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UFC Fantasy Matchmaker: March 2015 Edition

There is an art to matchmaking in combat sports.
While some fights come together with natural ease, most bouts come about through a hectic process of evaluation. Several aspects need to be graded on each side of the table before committing to the match…

There is an art to matchmaking in combat sports.

While some fights come together with natural ease, most bouts come about through a hectic process of evaluation. Several aspects need to be graded on each side of the table before committing to the matchup.

Whether or not a fight makes sense in the divisional scheme, timing and making sure both fighters stand to gain similar rewards are the most pressing issues that come to mind. Then, of course, there is the most important aspect of a potential fight: Will both competitors be willing to mix it up and put on a show?

The unfortunate part of the process comes when all of these criteria are met, but the fight fails to deliver. That said, the UFC showcases far more exciting tilts than flat fights these days, which goes to show just how good the matchmakers, Joe Silva and Sean Shelby, are at their jobs.

And because Silva and Shelby are in the midst of mega runs in their particular lanes (Silva makes bouts for fighters 155 pounds and up, Shelby handles featherweight and below in addition to taking care of both of the female divisions), this month’s installment of “Fantasy Matchmaker” came with a bit of extra effort attached.

Typically speaking, there are always a few easy-to-read pairings that simply make sense, just as there are normally a few fighters on the rise who have the possibility of catching big opportunities in their respective divisions.

That said, the matchmaking landscape this month was a bit more difficult to survey. The primary culprits responsible for the static on our monthly gaze into the crystal ball are the stacked lineups for the UFC’s upcoming pay-per-view cards in March, April and May.

Where the organization has dabbled with packing fight cards with talent from top to bottom in the past, the chaotic demands of the UFC’s current schedule have made that a difficult and risky play.

There is a PPV card every month, and in most cases, at least two of the remaining three Saturday nights will have events on one of the Fox channels.

While the docket for April is full with an event slated for every weekend of the month, the UFC went on the lighter side for its agendas in March and May. The reason being each of those month’s PPV events were jam-packed with high-profile names and title fights.

Granted, this weekend’s card in Dallas doesn’t stack up to the murderer’s row of awesomeness on deck for the UFC’s annual Memorial Day weekend offering at UFC 187, but UFC 185 isn’t slacking in the heat department by any means.

Keyboard Kimura’s E. Spencer Kyte recently suggested the UFC may be revamping its PPV model to put heavy focus on quality rather than quantity, and he very well may be on to something.

Therefore, with mega cards on tap in the PPV realm, and additional offerings with the likes of UFC on Fox 15 and Fight Night 66 on deck as well, the majority of the major players up and down the UFC roster are already matched up, or waiting for fights to play out to see what the future holds for them.

Nevertheless, this column is diligent about bringing the goods, or as former light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans is known to say, give our readers that “mind wine” to soak up and get the wheels turning.

Let’s take a look at “UFC Fantasy Matchmaker: March 2015 Edition.”

Brock Lesnar vs. Frank Mir

There are always a fair amount of hypothetical elements that go into creating fantasy matchups, but a trilogy bout between Brock Lesnar and Frank Mir will force the “what if” machine into overdrive.

For one, the former WWE champion, turned UFC champion, turned WWE superstar is still under contract with Vince McMahon, and there is no guarantee The Beast Incarnate will ever return to the realm of unscripted face punching.

The heavyweight mountain’s name has been thrown around quite a bit as of late by UFC President Dana White, and Lesnar even managed to show up at UFC 184 to take in some fights while out in Los Angeles.

Yet, while there is no official word as to whether or not Lesnar will return to compete inside the Octagon, that doesn’t detour the UFC’s passionate fanbase from wanting to see him chucking leather and bull rushing his opposition when the cage door closes.

Simply put: Fans loved to watch Lesnar do his thing, and a lot of those same fans have been holding out hope that the Minnesota native will get the itch to scrap at least one more time.

Should the former heavyweight title holder return to the UFC, there is not a more perfect fight for Lesnar to take other than the one Frank Mir is prepared to give him.

The two-time former heavyweight champion recently broke a nasty four-fight losing skid when he knocked out Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva at Fight Night 61 in Brazil.

In the lead-up to the fight, Mir’s relevance in the heavyweight fold came under fire, as listless performances in his previous four outings left many doubting whether or not the Las Vegas native still had what it takes to be successful at the highest level of MMA.

A sharp left hook to an American Top Team product’s jaw sent Silva crashing to the canvas, where Mir unleashed a series of elbows that forced the referee to jump in and stop the fight.

In doing so, the Nevada native not only picked up his first victory since 2011, but he immediately thrust himself back into a position of relevance in the heavyweight fold.

Immediately following his victory over Silva in Brazil, Mir set about calling for the chance to welcome Lesnar back to the UFC, just as he’d initially welcomed the former standout collegiate wrestler to the promotion at UFC 81 back in 2008.

Mir would get the victory via submission in their first go, but Lesnar thoroughly drubbed him in their rematch at UFC 100.

With the series tied at one apiece, a trilogy fight between Lesnar and Mir would certainly make the most sense of any option available, but then again, that option may never actually materialize any time in the near future.

Brandon Thatch vs. Jordan Mein

When fighters are competing at the highest level of the sport, setbacks are going to happen.

No matter how much talent a competitor possesses, there are so many factors at play in a mixed martial arts bout that any number of things can lead to a fighter taking a trip to the loss column.

In some cases, there is a difference in skill where a particular fighter wasn’t quite ready for the caliber of competition they stepped in to face, just as there are nights where the best version of said fighter simply didn’t show up when it mattered the most.

That said, obstacles and detours come with the territory when slinging leather inside the cage, but it’s how fighters bounce back from adversity that shows what they are truly made of.

Despite being two of the most talented up-and-comers in the deep ranks of the welterweight division, Brandon Thatch and Jordan Mein each suffered some growing pains in their most recent outings.

The 25-year-old Canadian striker had built a bit of momentum coming into his latest bout against Thiago Alves at UFC 183. Young Gun had notched back-to-back victories inside the Octagon, with his most recent win coming in devastating fashion over seasoned veteran Mike Pyle at Fight Night 49 back in August.

The Alberta, Canada, native made short work out of Quicksand, and Mein appeared to be coming into his own under the bright lights.

That notion was on its way to be further validated against Alves, as Mein got off to a strong start against the American Top Team representative as he took the opening round on the judges’ scorecards.

Yet, the Brazilian powerhouse would turn the tides of the fight with a brutal body kick that crumpled Mein to the canvas, where he secured the victory with a flurry of punches to his wounded opponent.

While the loss to Alves will serve to slow his roll through the welterweight ranks, Mein‘s natural talent and fighting style are not easily dismissed. Every time he steps into the Octagon, Mein is looking to put on a show, and his “take out my opponent or go out on my shield” mentality sets the stage for what would be an action-packed shootout with Thatch.

Since his arrival to the UFC in 2013, Rukus has wasted zero time establishing himself as a versatile fighter when the cage door closes. The Denver native violently steamrolled his first two opponents on the sport’s biggest stage, and he did so in brutal and violent fashion.

The momentum built off of victories over Justin Edwards and veteran Paulo Thiago pushed Thatch up the crowded 170-pound ranks and set the tempo for the surging welterweight’s career to move into the express lane.

Nevertheless, the 29-year-old Colorado-based striker would suffer his first loss in more than six years via a rear-naked choke from Benson Henderson at Fight Night 60.

And while the talent level of the welterweight division doesn’t leave many room for errors in regard to wins and losses, the loss to Smooth could be salvaged with a strong performance in his next fight.

Both Thatch and Mein possess a natural love for the scrap, and a showdown between the two heavy-hitters would be one fight fans could get behind. When the highly competitive nature of the welterweight division is also taken into consideration, a bout that would determine who went up and which fighter was pushed to the back of the line between Thatch and Mein would also be fitting.

Josh Thomson vs. Tony Ferguson

The UFC’s lightweight division is as stacked as they come under the promotional banner.

In addition to a heated title race that is constantly shifting in regard to advantage, the 155-pound weight class is also home to a cast of up-and-coming talent that is looking to break through into the elite tier of the UFC’s “shark tank” division.

While the top 10 rankings in the lightweight fold are coveted positions to occupy, the battle to reach an elevated status in the lightweight division has produced some of the best action to go down inside the Octagon over recent years.

One fighter who has been on a mission to show and prove as of late is Tony Ferguson. Since winning Season 13 of The Ultimate Fighter, El Cucuy has become a force of nature in the lightweight ranks.

The 31-year-old Californian has won all but one of his eight showings inside the Octagon since his time on the reality-based fighting program, and he is currently enjoying one of the hottest winning streaks in the 155-pound collective.

Ferguson has found success in five consecutive showings, with all but one of those wins coming by way of finish. Furthermore, in addition to impressive performances where he’s putting the opposition away, Ferguson has done so against an increasingly more competitive cast of characters with each and every step.

His most recent victory came in impressive fashion against savvy veteran Gleison Tibau at UFC 184 back in February, and his win in Los Angeles certainly set the former TUF winner up for bigger things.

He will need a high-profile opponent in his next outing to keep climbing at a rapid pace, and a bout with Josh Thomson would fit that criteria.

The former Strikeforce lightweight champion has been regarded as one of the best 155-pound fighters in the world for the better part of the past decade. Throughout his career, The Punk has faced a collection of top talent inside the cage, and he has logged some of the most memorable fights to ever take place in the weight class.

The San Jose native made his long-awaited return to the Octagon in 2013 and stamped a triumphant comeback by drubbing former title challenger Nate Diaz via stoppage in the second round.

Thomson’s next two fights would end in controversy, as the AKA staple came out on the business end of back-to-back split-decision losses in bouts with Benson Henderson and Bobby Green, respectively.

While Thomson’s record may reflect a current two-fight skid, that’s not a proper indicator to his current status in the lightweight division.

His bouts with Henderson and Green could have easily gone in his favor, which would have him on a three-fight winning streak and drawing closer to title contention, but back-to-back losses have him hovering on the back end of the divisional top 10.

With Ferguson trying to break into the next level and Thomson determined to regain his traction, a bout between the two scrappy lightweights would be a solid fit in the bigger picture of the lightweight division.

Ferguson has never faced anyone with the experience and skill Thomson possesses, and a matchup between the two would be a great test to see if the surging lightweight is ready for the elite level of competition at 155.

On the flip side, a bout with Ferguson would be a great opportunity for Thomson to prove he still has what it takes to turn back a hungry young fighter and make some ground of his own.

Duane Finley is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.

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Does Frank Mir’s UFC Resume Warrant a Hall of Fame Berth?

Of the thousands of fighters to pass through the UFC ranks, Frank Mir’s story is one of the few that exudes all the necessary components of a Hollywood drama.
Mir has been a champion—but also a loser—and in the midst of all the chaos …

Of the thousands of fighters to pass through the UFC ranks, Frank Mir‘s story is one of the few that exudes all the necessary components of a Hollywood drama.

Mir has been a champion—but also a loser—and in the midst of all the chaos one goes through to ascend the ranks in the world’s most prestigious fight promotion, lies a man who at one time was very troubled.

As a brilliant Brazilian jiu-jitsu tactician, Mir debuted inside the Octagon as a 22-year-old heavyweight prospect, with a lot of confidence and a penchant for taking home opponents’ limbs. His mat skills were unprecedented, and forced more decorated BJJ artists, like Roberto Traven, to tap.

The Nevada native wasted no time making a name for himself in the 265-pound division, racking up four first-round wins (one via disqualification), en route to a showdown with heavy-handed champion Tim Sylvia at UFC 48.

The 6’8” Sylvia was in the early stages of his title reign, and was undefeated with 12 knockout victories to his credit. Once again, Mir made it look easy, submitting The Maine-iac in less than in a minute, to become one of the youngest heavyweight champions in UFC history.

Not since the days of Royce Gracie and Ken Shamrock had anyone showcased the type of grappling skills that Mir possessed. He saw openings that other fighters didn’t, and possessed a sniper-like efficiency when slapping on a lock or hold.

Mir was a new breed of heavyweight, and showed that you didn’t have to be the most nimble person to be a threat off of your back. He was most comfortable there.

No one was safe when in his clutches. Sylvia, Tank Abbott, Pete Williams and Travern were all submitted in Mir’s guard.

With a relatively thin competition level at heavyweight—most of the division’s best fighters like Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Josh Barnett were fighting in Pride—Mir was poised for a lengthy tenure as champ. However, shortly after the events of UFC 48 in June 2004, the BJJ black belt nearly had his life cut short—let alone his time as a UFC titleholder—after a motorcycle accident.

On September 16, 2004, Mir was flung 80 feet from his Suzuki sport bike after a car careened into him, which shattered his leg and tore ligaments in his knee. Doctors were unsure if he’d ever be able to compete in the Octagon again.

The accident, which occurred days before his wedding to his current spouse Jennifer, left Mir dependent on pain medication. Once an unstoppable heavyweight force, he was now grounded and hopeless.

“The two years after that (the accident) were, I don’t even know, I would say it was like hell,” Jennifer Mir told Fightland in February. “He became addicted to the pain pills. He never became sober enough to think that he could be good.”

Mir made his return to the cage 17 months after the accident—stripped of his title—and still dependent on pills. He was also out of shape.

The then-26-year-old was lethargic, and lost via first-round TKO to jiu-jitsu ace Marcio Cruz at UFC 57. Mir followed that up with a less-than-stellar victory over Dan Christison, before being ousted in the first round at the hands of Brandon Vera in November 2006.

Given his anguishing mental state following a 1-3 spell, Mir questioned if he had the ability to compete at a high level anymore, according to his wife Jennifer. We soon saw the answer, as Mir tapped Dutch striker Antoni Hardonk in 77 seconds at UFC 74.

Mir was officially back. He recorded his first submission victory since he defeated Sylvia for the belt.

From there, it was onward and upward. Mir continued to perfect an already superb submission attack, while upgrading his striking arsenal.

He stopped former World Wrestling Entertainment champion Brock Lesnar with a kneebar submission at UFC 81. It was a fight that tested his resolve after being taken down and dropped by a punch.

Then, Mir followed that up with a dominant second-round TKO of former Pride heavyweight champion Nogueira in December 2008.

Mir won the interim heavyweight championship against Nogueira, which set up a grudge match with The Beast Incarnate. He ultimately came up short in his efforts to recapture his lost title, and was unable to counter the overwhelming top game of Lesnar.

Though he was out-muscled by the NCAA Division I wrestler, Mir’s focus was back. His competitive fire—punctuated by his heated rivalry with Lesnar—was smoldering.

He had climbed the ranks of the 265-pound division for the second time in his career, and he wasn’t about to relinquish his position.

Mir went 4-1 in his next five bouts, tallying three finishes. His lone loss came to Shane Carwin, who put him away with strikes in the first round of their bout at UFC 111.

Sandwiched in between first-round dismissals of French kickboxer Cheick Kongo and Nogueira, were lackluster performances against Roy Nelson and Mirko Filipovic. While Mir was still every bit serviceable, he left fans with moments of doubt.

Mir was promoted into a third title shot against then champion Junior dos Santos at UFC 146 after the Brazilian’s original opponent, Overeem, failed a pre-fight drug test.

Dos Santos shut Mir down, and picked him apart on the feet, until he swarmed on the submission specialist in the second round. The loss effectively relegated Mir to the role of UFC gatekeeper.

He lost his next three fights, elevating the stock of his foes, while witnessing his plummet. Following his loss to former K-1 kickboxing champion Alistair Overeem last February, Mir dropped out of the Top 10 in the heavyweight division.

Mir had become a laughing stock; the butt of everybody’s joke. He hadn’t recorded a “W” in over four years.

Mir spent over 12 months on the sidelines while recovering from multiple surgeries. The time spent away from mixed martial arts allowed his body to recharge.

With his back against the wall, and the UFC preparing to hand him his walking papers, Mir knocked out Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva in stunning fashion at UFC Fight Night 61.

The fighter, who previously contemplated retirement following a loss to The Reem, threw water on those notions with his latest win. For now, Mir will continue to write his legacy in the UFC history books.

In the 13-plus years that he has been with the promotion, Mir has put up more noteworthy performances than stinkers. His ground prowess and overall Octagon know-how carried him to new heights in a shallow division. Bleacher Report’s Duane Finley wrote:

Mir’s prowess on the mat made him Zuffa’s first star in the heavyweight fold. Mir’s snapping of Sylvia’s arm became not only a stomach-turning highlight but somewhat of a calling card for the Nevada-based fighter. Simply put, Mir’s submission skills were nothing to play with.

Mir gave the heavyweight division credibility at a time when it was yearning for contenders. He was a catalyst for change and a breath of fresh air. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to see it through.

After the motorcycle accident, Mir failed to regain the title he was never able to defend, just as guys like Lesnar and Dos Santos arrived on the scene. Though, he still piled up highly impressive wins over Nogueira and Kongo.

He also cruised to a victory over former IFL heavyweight champion Big Country.

MMA pundits will argue that Mir lacks a career-defining win. Well, that point is valid. He only has one win over a top-5 opponent—Big Nog at UFC 92.

Other than that, Mir’s Octagon resume lacks any real star power. Pundits will also argue that he achieved championship status during the least memorable era of heavyweight fighters.

With most of the heavyweight elite fighting in Japan, you’d be hard-pressed to name a quality fighter in the UFC outside of men like Mir, Pedro Rizzo, Sylvia, Ricco Rodriguez and Andrei Arlovski on their roster at the time.

Mir may not have been consistent, but his numbers are hard to argue against.

“He sports the most wins in UFC heavyweight history along with the most finishes. He’s also a two-time UFC heavyweight champion and has defeated a number of fellow UFC champs as well,” Bleacher Report’s Kyle Symes wrote.

I would liken Mir’s chances of obtaining UFC immortality to one of professional baseball’s best catchers, Mike Piazza. The New York Mets’ great has repeatedly been snubbed by Hall of Fame voters.

It’s not really a matter of if, but when. I think Mir is on the borderline of getting in, and could use a few more victories to end his career on a high note.

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Fight Night 61 Highlights/Results: Mir Obliterates Bigfoot, Matt Dwyer’s Superman Punch KO, + More

While not that enticing on paper, Fight Night 61 actually delivered some highly entertaining moments over the course of its five-hour run time, which is more than you could say for the Oscars! #BoomRoasted #NailedIt #WhatsInTheBox

In the main event of the evening, four-fight-losing-streak GOAT Frank Mir looked like he wasn’t even riding a four fight losing streak when he quickly dropped Bigfoot Silva with a left hook and OBLITERATED the Brazilian with some follow-up elbows. The win was a much needed one for the former champion, to say the very least, and one that capped off a night in which ten straight underdogs walked away with a victory. Which, again, is more than you could say for the Oscars. #BirdmanRules #F*ckEddieRedmayne

Highlights from Mir vs. Silva are above, but join us after the jump to check out the rest of the evening’s highlights, including the co-main event scrap between Michael Johnson and Edson Barboza, Matt Dwyer’s superman punch KO, and Smilin’ Sam Alvey going HAM on Cezar Ferreira.

Johnson vs. Barboza Highlights

Mike De La Torre vs. Tiago Trator

Alvey vs. Ferreira

Dwyer vs. Patolino

Complete Fight Night 61 Results

Main card
Frank Mir def. Bigfoot Silva via first-round KO (1:40)
Michael Johnson def. Edson Barboza via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27 x2)
Sam Alvey def. Cezar Ferreira via first-round KO (3:34)
Adriano Martins def. Rustam Khabilov via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Frankie Saenz def. Iuri Alcantara via unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28)
Santiago Ponzinibbio def. Sean Strickland via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

Undercard
Marion Reneau def. Jessica Andrade via submission (triangle choke) (1st, 1:54)
Matt Dwyer def. William Macario via first-round KO (3:14)
Mike de la Torre def. Tiago Trator via first-round TKO (2:59)
Douglas Silva de Andrade def. Cody Gibson via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 29-28)
Ivan Jorge def. Josh Shockley via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

UFC Fight Night 61: Would Frank Mir vs. Brock Lesnar III Excite MMA Fans?

Frank Mir did himself a huge favor with his first-round victory over Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva at UFC Fight Night 61. Not only did he end a four-year losing streak, but he put himself in a position to earn another large payday from the UFC. T…

However, the question remains as to whether the fanbase would be interested and if Lesnar is even going to return to the sport.

The MMA media wasted no time in asking if Mir would be interested in facing Lesnar for a third time.

“Absolutely, I think it will be a huge, bug fight,” Mir said during the post-fight press conference (video via MMAFighting.com). “A rubber match between the two of us would be a phenomenal fight. To keep that anywhere in the works I had to get a win tonight. I’ve kept it in the back of my mind.”

Mir and Lesnar carry a 1-1 record against each other, but the biggest note is that they headlined what is still considered the most successful event in UFC history. According to the MMA Payout Blue Book, UFC 100 brought in 1.6 million pay-per-view buys. The promotion has not been able to break the 1.5 million mark since.

Lesnar is currently competing in the world of pro wrestling, but rumors are that he is going to become a free agent soon and during that time a return to mixed martial arts is possible.

“If a change of circumstance happens, and it’s a no-brainer to get Brock back into the cage, I’m sure it’s something he would consider,” WWE personality Paul Heyman told Ariel Helwani during an interview on The MMA Hour. “At this moment, it’s not a topic of conversation because things are going so well in the WWE.”

Lesnar’s WWE contract is set to expire after WrestleMania 31 in March, according to Marc Raimondi of FoxSports.com. After that point, the bidding will begin for one of the biggest draws in MMA history. If the UFC can present a sensible deal to its former champion, there is a good chance that he could appear in the Octagon once again.

The question is whether fans will be excited to see these two men lock horns once again.

The UFC is truly in need of stars to grab attention—especially within the heavyweight division. As a MMA athlete, Lesnar may not be able to compete with the top-tier fighters at heavyweight; however, he still has the power to bring attention to any card that he’s on. Adding him to a main event or a co-main event of a UFC card would immediately increase the attention that card would receive.

Frank Mir knows that a rubber match with Brock Lesnar would be a big fight at this point in his career. While he may be well out of the title picture, this is the type of contest that would get him back into the center of the spotlight, at least for a short time.

There are a lot of bumps in the road that need to be overcome to make it happen, but this is a fight that all three entities involved should be interested in making.

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The Good, Bad and Strange from Fight Night 61

Whenever there are high stakes surrounding a fight, an added element of drama occurs. Whether it be a heated rivalry, possible title contention or some additional circumstance, when a fight is more than just who wins or loses, that’s when things get in…

Coming into their main event tilt at Fight Night 61, both Frank Mir and Antonio Silva were in desperate need of victory.

The former two-time heavyweight champion, Mir, came into Porto Alegre, Brazil, on Sunday night having lost four consecutive bouts, while Bigfoot had failed to reach the win column in his past three showings inside the Octagon. Their respective rough spells had threatened to push them out of the elite tier of the heavyweight fold, and their bout at Fight Night 61 meant the backslide was going to end for one of them.

The winner of the bout would remain in the thick of an increasingly competitive division, while the loser of the main event Sunday night would take a big step toward obscurity. Those circumstances set the drama levels on high going into the heavyweight scrap, and Mir stepped up to the plate in a big way.

With his back up against the wall given a sizable losing streak, the Las Vegas native landed a perfectly timed left hand that put Silva on the canvas. Once the American Top Team representative was hurt, Mir swarmed and finished the bout with a flurry of punches from top position to seal the deal and pick up his first victory since defeating Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in December of 2011.

It was a crazy night of upsets in Porto Alegre, and let’s take a look at the good, bad and strange from Fight Night 61.

The Good

Throughout the 14 years that his professional career has spanned, Mir has written several storied chapters.

The former two-time heavyweight titleholder has been on the top of the heavyweight mountain at times just as he’s been a step away from obscurity at others. Nevertheless, when the Las Vegas native is on top of his game, he’s a hard man to beat, and Silva found that out Sunday at Fight Night 61. Despite Mir coming off one of the longest layoffs of his career, the jiu-jitsu ace looked sharper than he has in years as he used crisp striking to fell the American Top Team fighter.

As Silva waded in with shots, Mir countered with a left jab followed by a left hook that floored the former title challenger. With Silva dazed on the mat, the Nevada native swarmed and finished off Bigfoot with heavy shots from the top. Although it was a quick showing, it was precisely what Mir needed to prove there are still plenty of mileage left in his body.

For the majority of his time under the UFC banner, Mir has never been more than a few steps away from title contention. While a victory over Silva certainly won’t catapult him back into striking distance of a championship opportunity, his high-profile name and status as a two-time former champion will keep interesting fights coming his way for the foreseeable future.

Mir’s win over Silva saved his UFC career, and that’s good news for the overall state of the heavyweight division.

The UFC’s lightweight division, on the other hand, is filled with talent, and breaking into the elite level of the weight class is a difficult task. Michael Johnson earned his entry into the next tier of the 155-pound collective Sunday night and did so in impressive fashion.

While The Menace had won three consecutive bouts coming into his tilt with Edson Barboza at Fight Night 61, his fight with the dangerous Brazilian striker was undoubtedly the biggest bout of his career. This was partially because of the threat Barboza would present inside the Octagon, but with the Renzo Gracie-trained fighter holding the No. 6 ranking in the divisional hierarchy, there was a huge opportunity for Johnson to move up the 155-pound ladder Sunday night.

He certainly capitalized on the moment against Barboza, but it was the way he did it that was the most impressive. The Team Blackzilians representative has worked behind a strong wrestling game for years, but the Henri Hooft-trained fighter went toe-to-toe with the Brazilian wrecking machine for the entire 15-minute affair.

The end result was Johnson picking up his fourth straight victory and moving himself into position to fight the biggest names in the lightweight division. He wasted zero time getting things moving in that aspect as he called out former lightweight champion Benson Henderson in his post-fight interview with Jon Anik. That’s a bold move for any fighter at 155, but Johnson is a man on the rise and wants to face the best of the best.

*** Sam Alvey never needs a reason to smile, but the heavy-handed veteran will have plenty of reasons to be happy following his devastating knockout over highly touted Cezar Ferreira on Sunday night. While Mutante came out throwing everything in his arsenal, Alvey simply blocked the shots and continued to move about the cage. Commentators Jon Anik and Kenny Florian were blasting Alvey for his lack of output just as the 28-year-old Wisconsin native unleashed a two-punch combination that sent The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil winner crashing to the canvas.

*** On a night filled with underdogs rising to the occasion, Frankie Saenz definitely had the biggest upset when he derailed Iuri Alcantara via unanimous decision. Although his Brazilian opponent has been a staple in the Top 10 rankings of the bantamweight fold for the past two years, Saenz showed absolute disregard for his status as he employed a relentless attack from the opening bell to the last. The talented prospect poured it on the savvy veteran to pick up his sixth consecutive victory and stamp his place in the deep ranks of the 135-pound division.

*** It takes two to make a good fight, and Santiago Ponzinibbio and Sean Strickland threw down at Fight Night 61. The welterweight tilt kicked off the main card, and neither man wasted time getting to the ruckus inside the Octagon. While Ponzinibbio used his striking to set the tone early, Strickland certainly bounced back and had a few moments of success. Nevertheless, it was the Gentle Boa who ultimately picked up the victory and secured his second win in three showings inside the Octagon.

*** It may have taken Marion Reneau some effort to get to the UFC, but she’s not wasting any time climbing up the ranks of the women’s bantamweight division now that she’s there. The 37-year-old made a successful promotional debut at the expense of Alexis Dufresne at UFC 183.

Seven weeks later, she earned a submission victory over Jessica Andrade at Fight Night 61. While the powerful Brazilian put her on the canvas with a big shot early, The Bruiser used her slick jiu-jitsu skills from the bottom position to lock in the fight-ending triangle choke. The win was another strong showing for Reneau, and it will guarantee she gets a bigger name in her next outing.

*** Matt Dwyer came into his bout with William Macario determined to redeem himself inside the Octagon. The Canadian welterweight suffered a first-round knockout in his official debut, and Dwyer wanted to make a statement against Patalino at Fight Night 61. That’s exactly what he accomplished as the British Columbia native scored a highlight-reel knockout via Superman punch that led Macario to fall to the canvas. It was an impressive showing for the 24-year-old welterweight and proved that he absolutely belongs on the UFC roster.

*** After failing to find victory in his first two showings inside the Octagon, Mike De La Torre came into Fight Night 61 looking to turn things around in a big way. The California native squared off with Tiago Trator on Sunday night and handled business in quick and brutal fashion, scoring a first-round knockout in Porto Alegre.

He pushed the action from the opening bell, but it was a big left hook from De La Torre that put Trator on the canvas. Once his opponent was hurt, El Cucuy poured on a storm of right hands from top position that forced referee Leon Roberts to step in and stop the bout. Nevertheless, Roberts probably let Trator eat about seven shots too many. Roberts was far too slow jumping in for the stoppage.

*** Douglas Silva de Andrade notched his first victory inside the Octagon on the strength of an action-packed performance against Cody Gibson. The scrappy Brazilian and The Renegade went toe-to-toe for three rounds with De Andrade getting the better part of the exchanges throughout the 15-minute affair. While the fight seemed closer than the judges’ scorecards ultimately showed, De Andrade made his first successful showing under the UFC banner since his debut back in February of 2014.

*** There wasn’t anything too exciting about the opening bout of the card.

Ivan Jorge defeated Josh Shockley via unanimous decision to kick off Fight Night 61. The Brazilian was able to put the Indiana native on the canvas at will throughout the three-round affair as he picked up his second victory in three showings inside the Octagon. While he was able to pick up the win, it was hardly a performance worthy of the stellar “Batman” nickname Jorge carries into the cage.

The Bad

Carrying hype and expectation can be a difficult thing, and it’s been made painfully clear that Cezar Ferreira isn’t the fighter he was originally made out to be.

Coming off his win on TUF: Brazil, Mutante was built up as a powerful storm about to descend on the UFC’s middleweight division. Vitor Belfort’s protege was supposed to be something special even though there was no verifiable proof of such things on his existing record. Nevertheless, competing at the highest level of the sport has an ingrained weeding-out process, and it appears that Ferreira‘s limitations have been exposed.

While the Sao Paulo native certainly has a versatile arsenal of strikes to his credit, those weapons can’t make up for his lack of chin when things go live. While he was able to find victory in his first two showings under the UFC banner, Ferreira was starched by C.B. Dolloway, which was his first test against a fighter with a proven track record.

He was able to bounce back in his next bout against Andrew Craig, but his fight against Sam Alvey on Sunday night was set to be a crucial crossroad for the Brazilian powerhouse.

With his knockout against The Doberman still lingering in the rear view, Ferreira needed to put some solid distance between himself and that loss, and the way to do that was putting Alvey down in impressive fashion. He certainly came out with that intention, throwing an array of spinning kicks and launched himself forward with power punches.

Ferreira‘s output seemed to be confusing Alvey as the Team Quest fighter offered no return fire during the exchanges. That said, once Smile’n Sam did decide to throw, two of those punches landed flush on Ferreira and sent the TUF: Brazil winner toppling to the canvas unconscious. By the time Ferreira hit the mat, all hopes of him being the next big thing in the middleweight fold went out with him.

And that’s okay. In a realm as competitive as the UFC currently is, there’s plenty of room for fighters who simply get in the cage to slug it out. Not every fighter is going to be a champion. Not every fighter is going to be great, but it sometimes takes a fall from grace for a fighter’s true talents to emerge.

Staying with that theme, it’s been a rough turn of events for Rustam Khabilov.

The Dagestan-born fighter spent his first two years under the UFC banner battling his way up the talent-rich ranks of the lightweight division as he found victory in his first three showings inside the Octagon. That success set up a showdown with former champion Benson Henderson at Fight Night 42 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in a fight that could have propelled him to a title shot with a victory.

That said, Khabilov was submitted by Smooth in the first round of their main event tilt, and the Jackson/Winkeljohn-trained fighter was pushed to the back of the line in the 155-pound fold. He was eager to get back into the win column, but his next scheduled bout against Danny Castillo at UFC 182 was scrapped due to Khabilov‘s visa issues that prohibited him from entering the United States. Those issues also kept The Tiger from training with his coaches in Albuquerque, and he entered his bout with Adriano Martins at Fight Night 61 with a lot of questions hovering overhead.

Khabilov definitely needed a strong performance to reclaim his place in the lightweight division, but that just didn’t happen Sunday night. The Russian grappler looked hesitant throughout the bout and surprisingly gave up several takedowns against the surging Brazilian striker. The end result was a split-decision victory for Martins as Khabilov was handed his second consecutive loss inside the Octagon. And while there is no doubting Khabilov‘s talent, talk of him being a legitimate contender to the 155-pound crown is fading fast.

The Strange

While failed drug tests and the efficiency of out-of-competition testing has been all the rage as of late, fighters struggling to make weight hasn’t lagged too far behind in the dubious storyline department.

Over the past year, a mixture of high-profile and low-visibility fighters alike have lost their battles with the scale, with a handful of those situations drastically affecting title pictures and championship opportunities. Former bantamweight king Renan Barao was forced out of his rematch with T.J. Dillashaw at UFC 177 last August when difficulties during his weight cut led to him failing to get medically cleared to step into the Octagon.

The struggle to make weight recently took center stage as John Lineker and Kelvin Gastelum failed to hit their respective contracted weight limits at UFC 183. Both were heading into huge fights, and both did serious damage to their careers with how things went down. Despite winning his bout against Ian McCall at UFC 183, the heavy-handed Brazilian lost his all-but-guaranteed title shot against Demetrious Johnson as UFC President Dana White declared Lineker was being forced to move up to bantamweight for his next fight.

Gastelum would also be forced to move up in weight following the debacle at UFC 183, and the debate over the safety of weight-cutting continued to pick up steam in the MMA community. That said, another victim of the process would be added to the list on Saturday as T.J. Waldburger was forced out of his bout with Wendell Oliveira due to passing out during his weight cut.

The 26-year-old Texan had not competed since being brutally knocked out by Mike Pyle at UFC 170 last February, which came only four months after he was viciously separated from his senses by Adlan Amagov at UFC 166 in Houston. With his recent run of setbacks, it’s clear that things are rough for Waldburger, and being forced to withdraw from his bout with Oliveira due to medical issues is probably the last thing he needed.

Another aspect of competing at Fight Night 61 no fighter could have cared for was the humidity inside Ginasio Gigantinho on Sunday night, which reached 98 percent. While North America is currently in the midst of a brutal winter, Brazilians are enjoying their summer months, and that was going to make for a hot and humid environment come fight night.

Competing at elevation is one thing, but fighting inside an arena that is close to 100 degrees had to be hellish. Yet aside from commentators Jon Anik and Kenny Florian mentioning how hot it was inside the arena, the fighters on the card showed no signs of suffering because of the heat. The only curious performance of the night came when longtime UFC ring announcer Bruce Buffer announced Iuri Alcantara as “A Mari-Juana Fighter”—leaving fans on Twitter to wonder what exactly that means:

There was also a stretch of the card where nine consecutive underdogs pulled off upsets at Fight Night 61 and 10 overall upsets broke the official UFC record for most on a card. Mixed martial arts is a chaotic sport where anything can and usually does happen, but it is definitely worth noting the strangeness of such a long streak of underestimated fighters showing and proving under the bright lights of the biggest stage in the sport.

This especially rings true when Smile’n Sam Alvey throws three punches in a fight and two of them combine to knock the remaining hype out of Cezar Ferreira.

Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.

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UFC Fight Night 61 Results: Real Winners and Losers from Bigfoot vs. Mir

The UFC’s first trip to Brazil in 2015 will be remembered as a night of memorable upsets.
Underdogs made statements with notable upsets in every fight but the night’s first at UFC Fight Night 61: Bigfoot vs. Mir, including 37-year-old Marion Reneau, wh…

The UFC’s first trip to Brazil in 2015 will be remembered as a night of memorable upsets.

Underdogs made statements with notable upsets in every fight but the night’s first at UFC Fight Night 61: Bigfoot vs. Mir, including 37-year-old Marion Reneau, who submitted 10th-ranked women’s featherweight Jessica Andrade on Sunday.

In the same vein, a large group of favorites, like eighth-ranked bantamweight Iuri Alcantara, got knocked down a few pegs after suffering disappointing defeats.

Although the primary theme was the success of the night’s underdogs, the secondary storyline was the promotion’s decision to allow 13th-ranked heavyweight Frank Mir to fight eighth-ranked Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva in the main event.

While both men are decorated heavyweights who stay active against the world’s best, heading into the night Mir hadn’t won a fight since submitting Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 140 in December 2011. Bigfoot, conversely, hadn’t tasted victory since KO’ing Alistair Overeem at UFC 156 over two years ago.

It’s difficult to argue that Mir and Bigfoot don’t deserve to be called top-flight heavyweights, but to pit them against each other in a main event at this point in time made little sense. Truth be told, the UFC could have made a more sensible main event matchup with co-main event fighters and budding lightweights Michael Johnson and Edson Barboza.

Coming into the bout, the 12th-ranked Johnson had won six of his last eight bouts, and sixth-ranked Barboza had prevailed in five of his last six.

Did the UFC make the right decision by pitting Mir and Silva in the big show? Or should the seemingly obvious barnburner between Johnson and Barboza have gotten tabbed as the main event?

Read on to find the answers to the most significant questions that surrounded UFC Fight Night 61.

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