UFC on Fuel 9‘s makeshift main event of Gegard Mousasi vs. Ilir Latifi lasted a lot longer than expected, but the result was hardly surprising.
Mousasi spent the better part of 15 minutes pumping his jab and avoiding damage, en route to a unanimous-decision win.
What we’ll remember about this fight
It was possibly the most underwhelming main event in UFC history. There have certainly been more one-sided fights than this one, but the moments when you thought a big upset just might happen were very sparse.
We will also remember the match as Mousasi‘s UFC debut. It wasn’t exhilarating, but at least it was a win. Perhaps his next fight will be made a little more interesting by an opponent nearer his level.
What we learned about Gegard Mousasi
Not a ton. He was expected to cruise, and he did.
I doubt the collective perception of him wavered too much as a result of his UFC on Fuel 9 performance, though no doubt some will express disappointment at his conservative tactics.
What we may not have learned, but what was confirmed for us, is that Mousasi does a great job keeping range and throwing his jab. That was undoubtedly the most impressive aspect of his showing.
What we learned about Ilir Latifi
We learned his name. We also learned that he can take a lot of jabs to the face in a single night.
Also, we learned that he isn’t on the level of Gegard Mousasi. But we already knew that.
What’s next for Mousasi
Why not Alexander Gustafsson? It was the fight that was supposed to be, and Mousasi shouldn’t need a long time off to recover from his fight with Latifi, so it could happen in the summer.
What’s next for Latifi
For stepping up to save the event, Latifi deserves another chance in the UFC. Any lower-tier light heavyweight would do as well as the next.
Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com