After an over hyped UFC 149 that did not deliver to fan’s expectations, the UFC got right back on track with a heavily action packed card on Fox. UFC on Fox 4: Shogun vs. Vera.
After an over hyped UFC 149 that did not deliver to fan’s expectations, the UFC got right back on track with a heavily action packed card on Fox. UFC on Fox 4: Shogun vs. Vera was one of the most exciting events of the year, an event that saw four knockouts and three submissions. The question now, where does this put Saturday’s competitors now that every fight has come to its conclusion?
After being absent for over two years, Mike Swick returned to the octagon to knockout DaMarques Johnson in the second round. Although Johnson was knocked out in devastating fashion, he most likely won the first round, and made it an extremely competitive fight. As for his next fight, Matt “The Immortal” Brown would be ideal for a competitive fight for Johnson. Having such an impressive knockout after being absent for so long, is proof that Swick is still a force to be reckoned with at welterweight and he should fight another dangerous opponent such as Yoshihiro Akiyama or Siyar Bahadurzada.
Fight of the night award winners, Joe Lauzon and Jamie Varner, not only put on the performance of the entire event, but are being considered for fight of the year. Going into the third round, it was still either man’s fight to take. Lauzon didn’t take any chances and refused to let the fight go to a decision when he slapped a triangle on Varner that forced him to tap. Just like DaMarques Johnson with his loss to Mike Swick, Jamie Varner won the first round and made the fight extremely competitive. Varner should draw a quality opponent in his next fight, perhaps Khabib Nurmagomedov or Rafael dos Anjos. Lauzon is ready for another big name, and should fight his original opponent, Terry Etim.
Lyoto Machida not only scored what was arguably the most impressive knockout of the night, but did so without so much as being touched by his opponent, Ryan Bader. There is no shame in getting knocked out by the dragon, and Bader is still among the elite in the light heavyweight division, but after Brandon Vera’s performance against Shogun, it would be interesting to see Bader vs. Vera. As for Machida, he should no doubt get the next shot at the light heavyweight title, whether it’s against Jon Jones or Dan Henderson.
Brandon Vera shocked everyone when he gave Shogun a run for his money in the main event. Though he was on the loosing end of the fight, he arguably gained more fans than any other fighter that night. Dana White said it best about Vera by saying “You can’t Rank a fighter’s heart. Heavily favored Shogun did pull off the victory, but with much more difficulty than anticipated. Nonetheless, a win is a win and now is the perfect time for the UFC to match Shogun against Rashad Evans, a fight that was supposed to happen a year and a half ago.
The list of possible match ups after this event is endless. Regardless of what future fights the UFC puts together, bottom line, UFC on Fox 4 was a great event and raised the bar to events to come.
Khabib Nurmagomedov remains undefeated after UFC 148, defeating UFC veteran Gleison Tibau via unanimous decision (30-27×3). With the win, he moves to 18-0 in his MMA career and 2-0 in the UFC.Though Nurmagomedov is walking away with the victory, it’s n…
Khabib Nurmagomedov remains undefeated after UFC 148, defeating UFC veteran Gleison Tibau via unanimous decision (30-27×3). With the win, he moves to 18-0 in his MMA career and 2-0 in the UFC.
Though Nurmagomedov is walking away with the victory, it’s not without controversy. Many believe that Tibau, who had more takedowns and seemed to be getting the better of the striking, should have won. Nurmagomedov did manage to pin Gleison against the cage for much of the fight, but landed little offense from that position and was unable to get any takedowns.
Controversial or not, it was the biggest win of the 23-year-old prospect’s career and is one that will move him up the lightweight ladder.
What we’ll remember about this fight:
The wonky decision.
The fight itself was not overly entertaining, so whenever people look back to this fight, it will probably be to talk about how they agreed or disagreed with the decision.
What we learned about Gleison Tibau:
Nothing we didn’t know.
He’s a tough customer with good striking and good grappling. Though he’ll likely never reach title contention, he makes a solid gatekeeper for the lightweight division.
What we learned about Khabib Nurmagomedov:
He’s a gamer and he does what it takes to win.
In this fight, Nurmagomedov did not look like the more technically skilled fighter, but he stayed aggressive and made Gleison fight his fight.
Not an exciting performance, but impressive in some respects.
What’s next for Gleison Tibau:
Jeremy Stephens, perhaps. Both men are coming off losses.
What’s next for Khabib Nurmagomedov:
Big win for Nurmagomedov, but the UFC may hesitate to give him too much of a jump up in competition because of the controversy around his win. Matt Wiman is a possibility.
Andrew Barr is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report and a stand-up comedian.Check him out on Twitter @AndrewBarr8.
In June 2010, we posted a list of the ten greatest fighters who had yet to take a loss. By November 2011, none of their perfect records were still intact, proving once again what a cruel bitch this sport is. Half of the fighters on our original list — Shane Carwin (#1), Megumi Fujii (#2), Ryan Bader (#6), Evan Dunham (#7), and Lyle Beerbohm (#10) — have even lost *twice* since then. So we decided to start over from scratch and come up with a new ranking of undefeated MMA fighters. Check it out, and let us know who you think will hold onto their ‘0’ the longest. -BG
#1: DANIEL CORMIER (10-0, six wins by first-round stoppage) Notable victories: Jeff Monson at Strikeforce: Overeem vs. Werdum (UD), Antonio Silva at Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Kharitonov (KO R1), Josh Barnett at Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Cormier (UD)
Next fight: TBA
The former collegiate wrestling star and Olympic competitor went through hell to get to where he is today. Less than three years after kicking off his MMA career, Cormier battled his way to a career-defining matchup against ex-UFC champ Josh Barnett — a catch-wrestling savant with four times as many fights on his pro record as Cormier — in the finals of Strikeforce’s Heavyweight Grand Prix. But Dan didn’t need to turn the meeting into a grappling match. As he also demonstrated against Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva in his previous outing, Cormier packs enough speed and punching-power to win fights with his striking alone. It’s only a matter of time before he enters the UFC to take on the best in the world, and we have a feeling he’ll make an immediate impact.
#2: MICHAEL CHANDLER (10-0, eight wins by stoppage) Notable victories: Patricky Freire at Bellator 44 (UD), Eddie Alvarez at Bellator 58 (sub R4), Akihiro Gono at Bellator 67 (TKO R1)
Next fight: TBA
Michael Chandler is the perfect example of how a tournament can transform a fighter from unheralded prospect to breakout star. After winning his first two Bellator appearances by swift first-round stoppage in 2010, Chandler was invited to participate in the promotion’s season four lightweight tournament. The Xtreme Couture product sliced through it, starting with a first-round submission of Polish prodigy Marcin Held, and ending with a decision win over knockout artist Patricky “Pitbull” Freire in the finals. Then, Chandler did the unthinkable — he took the lightweight belt from Eddie Alvarez, choking out the formerly untouchable Bellator champ in the fourth round of an insane Fight of the Year candidate last November. (A follow-up non-title match against Akihiro Gono was little more than a one-minute showcase of his killer instinct.) In eight months, Chandler went from 5-0 up-and-comer to newly-minted champion with a win over a top-ten ranked opponent. Is it okay if we use the “meteoric rise” cliché, just this once?
In June 2010, we posted a list of the ten greatest fighters who had yet to take a loss. By November 2011, none of their perfect records were still intact, proving once again what a cruel bitch this sport is. Half of the fighters on our original list — Shane Carwin (#1), Megumi Fujii (#2), Ryan Bader (#6), Evan Dunham (#7), and Lyle Beerbohm (#10) — have even lost *twice* since then. So we decided to start over from scratch and come up with a new ranking of undefeated MMA fighters. Check it out, and let us know who you think will hold onto their ’0′ the longest. -BG
#1: DANIEL CORMIER (10-0, six wins by first-round stoppage) Notable victories: Jeff Monson at Strikeforce: Overeem vs. Werdum (UD), Antonio Silva at Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Kharitonov (KO R1), Josh Barnett at Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Cormier (UD)
Next fight: TBA
The former collegiate wrestling star and Olympic competitor went through hell to get to where he is today. Less than three years after kicking off his MMA career, Cormier battled his way to a career-defining matchup against ex-UFC champ Josh Barnett — a catch-wrestling savant with four times as many fights on his pro record as Cormier — in the finals of Strikeforce’s Heavyweight Grand Prix. But Dan didn’t need to turn the meeting into a grappling match. As he also demonstrated against Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva in his previous outing, Cormier packs enough speed and punching-power to win fights with his striking alone. It’s only a matter of time before he enters the UFC to take on the best in the world, and we have a feeling he’ll make an immediate impact.
#2: MICHAEL CHANDLER (10-0, eight wins by stoppage) Notable victories: Patricky Freire at Bellator 44 (UD), Eddie Alvarez at Bellator 58 (sub R4), Akihiro Gono at Bellator 67 (TKO R1)
Next fight: TBA
Michael Chandler is the perfect example of how a tournament can transform a fighter from unheralded prospect to breakout star. After winning his first two Bellator appearances by swift first-round stoppage in 2010, Chandler was invited to participate in the promotion’s season four lightweight tournament. The Xtreme Couture product sliced through it, starting with a first-round submission of Polish prodigy Marcin Held, and ending with a decision win over knockout artist Patricky “Pitbull” Freire in the finals. Then, Chandler did the unthinkable — he took the lightweight belt from Eddie Alvarez, choking out the formerly untouchable Bellator champ in the fourth round of an insane Fight of the Year candidate last November. (A follow-up non-title match against Akihiro Gono was little more than a one-minute showcase of his killer instinct.) In eight months, Chandler went from 5-0 up-and-comer to newly-minted champion with a win over a top-ten ranked opponent. Is it okay if we use the “meteoric rise” cliché, just this once?
#3. RONDA ROUSEY (5-0, all wins by first-round armbar) Notable victories: Sarah D’Alelio at Strikeforce Challengers: Gurgel vs. Duarte (sub R1), Julia Budd at Strikeforce Challengers: Britt vs. Sayers (sub R1), Miesha Tate at Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey (sub R1)
It seems that there are two paths to recognition as a female MMA fighter — be a fight-finishing beast like Cris Cyborg, or a feminine sex symbol like Gina Carano. In the relatively brief time we’ve been aware of her, Ronda Rousey has proven herself to be both. Add in a dose of Sonnen-esque trash-talk, and it’s easy to see why we’ve become infatuated with the bronze-medal-winning Olympic judoka. After dispatching her first four pro opponents in a combined time of two minutes and 18 seconds, Rousey fought/talked her way to a Strikeforce title shot against bantamweight champ Miesha Tate. Was it too much too soon? Not exactly. Rousey went home with a new belt and another shattered arm for her trophy case, proving once again that success is the best revenge.
#4: TRAVIS BROWNE (13-0-1, nine wins by first-round stoppage) Notable victories: James McSweeney at the TUF 11 Finale (TKO R1), Stefan Struve at UFC 130 (KO R1), Chad Griggs at UFC 145 (sub R1)
Travis Browne answers the age-old question: “What if Tim Sylvia was a fucking badass?” Browne has the imposing height and reach of the Maine-iac, but uses those natural gifts with a bloodthirsty aggression that has led to most of his opponents being laid out in the first five minutes. “Hapa” entered the UFC on a three-fight stretch where he knocked out Brian Campbell, Abe Wagner, and Aaron Brink in a combined 52 seconds (!), and did everybody a favor by squashing TUF 10 heel James McSweeney at his UFC debut in June 2010. Though a follow-up match against Cheick Kongo was a dirty mess of a fight that ended in a draw, Browne’s been golden ever since, most recently turning Chad Griggs from Strikeforce Cinderella-story to ex-heavyweight.
#5: CHRIS WEIDMAN (8-0, five wins by first-round stoppage) Notable victories: Alessio Sakara at UFC Live: Sanchez vs. Kampmann (UD), Tom Lawlor at UFC 139 (sub R1), Demian Maia at UFC on Fox 2: Evans vs. Davis (UD)
His nickname is “All American,” but you might as well call him Mr. Clutch. When Chris Weidman made his UFC debut against dangerous middleweight striker Alessio Sakara, he was just 4-0 at the time and coming in as an injury replacement on just two weeks’ notice. Despite the lack of preparation, Weidman’s top-shelf wrestling chops and unbreakable spirit carried him to a unanimous decision victory. Two masterful first-round submissions of Jesse Bongfeldt and Tom Lawlor followed, proving that the Serra-Longo product was the real deal. Weidman passed the biggest test of his career at UFC on FOX 2 in January, coming in once again as a last-minute injury replacement against Demian Maia. Though his conditioning began to fail him late in the fight, he didn’t stop pushing forward, and the judges rewarded him for the effort. With a little more seasoning — and a full training camp — Weidman will be a threat to any contender in the middleweight division.
#6: PAUL SASS (13-0; eight wins by “Sassangle,” three by heel-hook) Notable victories: Jason Young at OMMAC 4 (sub R1), Michael Johnson at UFC Live: Cruz vs. Johnson (sub R1), Jacob Volkmann at UFC 146 (sub R1)
Next fight: TBA
Also known as one of the greatest one-trick ponies in MMA, Paul Sass kicked off his career with seven consecutive triangle-choke victories. Once he racked up ten professional wins in his native Liverpool, Sass was picked up by the UFC where he’s gone 3-0 so far, with all wins coming by first-round submission. His latest appearance at UFC 146 was by far his most impressive. Facing lightweight contender Jacob Volkmann — who had out-pointed five straight opponents since dropping from welterweight — Sass needed less than two minutes to tie up Volkmann on the mat and submit him with a triangle-armbar, thus saving us from another uncomfortable post-fight interview.
#7 BEN ASKREN (10-0, four wins by first-round stoppage) Notable victories: Dan Hornbuckle at Bellator 22 (UD), Nick Thompson at Bellator 40 (UD), Douglas Lima at Bellator 64 (UD)
Next fight: TBA
Maybe you don’t like his top-control-based style of fighting, and maybe his unapologetic attitude about it makes you like him even less. Doesn’t matter. Ben Askren’s wrestling expertise — honed during a legendary collegiate career — suggests that he’ll probably be Bellator’s welterweight champion as long as Bellator’s welterweight division exists. So while Dana White has called him “the most boring fighter in MMA history,” we feel obligated to quote Pat Miletich’s more respectful viewpoint: “The level of wrestling in mixed martial arts needs to improve in order to stop a guy like Ben Aksren from controlling them and putting them on their back.”
#8: STIPE MIOCIC (9-0, seven wins by KO/TKO) Notable victories: Joey Beltran at UFC 136 (UD), Phil De Fries at UFC on FUEL: Sanchez vs. Ellenberger (KO R1), Shane Del Rosario at UFC 146 (TKO R1)
Next fight: TBA
Any fighter who pulls on a pair of Croatian flag shorts sets himself up for lofty comparisons. But this 29-year-old knockout machine (and firefighter/EMT) has exceeded our expectations, going 3-0 in the UFC since his debut last October. In his last fight, Miocic faced another undefeated heavyweight blue-chipper in Shane Del Rosario, and demonstrated the difference between “prospect” and “contender,” pulling off the gnarliest elbows-from-above TKO since Melendez vs. Kawajiri. The UFC’s heavyweight division is deeper than ever this year, and it’s because young lions like Miocic and Travis Browne are coming in to clear out all the dead weight.
#9: JIMY HETTES (10-0, nine wins by submission) Notable victories: Jacob Kirwan at MASS: Inauguration (sub R2), Alex Caceres at UFC Live: Hardy vs. Lytle (sub R2), Nam Phan at UFC 141 (UD).
We don’t like to toss around the word “prodigy” unless it’s truly warranted, but honestly, Jimy Hettes is the Little Man Tate of grappling. At just 24 years old, the Pennsylvania native is already an expert, innovator, and educator of the ground game, and submitted his first nine MMA opponents with shocking ease. The only guy he wasn’t able to finish was Nam Phan in his last UFC appearance, and even then, the thrashing he gave Phan was so lopsided that two judges scored the fight 30-25. We can’t wait to see Jimy’s run in the UFC featherweight division continue once he’s healthy again.
#10: KHABIB NURMAGOMEDOV (17-0, 13 wins by stoppage) Notable victories: Vadim Sandulitsky at ProFC Ukraine Cup 3 (sub R1), Arymarcel Santos at ProFC 36 (TKO R1), Kamal Shalorus at UFC on FX: Guillard vs. Miller (sub R3)
There’s a good chance you may not be familiar with Khabib “The Eagle” Nurmagomedov, so here’s a brief primer: Nurmagomedov is a 23-year-old Russian lightweight who made his MMA debut a week before his 20th birthday, and spent three years running through local competition in Russia and the Ukraine before the UFC took notice. The 17-0 start to his career is nearly unprecedented, outside of Megumi Fujii. Judging from the above weigh-in photo, he might be a Ben Askren fan. And in his Octagon debut, he choked out former WEC standout Kamal Shalorus, which earned him a crack at longtime UFC vet Gleison Tibau in July. The former Combat Sambo Russian National Champion currently trains out of KDojo MMA in Fairfield, New Jersey. God help the CagePotato writers who have to type his name during liveblogs. (Not it, guys.)
(Dammit! This was so much easier to escape in the video game!)
On the heels of two straight submission via rear-naked choke losses courtesy of Joe Lauzon and Jim Miller, former “top contender” Melvin Guillard’s stock is probably at an all time low. The UFC, likely recognizing Melvin’s need to step up his ground game or GTFO, are not cutting him any slack, as they have paired him against 3rd degree (uh-oh) BJJ black belt (not good) under Royler Gracie (dear God) Fabricio Camoes. The worst part: Camoes is coming off a submission by rear-naked choke victory at UFC on FX: Guillard vs. Miller.
Matter of fact, it looks to us like the UFC is trying to punish each and every member of The Blackzilians for Anthony Johnson’s colossal mistake. Have the Zuffa attorneys not informed DW and Joe Silva that judging a certain group of people based on one isolated incident is considered profiling, and could lead to a huge backlash from said group? If we could think of any examples from American history, say from around the 1960’s, that could possibly help prove this point, we would. Unfortunately, no such example exists. Perhaps we’re just lucky.
Join us after the jump for a ton of fight booking news…
(Dammit! This was so much easier to escape in the video game!)
On the heels of two straight submission via rear-naked choke losses courtesy of Joe Lauzon and Jim Miller, former “top contender” Melvin Guillard’s stock is probably at an all time low. The UFC, likely recognizing Melvin’s need to step up his ground game or GTFO, are not cutting him any slack, as they have paired him against 3rd degree (uh-oh) BJJ black belt (not good) under Royler Gracie (dear God) Fabricio Camoes. The worst part: Camoes is coming off a submission by rear-naked choke victory at UFC on FX: Guillard vs. Miller.
Matter of fact, it looks to us like the UFC is trying to punish each and every member of The Blackzilians for Anthony Johnson’s colossal mistake. Have the Zuffa attorneys not informed DW and Joe Silva that judging a certain group of people based on one isolated incident is considered profiling, and could lead to a huge backlash from said group? If we could think of any examples from American history, say from around the 1960′s, that could possibly help prove this point, we would. Unfortunately, no such example exists. Perhaps we’re just lucky.
Speaking of fighters who will find themselves in the unemployment line with another loss, it looks like a “loser leaves town” match has been booked between Leonard Garcia and Matt Grice, this one at UFC on FX 3. Currently 1-4 in under the Zuffa banner, Matt “The Real One” Grice has suffered submission defeats to Shannon Gugerty and Terry Etim and TKO losses to Matt Veach and Ricardo Lamas. Garcia, on the other hand, is coming off back to back karmic defeats in rematch bouts against Chan Sung Jung and Nam Phan. If Garcia were to somehow lose this one, we imagine he’d stand a better chance of sticking around than Grice, but let’s just say that a loss by either = the soup kitchen and watch the leather fly.
Coming off a successful UFC debut in which he beat down Kamal Shalorus en route to a third round rear-naked choke victory, undefeated prospect Khabib Nurmagomedov will take a huge step up in competition when he faces Gleison Tibau at UFC 148. We don’t know exactly where we’d place Tibau on our “Good, Bad, and Ugly” scale of dropping weight; ever since cutting down from welterweight following UFC 65, he has managed to make 155 lbs on most of his attempts, yet shows up looking like MuscleBob BuffPants come fight night. I guess we’d categorize him as “Freakish.” In either case, Tibau’s put together a hell of a run at lightweight, going 4-1 in his last 5 and most recently snagging a close decision victory over Rafael Dos Anjos.
In UFC on FX 4 news, TUF 9 winner Ross Pearson and WEC veteran Cub Swanson are set to lock horns in a featherweight contest. After going 5-2 as a lightweight, Pearson recently made the trip down to 145 at UFC 141 and proceeded to chase Junior Assuncao around the octagon like he was Kalib Starnes en route to a unanimous decision victory. In the aftermath of Pearson’s “Quarrian” effort, Assuncao was released by Zuffa, and still isn’t sure why. Shame.
Meanwhile, the bearer of perhaps the worst tattoos in all of MMA rebounded from a UFC debut loss to Ricardo Lamas at the inaugural UFC on Fox event with a brutal, mouthpiece ejecting TKO of George Roop at UFC on FOX 2. Swanson has gone win-loss in his last seven contests, and holds notable victories over Mackens Semerzier and that’s it. Put your money on the Brit, ladies and gentlemen.
UFC on FX 4 goes down from the the Revel Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey (*shudder*) on June 22nd.
Filed under: UFCFor Jim Miller, Friday night was another impressive performance against an opponent on the fringe of the division’s top 10. The next thing he needs is a breakthrough win against a truly elite opponent. Overall, Miller’s resume is outsta…
For Jim Miller, Friday night was another impressive performance against an opponent on the fringe of the division’s top 10. The next thing he needs is a breakthrough win against a truly elite opponent. Overall, Miller’s resume is outstanding. He’s a finisher, with 15 stoppage victories in 21 career wins. His only three losses have come to Frank Edgar, Gray Maynard and Ben Henderson — a UFC champ, and two No. 1 contenders, respectively.
Now, it’s time for Miller to get over the hump. At least mentally, he’s there. After beating Melvin Guillard at last Friday night’s UFC on FX 1, he said that he believes he’s the “most dangerous lightweight in the world.”
His aggressive, hard-charging attitude is proof of that self-confidence, even if he’s struggled at times against the best 155 has to offer. The same can’t be said for Guillard, who has now lost two in a row and seems to panic whenever he hits the ground against a submission threat.
All six of Guillard’s UFC losses have come by way of choke submission — three rear naked chokes, two guillotines and one triangle, if you’re scoring at home. After recently moving his training camp to Florida, he has a new jiu-jitsu coach. Guillard is now 28 years. He’s not so young anymore, so he’d be wise to take some time off and work intensively on his ground game. If he doesn’t shore up that problem, he’s destined to be what he’s always been, a million-dollar standup fighter with a 50-dollar ground game. That might sound a bit harsh, but Guillard’s tapped out nine times in 42 career fights, an unacceptable ratio for a top-level fighter.
Jim Miller
Realistically, there aren’t many names in front of Miller on the UFC depth chart. The two most notable — Edgar and Henderson — are locked into a fight, and Miller’s not quite in position to challenge for the belt just yet anyway. That leaves only a few likely matchups. We only have to go back a few weeks ago to find a fellow lightweight that has worked his way into the title picture. He’s on a similar timeline so the duo should be ready to fight around the same time, and the fight makes sense when you look at where they stand within the division. Prediction: Miller faces Nate Diaz
Melvin Guillard
The best thing Guillard could do is take time to work on his shortcomings. Work in a gi. Go to Brazil. Treat it like an illness in need of a cure, and go wherever the remedy is. Guillard has been an incredibly active fighter during his recent UFC career. Since December 2007, he’s fought 12 times — once every four months or so. While that’s been great for his bank account, perhaps it would have benefited him to take longer stretches between fights to address overall development. It’s hard to criticize Guillard so much when he rattled off wins in eight of nine prior to his recent skid, but it would be a bigger shame to fail to capitalize on all of his potential. Prediction: The UFC puts him in a fight with another striker, say, Sam Stout
Josh Neer
Did you know that Neer is younger than the “Young Assassin,” Guillard? Perhaps it’s because Neer has been around for almost nine years, but the veteran strikes me as someone who’s a bit older. Neer showed that poise in his win over Duane Ludwig, weathering an early storm to take the fight into his world and winning by submission. That makes it five straight wins for Neer, who voiced an interest in a fight with Brian Ebersole afterward. That’s a good matchup, but I have another idea. Prediction: Neer faces Mike Pyle
Mike Easton
Easton certainly brings with him a palpable energy and a strong presence. Now 2-0 in the UFC octagon after a spirited fight with Jared Papazian that should have earned the Fight of the Night award, he hasn’t yet faced anyone that fans find recognizable, so it may be time to throw a bigger name at the “Hulk.” Prediction: He faces Yves Jabouin
Pat Barry
Beating Christian Morecraft may not be a signature win for Barry, but it was important in that it showed he could survive a sustained ground attack. Similar to Guillard, Barry has shown brilliant standup but folded when the fight went to the mat. That came to an end on Saturday, when he withstood a choke and an arm bar to return to his feet and KO Morecraft. While we can’t write him into the heavyweight title picture, at least it’s a positive sign of evolution. Working with the DeathClutch grapplers, he should continue to improve. That’s a good thing, because it won’t get any easier for him. Prediction: He faces Gabriel Gonzaga
Khabib Nurmagomedov
The 23-year-old Russian moved to a perfect 17-0 with a third-round submission win over Kamal Shalorus. Most impressive was the fact that Nurmagomedov outwrestled an excellent wrestler. His striking can best be characterized as unconventional. Against Shalorus it was effective, as he out-landed his opponent 59-18. Given his age, Nurmagomedov has time to improve. His next fight should come against someone of similar UFC experience. Prediction: He faces John Cholish
Charlie Brenneman
Brenneman scored another grinding victory, keeping the fight on the mat for most of the contest and working Daniel Roberts over throughout the duration. Brenneman’s next bout should come against another strong wrestler, perhaps forcing him into a fight that will see how far his striking has come along. Prediction: He faces Dong Hyun Kim
Khabib Nurmagomedov remains undefeated after 
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