase in competition and either would provide for entertaining grappling.
Next for Phan: Just 1-3 in the UFC, it wouldn't surprise me a whole lot if Phan was served his walking papers, but I don't really expect it. This latest loss was only decisive one, as he was outright robbed in his UFC debut against Leonard Garcia and fought to a very close decision with Mike Brown. If he gets another chance in the Octagon they might put him in with Josh Grispi in a loser leaves town fight.

Prelim Notes
- Ross Pearson took a decision over Junior Assuncao that was apparently not as close as I made it out to be. I feared Assuncao might squeak by on the scorecards (I scored it 29-28 Pearson) from scoring ineffectual takedowns and clinching a lot, but thank god the judges made the right decision, as Pearson tagged him numerous times in the 2nd and 3rd. One judge and two members of the Sherdog theme didn't seem to think it was all that contentious however, as they scored it 30-27 for Pearson.
- Danny Castillo took a close split decision over Anthony Njokuani. Njokuani showed improved defensive wrestling and ground game compared to his previous few fights against wrestlers.
- Dong Hyun Kim took a nip-tuck decision over Sean Pierson in which he showed improved stand up. Pierson, who in his previous two UFC appearances seemed content to slug it out on the feet, showed some impressive grappling but ultimately came up short.
- Jacob Volkmann used superior grappling to take a one-sided decision over Efrain Escudero. Escudero closed out the fight with a very tight brabo choke locked in, but Volkmann somehow survived for a very tense minute. In all three rounds, Escudero jumped into guillotines early and ended up on his back for extended periods. Stupid. Does he train with Teiquan Zhang or what?
- Diego Nunes used his superior striking and reach to take a decision over Manny Gamburyan. Though he was hurt in the 2nd, Nunes did enough to convincingly take the 1st and the 3rd rounds. This is Gamburyan's 3rd straight loss, so it'll be interesting to see where he goes from here.

UFC 139 Recap

What an event! UFC 139 housed one of my favorite cards of the year, and that's saying a good deal. A perfect mix of competitive decisions and finishes, topped off by what could easily be called the fight of the year. So without further ado...

Dan Henderson def. Mauricio Rua via Decision (Unanimous), Rd 5
What Happened: A fight many thought would end in a knockout turned into perhaps the greatest 5 round war in recent memory. Rua survived scare after scare at the behest of Henderson's lethal right hand and kept pushing forward. It nearly paid off in the final two rounds, especially in the 5th where Rua mounted Henderson 5 times and utterly dominated him; but it was too little, too late. Henderson took the fight 48-47 on all 3 scorecards.
Thoughts: First off, I'll say that it looks like the curse of Fedor has been lifted. Everyone who has beaten or performed well against Fedor has gone on to lose immediately following. Second, I scored this fight a draw, and I think it's the best example of a draw since Edgar vs Maynard 2. Hendo performed great in the first 3 rounds and had Rua in serious trouble on a few occasions, but Rua always put out enough offense to ward off a 10-8, even wobbling Henderson a few times. Rua definitely took the last 2 rounds, but round 5 was a definite 10-8, and I found it odd that none of the judges saw constantly mounting and completely dominating your opponent, even causing the referee to threaten to stop the fight, anything but a 10-8 round. This scoring was echoed by most MMA news outlets, and I felt a draw was the most fitting end to the fight, even if it does throw things out of whack in the division. What really bugged me was not that the judges gave the fight to Henderson, but that not one of them scored the final round a 10-8. Ridiculous.
I felt the fight could have gone much differently if Rua respected Henderson's power early and decided to focus on slowing him down instead of rushing into the pocket to exchange. It looked to be another case of Rua following a great performance with a terrible one, but he came back to show why he has one of the best chins in the sport, and that he can dig deep and not only come back from the brink of defeat but come back and bring the fight to his opponent. In the end both men should get a ton of respect for their performances.
Next for Henderson: Henderson is in the interesting position of now being considered a contender in both the middleweight and light heavyweight divisions. As of my latest findings, he seems to be leaning towards 205 lb king Jon Jones (should he get past Lyoto Machida), which I think might be a good choice, considering how drawn out he is cutting 20 lbs at 41 years of age.
Next for Rua: This was a tough loss for Rua, but he really shouldn't feel too badly about it because he showed the heart of a champion and let us all know why he is still considered a top 205er. The only fight that makes sense for him at this point is a rematch against Quinton Jackson, who is coming off a loss of his own. It's unlikely the fight could be booked for the Japan show, but that would be perfect.

Wanderlei Silva def. Cung Le via TKO (Knees and Punches), Rd 2
What Happened: Le started off as many expected: winging flashy kicks and seemingly baffling Silva. Le scored with several kicks, and even dropped Silva with a a spinning backfist, but his flashy offense took a toll as the fight wore on. Noticeably slower in the second stanza, Le became a much less mobile target and vintage Silva emerged, rushing him with wild flurries. After dropping Le with a straight right, Silva furiously swarmed Le with punches and vicious knees that absolutely destroyed Le's nose. The stoppage came soon after.
Thoughts: As a huge fan, I absolutely love that Silva won this fight. It took some of the sting out of the Rua loss (of whom I am also a huge fan). I've said for a long time that Le's style will give him problems against more legitimate competition that can survive his kicks. He throws too many energy sapping kicks, and if he can't put his opponent away he slows down, which is dangerous against someone like Silva, who had a lot of trouble with Le in the first round, but fought smart in deciding to swarm late in the 2nd after Le had slowed down. Still, Silva's performance wasn't one that should convince anyone that he's back in a big way; it was a great win, but Le isn't the hardest hitter and I've considered him a overrated ever since his fight with Frank Shamrock. While I thought Le could walk away with a victory, I didn't think he had what it took to knock Silva out. I thought he'd kick his way to a decision.
Next for Silva: I would be ecstatic if Silva decided to call it a career and go out on a dominant win that hearkened back to his days as an unstoppable Pride champion, but I know that won't happen. Sherdog suggested he get the winner of Anthony Johnson vs Vitor Belfort, which I think is utterly ridiculous. Le isn't even top 20, and Belfort is likely a couple wins away from a title shot. If Johnson beats Vitor, he's gotta be in the mix. Silva is not. They seem to have some obsession with Silva being fed to Vitor and I get it (because they have beef), but it's not smart matchmaking. Silva should get the winner of Jarred Hamman vs Constantinos Phillipou.
Next for Le: He might consider retirement too. Le will never be able to compete at a high level so long as he's more concerned with making movies than he is with training and growing as a fighter. If he fights again it should be against Jorge Rivera or Alessio Sakara, which would prove whether or not he really belongs.

Urijah Faber def. Brian Bowles via Submission (Guillotine), Rd 2
What Happened: Bowles really didn't have any answer for Faber's speed, athleticism, and skill. After being slammed and outstruck in the first round, Faber fired an uppercut right up the middle that sent Bowles stumbling back into the cage. Faber swarmed, landing heavy punches and knees while Bowles worked to scramble, ultimately leading to Faber snagging a guillotine choke for the tap.
Thoughts: Great performance by Faber. I said it the moment Faber moved down to 135 and I'll say it again: I don't really see anyone beating him there but Cruz. Bowles also displayed what I've said about him for a while: he's slow...for a bantamweight. I really get surprised by the amount of people that said he'd get by Faber and possibly had what it took to beat Cruz the second time around. In his first fight he looked very slow compared to Cruz and had absolutely nothing for him. He's showed me nothing to indicate that has at all changed, and this fight proved it further. Bowles is very good, but I think he'll be that guy who's stuck in the top 5 but never makes it back to the top.
Next for Faber: He's got the next crack at Cruz. It seems like their last fight just happened, but everyone likes a good rubber match. Faber put up a valiant losing effort against Cruz the first time and is constantly improving. Let's see if he can capture the tie-breaker.
Next for Bowles: Demetrious Johnson makes a lot of sense. Bowles and Johnson are pretty much in the same positions as Rua and Jackson, respectively. They should battle it out to determine who belongs in the mix.

Martin Kampmann def. Rick Story via Decision (Split), Rd 3
What Happened: One finally went Kampmann's way. He used his stout kickboxing, defensive wrestling, and surprisingly his offensive wrestling to take a hard fought decision over a tough Story.
Thoughts: First of all, this should have been a unanimous decision. Of course a minimum of one judge has to be smoking crack instead of watching the fight. I think Kampmann allowed the fight to devolve into a brawl in the first round, which played to Story's strenghts and conceivably gave him the round. However, in the next two rounds Kampmann took a more measured approach and found his range, tagging him repeatedly with right hands and displaying solid wrestling both offensively and defensively. Kampmann finished the fight strong, ending the round on Story's back with a body triangle locked in threatening with a rear-naked choke. The judges finally made the right call where Kampmann is concerned.
Next for Kampmann: I like the idea of Kampmann getting the winner of Jon Fitch vs Johny Hendricks, or maybe even Mike Pierce.
Next for Story: A tough loss for Story, who finds himself in the midst of a 2 fight skid after flirting with contendership. I actually think a rematch with Charlie Brenneman (with a proper training camp for both) wouldn't be a terrible idea. However, I think Chris Cope is a more viable choice.

Stephan Bonnar def. Kyle Kingsbury via Decision (Unanimous), Rd 3
What Happened: After banging it out early in the fight, Bonnar unexpectedly chose to utilize his ground game to secure a dominant decision win over Kingsbury (I scored it 30-25), who simply had no answer for Bonnar's top game.
Thoughts: This was the upset of the night for me. Kingsbury is a beast of a light heavyweight and I thought he'd muscle Bonnar around the cage; but up until the weigh-ins I had forgotten that Bonnar is a huge 205er himself. When I saw them stand next to each other, Kingsbury didn't look so huge. This fight showed how much that size and power advantage matters to Kingsbury. Once was dragged to the ground, he didn't have the strength to power his way back up, and lacked the skills to mount much offense or do much but survive. Very impressive win for Bonnar.
Next for Bonnar: Bonnar has quietly pieced together 3 straight wins following a 3 fight skid (which should be a 2 fight and one no contest skid). Bonnar showed he's still solid, and might do well to get the winner of the upcoming Vladimir Matyshenko vs Alexander Gustafsson fight or Anthony Perosh.
Next for Kingsbury: Kingsbury showed that the really has some work to do on his ground game. If they prefer not to test him there at this point, he should get Cyrille Diabate or Igor Pokrajac. If they do, Matt Lucas or Eliot Marshall (if he's still around).

Prelim Quick(er) Hits

- Ryan Bader knocked out Jason Brilz with a right hand behind the ear a little more than a minute into the fight. Brilz has been KO'd quickly in his last two fights, and will likely be looking at a pink slip. Bader snaps a two-fight losing streak, and this win should give him a good confidence boost.
- Michael McDonald absolutely crushed Alex Soto just under minute into the fight. After dropping him hard with a stiff overhand right to the jaw, Soto somehow survived the onslaught and retreated, only to be dropped along the fence and removed from consciousness with follow up right hands. He looks to have landed awkwardly on his left knee during that last knockdown as well. After a couple of close decisions in his first UFC fights, McDonald finally looked like the top prospect he's touted as.
- Chris Weidman snagged a brilliant first round Brabo Choke victory over Tom Lawlor that left him unconscious, and garnered a little controversy as the referee appeared to step in late. Weidman felt Lawlor go limp, and when he told the referee he just asked aloud if Lawlor was limp and decided to stand and stare at the two combatants instead of checking Lawlor's clearly exposed hand to make sure. Every event has to have one I guess.
- Gleison Tibau vs Rafael dos Anjos was very even for much of the 15 minute affair, but it was a flurry and near finish from Tibau in the second round that ultimately secured the fight for him. Both fighters looked solid, and seemed to cancel each other out a bit.
- Miguel Torres cruised to a decision over and overweight Nick Pace. Torres fought slightly more aggressively than he has been recently, but still favored a patient approach to the fight. He landed some good shots on Pace, but never had him in any serious trouble. Pace, who has lost 2 straight and came in 6 lbs overweight, may be on his way out. Torres should fight Renan Barao next to determine the next contender.
- Seth Baczynski took advantage of Matt Brown's impatience to score a second round guillotine choke. Getting too eager and rushing right into submissions has always been Brown's Achilles heel, and it looks like that hasn't changed.
- Danny Castillo put on a dominant performance against Shamar Bailey, picking him up and slamming him at will, and exercising smothering top control and excellent ground and pound en route to a late first round stoppage. Castillo's ground and pound looked pretty nasty from the guard, and he couldn't have hoped for a better performance to bounce back from his loss to Jacob Volkmann. Bailey is in the same boat as Pace, having lost 2 straight and missing weight for this fight. I'd like to see Castillo take on Even Dunham next.

UFC on Fox 1 Re-cap

We may have only gotten to see little more than a minute of fighting for UFC's much anticipated network television debut, but it didn't make it any less huge for the sport. There were some nice fights that the viewing public didn't get to see on TV, but they have to start somewhere, and a heavyweight title fight is a nice place to do so. Hopefully UFC and Fox have a bright future together. Time for a recap.

Junior dos Santos def. Cain Velasquez (C) via Knockout (Punches), Rd 1
What Happened: And just like that, it was over. Many pegged it to be a long, back and forth war, but dos Santos needed just over a minute to drop Velasquez with an overhand right behind the ear, and remove him from consciousness with punches.
Thoughts: Great performance from dos Santos. Some people called his finishing ability into question following his decision victories over Shane Carwin and Roy Nelson, but it looks like he put those thoughts to rest tonight in dramatic fashion; and he did it with a torn meniscus. One has to wonder how much the layoff affected Velasquez; he looked considerably slower than dos Santos, and time will tell whether that was due to ring rust, or because dos Santos is just that much faster than he is.
Next for dos Santos: The new champion will face the winner of the upcoming fight between Brock Lesnar and Alistair Overeem. Should be good.
Next for Velasquez: Velasquez is still one of the best heavyweights out there, and shouldn't fall far down the ladder. I could see him taking on the loser of Lesnar vs Overeem or Frank Mir if he gets past Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.

Benson Henderson def. Clay Guida via Decision (Unanimous), Rd 3
What Happened: As has been the case lately, Henderson was just too much for his opponent. Guida made it a spirited battle as per usual, but Henderson was just a step ahead in every position and took home a clear cut decision in a high-paced battle.
Thoughts: Henderson continues to improve and look great since entering the UFC. Guida put up a good fight, but it seemed Henderson's size advantage played a large part in him getting the better of the grappling portions. The brief exchanges on the feet were wild, and while both men had their moments, Henderson scored the most significant strikes of the fight, dropping Guida in the first. Great fight overall, and both guys put on a hell of a show.
Next for Henderson: As this was a #1 contender fight, Henderson will fight Frankie Edgar for the lightweight strap in Japan. Fight of the Year anyone?
Next for Guida: Gray Maynard, having just lost to Edgar, seems like a logical next step for Guida. Jim Miller would also be a solid choice for Guida, and although I'm usually not a fan of guys running to other divisions when the going gets tough, a drop to 145 may not be a terrible idea for him.

Dustin Poirer def. Pablo Garza via Submission (Brabo Choke), Rd 2
What Happened: Poirer showed the expected advantages on the feet, but it was on the ground that he finished the fight. During a transition Poirer slapped on a textbook Brabo choke, forcing an over-matched Garza to tap.
Thoughts: Poirer looks like he could have a bright future at featherweight. Still only 22 years old, he possesses the kind of well-rounded game that could make him a problem for any 145er. Garza couldn't get into his groove and it was clear Poirer was just a step above him, but he's still a solid talent and should bounce back from this loss.
Next for Poirer: It's about time he steps up a bit in competition. Sherdog suggested the winner of Mark Hominick/Chan Sung Jung, which is a good choice. I think another good choice would be to pit him against fellow fast rising star Eric Koch.
Next for Garza: I'd like to see Garza and Jonathan Brookins try to get back on track at the expense of each other. Garza has the stand up and submissions to threaten Brookins from many positions, and Brookins has wrestling that could stifle all that. It could be interesting to see who comes out on top.

Ricardo Lamas def. Cub Swanson via Submission (Arm Triangle Choke), Rd 2
What Happened: Swanson started off strong in the first round, landing good shots that stumbled Lamas standing up and almost choking him out with a tight guillotine. After an early takedown by Lamas in the second round, Swanson got a bit careless on the ground and Lamas took the opportunity to slap on an arm triangle.
Thoughts: Swanson looked good in the first round, and looked to have the advantage overall; but as has happened to him previously, his tendency to get wild cost him. It causes him to give up takedowns and get caught on the ground. He can be a factor in the division if he learns to calm down a bit. Lamas was impressive in locking in the submission so quickly, but otherwise just looked okay.
Next for Lamas: Darren Elkins or Mike Brown.
Next for Swanson: Cub is a fun fighter, but at this point I'm not sure he'll ever work his way to the upper crust of the division even though you could argue he possesses the tools. Jason Young will oblige him in an exciting stand up war.

Demarques Johnson def. Clay Harvison via KO (Punches), Rd 1
What Happened: From the start Johnson came out looking to box, favoring a boxing stance that is ill-fitted for kicks or defending takedowns. It didn't seem like the best idea initially, but it paid dividends. A left uppercut put Harvison on his back, and after prematurely celebrating, Johnson throws a right to seal the deal.
Thoughts: What can I say about this one? It was a bad night for guys named Clay. Johnson has clearly been working hard on his striking after getting worked by Amir Sadollah. Johnson is always willing to stand, but until tonight he lacked the skills and power to make a difference in striking battles. If tonight's performance was any indication, Johnson may become as dangerous on the feet as he is on the ground
Next for Johnson: Tough call. He's 4-3 in the UFC, and has alternated wins and losses in his last 5. I'll throw Dennis Hallman's name out there.
Next for Harvison: Harvison could be staring at a pink slip with one more loss. Pit him against Paul Bradley, who also lost his second straight at the event.

Darren "BC" Uyenoyama def. Norufumi "Kid" Yamamoto via Decision (Unanimous), Rd 3
What Happened: Kid was no match for BC's high level BJJ. Kid established his wrestling and willingness to grow to the ground early with a couple nice hip tosses, but BC was by far the more talented of the two on the ground. The only other offense Kid really showed was a hard right hand that cut and wobbled BC, forcing him to shoot for a takedown. However, the majority of the fight was spent with Kid fending off submissions and being controlled on the ground.
Thoughts: I really had high hopes for Kid in this fight. I thought this would be a good fight for him to get back on track, as his great wrestling and striking seemed to be good foils for BC on paper. I'm sure the UFC is disappointed that Kid failed to impress yet again, and were hoping he'd get a win so he could be pushed for the Japan card in February. I've been a Kid fan for a long time, and it's just time to admit that not only is he past his prime but the game has really passed him by.
Next for Uyenoyama: I wouldn't be surprised to see him get as spot on the Japan card. Against Kid he showed a good chin, and ability to get inside. Once he did get inside he showed great confidence and skill in his BJJ. Ken Stone or Jeff Hougland could provide entertaining grappling battles.
Next for Yamamoto: Kid can't seem to put it together in the UFC, not that it's incredibly suprising when considering his losses to a green Joe Warren and losing a clear cut decision to Masanori Kanehara, whom everyone thought he'd destroy. Kid may get a shot at the Japan show since he's such a big star there, but he'll likely be fighting for his job. Maybe his originally scheduled fight with Damacio Page will get booked. It'll be entertaining, and in theory Kid should win it.

Robert Peralta def. Mackens Semerzier via TKO (punches), Rd 3
What Happened: After a good first round for Semerzier in which he scored a knockdown, Peralta turned the tides in the second with a knockdown of his own. Semerzier fought much more cautiously after that, allowing Peralta to better find his groove. Peralta dropped Semerzier in the 3rd, and this time Semerzier couldn't recover. Post-fight replays showed that a headbutt led to the finish.
Thoughts: I was rooting for Semerzier so the result was disappointing to say the least. Semerzier looked great in the first round, but after getting tagged in the second he just seemed to lose his aggression. It was turning out to be a good and close fight until the unfortunate end. Hopefully the fight will be reviewed and changed to a no contest; the headbutt dropped Semerzier, and the ending was only made possible because of it.
Next for Peralta: Barring a no contest and rematch, I'd like to see him take on Darren Elkins or Javier Vazquez.
Next for Semerzier: Tough loss for him if it stays a loss. He'd have a hell of a fight against Leonard Garcia.

Alex Caceres def. Cole Escovedo via Decision (Unanimous), Rd 3
What Happened: Caceres put on a clinic, outworking Escovedo with flashy and effective strikes alike, as well has giving him trouble on the ground where Escovedo was supposed to hold a clear advantage.
Thoughts: It was the second most suprising performance next to Uyenoyama's domination of Yamamoto. Caceres pretty much tooled Escovedo on the feet, never allowing him to put anything significant together. When Escovedo finally got Caceres to the ground where many thought he would dominate, he was met with a flurry of close submission attempts that might have held if Caceres was a bit more seasoned. I never thought either guy particularly belonged in the UFC, but Caceres may have changed that in his move to the bantamweight division.
Next for Caceres: Yves Jabouin will give him a good battle on the feet.
Next for Escovedo: This fight had all the makings of a "loser leaves town" fight, so I suspect Escovedo will get his walking papers with 3 straight losses.

The Rest
- Mike Pierce took a nip-tuck decision over Paul Bradley. Pierce bounced back nicely since his close split decision loss to Johny Hendricks, while Bradley has lost his second straight.

- Aaron Rosa took a clear cut, albeit uneventful, decision over Matt Lucas. Rosa looked a lot better physically at 205, and put on a decent performance despite the slight dullness of the bout. Lucas definitely didn't impress, as his wrestling was nullified and he didn't have in the way of striking skills.