UFC 186 wasn’t loaded with big names, but it was a crucial event for those who were on the card.
Rampage Jackson looked to make a successful return to the Octagon. After a three-fight stint in Bellator, the former champion was looking to pick up his first UFC victory since beating Matt Hamill in April 2011.
Just one weight class down, Michael Bisping looked to prove that he’s not quite done yet. The 36-year-old took on CB Dollaway in a bout between middleweights looking to bounce back from devastating losses.
Demetrious Johnson once again defended his flyweight belt, this time against Kyoji Horiguchi. Mighty Mouse was given the task of figuring out the young karate fighter in the night’s main event.
Here’s a look at the complete results from UFC 186 with a closer look at the night’s biggest fights and what the results mean going forward.
UFC 186 Main Card
- Demetrious Johnson def. Kyoji Horiguchi, submission (Round 5, 4:59)
- Quinton Jackson def. Fabio Maldonado, unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
- Michael Bisping def. C.B. Dollaway, unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- John Makdessi def. Shane Campbell, TKO (Round 1, 4:53)
- Thomas Almeida def. Yves Jabouin, TKO (Round 1, 4:18)
Prelims on Fox Sports 1
- Patrick Cote def. Joe Riggs, unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Alexis Davis def. Sarah Kaufman, submission (Round 2, 1:52)
- Chad Laprise def. Bryan Barberena, unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
- Olivier Aubin-Mercier def. David Michaud, submission (Round 3, 3:24)
Prelims on UFC Fight Pass
- Nordine Taleb def. Chris Clements, unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Valerie Letourneau def. Jessica Rakoczy, unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
- Randa Markos def. Aisling Daly, unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Bisping Keeps Title Dream Alive
Bisping has never made any bones about his goals. He wants to be a UFC champion one day. With a 3-4 record in his last seven fights entering UFC 186, his bout with Dollaway was a must-win.
It looked like that dream was going to come to a crashing halt in the first round. The Doberman landed a solid left hook to Bisping‘s chin that sent him to the mat, but the Brit was ultimately able to recover.
The Count proceeded to remind fans that regardless of how you feel about him, he has heart in spades. He built a 21 significant strike advantage over the final 10 minutes, per FightMetric’s numbers. The bout was the latest example of the technical ability that Bisping has and just how difficult it is to finish him.
Bisping himself wasn’t pleased with his performance and would like to get back in the game rather quickly. He wants to be involved in the UFC’s planned trip to Glasgow, Scotland in July, per MMA Fighting and Damon Martin of Fox Sports:
Bisping‘s middleweight title hopes might be a pipe dream, but he’s on target with his desire for a top-10 opponent. He’s shown that he’s still capable of putting on good fights with the second tier of middleweight contenders.
Rampage Makes Successful Return to the Octagon
It’s been a long time since Jackson earned a win under the UFC banner. He left for Bellator on a three-fight losing streak with losses to Jon Jones, Ryan Bader and Glover Teixeira.
A three-fight winning streak later, Jackson officially broke his UFC funk with a win over Fabio Maldonado.
The fact that he beat Maldonado isn’t shocking. The 35-year-old Brazilian isn’t close to Jackson’s level. What was surprising was how he did it. Jackson had a versatility to his striking arsenal that fans haven’t seen since his early UFC and PRIDE days.
Former UFC vet Kenny Florian even noted Jackson’s attempted head kick against Maldonado:
It’s been a while since Jackson looked this good in the Octagon, but his post-fight comments might indicate he’s going to bite off more than he can chew. According to Ariel Helwani, Jackson is interested in going on a redemption tour, exacting revenge on those who have already beat him:
What might be a better option for Jackson’s longevity is to continue fighting opponents like Maldonado. Jackson was comfortable throwing a full array of strikes because Maldonado didn’t present a threat as a wrestler.
Rampage might not have another title run in him, but he’s still capable of providing some exciting fights for the fans as his career winds to a close.
Demetrious Johnson Does His Thing
At this point there isn’t much left to say about Johnson. The reigning flyweight champion is the working man’s champion of the organization. All he does is show up and get the job done regardless of the opponent.
In this case, the opponent was a young fighter in Horiguchi. The 24-year-old has impressed in his brief time in the UFC with his one-shot power and tricky style.
None of that mattered.
Johnson did what we’ve seen him do in the past, and that’s efficient execution in every facet of MMA. From clinching Horiguchi against the fence to dominating position on the ground, Mighty Mouse patiently broke down Horiguchi and never stopped looking to advance.
That never-ending desire to end the fight paid off in a big way at the end. As the final moments of the fight played out, Johnson refused to coast to victory and locked in an explosive armbar that forced the tap from Horiguchi at the fourth minute and 59th second of the final round.
The impressive performance had fellow fighters like Chad Mendes singing the praises of the champion:
The claim that Johnson is the pound-for-pound best fighter in MMA is a bit of hyperbole. His resume still pales in comparison to Jon Jones. Jose Aldo has even more title defenses. But to say that Johnson’s game is the most well-rounded in the sport isn’t an overstatement.
Johnson once again showed that few fighters can rival his pure ability as a mixed martial artist.
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