A mostly lackluster UFC event is capped off by a magnificent main event.
So… yeah. That was a night of fights. This is a perfect encapsulation of everything that can go wrong as well as the height of MMA action in a nutshell. From a fight that was cancelled due to medical reasons to (unfortunately) boring bouts of little to no consequence, we got the worst of it. But we did get some wily finishes (Torres), dominant performances showing tremendous growth and evolution (Cannonier, Hill) and ultimately, a sensational main event.
That’s not to say that the tone was even. The uneventful portions were as long as they were dull, and the ugliness perhaps exacerbated by the slow pace. It wasn’t even as terrible as the usual FS1 pacing for Saturday cards, either. This is what Ultimate Fighter finales are, though. Separate wheat from chaff, get some experience for some fighters and allowing divisions to get sorted out.
And with that, we get to the list.
- Winners
Justin Gaethje – Last time we saw a guy come into the UFC from another organization and beat a top ten guy was Anthony Johnson brutalizing Phil Davis in 2014. This was very different, though. Gaethje took a ton of damage and was wobbled a few times, but continues to be this nigh-unkillable machine. He kept recovering like a cheap boss in a fighting game and spammed leg kicks. I have to commend him for at least showing a lot more defense than in his WSOF fights, but it’s not enough to just eat bombs with your face like he did. It was mitigated by the consistent leg kicks and hard counter punches, along with his ability to close the distance and time his offense. He remains undefeated in 18 professional fights, having won by decision only twice. Now he bumps off the #5 guy in the division. He didn’t superstyle on the guy, but he finished him brutally. Sadly, the only two fighters ahead of him that don’t have a solid case for a title shot are Eddie Alvarez and Edson Barboza. Alvarez may be on his way to a rematch with Dustin Poirier after their recent controversial bout, and Barboza just fought a few months ago. Either way, the big fish in the small pond has made a massive splash in the big leagues. Big ups to him, because few men would want to be in his shoes after that.
Jesse Taylor – The man came back after toiling and travelling the world, winning some, losing others, and racking up an extensive record. Now he atones for the sins of his youth, collects a sizable check and another shot fighting in the big leagues. Relentless pressure and constant chain wrestling were key here, and had a hell of a time letting it all sink in when it was over. Maybe the Ultimate Fighter series should just be redemption stories like this.
Jared Cannonier – Cannonier looked svelte and lethal this time around. He timed his shots well, his cardio looked fantastic and he genuinely looked like he was having fun out there. He now improves to 3-2 (10-2 overall), makes a major statement with a vastly improved overall game and called out Gokhan Saki. This man’s making moves.
Angela Hill – This fight was all about composure. Hill was able to keep herself collected through the few spots she was in any danger, fought her way back to her feet and tagged Ashley Yoder hard. The story here isn’t just Hill winning, it’s how she’s closed so many of her gaps so quickly. It’s great to see her even out at 1-1 in her current UFC run, and her desire to avenge the losses from her first go-round. I’d pay to watch that. Take a bow, Angela Hill. This was a hard-earned victory, and there should be more great performances like that down the line. Speaking of people she’s fought…
Tecia Torres – Smooth back take to counter the slow takedown attempt. Torres’ UFC run now has her at 5-1, and this is her first finish as a professional. Her last finish was a KO/TKO in 2011 on the amateur scene. The top of strawweight is looking a bit complicated as well, so time will tell what’s next for her.
Drakkar Klose – Klose continues undefeated at 8-0 overall (with one draw) and earns his second UFC win in the process against an opponent with a nice bit of hype surrounding him. It was a close fight, but Klose fought very smart and has a style that allows for a fair bit of longevity for his career and success against most opponents. He was unfazed by the flashier techniques, had exceptional timing for the biggest leg kicks of the fight and has great cardio. It’s the kind of performance that makes the rest of the division at least take note.
Brad Tavares and C.B. Dolloway had wins on this card, and they were largely uneventful. Both were very tough and gritty matches, and just another example of what MMA can be sometimes. Not terrible fights, but mostly about control and perseverance. James Krause pieced up Tom Gallicchio from the outside, and was savvy enough to defend well against the grappling-heavy offense of Gallicchio. Jordan Johnson seemed to rely less and less on his wrestling as his fight went on, but remains undefeated as well with an 8-0 overall record and his second UFC win. Gray Maynard continues to show he’s not done yet in the sport, controlling and mugging Teruto Ishihara with his hard-nosed wrestling approach and pressure against the cage.
- Losers
Michael Johnson – Johnson was really dishing it out early and looked like he was really going to win it a few times. Yet once again we see the cruelty of the fight game. His stock takes a hit, but even at lightweight it won’t affect him too badly. The top ten is a bit shaky right now, and he’s still an exceptional talent. A handful of fighters in the top 15 have suffered losses recently, Gilbert Melendez (13) is dropping to featherweight and Nate Diaz somehow got bumped up to #6.
Ashley Yoder – I really don’t want to put her here, but she’s 0-2 in the UFC. She’s got the tools to do well, but she’s faced two of the division’s better strikers in a row. She took some damage and was able to live up to her nickname (“Spider Monkey“), but hasn’t been able to have that translate to wins in the octagon. Maybe she gets another shot.
Tom Gallicchio – Losing in his UFC debut shouldn’t count that heavily against him, but he truly couldn’t get much going for most of the fight. He’s certainly sticking around and should be able to get some interesting matchups, but he took a lot of unnecessary damage here. Here’s hoping his next outing doesn’t have him taking too much punishment.
Teruto Ishihara – Now 2-2 in the UFC with 1 draw, he perhaps should be in the Neither column. Problem is his losses appear to be a result of him still not having his game where it could or should be. Having your second straight loss be to a fighter that probably should have retired four or five fights ago is a terrible look for your standing in the game.
Ed Herman – Another fighter suffering their second consecutive loss, and the worst thing about it is that there’s no real way to gauge where he stands at light heavyweight. This was sort of expected with Dolloway’s heavy grinding style and all, but it leaves Herman in a strange sort of limbo, just floating around taking fights here and there.
- Neither
Marc Diakiese – First UFC loss to end up at 3-1 in the UFC banner against another unranked fighter? Meh. It’s a setback and the kind of loss that some fighters need. Besides, I can see the argument for him winning the first and second round, even if I don’t agree with it. Besides, his style is the kind that resonates with casuals. He can bounce back from this easily.
Nick Roehrick – The kid came in on very short notice and ran into a buzzsaw. Losing in your UFC debut shouldn’t be viewed too harshly, especially when it’s an opponent that ends up being more dangerous than he’s looked before. It’s also his first professional loss. He did the UFC a solid, and he gets to stick around.
Elias Theodorou – This loss puts his UFC record at 5-2, and it was against another unranked opponent. Neither fighter gained nor lost much here. It’s not bad enough for him to end up in the losing column.
Juliana Lima – Her record evens out at 3-3, but that’s a rough loss. Then again, this is the first time Lima’s been finished in her overall professional career and she was unranked taking on a #5 strawweight. She didn’t have that much to lose here against a replacement opponent.
Dhiego Lima – Tough loss after being reintroduced to the UFC. He was able to drop Taylor in the second round, but it wasn’t nearly enough to finish the fight. He’s still good enough to give a lot of guys fits in that division.
Marcel Fortuna also evens out to 1-1 in his UFC run in a bout was a pretty terrible stylistic matchup. That’s just the fight game.