UFC on FOX 3 Recap

The first thing I must say is that never in my life have I had such a horrible record for picking fights in a mixed martial arts event. Of the twelve fights on the docket, I managed to correctly decipher just three correct winners. I can at least seek solace in that one can attribute this to the fact that the match ups were well-made and generally close. I flip-flopped several times on most of them; it just turns out that for the majority of the fights I flipped when I should have flopped. Despite my terrible stroke of picking luck, it was an entertaining event in which contenders emerged and several fighters put on highlighting performances.

Nate Diaz def. Jim Miller via Submission (Guillotine Choke), Rd 2
What Happened: Diaz used his height and reach advantage to great effect, stifling Miller's stand up attack with accurate, clean punches. Miller's wrestling proved to be insufficient when it came to getting the fight to the ground, and Diaz was able to nullify anything Miller could accomplish in the clinch. From there it was all downhill for Miller, and he appeared to be in for a long night. Apparently it wasn't so, as it took Diaz less than 10 minutes to grab Miller's, pull guard, and roll through into a beautiful guillotine; locked in so swiftly Miller didn't even have a chance to put his tongue back into his mouth before his mouth clamped shut from the pressure.
Thoughts: "He just had my number." Those are the words Miller had post-fight, and what true words they were. Diaz seemed to have an answer for everything Miller could muster, and punished him for even trying. He has really come into his own in recent fights, and has become someone to worry about for the rest of the division. His long, lanky frame, highly effective boxing, potent jiu jitsu, durability, and otherworldly cardio have propelled him among the lightweight elite. Miller on the other hand, is still a very solid lightweight, but seems to have issues against larger opponents he can't grind down so effectively. By the start of the second round it was clear Diaz had the upper hand, and it resulted in Miller being stopped for the first time in his career.
Next for Diaz: Dana White has declared that Diaz is next in line for a title shot, and will take on the winner of the upcoming title rematch between Benson Henderson and Frankie Edgar. This figures to be a ways off, and although Diaz says he's willing to wait and wants to take some time off, there is a back up in case he doesn't: Anthony Pettis. It would be instant fireworks, and would give Pettis a chance to exact an interesting bit of poetic justice, seeing as how he was in Diaz's position coming into the UFC, decided not to wait, and lost his title shot after falling to Clay Guida. While this fight would be ideal in my opinion, I have no issue with Diaz waiting for a title shot.
Next for Miller: A tough loss for Miller, who is starting to remind me of one Kenny Florian: great fighter, easily worthy of top 10 status; but he just can't get past top guys. Part of the reason may be that he tends to be undersized and overpowered in his losses. I always balk when people call for a drop in weight once they hit hard times, but it might be a good fit for Miller. He's definitely good enough to remain at 155 though, and should take on the loser of the upcoming Gray Maynard vs Clay Guida fight.

Johny Hendricks def. Josh Koscheck via Decision (Split), Rd 3
What Happened: Hendricks edged out Koscheck in a close and competitive fight where both men went toe to toe on the feet, with a bit of wrestling thrown in at spots. Both men displayed sturdy chins, while Hendricks enjoyed a slight striking edge and Koscheck a slight edge in wrestling. Koscheck finished strong, taking Hendricks down in the 3rd and battering him with ground and pound until the bell. In the end, Koscheck's swollen right eye apparently told the story for two of the three judges, who awarded Hendricks a hard fought decision.
Thoughts: First off, I scored the fight for Koscheck. However, it was close and I could see someone giving the first round to Hendricks. Koscheck is starting to look the roll of a top-level gatekeeper; he can hang with anyone in the division, but the ability to beat him makes you elite. Hendricks barely passed that test, and while he definitely displayed a few holes in his game, his future figures to be bright. As for Koscheck, this all but dashes his hopes for another title shot, as his two-fight winning streak is snapped.
Next for Hendricks: One has to think he's zeroing in on a title shot. While his performance didn't warrant putting him next in line, I'd say a win against fellow surging welterweight Rory MacDonald might just do the trick.
Next for Koscheck: He performed better than a lot of people thought he would, and showed that although he may be passing the torch to the younger prospects of the division, he's still a tough out for anyone in the division. I know a lot of people are clamoring for him to finally face Jon Fitch now that the two are no longer teammates, I still don't think they will fight each other. He should take on the loser of Jake Ellenberger vs Martin Kampmann.

Alan Belcher def. Rousimar Palhares via TKO (Punches and Elbows), Rd 1
What Happened: Belcher said he had no fear going to the ground with perhaps the most dangerous grappler in MMA, and he made good on that proclamation. After scrambling to the ground and impressively rolling Palhares into twister position, it was a matter of time before Palhares found his signature heel hook. Belcher rolled with it, and after several tense moments did what few others have managed to do: escape the hold. However, he wasn't done there. Contrary to what simple logic would dictate to most of us, he decided to stay on the ground with Palhares and play in his guard. Much to the surprise of just about everyone, a few elbows and punches rung Palhares' bell and prompted the ref to step in.
Thoughts: Well I guess that's what we all get for doubting Belcher. He did exactly what he said he was going to do, and showed that it's not Palhares that guys should be worried most about going to the ground with, but himself. I'd still argue it's Palhares, since you still run the risk of having a leg ripped off, but you get the idea. Belcher also proclaimed that he wants Anderson Silva next, to which I say, "Don't push your luck buddy." He may have beaten Palhares in his domain, but Silva is a whole different beast.
Next for Belcher: Belcher came through in a big way, and has thrown his name into the hat of contenders at 185. I think the best bet for him is the winner of Hector Lombard vs Brian Stann, but it appears likely that Lombard will earn a title shot with a win. If that turns out to be the case, the winner of Mark Munoz vs Chris Weidman may await him.
Next for Palhares: Once again when on the cusp of contention, Palhares falls short. As we've seen from several high level BJJ players in MMA, he seemed more concerned with searching for a submission from his back than protecting his face, and it cost him dearly. I'd like to see him take on the loser of either Ed Herman vs Jake Shields or Michael Bisping vs Tim Boestch.

Lavar Johnson def. Pat Barry via TKO (Punches), Rd 1
What Happened: In a guaranteed barn-burner, Johnson's size and power proved too much for the more polished striking of Barry. After surviving full mount and an americana attempt by Barry, Johnson escaped back to his feet and let the leather fly, pummeling the much smaller Barry against the cage until he dropped.
Thoughts: This was a new high in Barry's displays of questionable fight IQ. After starting off the fight throwing a couple stinging low kicks, which clearly affected Johnson, he does away with them entirely and decides to play right into Johnson's game by brawling. After scoring a takedown, I thought the fight was soon coming to an end, despite Barry's limited skills on the ground. He immediately landed in mount, and just as soon curiously hopped out to side control, baffling pretty much everyone. From ther e he worked for an americana, but lacked the proper technique to finish it. Finally, in the ending moments of the fight he decided against circling out or using head movement in favor of covering up, standing right in front of Johnson, and hoping to block the heavy shots. It was an impressive performance by Johnson, but also an all-too-familiar example of a classic Barry in-fight screw up. It appears Barry is less concerned with winning than he is putting on an exciting fight, and whil that might earn him bonus checks and fans, but he's wasting a lot of talent and potential.
Next for Johnson: As impressive as Johnson's power is, the jury is still out on just how good he is. It's time for him to face someone less likely to get pinned up against the fence and throw hays in the pocket with him. I'd give him the winner of Stefan Struve vs Mark Hunt or Shane Carwin, if and when he ever returns.
Next for Barry: It's difficult to determine where Barry belongs in the division. He tends to alternate wins and losses because every time he loses he bounces back with a winnable fight that isn't too far down in the pecking order. The problem now is that I'm not so sure how many of those are still left in the UFC at this point. How about Phillip De Fries?

The Prelims
Michael Johnson def. Tony Ferguson via Decision (Unanimous), Rd 3 The Blackzilians have done Johnson very well. He has been looking better and better since he joined the camp, and this is was arguably best performance yet as he tagged Ferguson repeatedly with left hands. On the flip side, Ferguson didn't appear to be himself, and looked listless and lackadaisical compared to his previous fights. Come to find out, this may have been the result of a broken arm he suffered early in the fight when blocking a kick from Johnson. I was a great performance by Johnson, and a minor setback for Ferguson, who still has a good amount of upside and will be back stronger.
John Dodson def. Tim Elliot via Decision (Unanimous), Rd 3 This fight turned out to be more a showcase for Elliot than its obvious intention as a showcase for Dodson. Dodson performed well as expected for the first half of the fight, but the latter parts of the fight belong to the wily striking attack of Elliot, as his cartwheel and spin kicked his way into the favor of spectators. He rose to the occasion on short notice, and the result left us thinking that maybe we shouldn't be so quick to crown Dodson the first flyweight title challenger when the champion is minted. However, much like Ferguson you have to think the fact that Dodson broke his hand in the first round had some bearing on why he suddenly became defensive.
Johh Hathaway def. Pascal Krauss via Decision (Unanimous), Rd 3 After a disappointing loss and a lackluster win, John Hathaway returned to being John Hathaway. He used his solid wrestling to stifle Krauss' attacks and rough him up in the clinch, and even tried to change things up with a few leaping kicks and a knee in the first that nearly put Krass' lights out. A good win for Hathaway after a lengthy layoff; and a still admirable performance by Krauss, who not only was fought his highest level of competition yet, but was also coming from a long layoff. In fact, I originally thought this fight was Krauss' UFC debut, completely forgetting his exciting decision win over Mark Scanlon at UFC 122.
Louis Gaudinot def. John Lineker via Technical Submission (Guillotine Choke), Rd 2 In an exciting fight of the night performance, Gaudinot and Lineker stood in the pocket and threw lighting fast haymakers at each other for much of the first round, of which Lineker was getting the better shots off. It was a wonder no one went down, and it was more of the same in the 2nd round until Gaudinot capitalized on what now appears to be a weakness for Lineker: his takedown defense. Gaudinot easily took him down and landed some nice ground and pound. After the fight returned to standing, Gaudinot locked up Lineker's neck and jumped guard. Lineker held on for as long as he could, refusing to tap, but shortly after fell unconscious. Sick fight.
Danny Castillo def. John Cholish via Decision (Unanimous), Rd 3 A pretty nip-tuck decision for Castillo, who used well timed takedowns and slightly more potent stand up to take the fight 30-27 on all judges scorecards in one of the more competitive clean sweeps in recent events. I thought Castillo would have more trouble with Cholish, as he seems to struggle with more technically sound wrestlers, but he fought well against Cholish, who seemed to prefer the stand up much of the time. I enjoy Cholish's bouncing feint-heavy style of stand up, but the way he frequently leads with his head concerns me that he could run head-first into some good shots in the future.
Dennis Bermudez def. Pablo Garza via Decision (Unanimous), Rd 3 In a totally non-competitive 30-27 sweep, Bermudez used Garza as his personal grappling dummy for 3 rounds, as he tossed him around the cage at will like a child. Bermudez went a mind-boggling 8 for 8 in takedowns, and many of them were entertaining to watch, as he easily hoisted Garza into the air and brought him down with force. The only real offense of note from Garza was in the first round, where several consecutive upkicks struck Bermudez as he attempted to stack Garza; one of them even dropping him. However, he recovered fast and resumed his domination.
Roland Delorme def. Nick Denis via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke), Rd 1 The runner-up for fight of the night in my opinion, Delorme stormed back from the brink of nearly being finished by Denis' strikes to come back and rock Denis with strikes of his own before taking the fight to the ground and gaining mount. With impressive swiftness, Delorme locked in a rear-naked choke while Denis attempted to escape. It appeared time was on Denis' side, but he relinquished the chance to extend the fight and tapped out with a wecond left in the round. Delorme then preceded to proclaim he's the best bantamweight in the world after beating a guy who was slightly more proven than himself (and even that wasn't so much).
Karlos Vemola def. Mike Massenzio via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke), Rd 2 First off, Vemola looks to be in great shape at 185; ripped up and much leaner than when he debuted in the UFC at heavyweight. I picked Massenzio to win this fight, and much like the Delorme/Denis fight (and many others on the card), it was playing out just as I thought it would. Then for some reason everything hit a 180 and suddenly my pick is hanging his head in disappointment. For the entire first round, Massenzio outclassed Vemola, scoring with straight punches while avoiding Vemola's wild hooks and stifling his wrestling. Then in the second, Vemola takes a few shots before bringing the fight to the ground, spinning to Massenzio's back, and landing some hard shots before locking in a rear-naked choke with no hooks. Those punches must have really rattled Massenzio for him to get tapped so easily.

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 FX 2 Re-cap

Between the Japan event and this one, my confidence in my picking skills has been turned on it's head. Unlikely comebacks and upsets seem to be the in-thing now, and I find my self on a 3-event slump. Interestingly enough, these same events that were terrible from a prediction standpoint were also very entertaining and well put together cards. The inconvenience of a Friday (in the U.S.) event meant I had to sneak around and watch much of the prelim action during work, and ultimately led to me missing a couple fights, but let's recap the UFC's return to Australia and the inaugural flyweight title tournament.

Martin Kampmann def. Thiago Alves via Submission (Guillotine Choke), Rd 3
What Happened: Alves looked pretty sterling through most of the 3 rounds, accurately counter-striking, stuffing takedowns, and even scoring one of his own in the first and moving to mount before the round's end. Up on the scorecards with about a minute left in the fight, Alves hurt Kampmann with a combination against a cage, and then made a decision he would immediately regret: he shot a takedown instead of continuing his striking assault. Kampmann immediately grabbed hold of his neck and reversed to mount, cinching in the choke and coaxing a tap for a last-minute comeback.
Thoughts: This was a heartbreaking loss for Alves, who looked fantastic for much of the fight. One has to think back to the last UFC event, where we saw the best Yushin Okami we've ever seen for 2 rounds before Tim Boestch flew into beast mode and TKO'd him in the 3rd. It really breeds confusion as to who really came out the better fighter on that given night. Alves shouldn't fall too far down the ladder for the loss, but his record is rather shaky since his failed title shot, so it remains to be seen if he'll ever enter the title mix again. Kampann, meanwhile, has won two straight after a two fight skid composed of highly contentious decisions. He could have easily been on a six fight winning streak, and I figure that even though he didn't perform spectacularly in this fight, he shouldn't be too far from being considered a possible contender, especially considering his win over current interim champion Carlos Condit.
Next for Kampmann: With Condit likely waiting for GSP to heal, Jake Ellenberger needs an opponent, and it could be Kampmann. Otherwise, he could also take on the winner of the upcoming Josh Koscheck vs Johny Hendricks bout.
Next for Alves: A logical next step for Alves could be Diego Sanchez, as they both are in need of some proving that they are still top-shelf welterweights. Sherdog also suggested the loser of Paulo Thiago vs Siyar Bahadurzada, which could prove a solid, albeit perhaps less stiff challenge.

Joseph Benavidez def. Yasuhiro Urushitani via TKO (Punches), Rd 2
What Happened: As expected, Urushitani had nothing for Benavidez. He acquitted himself decently on the feet until he was taken down, and saved by the bell while Benavidez locked in a rear-naked choke. In the second round, Benavidez wasted no time cracking Urushitani in the jaw with a counter right hand, sending him careening to the floor, and finishing him up with follow-up punches.
Thoughts: No surprises here. As soon as the flyweight division was mentioned, I said Benavidez would be the first champ in the UFC, and now he's one fight away from making that happen. Urushitani, while a solid top 10 flyweight, is a somewhat one-dimensional striker with an effective jab and good footwork, but no power. The likelihood that he would stick and move to a decision against Benavidez was nil.
Next for Benavidez: The winner of the Demetrious Johnson/Ian McCall rematch.
Next for Urushitani: Urushitani was simply fed to a shark in his debut, and should stick around. I figure if he should take on the loser of the upcoming John Dodson vs Darren Uyenoyama bout, or the winner of John Lineker vs Louis Gaudinot.

Demetrious Johnson and Ian McCall fight to a Majority Draw, Rd 3
What Happened: It was a blindingly fast back and forth barn-burner that saw both men with some good offense. After a very close two rounds, McCall pulled ahead in a big way in round three, following up a takedown by gaining mount and then back control. He then unleashed a torrent of strikes that would make Donkey Kong proud, almost gaining a stoppage. Johnson survived, and won a decision...or so we thought. A tabulation error by the athletic commission awarded Johnson the win, when in reality McCall had done enough to fight to a majority draw.
Thoughts: Fantastic fight, and a real shame that a stupid mistake has turned this tournament on it's head a bit. The UFC implemented sudden death rounds in the tournament for this very occasion (a draw), and now we were robbed of an extra round in which McCall would have been riding some serious momentum. McCall showed excellent scrambling and positional control, while Johnson showed off the blinding speed and striking accuracy that he's known for. Notably absent was his considerable wrestling thanks to McCall's ability to shut it down and impose his own wrestling. Looking forward to the rematch, even though it comes from unfortunate circumstances.
Next for Johnson: McCall.
Next for McCall: Johnson.

Constantinos Philippou def. Court McGee via Decision (Unanimous), Rd 3
What Happened: In a relatively ho-hum affair, Philippou out-boxed McGee and shrugged off every one of his takedown attempts, leading to a fight that was contested pretty much entirely on the feet. Philippou was content to circle and look for counter openings, likely respecting the wrestling and chin of McGee, who came alive in the 3rd round with some added aggression but fell short on the scorecards.
Thoughts: I honestly expected a common McGee win: he gets beat up early, and holds on with his great recovery and cardio to take the final two rounds. Interestingly enough, according to Fightmetric McGee actually out-struck Phillipou in rounds one and three, both in terms of significant and total strikes. Since the entirety of the fight was carried out on the feet, one might suggest McGee should have won. However, in watching the fight Philippou looked to be controlling the striking battle for the first two rounds, so I can't complain about the decision. Neither man really impressed me, so I don't have too much to say here.
Next for Philippou: He has quietly put together a solid three fight win streak, and figures to move up nicely in such a relatively shallow division. One way in which Philippou did impress was in his takedown defense, which would be tested in a bout with Ronny Markes, who conversely needs to show he can hang in there with a good boxer, as he showed to be hittable against Aaron Simpson.
Next for McGee: Not a terrible loss for McGee who once again used his tremendous cardio to finish strong. His overall game still needs some improvement, but he figures to still be a solid middleweight. Fellow runner up and TUF 11 contestant Kyle Noke, who dropped a tough decision to Andrew Craig. I actually wish Rich Attonito hadn't dropped to welterweight as he is coming off a loss, and the fact that he withdrew from TUF 11 due to injury and was replaced by McGee, who went on to win the competition would make for a nice story.

The Prelims
James Te Huna def. Aaron Rosa via TKO (Punches), Rd 1
Great performance by Te Huna as he steamrolled the durable Rosa. I figured Rosa would last longer than he did, but he had nothing for Te Huna and took too many heavy shots to stay in the fight. Te Huna is turning into a bit of a presence at 205, with his only loss coming to top prospect Alexander Gustaffson. Contrary to what I, and I'm sure most thought, Rosa has actually looked worse since returning to 205 than he did in his debut at heavyweight. Maybe it's time for him to get fat again.
Anthony Perosh def. Nick Penner via TKO (Punches and Elbows), Rd 1
Perosh gets a surprising TKO win with one second left on the clock in the opening round. Penner looked good early, but he appeared to slow down fast, and once Perosh managed to get the fight to the ground it didn't look good. Perosh is steadily proving that at 40 years old he's still got it, and may be learning a few new tricks.
Steven Siler def. Cole miller via Decision (Unanimous), Rd 3
Another unexpected result, many (including myself) saw Siler as cage fodder for Cole Miller's featherweight debut, with a nice story tacked on in that Siler defeated Cole's brother Micah to get onto The Ultimate Fighter last season. It looks like Siler can now adopt the title "Miller Killer", as he used aggressive striking and wrestling to take it to Miller for two rounds before hanging on during the third as Miller rallied. Siler keeps surprising us, and Miller must go back to the drawing board after his rude welcome to 145.
Andrew Craig def. Kyle Noke via Decision (Unanimous), Rd 3
I didn't manage to catch this fight, but from the play-by-plays it sounded like Noke started off strong, and faltered in the latter two rounds as Craig found his rhythm. This fight was very close to pick, but i figured Noke would prevail due to his overall and octagon experience. According to Dana White, Noke actually blew out his knee in the first round, which could explain a lot.
TJ Waldburger def. Jake Hecht via Submission (Armbar), Rd 1
Waldburger has shown some crazy adept scrambling and grappling ability, and when he sees an opportunity he goes in for the kill without hesitation. This bout was no different for him, as he jumped on an armbar early in the fight during a scramble and didn't didn't let up, coaxing a tap less than a minute into the fight. Waldburger has shown some fantastic grappling ability in his UFC bouts, and if he improves his stand up he could definitely be someone to look at.
Daniel Pineda def. Mackens Semerzier via Submission (Triangle Armbar), Rd 1
I'm not sure why it is that Semerzier just can't put it all together. He's got a solid all-around game, but is prone to mistakes anywhere the fight goes. That's not to take anything away from Pineda, who seems to have found his groove lately. Don't let his mediocre record fool you, he has shown vast improvement recently and is someone to look at in the division. As he moves ahead, bigger featherweights may give him some trouble, as he looked pretty undersized against Semerzier. Nonetheless, he showed off a high level of adeptness in both the striking and grappling department in this fight. His 17 finishes in 17 career wins also says much about his tenacity and killer instinct.
Shawn Jordan def. Oli Thompson via TKO (Punches), Rd 2
It took him a tad longer than I thought it would, but Jordan put away Thompson by overwhelming him with strikes early in the 2nd. Thompson is tough and hits hard, but that's about all he's got working for him. He's not well-rounded enough at this point to hang with the many of the heavyweights in the UFC. Jordan looked about as good as expected.

UFC 143 Recap

One of the most anticipated fights of the year has come to a close, and it wasn't what people expected. Although the main event didn't scintillate as much as it was pegged to, the overall card was pretty eventful and entertaining. Of course I'm always entertained when I do well in my picks (9 of 11 overall; 5 perfect). When the dust settled, we were left with a new Interim UFC Welterweight Champion, some new potential contenders in their divisions, as well as a possible retirement. Let's get onto it.

Carlos Condit def. Nick Diaz via Decision (Unanimous), Rd 5 To become the Interim UFC Welterweight Champion
What Happened: For the first time in a very long time, someone decided to fight Diaz intelligently for the duration of the fight. Knowing that trying to stand in the pocket and knock Diaz out was futile, and that taking him down could be dangerous, Condit decided to play the outside game. He used good footwork, leg kicks, and circling out from against the cage to pick Diaz apart over 5 rounds and earn a close, if uneventful (compared to expectations), decision. Diaz announced his retirement after the bout.
Thoughts: Major kudos to Condit for sticking to the gameplan for 5 rounds. He showed everyone how Diaz should be fought by exploiting his plodding footwork and lack of diversity in his striking. It was satisfying for me to see someone get in Diaz's head for a change, instead getting sucked into Diaz's fight like so many before him have. A surprising (and sickening) amount of people are criticizing and even bash Condit for choosing elusiveness over a knockdown drag-out war, but let's get real here. Standing in front of Diaz has been a recipe for disaster for everyone he's faced; Condit avoided a firefight, outstruck Diaz throughout the bout, and most importantly, he WON. I said it following the bout and I'll say it again, criticizing Condit for not standing in front of Diaz is like criticizing someone for stuffing St. Pierre's takedowns instead of pulling guard. And even more disappointing was Diaz's post-fight excusing making/crying/retirement. I'll take the retirement with a grain of salt since he's likely just emotional due to being upset over the fact that someone denied his request to play Rock-em Sock-em Robots. Diaz seems to think that everyone who doesn't stand right in front of him and brawl with him isn't a fighter; nevermind the fact that Condit busted up his face and landed more and better strikes. And he did this all while supposedly running away, which makes it even more impressive! I actually picked Diaz to win by decision (but gave Condit around a 40% chance of winning), but watching this fight I'm glad Condit fought smart and showed how not to fall into Diaz's brawling ways. If he stood in front of Diaz and lost, I bet everyone would be criticizing him for fighting Diaz's fight just like they do whenever Diaz beats someone.
Next for Condit: It looks like Condit could fight to unify the welterweight belts as soon as November; if he wants to wait. Prior to winning the title he expressed disinterest in waiting for St. Pierre should he win the title. We'll see how that pans out.
Next for Diaz: Provided Diaz's retirement doesn't stick, and I suspect it won't, I'd say Josh Koscheck would be an adequate fight for him. If they don't want to match him up with a winner he has several options, from Mike Pierce to the loser of Jake Ellenberger vs Diego Sanchez, but Jon Fitch would be the best choice.

Fabricio Werdum def. Roy Nelson via Decision (Unanimous), Rd 3
What Happened: Werdum showed a vastly improved, multi-faceted stand up attack, as he battered and bloodied Nelson over 3 rounds with solid striking, most notably knees from the clinch. Nelson had no answer for Werdum's reach and accurate striking, but showed an incredible chin in absorbing the strikes he did.
Thoughts: I expected Werdum to out-strike Nelson over 3 rounds using his reach and speed, but I certainly didn't expect such domination from Werdum. He looked like a major factor in the division with this win, and it'll be interesting to see how he performs from here. As for Nelson, it'd be nice if he could do something to make him memorable other than be overweight and withstand a lot of punishment. He's a solid fighter, but he just can't seem to put it together when it matters. As expected he had trouble finding a home for his right hand because he does little to set it up, and doesn't throw much else, whereas Werdum used all eight points of his muay thai repertoire. Nelson has been steadily losing weight from fight to fight, and many have desired to see him at 205 lbs, though I imagine it's unlikely.
Next for Werdum: Werdum has jumped right into the mix, partly because of how impressively he performed and partly because of how thin the division is. If the rumored Frank Mir vs Cain Velasquez fight doesn't happen, it'd be great to see Werdum take on Mir.
Next for Nelson: Nelson's a tough one to place. He'll always be somewhat highly regarded for hanging tough with elite guys, but he can't beat them. However, when he's pitted against mid to upper-mid tier guys he blows them out of the water. Perhaps the loser of the upcoming Travis Browne vs Chad Griggs fight could suit him, or even the loser of Pat Barry vs Lavar Johnson. If they want to keep him a bit higher on the food chain, Shane Carwin could be next.

Josh Koscheck def. Mike Pierce via Decision (Split), Rd 3
What Happened: Throughout a closely contested fight, the two battled in a relatively measured affair that saw Pierce appear to have a slight edge in the striking exchanges, but two key takedowns for Koscheck may have played a large part in him taking home a close, if not controversial decision.
Thoughts: Score one for the old guard (finally).When the scores were being announced I actually expected Pierce's name to be called on the 3rd scorecard. I personally scored the fight a draw, with the edge, or "must-decision" going to Pierce. Koscheck's takedowns came at key moments which helped him out because he wasn't able to do much with them. He also seemed tentative much of the time with his strikes, and his failure to use jabs to set up his right hand made it easier for Pierce to read his attack. I think it's absurd that some people call this a robbery, but it was a fight that many understandably scored it for Pierce, who should feel no shame in the loss.
Next for Koscheck: Although it wasn't is best performance, we mustn't forget that Pierce is a handful for anyone, so this should still do Koscheck well in working his way back to the top. Johny Hendricks, who recently stunned Koscheck's stablemate Jon Fitch with a 12 second knockout, would be a logical next step. Otherwise, a pairing with Nick Diaz could be appropriate.
Next for Pierce: He should hold his head high with this loss, as he showed that he can continue to hang with the elite of the division, and even beat them in many people's eyes. I could see him fighting the loser of Ellenberger vs Sanchez or even the winner of Thiago Alves vs Martin Kampmann. Personally I'd love to see him against Carlos Eduardo Rocha.

Renan "Barao" Pregado def. Scott Jorgensen via Decision (Unanimous), Rd 3
What Happened: Barao utilized great takedown defense and slick distance striking to outpoint a game, but over-matched Jorgensen.
: Jorgensen's best bet was to get the takedown and work his top control, but Barao's takedown defense was sterling, and his ability to use his reach and accuracy to strike from the outside ensured him the fight. Jorgensen wanted to take the fight to the ground so badly he actually pulled guard at one point, and luckily handled himself well enough to stay out of any trouble. Many people pegged Barao to finish Jorgensen via sub in the 1st or 2nd round, but I predicted a decision because I anticipated exactly what I have noticed from Barao: he gets complacent. Just like in his bout with Cole Escovedo, Barao starts off with a bang, but when he saw that he couldn't finish or come close to finishing Jorgensen in the 1st round, he became content with the fact that he could stuff takedowns and out-strike him from a distance. In the latter half of the fight it was Jorgensen who pushed the pace more, and even though he continued to get out-struck, he dished more damage to Barao than we've previously seen. After both decisions Barao has taken in the UFC I'm not convinced he can give Dominick Cruz a run for his money unless he somehow catches him early with something; and I don't see that happening.
Next for Barao: One has to think he's close to earning a title shot. If he doesn't net himself the next title shot after Urijah Faber, he might be a good fit opposite the winner of Michael McDonald vs Miguel Torres as a title eliminator.
Next for Jorgensen: With guys like Cruz and Barao in the division I wouldn't be surprised if Jorgensen never finds his way back to the title picture, but there are still entertaining fights for him. He should be matched up with Brian Bowles to determine who belongs at that spot near the top of the division.

Ed Herman def. Clifford Starks via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke), Rd 2
What Happened: After a 1st round that saw Starks get the better of Herman in the striking department, Herman went back to what got him where he is today: no, not The Ultimate Fighter, but his jiu jitsu. After a nice leg trip to put Starks on his back (which as Joe Rogan points out every time it happens, is not where a wrestler wants to be), Herman quickly goes from side control to mount, and finally gets Stark's back and locks in a rear-naked choke for the tap.
Thoughts: Starks' striking looked much improved, and brought me down to Earth a bit after the Tim Credeur fight had me impressed with Herman's striking improvements. Herman did land some nice shots, but he has a ways to go if he wants to stand with more elite guys in the division. Then again, he was getting tooled standing up by Aaron Simpson until blowing out his knee. Anyway, once the fight hit the ground we saw what Herman was all about, and he didn't disappoint.
Next for Herman: With his 3rd win in a row, Herman is starting to make a splash in the division. There are a few guys in positions similar to his that he could match up decently with, most notably Alan Belcher and Rafael Natal. Sherdog.com made the suggestion of him facing the winner of Brian Stann vs Alessio Sakara, which is also palatable.
Next for Starks: He handled himself well until he was put on his back. He could take on fellow runner-up Michael Kuiper or Brad Tavares.

The Prelims
Dustin Poirier def. Max Holloway via Submission (Triangle Armbar), Rd 1
I viewed this as a highly questionable bit of matchmaking in that Poirier should a couple wins at most away from a title shot, and they give him a young 4-0 prospect. Holloway surprisingly handled himself very well on the feet, even overwhelming Poirier at times and forcing him to look to take the fight to the ground. But once he did, the difference in skill was vast. After a beautiful transition from an armbar to a triangle choke, Poirier rolled into a mounted triangle and hyper-extended Hollaway's arm to coax the tap. Great (and expected) finish to a pointless fight.
Edwin Figueroa def. Alex Caceres via Decision (Split), Rd 3
Probably the most controversial fight on the card, Caceres out-struck Figueroa overall and put on a grappling clinic for the majority of the fight. However, a hard kick to the groin in the 1st led to a strong warning, and another in the 2nd led to referee Herb Dean making a head-scratching 2-point deduction from Caceres. That questionable bit of refereeing cost Caceres the fight, as he definitely took the last 2 rounds, and may have taken the 1st as well through grappling despite being dropped by a head kick. Apparently two judges gave that 1st round to Figueroa, which isn't outlandish, but Dean's ridiculous penalty caused the better fighter to lose. This fight should have been a majority draw with a reasonable 1-point deduction.
Matt Brown def. Chris Cope via TKO (Punches), Rd 2
One of my perfect calls right here. I knew Brown was either going to overwhelm him in the 1st and knock him out in the 2nd, or overwhelm him, gas, and get submitted. Since Cope doesn't really have a submission game I banked on the former. I like Cope, but his problem is that he's a pure striker who's striking and striking defense aren't all that great. He doesn't have much to fall back on when he faces someone who can out-strike him, and unless that changes he'll continue to be at the bottom of 170.
Matt Riddle def. Henry Martinez via Decision (Split), Rd 3
First off, I was very impressed with Martinez. The guy used to fight at 145, usually fights at 155, and did very well against a very big 170-pounder. He showed solid counter-striking and put together solid combinations to clearly take the 1st round. He did very well in the 2nd as well, but then Riddle began to impress me as well with his ability to adjust to the situation. He stopped throwing single shots and let his striking go a bit more so that Martinez had a hard time countering him. After a close 2nd round due to a late flurry by Riddle, the 3rd round was all Riddle, as he appeared to be the fresher of the two, greatly out-landed Martinez, and scored a couple takedowns. A fight I thought would be a dominant decision for Riddle turned into a close, entertaining fight.
Rafael Natal def. Michael Kuiper via Decision (Unanimous), Rd 3
This was most disappointing to me, as I thought Kuiper was a pretty live underdog and picked him to take a decision. Natal hadn't impressed me in the UFC thus far, and I thought Kuiper's judo base would prevent him from being taken down repeatedly. It didn't. Natal also didn't seem to gas as hard as he usually does in the later moments. The most frustrating thing for me to watch was Kuiper taking shots from Natal's inferior, labor intensive technique. I thought he could have acquitted himself much better on the feet, and when he finally did drop Natal and get a chance to finish, he was too gassed to seal the deal.
Stephen Thompson def. Dan Stittgen via KO (Head Kick), Rd 1
From the very start of this fight it was obvious Stittgen had no business in there with Thompson, who's polished karate-based attack made him look like a fish out of water. Thompson's strikes were accurate and effective, but not very damaging; that is, until he threw a beautiful front-leg head kick that looped around Stittgen's shoulder and hit him on the button, putting him out immediately. Very impressive debut for Thompson, and we'll see how his striking holds up against better competition. I'm not sure if he'll want to keep his hands so low and throw so many kicks against more qualified opposition.

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.