The highly anticipated welterweight scrap fulfilled expectations. Matt Brown and Tim Means delivered in a stellar one-round altercation.
Means looked sharp early and staggered Brown. The ultra-tough Ohio native returned the favor and dropped Means later in the first. Means seemed to lose the range after that, but he did land one of his nasty elbow strikes. Brown just smiled in return.
Brown then landed a fight-altering elbow. Means was hurt, shot in and Brown locked in a guillotine on Means. The end came at 4:44 of the first round. Brown moves back into contention at 170 pounds.
What We’ll Remember About This Fight
The end came with the guillotine, but it is the elbows that we will remember.
Those are the strikes that changed the course of the fight. Brown placed them perfectly to hurt and wobble Means. Brown is one of the best finishers in the UFC today. When he knows he has his opponent hurt, he knows exactly how to finish them off.
We will recall how Brown slipped in the heavy elbow right on the side of Means’ head.
What We Learned About Tim Means
If there was any question Means can compete against the upper echelon, he answered it on Saturday.
Yes, he lost. Yes, he lost in the first round. But he was in this fight. He hurt Brown. He just got caught. That was the only difference in this fight, and Means showed that he can compete with his style against anyone in the division. He still has numerous holes in his game, but he is continually improving.
Means is a fun fighter to watch. This was a learning experience that will only benefit Means down the road.
What We Learned About Matt Brown
This is a tough one to answer because we honestly did not learn anything new about Brown. This was a classic Matt Brown performance.
Brown is a gritty fighter who has sneakily improved into being one of the best in the world. His style opens himself up to get caught from time to time, and he lacks some of the top-end athleticism to consistently compete against the elite. However, his technical proficiency helps keep him in fights to make him a constant threat to finish at any point.
What’s Next for Tim Means
I would hate to see Means fight someone outside of the top 15. He showed he belongs.
A matchup against Ryan LaFlare could be the right fight. The winner would solidify their spot in the top 15. LaFlare is coming off a loss to Demian Maia.
It’s a stylistic matchup that is troublesome for both men. Means would have to prevent LaFlare from his grinding grappling, and LaFlare would have to avoid standing with Means for prolonged periods. It may not be the most enticing matchup available, but it makes sense for where they stand in the division.
I just do not want Means to be pushed back into fighting someone outside of the top 15. He has earned big-time fights.
What’s Next for Matt Brown
Carlos Condit. Please let it be Carlos Condit.
That fight would be amazing, and it could be a title eliminator. They are both ranked in the top five, and they are both finishers. Their styles complement each other so well it would be a shock if it weren’t Fight of the Night, regardless of what card it ends up on.
This is the fight to make.
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