Tag: UFC 186

UFC 186: Results and Reactions from Saturday’s Biggest Fights

UFC 186 wasn’t loaded with big names, but it was a crucial event for those who were on the card. 
Rampage Jackson looked to make a successful return to the Octagon. After a three-fight stint in Bellator, the former champion was looking to pick up …

UFC 186 wasn’t loaded with big names, but it was a crucial event for those who were on the card. 

Rampage Jackson looked to make a successful return to the Octagon. After a three-fight stint in Bellator, the former champion was looking to pick up his first UFC victory since beating Matt Hamill in April 2011. 

Just one weight class down, Michael Bisping looked to prove that he’s not quite done yet. The 36-year-old took on CB Dollaway in a bout between middleweights looking to bounce back from devastating losses. 

Demetrious Johnson once again defended his flyweight belt, this time against Kyoji Horiguchi. Mighty Mouse was given the task of figuring out the young karate fighter in the night’s main event. 

Here’s a look at the complete results from UFC 186 with a closer look at the night’s biggest fights and what the results mean going forward. 

UFC 186 Main Card

  • Demetrious Johnson def. Kyoji Horiguchi, submission (Round 5, 4:59)
  • Quinton Jackson def. Fabio Maldonado, unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
  • Michael Bisping def. C.B. Dollaway, unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
  • John Makdessi def. Shane Campbell, TKO (Round 1, 4:53)
  • Thomas Almeida def. Yves Jabouin, TKO (Round 1, 4:18)

Prelims on Fox Sports 1

  • Patrick Cote def. Joe Riggs, unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
  • Alexis Davis def. Sarah Kaufman, submission (Round 2, 1:52)
  • Chad Laprise def. Bryan Barberena, unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
  • Olivier Aubin-Mercier def. David Michaud, submission (Round 3, 3:24)

Prelims on UFC Fight Pass

  • Nordine Taleb def. Chris Clements, unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
  • Valerie Letourneau def. Jessica Rakoczy, unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
  • Randa Markos def. Aisling Daly, unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

 

Bisping Keeps Title Dream Alive

Bisping has never made any bones about his goals. He wants to be a UFC champion one day. With a 3-4 record in his last seven fights entering UFC 186, his bout with Dollaway was a must-win. 

It looked like that dream was going to come to a crashing halt in the first round. The Doberman landed a solid left hook to Bisping‘s chin that sent him to the mat, but the Brit was ultimately able to recover. 

The Count proceeded to remind fans that regardless of how you feel about him, he has heart in spades. He built a 21 significant strike advantage over the final 10 minutes, per FightMetric’s numbers. The bout was the latest example of the technical ability that Bisping has and just how difficult it is to finish him. 

Bisping himself wasn’t pleased with his performance and would like to get back in the game rather quickly. He wants to be involved in the UFC’s planned trip to Glasgow, Scotland in July, per MMA Fighting and Damon Martin of Fox Sports:

Bisping‘s middleweight title hopes might be a pipe dream, but he’s on target with his desire for a top-10 opponent. He’s shown that he’s still capable of putting on good fights with the second tier of middleweight contenders. 

 

Rampage Makes Successful Return to the Octagon

It’s been a long time since Jackson earned a win under the UFC banner. He left for Bellator on a three-fight losing streak with losses to Jon Jones, Ryan Bader and Glover Teixeira. 

A three-fight winning streak later, Jackson officially broke his UFC funk with a win over Fabio Maldonado. 

The fact that he beat Maldonado isn’t shocking. The 35-year-old Brazilian isn’t close to Jackson’s level. What was surprising was how he did it. Jackson had a versatility to his striking arsenal that fans haven’t seen since his early UFC and PRIDE days. 

Former UFC vet Kenny Florian even noted Jackson’s attempted head kick against Maldonado:

It’s been a while since Jackson looked this good in the Octagon, but his post-fight comments might indicate he’s going to bite off more than he can chew. According to Ariel Helwani, Jackson is interested in going on a redemption tour, exacting revenge on those who have already beat him:

What might be a better option for Jackson’s longevity is to continue fighting opponents like Maldonado. Jackson was comfortable throwing a full array of strikes because Maldonado didn’t present a threat as a wrestler. 

Rampage might not have another title run in him, but he’s still capable of providing some exciting fights for the fans as his career winds to a close. 

 

Demetrious Johnson Does His Thing

At this point there isn’t much left to say about Johnson. The reigning flyweight champion is the working man’s champion of the organization. All he does is show up and get the job done regardless of the opponent. 

In this case, the opponent was a young fighter in Horiguchi. The 24-year-old has impressed in his brief time in the UFC with his one-shot power and tricky style. 

None of that mattered. 

Johnson did what we’ve seen him do in the past, and that’s efficient execution in every facet of MMA. From clinching Horiguchi against the fence to dominating position on the ground, Mighty Mouse patiently broke down Horiguchi and never stopped looking to advance. 

That never-ending desire to end the fight paid off in a big way at the end. As the final moments of the fight played out, Johnson refused to coast to victory and locked in an explosive armbar that forced the tap from Horiguchi at the fourth minute and 59th second of the final round.

The impressive performance had fellow fighters like Chad Mendes singing the praises of the champion:

The claim that Johnson is the pound-for-pound best fighter in MMA is a bit of hyperbole. His resume still pales in comparison to Jon Jones. Jose Aldo has even more title defenses. But to say that Johnson’s game is the most well-rounded in the sport isn’t an overstatement. 

Johnson once again showed that few fighters can rival his pure ability as a mixed martial artist. 

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Michael Bisping: 3 Potential Fights for Him After His UFC 186 Win

Michael Bisping made a statement Saturday night at UFC 186.
Fresh off a demoralizing defeat at the hands of Luke Rockhold, he needed to regain divisional form against a predictable C.B. Dollaway.
With fluent movement, quick strikes, elite ground defens…

Michael Bisping made a statement Saturday night at UFC 186.

Fresh off a demoralizing defeat at the hands of Luke Rockhold, he needed to regain divisional form against a predictable C.B. Dollaway.

With fluent movement, quick strikes, elite ground defense and relentless pressure, Bisping outpointed Dollaway throughout a rather entertaining three-round fight.

It was yet another effort to avoid his first career two-fight losing streak.

In any case, the 36-year-old Brit impressed in a bout that he needed to win—one that dispelled any concerns regarding his potential moving forward within a dangerous weight class.

Here are three fights for Bisping to take next following a near-perfect performance in Montreal.

 

Winner of Gegard Mousasi vs. Costas Philippou

While Mousasi is the bigger draw out of the two, Philippou is still a relevant mid-tier contender capable of physically imposing his opponent.

A matchup against either middleweight would give Bisping the ammunition he needs to make another run at the Top Five.

Mousasi’s laid-back approach would allow The Count to get off early, but he’s significantly more well-rounded than Philippou and would probably be the tougher out.

Plus, a bout against the winner of this matchup makes even more sense considering they’re fighting in less than one month at UFC Fight Night 66.

 

Lyoto Machida

As a former light heavyweight champion and middleweight title threat, Machida is the biggest name Bisping could ask for at this point.

Bigger matchups like Tim Kennedy could lure The Dragon away, but Bisping holds enough divisional rapport to make this an easy bet for a co-main event.

Now while Machida possesses the edge over Bisping in almost every category possible, their striking battle would deliver on all cylinders.

The Brit would essentially put himself one or two fights out of title contention should he finish the Brazilian in fashion.

 

Anderson Silva

This is more of a pipe dream for UFC fans who have always wanted to see Bisping take on Silva, but who knows for sure what’s going to happen with The Spider’s looming suspension.

If he’s able to wiggle his way out of any harsh punishments from the commission, then a matchup with the ultra-confident Brit would make a world of sense.

From what we saw from Silva against Nick Diaz at UFC 183, Bisping stands more of a chance against the Brazilian now then he would have just a few years ago.

It’s a nice idea to entertain, but it’s a far-fetched option compared to the other two listed above.

 

For more UFC news and coverage,

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UFC 186 Results: Burning Questions Heading into Fight Night 65

UFC 186 is in the books. The results are as follows:
UFC 186 Main Card

Demetrious Johnson def. Kyoji Horiguchi, submission (Round 5, 4:59)

Quinton Jackson def. Fabio Maldonado, unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
Michael Bisping def. C.B. …

UFC 186 is in the books. The results are as follows:

UFC 186 Main Card

  • Demetrious Johnson def. Kyoji Horiguchi, submission (Round 5, 4:59)
  • Quinton Jackson def. Fabio Maldonado, unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
  • Michael Bisping def. C.B. Dollaway, unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
  • John Makdessi def. Shane Campbell, TKO (Round 1, 4:53)
  • Thomas Almeida def. Yves Jabouin, TKO (Round 1, 4:18)

Prelims on Fox Sports 1

  • Patrick Cote def. Joe Riggs, unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
  • Alexis Davis def. Sarah Kaufman, submission (Round 2, 1:52)
  • Chad Laprise def. Bryan Barberena, unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
  • Olivier Aubin-Mercier def. David Michaud, submission (Round 3, 3:24)

Prelims on UFC Fight Pass

  • Nordine Taleb def. Chris Clements, unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
  • Valerie Letourneau def. Jessica Rakoczy, unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
  • Randa Markos def. Aisling Daly, unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Next up? UFC Fight Night 65 on May 10.

The UFC returns to Australia with an event packed with regional talents. It’s a relatively hollow card for most viewers, but the main event—a heavyweight tilt between Mark Hunt and Stipe Miocic—holds appeal for any and all MMA fans.

What other fights are worth tuning in for? What short- and long-term ramifications might this card hold? Find out here!

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Demetrious Johnson vs. Kyoji Horiguchi: What We Learned from UFC 186 Title Fight

Few fans or pundits gave Kyoji Horiguchi much of a chance against Demetrious Johnson in the UFC 186 main event. On paper, the bout was promising, but featured an undeniably green prospect entering the cage against the most dominant male fighter in MMA …

Few fans or pundits gave Kyoji Horiguchi much of a chance against Demetrious Johnson in the UFC 186 main event. On paper, the bout was promising, but featured an undeniably green prospect entering the cage against the most dominant male fighter in MMA today. In the cage, it largely panned out like just like that.

Horiguchi, a deadly-accurate karateka, got a bit of offense in and found his groove early, landing punches at range and knees in the clinch. Johnson, as one would expect from a long-time champ, made the adjustments and took control. 

Minute by minute, Johnson became more comfortable, timing his shots and landing his lightning-quick punches with a steadily rising degree of effortlessness. By the championship rounds, he was taking Horiguchi down at will. While it seemed like the fight was bound to go to decision, Johnson laced his prey up with, quite literally, a last-second arm bar.

Johnson retook his record for latest UFC finish in a permanent way, scoring the submission victory at 4:59 of Round 5.

So what lessons are there to take from this bout?

For Horiguchi, it was confirmation of what many were already suspecting: He just plain isn’t ready for top-tier competition yet. Sure, there were flashes of legitimate offense in the form of well-placed, well-timed punches. Unfortunately, Horiguchi didn’t have the answer to the second look of Johnson, and by the end, it was as though he was playing checkers to Johnson’s masterful chess.

Could the protege of Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto wind up being a truly elite talent down the line? Absolutely. This year, however, is not his and it is unfortunate that he was pressed into trying to make it so.

For Johnson, the lessons are varied and many.

First, of course, he reaffirmed that he is an amazing, perhaps once-in-a-lifetime talent. His quickness borders on inhuman and his ability to capitalize on openings, whether in the form of a takedown while standing or a submission on the ground, is marvelous to watch.

Second, unfortunately, is another thing we already knew: The vast majority of fans just don’t care about that. The magical formula for creating a UFC star remains impossible to deduce, and what ingredient Johnson lacks is tough to pinpoint. Whether it’s his lack of mic work, his inability to deliver easy-to-digest “wow” moments, his lack of a Chael Sonnen or Conor McGregor-like rival, or his small stature, the man can’t draw crickets to chirp at his cards. It’s a shame but, alas, it’s a fact of combat sports.

While the fight itself was a swirl of both good and bad, it was undeniably a treat for the technique-minded fans. Hopefully, one day, Johnson will get the respect and adoration he deserves.

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UFC 186 Results: The Real Winners and Losers

UFC 186 suffered a lot of criticism in the lead-up to the event, but once Saturday came, the fighters who were left on the card delivered.
Two high-ranked women’s bouts helped bolster the undercard. No. 6-ranked strawweight Randa Markos defeated No. 10…

UFC 186 suffered a lot of criticism in the lead-up to the event, but once Saturday came, the fighters who were left on the card delivered.

Two high-ranked women’s bouts helped bolster the undercard. No. 6-ranked strawweight Randa Markos defeated No. 10-ranked Aisling Daly in the opening fight of the night, and No. 3-ranked bantamweight Alexis Davis finished No. 5-ranked Sarah Kaufman a little later in the evening.

On the main card, we were treated to the comeuppance of a top-tier prospect, the return of a legend and the championship statement of Mighty Mouse.

Demetrious Johnson completed the latest finish in UFC history at four minutes, 59 seconds of the fifth round when he got the armbar on Kyoji Horiguchi. Just another title defense for the flyweight kingpin.

UFC 186 delivered on all fronts. It was a fun card, but there were winners and losers. Real winners and losers.

Here is your look at UFC 186’s real winners and losers coming out of Montreal.

Begin Slideshow

Johnson vs. Horiguchi Results: Winner, Analysis and Reaction from UFC 186

It was business as usual for Demetrious Johnson at UFC 186. The flyweight champion added Kyoji Horiguchi to his ever-expanding list of victims via fifth-round submission in the main event at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec. 
Mike Bohn of MMA J…

It was business as usual for Demetrious Johnson at UFC 186. The flyweight champion added Kyoji Horiguchi to his ever-expanding list of victims via fifth-round submission in the main event at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec. 

Mike Bohn of MMA Junkie passed along the particulars of the record-setting win:

Many expected Horiguchi to be totally out-classed by the champion, but that wasn’t necessarily the case in the early going. Johnson took the first round with his usual seamless transitions, but Horiguchi was able to land some clean blows thanks to his unorthodox rhythm. Fox Sports recapped the opening round:

The end of the second round saw Johnson assert himself as the aggressor. After a hot start, Horiguchi faded a bit to end the round, while Johnson was able to go to his wrestling and plant Horiguchi on the mat, as noted by Brett Okamoto of ESPN:

That grappling disparity was even more apparent in the third round. Johnson was not only able to take Horiguchi down, but also able to keep him there for extended amounts of time. Much of the round was spent with Johnson in side control looking to land ground-and-pound. 

By the fourth round a general pattern had formed. Any time Horiguchi would land anything remotely dangerous it was sure to be followed by Johnson controlling the fight in the clinch or on the ground for at least the next minute as he continued to wear down the challenger. 

The opening minute of the fifth round provided some brief intrigue. Horiguchi had the beginnings of a triangle from the bottom, but Johnson was eventually able to pull himself out and went back to looking for submissions of his own. Horiguchi appeared like he was going to survive the fight until Johnson quickly locked in an arm bar right before the final bell rang. 

The win for Johnson gives him six consecutive title defenses as the original champion of the division. That’s just two fewer than Jon Jones. who currently holds the longest title defense streak and four behind Anderson Silva. who holds the all-time record with 10. 

Regardless of weight class, that’s true dominance. 

Horiguchi, for his part, should just be proud of earning this shot so early in his career. With just four fights in the UFC, the step up in competition proved to be too much to overcome. His four previous opponents had a combined two UFC wins among them. 

In short, this loss is far from the end of his career. 

But the win just goes to show that we are still living in the Mighty Mouse era of the flyweight division. The champion’s technical prowess is simply unmatched at this weight and the true challenges remaining are few and far between. 

Johnson isn’t necessarily focused on his legacy, though. Despite a reason to argue his place among the pound-for-pound greats, what makes him such a great champion is his ability to continue working on his game despite all his success, per Duane Finley of UFC.com. 

It’s nice to get recognized as one of the greatest fighters in the sport alongside guys like Jon Jones, Jose Aldo and Chris Weidman. Those things are always nice, but I only focus on what I can do. Those labels don’t mean much inside the cage, so I put all of my energy and focus into putting on a great performance on fight night. All the other stuff about the pound-for-pound rankings are for the fans and media to dictate and I try to not pay too much attention to it.

Looking ahead, Johnson’s words are a microcosm for what his career has come to represent. 

He will never be the most flashy fighter, or one to get into a pre-fight war of words or sell out an arena. He will not become a superstar. 

Instead, he’s a man focused on his craft. And there are few in this sport that ply their trade with the type of efficiency and precision that he can. 

That was on full display Saturday night. 

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