Author: Guilherme Cruz

GOIANIA, Brazil — Jeremy Stephens isn’t here to play.

Undefeated since dropping to the featherweight division, Stephens needed 40 seconds to give TUF: Brazil winner Rony Jason his first loss inside the Octagon at UFC Fight Night 32 in Goiania, Brazil, on Nov. 9.

And he credits his experience at 155 pounds, with a 7-8 in the UFC, for his recent success at the featherweight division.

“I took everything I’ve learned at 155, wins and losses, and I’ve moved to 145,” Stephens said after the fight. “To me, I’m 2-0 in the UFC. It’s awesome to start over. I couldn’t do it without the help of my team. I’m at 145 to stay. I feel fast, I feel light. It’s just a whole new better me.

“I’ve worked very hard in the office, I’m always training. I’m always getting better. I’ve grown as a fighter and a human being. I’m getting better every day.”

Jason was 3-0 in the UFC with two finishes, and stopping him was a big deal for Stephens. “Lil’ Heathen” doesn’t care if he’s already a Top 10 fighter after the win, but is confident it’s “just a matter of time” until he gets there.

“Rony Jason reminds of me when I first started fighting, very aggressive and strong, with good jiu-jitsu,” he said. “I was able to work on his openings. If you look at my past few fights, you’ll see I’m getting a lot tighter and technical. I was able to capitalize on that, and it landed.”

After a quick win, Stephens wants to get back in the cage as soon as possible.

“I don’t need to call anybody out,” he said. “I’d like to fight again soon. I feel healthy, I feel strong. I’m going to go home, take a few weeks off, spend some times with my family, but I’ll be back to the gym very soon.”

Two days after UFC Fight Night 32 in Goiania, Brazil, the Brazilian MMA Athletic Commission (CABMMA) announced the medical suspensions, and Brandon Thatch was handed a 180-day medical suspension after his first-round victory over Paulo Thiago.

According to the CABMMA, Thatch can be cleared to compete before his suspension is over if the results of his MRI and x-ray show no major injuries in his ankle and right shoulder.

Twenty-one additional fighters on the UFN 32 card received precautionary medical suspensions, including headliners Vitor Belfort and Dan Henderson.

The complete UFC Fight Night 32 medical suspension report can be seen below:

Vitor Belfort: suspended 14 days, 7 days no contact
Dan Henderson: suspended 45 days, 30 days no contact
Cezar Ferreira: suspended 45 days, 30 days no contact
Daniel Sarafian: suspended 45 days, 30 days no contact
Rafael Cavalcante: suspended 14 days, 7 days no contact
Igor Pokrajac: suspended 45 days, 30 days no contact
Paulo Thiago: suspended 45 days, 30 days no contact
Brandon Thatch: suspended 180 days, can fight sooner with physician clearance (ankle and shoulder)
Santiago Ponzinibbio: suspended 30 days, 21 days no contact
Ryan Laflare: suspended 30 days, 21 days no contact
Rony Jason: suspended 180 days
Jeremy Stephens: suspended 21 days, 14 days no contact
Godofredo Pepey: suspended 45 days, 30 days no contact
Sam Sicilia: suspended 14 days, 7 days no contact
Thiago Perpetuo: suspended 45 days, 30 days no contact
Omari Akhmedov: suspended 45 days, 30 days no contact
Thiago Tavares: suspended 21 days, 14 days no contact
Justin Salas: suspended 14 days, 7 days no contact
Adriano Martins: suspended 14 days, 7 days no contact
Daron Cruickshank: suspended 21 days, 14 days no contact
Jose Maria Tome: suspended 45 days, 30 days no contact
Dustin Ortiz: suspended 14 days, 7 days no contact

Rony Jason suffered his first loss in the UFC on Saturday night, but he caused more damage to himself than Jeremy Stephens did.

Stephens stopped Jason with a high kick to the head just 40 seconds into the fight at UFC Fight Night 32 in Goiania, Brazil, and the referee quickly stopped the bout when he realized the Brazilian was out. As soon as he left the cage, a “devastated” Jason started punishing himself for the loss.

When Jason entered his locker room, he punched himself in the face twice and smashed a door with his elbow, leading to injuries that needed 22 stitches total.

“I hurt my elbow, but I’m okay,” Jason told MMAFighting.com on Monday. “I was crying, angry with my loss, and I landed my elbow on the door. It’s hurt, but didn’t break any bones. I was just devastated at that moment.

“I’ve trained for a long time for this fight. I was undefeated for four years. Unfortunately, this is an individual sport and I have to deal with it.”

Jason was taken to the hospital and his elbow and his eye will sideline him from the gym for a few weeks.

“I needed 15 stitches in my elbow and seven over my eye,” he said. “I punched my head twice after the fight, I was so angry. But that’s nothing compared to my loss. I’m devastated.”

Jason was 3-0 in the UFC, with victories over Mike Wilkinson, Sam Sicilia and Godofredo Pepey, and Stephens moved to 2-0 as a featherweight with th2 fast knockout win in Goiania, Brazil.

“I’m hungry to come back to the gym already,” Jason said. “I was undefeated for a long time since I joined Team Nogueira, but now I’m back to zero.”

Vitor Belfort’s second shot at the middleweight title isn’t a done deal yet, but former champion Anderson Silva believes he has done enough to earn it.

Silva, who stopped Belfort with a front kick to the face at UFC 126 to defend the middleweight belt, agreed that “The Phenom” should be the next in line for a shot at the gold after consecutive stoppage wins over Dan Henderson, Michael Bisping and Luke Rockhold in the UFC.

“I believe he deserves to fight for the title, even because he has been doing his part (to earn a title shot), just like other fighters like Ronaldo Jacare and Lyoto Machida, who just dropped to 185,” Silva told the media in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

White stated several times in the past that Belfort wouldn’t have another shot at Silva due the fact that he suffered a quick loss to the fellow Brazilian, but stopping three top ranked opponents at 185 and 205 made him change his mind.

After Belfort’s 77-second TKO win over Henderson at UFC Fight Night 32 in Goiania, Brazil, on Nov. 9, the UFC president said he anticipates “big things” for him next, but wouldn’t commit to give him a shot at the winner of Chris Weidman vs. Anderson Silva 2, who meet on Dec. 28, yet.

Silva believes he’s right there already.

“I saw the fight, he fought really well,” the former champion said. “Vitor has been doing great, showing why he was the UFC champion for a long time. He deserves respect. We’ll just have to wait for the next chapters.”

GOIANIA, Brazil — Rafael Cavalcante made quick work of Igor Pokrajac at UFC Fight Night 32, and everything went exactly as he expected.

A former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion, “Feijao,” landed vicious knees from the clinch on Pokrajac on Saturday’s event. He perfected the move that finished the bout a few minutes before he entered the Octagon.

“I always had some good knees from the clinch, and Anderson (Silva) has taught me a lot for a long time,” Cavalcante said after the fight. “Rodrigo (Nogueira) told me minutes before the fight that Pokrajac would try the clinch as soon as he felt the power of my hands, so I had to clinch him first, that’s what I did. I landed the knees and it was over.”

“Feijao” shared his secrets, revealing that you can’t target your opponent’s face first.

“I always throw the knees to the body first, forcing him to defend himself and let his face open,” he said. “I knew he was hurt as soon as I landed the first knee. This is what I do. I’m an aggressive fighter and my physical conditioning is getting better and better. I just have to thank my team for that.”

More than two years after his last MMA win, which took place on September 2011 in Strikeforce, “Feijao” knew he had his back against the wall when he entered the cage in Goiania, and he used his pressure in his advantage.

“I needed this win so bad,” he said. “After I got to the top at Strikeforce, I had no more goals in my career so I lost focus. I’m back, focused on what I need to focus, and I’m in the best shape of my life.”

Cavalcante leaves his first-round knockout loss to Thiago Silva, in his UFC debut, in the past and says he’s open to fight whoever weighs 205 pounds and is currently signed with the promotion.

“I will fight anyone UFC puts in front of me.”