UFC 166 was one of the all-time great cards in MMA history. Between classics like Diego Sanchez-Gilbert Melendez and the many knockouts, fans were treated to a great night of fights.
Although the usual suspects delivered and kept their star shining bri…
UFC 166 was one of the all-time great cards in MMA history. Between classics like Diego Sanchez-Gilbert Melendez and the many knockouts, fans were treated to a great night of fights.
Although the usual suspects delivered and kept their star shining bright, there were three fighters who emerged out of the ashes and made themselves stars. They used their debuts to rocket their stock and show fans they are legit.
Here are those three men (and women) that emerged as stars through the thicket that was UFC 166.
KyojiHoriguchi
Japanese buzzsawKyojiHoriguchi found himself in trouble early at UFC 166, but quickly turned things around. Despite being the much smaller man, he found his inner warrior and smashed Dustin Pague into oblivion with his powerful punching ability.
Horiguchi, a disciple of Kid Yamamoto, showed shades of his fellow countryman through his stance, style and power. Once given the opportunity, he was able to connect on Pague‘s chin and end his night in violent fashion.
This is a guy to keep your eye on, especially if he makes the move to flyweight like he should.
Andre Fili
Team Alpha Male got another win in the Octagon, this time in the form of debutant Andre Fili.
Fili came out aggressive and strong once the bell rang. His striking looked crisp, clean and nasty, as he hurt Jeremy Larsen on multiple occasions.
Sure, he missed weight. But, he dropped over 30 pounds in just 12 days and missed the required weight very narrowly.
Fili has become a man to watch at 145, especially with his star-making performance at 145. It will be interesting to see what he can do with a full training camp.
Jessica Eye
The women of MMA are finally starting to get the recognition they deserve, and Bellator vet Jessica Eye gave fans another reason to pay attention to the ladies with her performance at UFC 166.
Eye, taking on a heavy favorite in Sarah Kaufman, used a healthy dose of jabs and technical boxing to earn a close split decision over her foe. It was a shock to many, as Eye is a normal flyweight moving up to bantamweight to get this rare opportunity with the UFC.
Her win over Kaufman earned her top-10 status. It also earned her a wider fan base that has made her a star among the MMA community.
Top to bottom, UFC 166 was the best fight card in UFC history, according to Dana White.
The UFC President had a grin the size of Texas on his face all night long as fight after fight lived up to the hype. There weren’t any duds or down fights for…
Top to bottom, UFC 166 was the best fight card in UFC history, according to Dana White.
The UFC President had a grin the size of Texas on his face all night long as fight after fight lived up to the hype. There weren’t any duds or down fights for fans to purposely ignore and convert into bathroom or chat breaks.
Literally, every fight on Saturday night left fans at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas on their feet. It was a special kind of night, one in which White tells FOX Sports’ Ariel Helwani he’s never witnessed before:
“Yeah, I think it’s the best card we’ve ever done. Top to bottom, the fights were unbelievable. I don’t know. If somebody can tell me a card that was better than that one, I’d love to hear it.”
It’s hard to argue with White after witnessing such a crazy night of fights.
Perhaps the most talked about fight was the “Mexican World War” between Gilbert Melendez and Diego Sanchez. On the pay-per-view telecast, UFC commentator Joe Rogan called it the “fight of the century.”
A technical rout by Melendez early in the fight turned into an all-out brawl in the final stanza as a bloodied and battered Sanchez went for broke. If not the fight of the century, the third round of Melendez vs. Sanchez might be the most exciting round in the history of combat sports.
“Heart” was the keyword all night long.
Like Sanchez, former UFC heavyweight champ Junior dos Santos once again proved he had a heart the size of Brazil after taking another lopsided beating from Cain Velasquez.
By the time the fifth round rolled around, one of dos Santos’ eyes was completely swollen shut and the other was impaired by an open gash in the corner of it, which was bleeding profusely. A busted up face never stopped dos Santos from staying in the pocket and exchanging competitively with Velasquez, who threw everything he had at him.
Referee Herb Dean contemplated stopping the fight several times. At one point, he even touched Velasquez in a motion to stop the bout, but dos Santos’ incredible tenacity seemed to jolt him back to life every time it looked like the fight was over.
Those lucky enough to witness UFC 166 in person or on pay-per-view walked away with an experience to remember for the rest of their lives. This was the kind of event that represents every reason why we love this sport.
UFC 166 may very well be the best event in not only the UFC, but it could go down as the single greatest all-around fight card in the history of combat sports.
On a card riddled with massive cuts, bloody knockouts and one-sided beatdowns, there may not have been a more deserving winner than Hector Lombard.
Over the past 15 months, the former Bellator standout has struggled to produce relevant in-cage action f…
On a card riddled with massive cuts, bloody knockouts and one-sided beatdowns, there may not have been a more deserving winner than Hector Lombard.
Over the past 15 months, the former Bellator standout has struggled to produce relevant in-cage action following grueling weight cuts, debilitating injuries and failed game plans.
But after looking like a true welterweight at the weigh-ins and looking even more dangerous when the cage door shut Saturday night at UFC 166, it seems as if the real “Lightning” has finally arrived.
Here’s three fights the Cuban southpaw should take next following his quick display of violence opposite an overwhelmed and over-the-hill Nate Marquardt.
Martin Kampmann
The Dane has now tasted brutal defeat in back-to-back marquee welterweight fights. He’s struggled to gain the upper hand in either fight opposite Johny Hendricks and Carlos Condit, but that doesn’t necessarily take away from his overall prowess.
Kampmann is still one of the bigger names in the division and a handful for any fighter. He isn’t quite a gatekeeper yet, but Lombard’s heavy hands could eventually make him one.
If the Cuban wants to take a step up in competition and test the waters against a top-10 opponent, then “The Hitman” is the perfect target.
Hopefully Lombard would pay attention to Kampmann‘s grappling skills and wouldn’t try to out-power the former top contender at every turn.
Jake Ellenberger
This is a matchup made in fan heaven. Like Carlos Condit vs. Matt Brown or Gilbert Melendez vs. Diego Sanchez, this fight would have fireworks written all over it.
And what would make it even more special and worthwhile is the fact that it makes sense. Ellenberger is coming off a disappointing and uneventful loss to Rory MacDonald, while Lombard is sniffing the division’s top 10.
It’d almost be a crime not to pin these two juggernauts against each other at this point in their careers. The action that would ensue would be so explosive and uncontrollable that a retractable roof-supporting venue would be the only option.
This, of course, is assuming that Ellenberger can punch his way past TarecSaffiedine in January.
Winner of Josh Koscheck vs. TyronWoodley
Both Koscheck and Woodley would be smart adversaries for Lombard to test his raw innate strength against next.
On one hand, you have Koscheck, a former title contender whose name alone would launch Lombard straight to the top of the welterweight crop heap.
On the other hand, you have Woodley, a former Strikeforce standout who possesses the hunger and overall skill set to make any bout with any welterweight a potential Fight of the Night candidate.
Koscheck would obviously be a better draw if he wins, but Woodley‘s debut split-decision loss opposite Jake Shields isn’t look all that disappointing following Shields’ win over the red-hot Demian Maia.
In any case, the UFC should pick its spots with Lombard and give him a good opportunity to make a run at a top contender spot. Not for nothing, but the guy is a high-pace, high-caliber knockout artist who has unparalleled upside.
After an excellent night of fights at UFC 166, Cain Velasquez dominated his closest rival, Junior dos Santos, much the same way he did in their last fight.
But this time he finished him.
Yes, many will say dos Santos was finished because of the way his…
After an excellent night of fights at UFC 166, Cain Velasquez dominated his closest rival, Junior dos Santos, much the same way he did in their last fight.
But this time he finished him.
Yes, many will say dos Santos was finished because of the way his head hit the canvas, but none of that can take away the work Velasquez did up to that point. Much like last time, Velasquez applied a great deal of pressure, crowded dos Santos and scored with numerous punches over all five rounds.
In the end, he was just too much for dos Santos, who looked as if he had made little to no adjustments since their last meeting. Once again, the challenger looked every inch a beaten fighter; his face was a bloody and swollen mess, but worst of all, he looked lost on more than one occasion during the bout.
Now that their trilogy has ended, it’s time to see what is next for Velasquez, who has defended his title two times now.
The top 10 in the heavyweight division is not exactly what you would call “deep,” especially when it is limited to fighters on the UFC roster. Men like Roy Nelson and Mark Hunt must be dismissed for obvious reasons—chief among them they lost their last fights.
Frank Mir is on a three-fight skid himself, Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva has already been creamed by Velasquez twice and Alistair Overeem is one toe from being released from the organization after dropping two fights in a row.
Then, you have the perplexing situation of Daniel Cormier, who looked very good in his victory over Roy Nelson, and who is perhaps the only fighter in the division with the grappling needed to give Velasquez problems. Sadly, the teammate vs. teammate problem rears its ugly head and Cormier will not fight his friend in Velasquez and vice versa.
So, who is left?
Josh Barnett
Although not as dangerous a striker as dos Santos, Josh Barnett is probably the next in line as “the biggest threat” to Velasquez’s title. Of course, he must defeat Travis Browne in order to keep wearing those boots, but it will be hard for Browne to deal with Barnett’s overall game.
He’s easily one of the most well-rounded fighters in the division. He’s incredibly experienced and a proven finisher with the ability to end a fight at any time.
But perhaps one of his greatest strengths is his experience and adaptability. Dos Santos looked lost on many occasions during their rubber match, as if he didn’t expect the pressure-heavy strategy that Velasquez used. Barnett, on the other hand, wouldn’t be lost in such situations; he’s as crafty as they come and he knows how to survive bad situations.
Most people known Barnett as a kind of catch wrestler who has a knack for taking the fight to the floor and landing on top. But he’s much more than that; he’s a technician who knows the importance of movement and angles.
Should Velasquez take him down, Barnett knows how to keep things tight in order to minimize potential damage; this kind of close-quarter grappling from the bottom also allows him to mask his sweep or escape attempts.
Barnett would have his hands full against a high-level wrestler like Velasquez, but he’s not going to wilt under that pressure, and given his knowledge of the game as a whole, he needs just one small opening to turn the tables.
Should Velasquez defeat Barnett, it would be a serious feather in his cap, not to mention a learning experience.
There are not a lot of fighters in the heavyweight division that can exist inside the guard of Fabricio Werdum for an extended period of time; his submission skills are just that good.
His striking has improved greatly over the years, but in the end, it’s his ground game that is his most dangerous advantage. He’s one of the few submission artists at heavyweight who has the kind of overall grappling awareness to be a threat to Velasquez from his back.
Many fighters get chewed up by Velasquez because they are afraid of being taken down. Werdum figures to be one of the rare few so comfortable from their backs that they are able to commit to the striking exchanges without fear of being put on their backs.
He’s also much bigger than Velasquez and knows how to use his body very well in the area where most of this fight would take place: on the ground.
Obviously, Velasquez enjoys a cardio advantage over Werdum, but would that be enough to allow him to use his ground game consistently without being submitted? Or would his inexperience against such high-level submission artists see him rebuffed and forced to fight standing for most of the night?
Travis Browne
Should Travis Browne defeat Josh Barnett at UFC 168, setting him up for a title shot seems like a logical choice in a division that is thin on top-10 fighters.
Browne is a very big fighter with KO power to burn and he’s only had one loss on his record; sadly, that loss comes at the hands of a man Velasquez demolished (with ease) on two occasions: Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva.
Still, a fighter is not the sum total of his losses, especially when he only has one “L” on his record. Given his spirited upset victory over Alistair Overeem, a fight between Browne and Velasquez would see him justly rewarded as a fighter who has won six fights in the UFC, five by way of stoppage.
Yet in spite of what Browne brings to the table—heart, power and desire—he looks like he’d be on the wrong side of a bad matchup against the champ. Everything Browne does dos Santos does better, and we’ve seen just how that style of fighting works against Velasquez.
But should he best Barnett, he should get that title shot, no question about it.
HOUSTON — There was a moment, at some point during the fourth round of the UFC 166 main event between Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos, when I noticed that my internal monologue had changed tone in a drastic way.
It went a little l…
HOUSTON — There was a moment, at some point during the fourth round of the UFC 166 main event between Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos, when I noticed that my internal monologue had changed tone in a drastic way.
It went a little like this:
Round 1: OK, this looks just like the last fight.
Round 2: OK, this looks just like the last fight and maybe that’s not a good thing for JDS?
Round 3: I’m starting to feel a little uncomfortable watching this.
Round 4: Will somebody please stop this fight?
Round 5: STOP THE FIGHT.
Those who follow me on Twitter will confirm the above is true. This fight wasn’t just a repeat of the last time Velasquez and dos Santos faced off; it was worse, because it essentially doubled the punishment for the Brazilian.
Velasquez, the scariest man on earth who doesn’t look like the scariest man on earth, lost to dos Santos the first time they met. Since then, Velasquez has delivered nearly 10 ruthless rounds of punishment for the former heavyweight champion. Outside of landing a few power shots that Velasquez simply walked through, dos Santos has been completely and thoroughly decimated.
In the first round, I thought it might be a good idea for Velasquez and dos Santos to face each other in perpetuity.
This was a mistake. I do not want to see Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos face each other ever again. What is the point of such an idea? Why would I subject “Cigano,” who is one of the nicest people I’ve ever met in the fight game, to another extended beating that might conceivably make his later years a little bit less enjoyable?
I don’t. Dos Santos has an incredible chin and an amazing heart. To stand there, upright on his own two legs while enduring one of the most horrific beatings in UFC history? I don’t even know how he did it. Much respect must be given to the Brazilian, who is the second-best heavyweight in the world. But he’ll have to settle for that title, because he’s not ever going to beat Velasquez.
Fighters are a courageous lot by trade, anyway, and they must be so in order to do what they have chosen to do for a living. Getting punched in the face is not a normal undertaking. But dos Santos refused to wilt when many of his compatriots would have taken the easy way out. He stood on his feet and suffered until he could suffer no more, until he finally dropped to his knees and covered his bruised and lumpy head in a picture of surrender.
That is heart. That is courage. That is inspiring. That is the best of human nature.
And that is something I never want to see again.
Sanchez, Melendez: True warriors
If dos Santos has the largest heart in mixed martial arts, it is Diego Sanchez who serves as his little brother.
Sanchez, who repeatedly did some things that you and I would call crazy in his three-round war with Gilbert Melendez, showed the world once again why he’s one of the most exciting fighters in UFC history. He has delivered more thrilling bouts per square inch than anyone I can remember, and in this way has endured long past the point where most fighters find themselves staring down the barrel of Joe Silva’s loaded elephant gun.
Melendez beat Sanchez to the punch consistently over the first two rounds, but something changed in the third round. Sanchez, long known for doing remarkable things in the third rounds of fights he’s losing, suckered Melendez into a war. It was the kind of fight he wanted, and for good reason; the Toyota Center exploded with glee when Sanchez dropped Melendez to the canvas with a vicious right uppercut. Sanchez—all blood and crazed madman by that point—tried to pounce and finish Melendez in the same way he has other victims whom he has surprised in the final frame.
But Melendez was not the others, and if the former Strikeforce champion wanted a fight to help prove his mettle to skeptical UFC fans, he could not have picked one better. So often fights that are highly anticipated end up being duds once the actual work in the cage starts. This one? It blew away anything we could have imagined and instantly went down in UFC lore.
Much like with dos Santos, however, I can’t help but think one thing: I don’t want to see Diego Sanchez in these types of fights anymore. They’re exciting, to be sure, but I hate the idea that Sanchez must willfully engage in slugfests in order to stick around the fight game. He’s not quick enough to beat today’s modern lightweights, and so he relies on suckering his opponent into the kind of fight we saw on Saturday night. It may provide for 15 minutes of solid entertainment, but once the glow of the moment wears away, we’re left wondering about things like long-term health and brain damage.
I realize I’m covering a combat sport and not the local knitting team—there are dangers inherent in this sport and always will be. But that doesn’t mean I’m comfortable with the idea of someone who needs to turn a fight into a war, to take incredible amounts of punishment in order to dish out his own.
But, with that said: What a moment in time. And what a privilege to see it in person.
What will it take to really beat Roy Nelson?
After handily losing to Daniel Cormier, Roy Nelson said “He didn’t engage me really. That’s not to take anything away from Cormier, but its tough to fight like that. He’s a great fighter but it’s frustrating.”
To which I say…what?
Cormier outstruck Nelson 74-17. He landed the harder punches. He wrestled “Big Country” and controlled him at will. In short, Cormier was the superior fighter in every aspect for 15 minutes. He didn’t stand and trade punches with Nelson until one of them went down. That might be Nelson’s definition of “engaging,” but maybe it’s also the reason why he can’t quite seem to get over the hump when facing the best heavyweights in the world.
Eye, Kaufman deliver yet another exciting female fight
I had the Kaufman vs. Eye fight scored for Sarah Kaufman, but it was close enough that I knew any decision was possible. Those who scored the fight for Eye are probably correct, just as those who scored it for the Canadian aren’t wrong either. The first two rounds were incredibly close, with Kaufman delivering the more brutal punishment in the third. But with the way mixed martial arts scoring works, Eye had just as much of a chance to win as Kaufman, no matter what the third round looked like.
In any case, I wouldn’t mind seeing these two compete again. And again. And again.
The highs and the lows
The most uncomfortable moment of the night came when T.J. Waldburger was knocked out by Adlan Amagov.
It wasn’t shown on TV, and I can understand why, but there was a painfully long and drawn-out period of time when Waldburger was flat on his back on the canvas. His coaches and teammates joined Texas doctors in whispering words of encouragement. Perhaps it was all done for precautionary reasons; Waldburger was stretchered to an ambulance and was taken to a downtown Houston hospital for examination and CT scans. Dana White said that everything came back clear for Waldburger, and so all is well that ends well.
But we didn’t know any of these things when the 25-year-old Waldburger was on his back in the cage, with Amagov celebrating and giving a gleeful interview to Joe Rogan a mere five feet away. You can understand the Russian’s joy, of course, but you can also understand the concern those of us in the arena had for Waldburger. I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen a fighter stretchered from an arena, and it’s not a fun moment.
We love the highs this sport provides. But it is the lows that bring us back to earth.
You did OK, Texas
As a native Texan—I was born and raised in Houston—I was mostly proud of what I saw in the arena on Saturday night.
The crowd was boisterous and loud. I couldn’t quite make out how it decided what it would boo and what it would cheer, but it was loud. There were moments in the Melendez-Sanchez fight that were as loud as any reaction I can remember while watching fights; it was a wall of sound that would’ve made Phil Spector proud.
And considering there were no fights in the crowds featuring Affliction-wearing idiots until just before the main event, well, I’d say we did all right.
The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, however? That’s a different story for a different day. Stay tuned.
UFC 166 did not go as planned for former UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos.
Cain Velasquez successfully defended his title by mauling the challenger—just as he did in their second fight. This time, though, Velasquez got the stoppage.
The…
UFC 166 did not go as planned for former UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos.
Cain Velasquez successfully defended his title by mauling the challenger—just as he did in their second fight. This time, though, Velasquez got the stoppage.
There is little doubt that Dos Santos will move back in the pack now. After two decisive and one-sided beatings, it will take quite a bit to earn another title shot, but that could be a blessing in disguise. If Dos Santos is able to return to form, it may take time coming off the beating he just received.
So, who should Cigano fight in his next outing?
The first thing that must happen is a decision on what the plan is. Do you throw Dos Santos right back into a top-five or top-10 fight? I don’t think that’s smart.
He won’t be contending for a title shot with a win. Dos Santos should take a backseat and work his way through the ranks against unranked fighters to get back in the grove he was once in. Also, there are several interesting matchups for Cigano to have in non-title bouts.
Overeem is in a potential do-or-die fight with Frank Mir at UFC 167, but win or lose, a fight against Cigano makes a lot of sense. The UFC may think about cutting him with a loss, but should a loss occur, it needs to think hard about keeping him on the roster for at least one more scrap.
Dos Santos and Overeem were originally slated to meet for the UFC Heavyweight Championship, but the fight never came to fruition. It was a matchup that excited most fans, and with both so far removed from a title fight, why not do it now?
The fight would still garner a substantial amount of fanfare. Also, it would likely be very exciting.
It would be the right fight for Dos Santos to return to.
Cigano would benefit from a favorable matchup, face a fighter with name value and be motivated to fight him. It would be a perfect storm to slowly bring Dos Santos back up to speed in the heavyweight division.
Overeem wouldn’t smother him like Velasquez. We would get to see these two do what they do best.
There is no need to thrust Dos Santos back into the forefront of the division without knowing how he will look coming off such a loss at UFC 166. Likewise, the UFC cannot give him a newcomer for him to hammer. Overeem meets the necessary criteria.
It would be a good fight for Dos Santos, Overeem, the UFC and a great fight for the fans.
On a card riddled with massive cuts, bloody knockouts and one-sided