If you’re a fan of first-round finishes, then UFC 180 was a dream card. The UFC’s maiden voyage to Mexico featured four straight fights that didn’t see the second round before crowning a new interim heavyweight champion.
The excitement didn’t stop when a fight finally made it out of the first frame, either. As expected, Mark Hunt and Fabricio Werdum put on an exciting show for the interim heavyweight championship, with Vai Cavalo emerging as the winner thanks to a well-timed flying knee.
Amid all the excitement and explosive finishes, it was difficult for fighters to really stand out above the rest. Still, a few fighters earned statement victories that will propel them to the next level in their careers.
Here’s a look at the complete list of results and at the fighters with the most impressive performances of the night.
Ricardo Lamas Halts Dennis Bermudez’s Win Streak
UFC 180 was supposed to serve as another bullet point on Dennis Bermudez’s resume. Riding a seven-fight win streak, he went up against a fighter in Ricardo Lamas whose last two trips to the Octagon included a lopsided loss to Jose Aldo and an underwhelming decision victory over Hacran Dias.
None of that mattered to Lamas.
The 32-year-old reminded observers how he earned that shot against Aldo in the first place with an impressive first-round submission victory over The Menace. The brief performance served to remind fans that Lamas can earn stoppages with his striking as well as submissions, as a quick jab put Bermudez down before Lamas swarmed with a guillotine choke.
Mike Chiappetta put the fight into perspective for the division quite nicely:
It appeared Lamas’ days as a title contender may have been over after his last two fights, but he’s now set up for bigger and better things. In a move that isn’t going to be uncommon in the featherweight division, he called out Conor McGregor after the fight, per Marc Raimondi of Fox Sports:
Lamas might not get his wish. McGregor may be in line for a title shot after his win over Dustin Poirier and his upcoming bout with Dennis Siver. But it doesn’t hurt to ask, and Lamas certainly didn’t hurt his stock on Saturday night.
Kelvin Gastelum Adds Jake Ellenberger to His Resume
Kelvin Gastelum is for real. That was the key takeaway from UFC 180’s co-main event featuring the former The Ultimate Fighter winner and Jake Ellenberger.
Tasked with his most well-known and experienced opponent to date, Gastelum didn’t shrink in the limelight. The 23-year-old showcased his grappling skills en route to a surprise first-round submission victory after locking up a rear-naked choke out of a scramble on the mat.
Ben Fowlkes of MMA Junkie was one of several who were impressed by his ability to lock up the choke so quickly:
The win was important for Gastelum on a few levels. First, it maintained his undefeated record. He is now a perfect 10-0 in his MMA career with five of those wins in the UFC.
Second, the bout proved that Gastelum can finish fights and be exciting. Projecting him as a potential star, it’s important that he isn’t perceived as a decision fighter. This result will go a long way in fighting off that perception. It was the second finish in his five UFC fights.
Kevin Iole of Yahoo Sports was among the many who thought this fight launched Gastelum into the next tier of the welterweight division:
With Gastelum’s rugged wrestling style and ability to embrace the limelight, the list of challengers for him isn’t likely to be long.
Fabricio Werdum Knees His Way to Interim Title Belt
When Fabricio Werdum’s right knee collided with big Mark Hunt’s chin in the second round of UFC 180’s main event, Vai Cavalo etched his name into the record books as one of the few men to hold UFC heavyweight gold.
Sure, he’s still really just the No. 1 challenger to Cain Velasquez’s actual throne. But the champion’s extended absence from the cage has warranted the coronation of a temporary king. The 37-year-old has earned the right to be that champion.
Werdum extended his record in this stint with the UFC to a perfect 5-0 by showcasing his ever-improving striking skills. However, it wasn’t easy. Hunt showcased his trademark bombs early in the first round. The Super Samoan was the much busier fighter in the first frame, throwing 31 total strikes to the Brazilian’s 19, per FightMetric.
However, the Brazilian’s patience paid off in the second round. With an increasingly winded Hunt going a sloppy 1-of-11 on significant strikes in the round, Werdum timed up a perfect flying knee that sent his opponent to the canvas and put gold around his waist.
As Chuck Mindenhall noted, the fight highlighted an increasingly apparent truth:
The two-round affair wasn’t exactly what the Mexican crowd was expecting. Watching their hometown hero pummel Werdum would have been their dream scenario. Instead, they saw an impressive performance from their hero’s next opponent.
This fight should only serve to create an even bigger audience for that eventual championship tilt.
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