UFC 144 is done, and an interesting event it was. We saw a great comeback, a brutal five-round slugfest and unfortunately what could be the final fall of a legend. After an unprecedented seven-fight main card, some are debating whether this is one of the best UFC cards ever.
While I believe that more time will be needed to debate that topic, what can be discussed now is who were the biggest winners and losers of Saturday’s event.
Winners
Ben Henderson
The new UFC lightweight champion put on an impressive display against Frankie Edgar. While it could be debated that Edgar should’ve won the fight, Henderson’s performance can not be argued.
He fought hard, negated Edgar’s efforts to gain any advantage on the ground and landed some powerful shots, including one of the most vicious up-kicks this writer has ever seen.
Henderson’s abilities continue to evolve with each fight and his future inside the Octagon is wide open.
Jake Shields
Riding a two-fight losing streak, Jake Shields needed an impressive outing to prove that he is more than another UFC import who couldn’t hack it.
Against Yoshiro Akiyama, Shields used effective striking to will his way to a unanimous decision win. He withstood Akiyama’s takedowns and defeated “Sexyama” on his feet.
According to FightMetric, Shields landed more strikes than Akiyama by a margin of nearly 2.5 to 1. It was a much-needed win for Shields who is now looking to climb back up the welterweight ranks.
Anthony Pettis
“Showtime” showed why he is one of the best fighters at 155 lbs. Had it not been for his off-the-cage kick versus new champion Henderson, this would’ve been arguably the best highlight kick of his career.
Pettis started the fight off using his southpaw jab to keep Joe Lauzon at bay. Then, at the 1:21 mark of the first round, he sent Lauzon crashing to the canvas with a devastating head kick which all but ended the fight.
Pettis has staked his claim as a lightweight contender. Don’t be surprised to see him attempting to strip Ben Henderson of another championship belt in the near future.
Losers
Frankie Edgar
Frankie Edgar is one of the toughest fighters that I have ever seen. In his last three fights, he has been beaten like a slab of meat by Rocky yet he keeps coming back. Unfortunately, he didn’t have quite enough for Henderson.
Although he landed more strikes than Henderson, Edgar just couldn’t inflict enough damage and took a lot of punishment in return.
Frankie now must decide between two options: stay at lightweight and lobby for a rematch, or drop down to featherweight for a shot at Jose Aldo. Either way, Edgar will bounce back.
I would be lying if I said I wasn’t saddened by Jackson’s performance. “Rampage” pleaded to UFC President Dana White for the opportunity to once again fight in Japan.
He then proceeded to miss weight by six pounds. Next, he followed that up with the absolute worst performance of his career.
Jackson appeared out of shape and soft around the mid-section; not to mention he was gassed four minutes into the opening stanza. Jackson would be best served by doing some soul-searching and deciding if he even desires to enter the Octagon again.
Japanese MMA
In a previous article, I questioned whether the UFC’s Japanese fighters would give a performance in Japan similar to the Brazilian showing at UFC 134. Unsurprisingly, the UFC’s Japanese fighters failed to impress in the return to their home country.
Posting a 4-5 record on the night, the most impressive performance was by featherweight Hatsu Hioki who put on a dominating ground display against Bart Palaszewski.
With Akiyama possibly on his way out of the UFC and Okami being knocked out in a fight he was on his way to winning, Japan’s hope for a happy homecoming was anything but.
It is almost conclusive that Japanese MMA is no longer the force once demonstrated in the days of PRIDE.
Ryan Bader
Yes, I am aware that “Darth” Bader won the fight. Regardless, I still found his performance lacking any real depth. All Ryan Bader did was prove that he will never be a title contender.
“Rampage” was out of shape and sucking wind for two of the three rounds. Bader never really hurt Jackson and fought scared for the first five minutes. A better fighter would’ve finished off Jackson, who was clearly in no condition to compete.
Although Bader is strong and a skilled wrestler, his game just hasn’t evolved and at this pace will never be good enough to compete with the division’s elite.
Follow Walt J. as he gives his no-holds-barred opinions on the NFL, MMA and other sports topics on his blog, “Live From AREA 49.” You can also follow him on Twitter @area49sports.
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