UFC 181 will be looked back upon for a number of high-profile things.
Chief among them, though, is the potential for Saturday’s event to act as a launching pad for any number of talents who secured memorable wins.
The card was downright stacked but somehow managed to exceed expectations. Various fighters made returns from injury or other issues and scored emphatic victories. Younger fighters seized the moment with highlight wins.
Much of how this card is viewed down the road will depend on where the most notable winners go from here. For now, though, there are a trio of names who succeeded in ways fans will not soon forget.
UCF 181 Results
Breaking Down UFC 181 Biggest Winners
3. Josh Samman
Plenty of fighters spent Saturday night working wonders for themselves down the line with great comeback stories. A name like Todd Duffee (and his 33-second knockout) comes to mind.
Most pale in comparison to what Josh Samman did.
Stuck in one of the preliminary bouts, the 26-year-old with just two losses on his record won his second UFC fight with a brutal shin to Eddie Gordon’s head. The Knockout of the Year candidate drew the obvious reactions, as captured by Bleacher Report’s Jeremy Botter:
Sometimes, it simply boils down to getting noticed.
Saturday was Samman‘s first foray into the Octagon since April of 2013 for various out-of-ring reasons, so an emphatic victory was a necessity. With that in hand, Samman has surely turned a good number of heads in and outside of the promotion.
Expect Samman to ascend the ladder in an apt manner so long as he can keep his health.
2. Anthony Pettis
Rust was a very real concern Saturday for Anthony Pettis.
After all, the 27-year-old Milwaukee native had not been in a fight since August of 2013. It showed through the first six minutes and change against Gilbert Melendez, too.
Pettis allowed Melendez to hang around and was perhaps caught a tad off guard while trading blows with his opponent. It did not last long, though, as Pettis locked in a submission that forced a stoppage in the second round.
Fans around the globe know what Pettis is capable of as an offensive-minded fighter. But an extended period on the shelf while recovering from a knee injury has seen the champ lose some of his luster as of late.
Remember, though, that this is the guy Dana White proclaims can be the best in the world if his body allows. White said as much on The Jim Rome Show on CBS Sports Radio recently, per Mike Bohn of MMAjunkie:
Honestly, I think Pettis is the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world, if the kid can stay healthy. This kid is able to do things to people that other people can’t do. The famous run-off-the-cage kick, he bounces off the cage and hits people with knees. The thing is with him, he’s so powerful with his kicks, that once he kicks you he hurts you immediately. Human beings can’t take the kicks to the body that this kid throws.
Call Saturday a bit of validation for White and Pettis.
Now that Pettis has shown well and is healthy, he is well on his way to being one of the promotion’s most important faces over the course of the 2015 calendar year—and perhaps beyond.
1. Robbie Lawler
Robbie Lawler has UFC gold around his waist for the first time in his career thanks to one thing: adaptation.
Johny Hendricks beat down Lawler in their first encounter at UFC 171 in March to claim the UFC welterweight title. Ruthless did well Saturday night to avoid serious wrestling issues on the mat and instead land powerful combination blows while upright to sway the opinion of judges in the eventual split decision.
At 32 years of age, Lawler has come full circle as perhaps the most notable career turnaround in the sport’s history. He seems well aware of it, too, as illustrated by UFC:
A decade ago, Lawler was one of the most promising prospects the sport has seen; five years ago, he was one of the biggest busts. He is now back again as one of the most dangerous participants.
Keep in mind that the split decision will prove to be a controversial sticking point when folks look back on the outcome. It will be a strong rally point for a rubber match between the two veterans.
That seems likely given the circumstances. Right now, though, Lawler‘s crowning achievement is fresh on the mind and more than worthy of appreciation.
Note: Stats and info courtesy of UFC.com unless otherwise specified.
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