At UFC on FOX 4, Ryan Bader failed to capitalize on an opportunity that may have propelled him into a bout for UFC gold, an honor that instead went to Bader’s victorious opponent, Lyoto Machida.
Machida frustrated Bader during the first round of their contest before ending things in the opening minutes of the second. That Bader was thoroughly outmatched for the entire duration of the fight only emphasizes the disappointment and despair of the defeat.
The performance was telling of many things, including several about Bader’s place in the UFC’s light heavyweight division. Here, we will take a look at five things we learned about Bader, and examine the importance of each, as he attempts to recover from a devastating loss.