There’s all the time going to be controversial choices. Hell, it’s been effectively over a decade and I can nonetheless discover individuals who will argue over Machida-Shogun I or Penn-Edgar I. I doubt Ketlen Vieira’s debatable win over Holly Holm at UFC Vegas 55 may have the endurance of these contests, nevertheless it might find yourself being essentially the most argued resolution of the 12 months as issues sit. Personally, I wouldn’t go as far as to name it a theft, although I did disagree with the choice. Regardless, it gave UFC Vegas 55 a powerful speaking level for a card that was anticipated to fade into the background in a rush. Whereas I’ll actually contact on that, there have been different speaking factors value noting from the occasion, which we’ll get to with my Unofficial Awards…
For all the outcomes, click on here. For an audio recap of the occasion, click on here.
Largest Soar in Inventory: Typically, it’s strictly the consequence that issues versus how the job received performed. That’s precisely the case for Vieira. There’s going to be a good quantity of debate over the following couple of weeks about whether or not she truly deserved the W the judges gave her, however none of that’s going to alter the result: Vieira picked up her second consecutive win over a former champion. Positive, neither Holm nor Miesha Tate gave the impression to be on the prime of their recreation when Vieira beat them. That doesn’t take away from the very fact the UFC was propping each of them up because the A-side towards Vieira in hopes of them changing into challengers for the title. Vieira upended each and she or he needs to be rewarded as such. I can’t assure she’ll get a title shot subsequent as I might see a trilogy if Nunes regains the belt. Nonetheless, exterior of Nunes and Pena, nobody has a greater angle on the title than Vieira.
Largest Fall in Inventory: Nobody took an enormous tumble down the ranks. There have been a number of fighters who had been at risk of shedding their roster spot – and are seemingly to take action – however their inventory was already low in the event that they had been at that time. So despite the fact that he picked up a well-deserved $50K bonus, I’ll go together with Santiago Ponzinibbio. It has much less to do with the Argentinian not with the ability to combat competitively with the higher quarter of the division – he obviously can – however that he can’t constantly get the W any extra towards these brushing up towards the official rankings. It isn’t an enormous drop from the place he beforehand had been, however it’s a very noticeable drop. Throw in that it was his third loss in his final 4 fights and he’s essentially the most logical alternative in a see that’s missing in apparent selections. Some could level to Holm for this spot, however given so many imagine she deserved the win, it considerably negates the plain drop in her efficiency.
Begin Typing a Resume: To provide an thought of the place Dusko Todorovic was within the eyes of the UFC group, he was on the B-side of a combat with a Bellator washout. Not that Chidi Njokuani hasn’t rehabilitated himself, however Todorovic was thought-about to be one of many prime middleweight prospects within the group not that way back. Todorovic had some moments that could possibly be pointed to as progress, however he was in the end KO’d within the first spherical, leaving him with three losses in his final 4 contests.
Given the lengthy layoff – it’s been 32 months since we final noticed him – it’s a little bit of a shock the UFC introduced Alen Amedovski again in any respect. Seeing as how he simply barely lasted previous a minute, it’s secure to say they received’t achieve this once more. He merely doesn’t have the bodily instruments to get away together with his one-dimensional method.
Until you’ve constructed up a hell of a cache in your time on the UFC roster – very like Jim Miller and/or Clay Guida – you’re not going to keep up a roster spot in the event you’ve misplaced three of your final 4 on the age of 36 within the light-weight division. Omar Morales seems like he might nonetheless be aggressive, however the outcomes aren’t there and his age makes it onerous to imagine rapid enhancements are on the horizon. Being KO’d for the primary time in his profession can’t assist both. Given the depth of the division, it might be wiser for the UFC to present his spot to a youthful fighter who could or could not develop right into a star.
I’ve been a bit stunned the UFC has held onto Felipe Colares so long as they’ve. He didn’t enter with numerous hype and hasn’t been concerned in any actual barnburners. Now that he’s sitting at 2-4, it appears unlikely the UFC goes to deliver him again. Bellator would look like a great match for him, however I shouldn’t faux to know the place he might find yourself.
Saved Their Job(s): This part turned out to be more durable than anticipated to fill out. The likes of Chase Hooper and Uros Medic had been the names that got here to thoughts, however do I actually imagine the UFC was going to chop both of them free with a loss? Within the case of Hooper, completely not. Within the case of Medic, it is dependent upon how unhealthy his loss was. Clearly, we aren’t going to search out out given each received, however there’s little doubt they hadn’t been assembly the expectations the group had for them coming into this occasion. I suppose Joseph Holmes might have been included right here too, however his launch might have been much less notable then both Hooper’s or Medic’s launch if it had been to occur. To be truthful, Holmes did have a fantastic performance.
Largest WOW Second: There’s completely little doubt this goes to the elbow Chidi Njokuani delivered to the pinnacle of Todorovic to place the Serbian fighter away. The spherical was coming to an finish and everybody was anticipating the spherical to come back to a detailed as the 2 wrestled for management within the clinch. Njokuani’s elbow was placed perfectly upside the pinnacle of Todorovic to present the previous Bellator standout his second consecutive first spherical KO.
Greatest Camp Change: Sam Hughes opened her UFC profession 0-3. I received’t say it’s a rarity when fighters get a fourth alternative after that sort of begin, however fighters discover themselves on the chopping block as a rule after shedding their first three contests. Hughes modified camps to Fortis MMA and has proceeded to choose up two wins within the course of. It isn’t simply that she has received these fights, she has fought with a goal, exhibiting a transparent technique in every contest, one thing that wasn’t all the time obvious in her first three UFC fights. Securing a late end over Elise Reed was simply icing on the cake.
Greatest Psychological Turnaround: Rumor has it, Njokuani was depressing in his last days in Bellator. On the very least, he made some obscure allusions to feeling that means in previous interviews and it translated into his efficiency within the cage. Now, Njokuani seems to be a much better mind-set. He’s on a four-fight win streak with the final two coming within the UFC. This current run has eradicated the talk whether or not Njokuani’s decline was psychological or bodily as he seems to be at his bodily greatest. Given the insane quantity of weight he used to chop to make 170, it was a sound concern given he was nonetheless solely 30 when he exited Bellator. Now, he’s a poster baby for what a great state of mind can do for a fighter.
Worst Combat IQ: Many of the benefits went to Polyana Viana in her contest with Tabatha Ricci. She was taller by a major margin, had extra expertise, and a greater BJJ pedigree. The one factor that was a serious query mark was her combat IQ. Viana had confirmed to content material to combat off her again up to now and the priority was she would achieve this as soon as once more towards Ricci. That was the one motive anybody would decide towards her. Nicely, it proved to be a sound motive. Although Viana had fairly a little bit of success within the standup, she conceded takedowns to simply and made little to no effort to get again to her ft when on her again. I acknowledge Viana landed some good strikes off her again, most notably a number of kicks to the legs of Ricci when Ricci stood above her. However did that negate the lengthy durations of management and strikes Ricci landed from the highest. Given Viana got here out the loser, clearly not. It’s good to have a harmful guard, nevertheless it’s silly to depend on it.
Most Dominant Efficiency: It isn’t going to get numerous smoke given it was anticipated that Jailton Almeida would plow via Parker Porter. However it’s positively noteworthy as Almeida was shifting as much as heavyweight with a view to take down the a lot bigger Porter. Maybe most shocking was the convenience through which Almeida took Porter down. Almeida held him down for the remainder of the spherical earlier than finding the finish, struggling nary a scratch within the course of. His combat with Porter may need taken place at heavyweight, nevertheless it was a hell of a press release to make for the remainder of the sunshine heavyweight division.
Coming of Age: There all the time appears to be a good quantity of hate in direction of Hooper. It isn’t his fault. Getting a combat on DWCS on the tender age of 18 was a hell of an achievement. He received the combat to show he was a minimum of worthy of a take a look at the time. Whereas the UFC did wait one other 12 months earlier than they signed him, it was apparent to everybody that he was going to should be spoon fed opponents a lot in the identical means Sage Northcutt was in his much-maligned UFC run. He wanted extra seasoning on the regional scene. It doesn’t seem like that would be the case anymore. It isn’t that Colares is a world-beater, however Hooper appeared like he was a stage above him after some aggressive moments. I nonetheless don’t see Hooper changing into a contender, however he lastly seems like he deserves his spot on the roster.
