Well, that was something.
This was one of those cases where a fight card that looked somewhat underwhelming on paper ended up (mostly) delivering in full on fight night.
Obviously, there were a few dull spots; the Jake Shields/Ed Herman grapple-fest springs to mind. But by and large, UFC 150 delivered a night chock-full of action, from the preliminary card all the way to the incredibly close main-event title fight.
Let’s take a look at what’s next for some of the winners and losers from UFC 150.
BENSON HENDERSON vs. NATE DIAZ
If Frankie Edgar had defeated Henderson in the main event, I would’ve been using this space to call for a third fight between the pair. And I’m almost inclined to do it anyway, just because I’d love to see those two outstanding competitors face off in endless fights between now and the end of time.
Henderson and Edgar are incredible fighters, and both of their bouts were intriguing chess matches. And I know that a bunch of folks were up in arms that Henderson was awarded the decision. I had the fight scored 48-47 for Henderson, but I was also aware going into the decision that any of the rounds except for the first could have gone either way.
This wasn’t a robbery—it was a close fight, and any number of scorecard variations would have been fine.
So, what’s next? We already know the answer to that question. Henderson has a date in the not-so-distant future with Nate Diaz, and that should be one hell of a fight. As for Edgar?
FRANKIE EDGAR vs. CHAD MENDES
Edgar’s moving to featherweight. No question about it at this point. And since Aldo already has a booking with Erik Koch—and since Edgar is coming off two consecutive losses—it makes sense to get Edgar in there with a top-flight featherweight.
Chad Mendes fits that bill. He’s a contender, and he’s coming off a big win over the hapless Cody McKenzie. Mendes deserves a contender, and Edgar is an instant contender by virtue of being the biggest name in the entire division despite not having actually fought there yet.
Better yet, it sets up a big fight for Aldo in early 2012.
DONALD CERRONE vs. ANTHONY PETTIS
That was one of the best one-minute fights I’ve ever seen in my life.
Seriously. It’s not even arguable, really. Cerrone vs. Guillard was as full of action and drama as anything I’ve seen out of a short fight in the history of the UFC. From Guillard nearly becoming the first person to knock out Cerrone, to “Cowboy” rebounding and becoming the first person to knock out Guillard, everything about this fight was awesome, and in every way possible.
And now? It’s time for the fight that’s been brewing in the media and on Twitter over the past two weeks: Cerrone vs. Anthony Pettis. Two top-flight lightweights with a serious grudge and a whole lot of skill. Put them in the cage in November or December—perhaps on FOX?—and then give the winner a crack at the Henderson/Diaz victor.
I’m getting chills just thinking about it.
JAKE SHIELDS vs. YUSHIN OKAMI
I know what you’re thinking: Putting these two grappling-heavy fighters in the cage against one another is a recipe for pay-per-view disaster. And you might be right.
But there’s also a different scenario that could play out. When you put two grapplers in the cage against one another, a different story of fight sometimes plays out. With the grappling and clinching negated, each fighter is often forced to rely on a different facet of his game. It makes for a markedly more entertaining fight than what you’d expect.
Neither Shields or Okami had the best performance of their careers at UFC 150, but both are still forces to be reckoned with at middleweight. They may not be the kind of forces you actually enjoy watching, but they’re still forces all the same. Pairing them up might not make for an exciting fight, but it would help create another 185-pound contender.
Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com