The Good, Bad and Strange from UFC Fight Night 88
The Good, Bad and Strange from UFC Fight Night 88
Cody Garbrandt went from prospect to contender with his knockout victory over Thomas Almeida at Fight Night 88
The UFC’s bantamweight division may have lied dormant for the past few years, but 2016 looks to be a much different story. And Fight Night 88 served as proof.
The largest promotion in MMA has been filled with heated divisional races as of late, but the 135-pound collective had been sorely lacking. The major players in the weight class being on the shelf for lengthy stints slowed the action severely, but it also allowed time for the next wave of potential contenders to grow.
And that’s what was on display on Sunday night in Las Vegas.
The card for Fight Night 88 showcased some of the best up-and-coming talent the bantamweight division had to offer, and nowhere was that more front and center than in the main event between Thomas Almeida and Cody Garbrandt.
It was a battle between undefeated prospects at the top of the card as the Brazilian knockout artist faced the hard-charging Team Alpha Male representative. The tension between Almeida and Garbrandt in the lead up to the tilt only bolstered the excitement surrounding the scrap, as both men sought to keep their flawless records unblemished.
Nevertheless, there is only one winner once the smoke clears and it was Garbrandt who emerged victorious on Sunday.
The Ohio native let his hands fly from the opening bell and tagged up Almeida early and often. The talented young Brazilian fired back at several turns, but Garbrandt continued to press the action. Garbrandt stunned Almeida with a right hand in a flurried exchange, before dropping him with another crisp right on the button. He added a few shots for good measure before the referee stepped him to end to the fight.
It was an incredible performance from Garbrandt, and one that certified "No Love" as a legitimate title contender.
Let’s take a look at the good, bad and strange from Fight Night 88.
The Good
There is only one undefeated bantamweight contender left standing after Fight Night 88 and it's Cody Garbrandt.
"No Love" came into his bout with highly touted prospect Thomas Almeida with supreme confidence, and his performance reflected that self-belief. Garbrandt pegged Almeida with huge power shots from the jump, which served to put the normally aggressive Brazilian on the run. It wasn't just Garbrandt's power that made the difference, it was his timing and speed as well. Almeida simply had nothing to offer, and Garbrandt put him away in violent fashion before the first round came to a close.
With the win Garbrandt not only keeps his unblemished record intact, but positioned himself as a major threat to the bantamweight strap. With champion Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber set to finish their rivalry in six days at UFC 199, that could set up an interesting situation going forward. Should Cruz defeat Faber it could shape up a future bout with Garbrandt that would continue "The Dominator's" feud with Team Alpa Male.
A Faber win at UFC 199 would create a much different dynamic due to he and "No Love" being teammates, but Garbrandt has earned his place in the conversation nevertheless. Is going from unranked to a title fight strange? Sure, but Garbrandt's performance on Sunday night was that good.
The weigh-in friction between Renan Barao and Jeremy Stephens promised an exciting scrap in the co-main event at Fight Night 88, and it certainly delivered.
The brick-throwing featherweight welcomed the former bantamweight champion to his new weight class in exciting fashion by scrapping it out for an action-packed 15 minutes. While Barao's performance in the opening round signaled a return to form, a few stiff uppercuts from Stephens in the second round turned the tide for the rest of the fight.
Stephens' power and pressure, mixed with a massive amount of failed takedown attempts, served to zap Barao's gas tank. This left the Brazilian standing flat footed and in range for Stephens' bombs, which landed at a consistent clip throughout the final two rounds. The Team Alliance member's production over the final 10 minutes not only earned him the biggest win of his career, but will vault him to the next level in the crowded ranks of the 145-pound division.
Rick Story may have spent 16 months out of action due to injury, but there were no visible signs of ring rust on Sunday night.
The welterweight powerhouse picked up where he left off in 2014 by bludgeoning Tarec Saffiedine for three rounds at Fight Night 88. Despite Story's wrestling pedigree he decided to go toe-to-toe with the credentialed Belgian striker. Granted, Story worked a solid amount of time throughout the fight in the clinch, but he was more than willing to trade shots to close the distance.
Once inside Story ripped his signature body shots and kept his output high throughout the three-round affair. His work and persistence earned Story the unanimous decision victory, and his third-straight win inside the Octagon.
[tweet url="https://twitter.com/Patrick_Wyman/status/737120896389779456" hide_media="0" hide_thread="1"]
It doesn't really matter who won in the fight between Jorge Masvidal and Lorenz Larkin because it was fantastic. Full-throttled face-punching from bell to bell is the stuff that made America great, and both guys delivered the ruckus. Lorenz would claim the split-decision victory in a technical sense, but who cares about technicalities?
[tweet url="https://twitter.com/antontabuena/status/737105262851411969" hide_media="0" hide_thread="1"]
Bryan Caraway came into Fight Night 88 as a huge underdog, but he'll leave Las Vegas a winner.
The scrappy bantamweight stepped in against highly touted prospect Aljamain Sterling in a fight few outside of his camp figured he could win. "Aljo" had looked like phenom in his four previous fights where Caraway's UFC run has been filled with mixed results. The Washington native is no stranger to the struggle, and the first round certainly fit that description as Sterling rode Caraway's back for the majority of the opening five minutes.
[tweet url="https://twitter.com/EliasTheodorou/status/737055378790338560" hide_media="0" hide_thread="1"]
Nevertheless, Caraway is also no stranger to overcoming adversity, and that's precisely what he did over the final 10 minutes. Caraway flipped the script on the Serra-Longo fighter as he worked over Sterling with his wrestling and grappling skills en route to winning the split-decision victory. It was another gritty performance for Caraway, and one that will catapult him into the title picture at 135 pounds.
[tweet url="https://twitter.com/jeremybotter/status/737045789818556417" hide_media="0" hide_thread="1"]
Paul Felder came into Fight Night 88 looking to build some momentum in the lightweight ranks.
The rangy striker broke a two-fight skid by submitting Daron Cruickshank in his most recent outing, and needed to defeat Josh Burkman on Sunday night in order to keep things moving upward. While Burkman was able to control the action in the first round, it was all Felder for the final two frames. The "Irish Dragon" pushed the action and opened up his versatile striking attack to put Burkman on his heels.
The end result was a unanimous decision victory and his second consecutive win in one of the most competitive divisions under the UFC banner.
[tweet url="https://twitter.com/jonavinwebb/status/737097946999705600" hide_media="0" hide_thread="1"]
First impressions are huge in the fight game and Adam Milstead certainly notched a memorable debut. The Pittsburgh-based heavyweight slung heavy leather and painted a crimson pallet on Chris De La Rocha's face en route to a second round TKO. While the stoppage was questionable in the moment, there's no denying the devastation Milstead was putting on the California native.
De La Rocha certainly has a hell of a chin, but Milstead could very well have a bright future ahead of him.
The Bad
Sunday night was a rough day at the office for Jessica Eye.
It wasn't just the fact she got outworked by Sara McMann at Fight Night 88, which she most certainly did, but the end result was her third consecutive loss inside the Octagon. Even worse, the setback against the Olympic silver medalist was the fourth time in five showings Eye found herself in the loss column.
Granted, all of those defeats have come against elite competition, but a string of losses on the biggest stage in the sport is never going to be a good thing.
Eye's current slump is undoubtedly a disappointing turn for a fighter who has shown so much promise inside the cage. At times the 29-year-old Cleveland representative's striking has been as sharp as we've seen in her division, but the inability to remain consistent has been a major issue. Eye's inability to get over the proverbial hump has prevented her from reaching the upper echelon of her weight class--a place many believe she has the talent to be.
While her loss to McMann won't cost Eye her job, it will bump her backward away from the best her division has to offer. And that could be a good thing. Eye's ambition to be the best has carried her into deep waters she wasn't quite ready for from a skill perspective, and the results have shown this to be true. That said, she has the heart to challenge herself against high caliber opposition, and with a bit of time to rebuild her confidence, Eye could very well turn the entire thing around in the near future.
Another fighter facing a difficult future is Josh Burkman.
The "People's Warrior" has O.G. status in the UFC books, and worked his tail off to get back to where he belonged. Burkman amassed a 9-2 record in his six years away from the Octagon, which resulted in his return to the promotion in 2015. That said, Burkman's effectiveness inside the cage has taken a turn downward as of late as he's found just one victory in his five showings in the UFC.
The most recent setback came on Sunday as he dropped a unanimous decision to Paul Felder at Fight Night 88. While Burkman started off throwing combinations and landing big shots in his signature aggressive fashion, his production slowed drastically in over the final 10 minutes. Felder pressed the action and beat him to the punch for the majority of rounds two and three, which led to the "Irish Dragon" getting the nod on the judges' scorecards.
Burkman has now lost three of his past four bouts inside the Octagon, and that could spell bad news for the seasoned veteran. He's already switched weight classes during his time back in the UFC, and there may be very little room for Burkman to reinvent himself. Yet, Burkman always shows up to fight when his name is on the card and his willingness to engage could very well buy him another night under the bright lights in the UFC.
[tweet url="https://twitter.com/simonhead/status/737129129145962497" hide_media="0" hide_thread="1"]
Renan Barao suffering his second consecutive loss could have earned him an entry in this notorious category, but dude fought his ass off. His fight with Jeremy Stephens went to the wire, and the Nova Uniao product showed flashes of his old self during the ruckus.
Barao gets a pass for now.
The Strange
It wasn't quite the epic reveal music legend Eddie Wilson (Eddie and the Cruisers) pulled off by revealing he was still alive in the underrated sequel "Eddie Lives," but Erik Koch stamped an impressive return at Fight Night 88.
It wasn't all too long ago Koch was considered the next big thing in the featherweight division. He was slated to face Jose Aldo at UFC 153 in 2012, but injuries and setbacks have push "New Breed" to the brink of obscurity. Koch's performance on Sunday will push him back in a positive direction.
The Duke Roufus product had his best showing in years as emerged from a 750 day layoff to defeat Shane Campbell via submission in the second round of their tilt on the preliminary portion of the card. Koch looked strong on his feet during the opening frame then downright savvy as he locked in a rear-naked choke to finish off Campbell early into the second round. If Koch can stave off injury and get another fight or two under his belt in 2016 it will go a long way toward making up the ground he's lost over the past four years.
[tweet url="https://twitter.com/SBNLukeThomas/status/737059641893363712" hide_media="0" hide_thread="1"]
Toughness is a requirement for fighters, but Jake Collier showed a different level of that particular attribute at Fight Night 88.
The Missouri native suffered a busted nose at the end of a right knee from Alberto Uda in the first round that turned his face into a bloody mess by the end of the frame. Yet, the "Show Me" state has been known to produce durable folks, and Collier tapped into those roots to turn the tide of the fight. Collier's work to Uda's body began to add up in the second stanza, and he finished off the promotional newcomer with a nasty spinning back kick against the cage.
[tweet url="https://twitter.com/Roxyfighter/status/737066781181763585" hide_media="0" hide_thread="1"]
Uda crumpled and Collier picked up his second win in his past three showings. When Jon Anik asked him how he overcame adversity in his post-fight interview Collier epically replied, "I tried not to get hit in the face anymore."
If Collier makes that his personal mantra the sky could very well be the limit.
The largest promotion in MMA has been filled with heated divisional races as of late, but the 135-pound collective had been sorely lacking. The major players in the weight class being on the shelf for lengthy stints slowed the action severely, but it also allowed time for the next wave of potential contenders to grow.
And that’s what was on display on Sunday night in Las Vegas.
The card for Fight Night 88 showcased some of the best up-and-coming talent the bantamweight division had to offer, and nowhere was that more front and center than in the main event between Thomas Almeida and Cody Garbrandt.
It was a battle between undefeated prospects at the top of the card as the Brazilian knockout artist faced the hard-charging Team Alpha Male representative. The tension between Almeida and Garbrandt in the lead up to the tilt only bolstered the excitement surrounding the scrap, as both men sought to keep their flawless records unblemished.
Nevertheless, there is only one winner once the smoke clears and it was Garbrandt who emerged victorious on Sunday.
The Ohio native let his hands fly from the opening bell and tagged up Almeida early and often. The talented young Brazilian fired back at several turns, but Garbrandt continued to press the action. Garbrandt stunned Almeida with a right hand in a flurried exchange, before dropping him with another crisp right on the button. He added a few shots for good measure before the referee stepped him to end to the fight.
It was an incredible performance from Garbrandt, and one that certified "No Love" as a legitimate title contender.
Let’s take a look at the good, bad and strange from Fight Night 88.
The Good
There is only one undefeated bantamweight contender left standing after Fight Night 88 and it's Cody Garbrandt.
"No Love" came into his bout with highly touted prospect Thomas Almeida with supreme confidence, and his performance reflected that self-belief. Garbrandt pegged Almeida with huge power shots from the jump, which served to put the normally aggressive Brazilian on the run. It wasn't just Garbrandt's power that made the difference, it was his timing and speed as well. Almeida simply had nothing to offer, and Garbrandt put him away in violent fashion before the first round came to a close.
With the win Garbrandt not only keeps his unblemished record intact, but positioned himself as a major threat to the bantamweight strap. With champion Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber set to finish their rivalry in six days at UFC 199, that could set up an interesting situation going forward. Should Cruz defeat Faber it could shape up a future bout with Garbrandt that would continue "The Dominator's" feud with Team Alpa Male.
A Faber win at UFC 199 would create a much different dynamic due to he and "No Love" being teammates, but Garbrandt has earned his place in the conversation nevertheless. Is going from unranked to a title fight strange? Sure, but Garbrandt's performance on Sunday night was that good.
The weigh-in friction between Renan Barao and Jeremy Stephens promised an exciting scrap in the co-main event at Fight Night 88, and it certainly delivered.
The brick-throwing featherweight welcomed the former bantamweight champion to his new weight class in exciting fashion by scrapping it out for an action-packed 15 minutes. While Barao's performance in the opening round signaled a return to form, a few stiff uppercuts from Stephens in the second round turned the tide for the rest of the fight.
Stephens' power and pressure, mixed with a massive amount of failed takedown attempts, served to zap Barao's gas tank. This left the Brazilian standing flat footed and in range for Stephens' bombs, which landed at a consistent clip throughout the final two rounds. The Team Alliance member's production over the final 10 minutes not only earned him the biggest win of his career, but will vault him to the next level in the crowded ranks of the 145-pound division.
Rick Story may have spent 16 months out of action due to injury, but there were no visible signs of ring rust on Sunday night.
The welterweight powerhouse picked up where he left off in 2014 by bludgeoning Tarec Saffiedine for three rounds at Fight Night 88. Despite Story's wrestling pedigree he decided to go toe-to-toe with the credentialed Belgian striker. Granted, Story worked a solid amount of time throughout the fight in the clinch, but he was more than willing to trade shots to close the distance.
Once inside Story ripped his signature body shots and kept his output high throughout the three-round affair. His work and persistence earned Story the unanimous decision victory, and his third-straight win inside the Octagon.
[tweet url="https://twitter.com/Patrick_Wyman/status/737120896389779456" hide_media="0" hide_thread="1"]
It doesn't really matter who won in the fight between Jorge Masvidal and Lorenz Larkin because it was fantastic. Full-throttled face-punching from bell to bell is the stuff that made America great, and both guys delivered the ruckus. Lorenz would claim the split-decision victory in a technical sense, but who cares about technicalities?
[tweet url="https://twitter.com/antontabuena/status/737105262851411969" hide_media="0" hide_thread="1"]
Bryan Caraway came into Fight Night 88 as a huge underdog, but he'll leave Las Vegas a winner.
The scrappy bantamweight stepped in against highly touted prospect Aljamain Sterling in a fight few outside of his camp figured he could win. "Aljo" had looked like phenom in his four previous fights where Caraway's UFC run has been filled with mixed results. The Washington native is no stranger to the struggle, and the first round certainly fit that description as Sterling rode Caraway's back for the majority of the opening five minutes.
[tweet url="https://twitter.com/EliasTheodorou/status/737055378790338560" hide_media="0" hide_thread="1"]
Nevertheless, Caraway is also no stranger to overcoming adversity, and that's precisely what he did over the final 10 minutes. Caraway flipped the script on the Serra-Longo fighter as he worked over Sterling with his wrestling and grappling skills en route to winning the split-decision victory. It was another gritty performance for Caraway, and one that will catapult him into the title picture at 135 pounds.
[tweet url="https://twitter.com/jeremybotter/status/737045789818556417" hide_media="0" hide_thread="1"]
Paul Felder came into Fight Night 88 looking to build some momentum in the lightweight ranks.
The rangy striker broke a two-fight skid by submitting Daron Cruickshank in his most recent outing, and needed to defeat Josh Burkman on Sunday night in order to keep things moving upward. While Burkman was able to control the action in the first round, it was all Felder for the final two frames. The "Irish Dragon" pushed the action and opened up his versatile striking attack to put Burkman on his heels.
The end result was a unanimous decision victory and his second consecutive win in one of the most competitive divisions under the UFC banner.
[tweet url="https://twitter.com/jonavinwebb/status/737097946999705600" hide_media="0" hide_thread="1"]
First impressions are huge in the fight game and Adam Milstead certainly notched a memorable debut. The Pittsburgh-based heavyweight slung heavy leather and painted a crimson pallet on Chris De La Rocha's face en route to a second round TKO. While the stoppage was questionable in the moment, there's no denying the devastation Milstead was putting on the California native.
De La Rocha certainly has a hell of a chin, but Milstead could very well have a bright future ahead of him.
The Bad
Sunday night was a rough day at the office for Jessica Eye.
It wasn't just the fact she got outworked by Sara McMann at Fight Night 88, which she most certainly did, but the end result was her third consecutive loss inside the Octagon. Even worse, the setback against the Olympic silver medalist was the fourth time in five showings Eye found herself in the loss column.
Granted, all of those defeats have come against elite competition, but a string of losses on the biggest stage in the sport is never going to be a good thing.
Eye's current slump is undoubtedly a disappointing turn for a fighter who has shown so much promise inside the cage. At times the 29-year-old Cleveland representative's striking has been as sharp as we've seen in her division, but the inability to remain consistent has been a major issue. Eye's inability to get over the proverbial hump has prevented her from reaching the upper echelon of her weight class--a place many believe she has the talent to be.
While her loss to McMann won't cost Eye her job, it will bump her backward away from the best her division has to offer. And that could be a good thing. Eye's ambition to be the best has carried her into deep waters she wasn't quite ready for from a skill perspective, and the results have shown this to be true. That said, she has the heart to challenge herself against high caliber opposition, and with a bit of time to rebuild her confidence, Eye could very well turn the entire thing around in the near future.
Another fighter facing a difficult future is Josh Burkman.
The "People's Warrior" has O.G. status in the UFC books, and worked his tail off to get back to where he belonged. Burkman amassed a 9-2 record in his six years away from the Octagon, which resulted in his return to the promotion in 2015. That said, Burkman's effectiveness inside the cage has taken a turn downward as of late as he's found just one victory in his five showings in the UFC.
The most recent setback came on Sunday as he dropped a unanimous decision to Paul Felder at Fight Night 88. While Burkman started off throwing combinations and landing big shots in his signature aggressive fashion, his production slowed drastically in over the final 10 minutes. Felder pressed the action and beat him to the punch for the majority of rounds two and three, which led to the "Irish Dragon" getting the nod on the judges' scorecards.
Burkman has now lost three of his past four bouts inside the Octagon, and that could spell bad news for the seasoned veteran. He's already switched weight classes during his time back in the UFC, and there may be very little room for Burkman to reinvent himself. Yet, Burkman always shows up to fight when his name is on the card and his willingness to engage could very well buy him another night under the bright lights in the UFC.
[tweet url="https://twitter.com/simonhead/status/737129129145962497" hide_media="0" hide_thread="1"]
Renan Barao suffering his second consecutive loss could have earned him an entry in this notorious category, but dude fought his ass off. His fight with Jeremy Stephens went to the wire, and the Nova Uniao product showed flashes of his old self during the ruckus.
Barao gets a pass for now.
The Strange
It wasn't quite the epic reveal music legend Eddie Wilson (Eddie and the Cruisers) pulled off by revealing he was still alive in the underrated sequel "Eddie Lives," but Erik Koch stamped an impressive return at Fight Night 88.
It wasn't all too long ago Koch was considered the next big thing in the featherweight division. He was slated to face Jose Aldo at UFC 153 in 2012, but injuries and setbacks have push "New Breed" to the brink of obscurity. Koch's performance on Sunday will push him back in a positive direction.
The Duke Roufus product had his best showing in years as emerged from a 750 day layoff to defeat Shane Campbell via submission in the second round of their tilt on the preliminary portion of the card. Koch looked strong on his feet during the opening frame then downright savvy as he locked in a rear-naked choke to finish off Campbell early into the second round. If Koch can stave off injury and get another fight or two under his belt in 2016 it will go a long way toward making up the ground he's lost over the past four years.
[tweet url="https://twitter.com/SBNLukeThomas/status/737059641893363712" hide_media="0" hide_thread="1"]
Toughness is a requirement for fighters, but Jake Collier showed a different level of that particular attribute at Fight Night 88.
The Missouri native suffered a busted nose at the end of a right knee from Alberto Uda in the first round that turned his face into a bloody mess by the end of the frame. Yet, the "Show Me" state has been known to produce durable folks, and Collier tapped into those roots to turn the tide of the fight. Collier's work to Uda's body began to add up in the second stanza, and he finished off the promotional newcomer with a nasty spinning back kick against the cage.
[tweet url="https://twitter.com/Roxyfighter/status/737066781181763585" hide_media="0" hide_thread="1"]
Uda crumpled and Collier picked up his second win in his past three showings. When Jon Anik asked him how he overcame adversity in his post-fight interview Collier epically replied, "I tried not to get hit in the face anymore."
If Collier makes that his personal mantra the sky could very well be the limit.