Sometimes a predictable ride has a surprise twist or turn that makes it enjoyable, which certainly sums up UFC 180 in Mexico City this past Saturday quite well.
Most expected Fabricio Werdum to become interim UFC heavyweight champion at the event with a win over the surging Mark Hunt, but the avenue by which he did so was quite unexpected.
That speaks true for most of the night. High-quality action throughout the card saw some unexpected winners in what was a strong showing for the promotion on one of the most critical weekends of the calendar.
While difficult to pick out specific top performers, three certainly stand out upon close inspection of the full card.
UFC 180 Results
Notable Winners
Kelvin Gastelum
Talk about a career-defining victory.
Kelvin Gastelum is just 23 years old, but after Saturday’s triumph over longtime top welterweight Jake Ellenberger, the sport now has a new superstar to watch at an intriguing weight class.
This was not some fluky win, either. Gastelum was on the wrong end of a takedown, put on a superb scramble and capitalized on his opponent’s unprotected neck to lock in a rear-naked choke that ended things in the first round.
As UFC notes on Twitter, the rising star has quickly found himself among the best of the best:
Gastelum was ranked just outside of the top 10 in the division entering Saturday, but that is sure to change in a hurry with his stunning upset.
Now that he remains undefeated in the promotion and has proven he can win via other outlets besides a decision, the sky is the limit. Which fighters actually want to step in the Octagon with him is another conversation entirely, but title contention certainly appears to be in Gastelum‘s future after Saturday’s launching pad.
Gabriel Benitez
Saturday saw Gabriel Benitez take a predictable approach he never truly deviated from against a dangerous Humberto Brown.
The stubbornness eventually paid off.
It was clear from the onset that Benitez wanted to nab a submission victory by way of a guillotine choke, something even his corner could be heard on the pay-per-view telling him to stop attempting after Brown repeatedly shot the attempts down.
In the third round, though, Benitez came through by way of that very move in a standing position, an eye-opening finisher considering that choke usually gets a fighter a victory on the mat, not upright.
Considering Brown is a submission artist with three wins via that avenue, Saturday was a key point in Benitez’s recent career as he moved to 17-4. That makes it three wins in a row and a serious statement to the rest of the featherweight division at the same time.
Quietly, the bout was one of Saturday’s most entertaining. Two The Ultimate Fighter Latin America competitors danced. It was also one of the most important as the promotion continues to expand its horizons.
Fabricio Werdum
Of course, the most notable finish came in the main event.
Again, most expected Werdum to come away with the victory. He was ranked higher, and Hunt was not only fighting on short notice but doing so at a lighter weight than he likely preferred.
The big-hitting Hunt came out in the first round throwing his typical bombs and connected on a handful that clearly staggered the No. 1 contender. Werdum’s strength is on the mat, so his decision to stand up and trade blows was a bit perplexing.
Still, it was clear Werdum was on the hunt to make a statement. He did just that in the second round in emphatic fashion with a flying knee that dropped the Super Samoan for good. Ariel Helwani paints the picture well:
“Winning a belt like this is a dream,” Werdum said, per Kevin Iole of Yahoo.com. “It’s a dream come true and a lot of work, not months, it’s years. I have two [victories], two wins that are history. The win over Fedor was very special, but today was the most special day of my life.”
Werdum’s comeback story has come full circle. It is quite apparent that he is one of the promotion’s top fighters no matter how it gets sliced, as Chuck Mindenhall points out:
Make it five in a row for Werdum, who is going to get a crack at Cain Velasquez sooner rather than later.
Given his recent show of form, how that fight unfolds is quite difficult to tell. For now, most can bask in what was a worthy headlining act of a stacked card.
Note: Stats and info courtesy of UFC.com unless otherwise specified.
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