The Good, Bad and Strange from UFC 201
The Good, Bad and Strange from UFC 201
The welterweight title has long stood as one of the most prestigious belts under the UFC banner.Lengthy reigns from legendary fighters like Matt Hughes and
The welterweight title has long stood as one of the most prestigious belts under the UFC banner.
Lengthy reigns from legendary fighters like Matt Hughes and Georges St-Pierre made the 170-pound strap iconic, not to mention one of the most impressive achievements in mixed martial arts. Where other belts seem to trade hands on a monthly basis, the welterweight title has never been one to be passed around.
While many figured St-Pierre's exit would lead to the divisional crown going on tour, Robbie Lawler had other plans. The resurgent champion has stamped an impressive reign all his own, and it's been one forged out of blood, sweat and sheer determination to succeed.
Prior to making his return to the UFC in 2013, there were few in the MMA world who hadn't written Lawler off, but he's spent the past three years silencing those critics. Lawler's reign atop the welterweight division has been nothing short of epic as he's notched back-to-back title defenses that will go down as two of the best fights in the history of the weight class.
Lawler came into UFC 201 looking to continue shaping his legacy of destruction by defeating Tyron Woodley in Atlanta.
The former Strikeforce title challenger and fellow American Top Team representative patiently waited for his title shot to materialize, and vowed to make the most of his long awaited opportunity to claim the 170-pound strap. In his pre-fight interviews Woodley signaled a change of season in the welterweight division, and proclaimed it was his time to reign.
And man oh man was he right.
Woodley spent the first part of the opening round feeling out the space between him and Lawler before unleashing a mega-watt right hand that folded the champion to the canvas. The punch was as brutal as it was clean, and just like that a new champion was crowned in Atlanta. It was an incredible finish for a fighter who called his shot every step of the way.
Let's take a look at the good, bad and strange from UFC 201
There is a new king of the UFC welterweight division.
When you take a look at the wars Robbie Lawler has endured and the durability the man possesses, the true scope of the shot Tyron Woodley landed at UFC 201 comes into focus. The former Strikeforce champion stalked the current UFC belt holder until he found the perfect window and let loose a devastating shot that leveled Lawler in an instant.
While some knockouts are considered to be of the "flash" variety, and fans complain fighters with proven toughness weren't allowed the proper time to defend themselves, there will be no such arguments after UFC 201. Woodley didn't squeak by to become the champion, he took the belt and did so in brutal fashion against an opponent who has built a career on ferocity.
Although Woodley will surely take time to enjoy the moment and the reality of what he achieved on Saturday night, there will be very little time for the new champion to get comfortable. There is a healthy list of potential contenders with the most prominent being Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson. That said, a showdown with Thompson will come soon enough, and for right now "The Chosen One" is the reigning king of the welterweight mountain.
There was a shot at gold on the line when Rose Namajunas and Karolina Kowalkiewicz stepped into the Octagon at UFC 201.
Both women had built a firm case for the right to fight Joanna Jedrzejczyk for the strawweight strap, but only one would earn the right to do so later in 2016. While Kowalkiewicz was still somewhat new to the brightest lights and the biggest moments, the Poland-born fighter looked like a savvy veteran as she went shot for shot with the former title challenger.
Namajunas had her moments early, but Kowalkiewicz returned fire at every turn. Furthermore, she was able to do some serious damage from inside the clinch with short punches and elbows when the fight was in close quarters. The end result was a split decision victory for Kowalkiewicz, and a stamped title opportunity to face her fellow countrywoman "Joanna Champion" before the year comes to a close.
No one needed a victory on Saturday night worse than Jake Ellenberger.
Where the Nebraska native was once one of the prominent players in the elite tier of the welterweight division, that status has waned in recent years. Ellenberger stumbled in one big fight after the next and just couldn't seem to find the groove that pushed him up the divisional ladder earlier in his career. The backslide was severe enough (lost five of his last six) where it seemed widely accepted a loss at UFC 201 could bring his time in the UFC to an end.
Ellenberger was determined to change courses and Matt Brown found out just how fiercely he could do so.
The Ohio native rushed out to take the center of the Octagon and was promptly returned to the corner from whence he came via a thunderous overhand right from Ellenberger. Although Brown was visibly hurt, he's as durable as they come in the fight game, and scrambled to get back to his feet.
It looked as if Ellenberger had blown out his gas tank trying to finish Brown early as "The Immortal" pressed forward landing several clean shots. In past fights where he hurt Martin Kampmann and more recently Stephen Thompson and let them recover, Ellenberger fading eventually led to his finish. That would not be the case at UFC 201.
Just as Brown closed in Ellenberger unleashed a perfectly placed liver kick that crumbled his opponent to the ground. He swarmed in was hammer-fists and the referee jumped in shortly thereafter. While Ellenberger's win over Brown on Saturday night may not be the biggest of his career, it certainly was one of the most important as it will allow him another night to dance inside the Octagon.
Nikita Krylov is knocking on the door to much bigger things in the light heavyweight division.
After dropping his divisional debut against Ovince Saint Preux at UFC 171 back in 2014, the Ukrainian has picked up five-straight victories inside the Octagon, and Ed Herman became the most recent addition to his resume on Saturday night in Atlanta.
Despite having moments of success, the seasoned veteran left himself wide open midway through the second round and Krylov capitalized on the mistake by planting a head kick clean on Herman's dome. The shot toppled The Ultimate Fighter alum to the canvas and the referee jumped in to wave off the action. It was a brutal kick and one that set social media on fire.
https://twitter.com/jeremybotter/status/7595645628...
With the win, Krylov adds to his current run, and will move closer to landing a coveted top 10 spot in the light heavyweight ranks. At the very least Krylov's recent success will ensure the opponents he faces will continue to have more established names, and that's exactly what the 24-year-old prospect needs at this point in his career.
Jorge Masvidal came into UFC 201 needing a win in the worst way.
After dropping back-to-back outings in a stretch where he'd lost three of his last four, Masvidal needed to turn things around in Atlanta. The American Top Team fighter's road to rebound seemed as it were only going to get rockier when his original opponent Siyar Baharazuda withdrew from their matchup with an illness two weeks out.
Ross Pearson agreed to take the fight, and Masvidal's date for redemption was back on the calendar. With the new matchup set many figured to see two strikers go head-to-head, and that's precisely how things played out on Saturday night.
Pearson attempted to press while Masvidal effectively countered his aggression with clean shots from the outside. After two rounds it was clear Masvidal had the advantage, and despite Pearson's best efforts to turn the tables, the clock would run out on The Ultimate Fighter winner.
Masvidal went to take a clean sweep on the judges' scorecards, and snap a two-fight skid in the process.
Despite his best intentions Anthony Hamilton's time in the UFC has been a mixed bag.
The veteran heavyweight has struggled to find traction since making his Octagon debut back in 2014, but the Jackson/Winkeljohn fighter was determined to turn things around against Damian Grabowski at UFC 201. Hamilton needed only 14 seconds to accomplish his mission.
https://twitter.com/MrMWellsArt/status/75954716723...
Grabowski was game to trade punches in the center of the cage, but it was an ill-fated decision as Hamilton melted him with a vicious barrage of heavy shots en route to picking up a much needed victory.
Ross Pearson just can't seem to find his place.
The scrappy Brit has been a staple in the UFC since winning season nine of The Ultimate Fighter back in 2009, but Pearson has struggled to find his footing over the past few years. Despite initially finding success as a lightweight, a tough run of losses led the Englishman to make the drop down to featherweight waters.
Pearson's time at 145 was short lived, and while he would eventually return to the lightweight ranks, the consistency he once enjoyed has escaped him.
After dropping a hard-fought unanimous decision against Will Brooks early in the month, the Team Alliance member decided to jump up a weight class to face Jorge Masvidal at UFC 201. While taking a bout against against a game opponent the likes of Masvidal was a risk in itself, putting himself in jeopardy of losing as more fights (three) than some fighters take in a calendar year was a dangerous move.
Unfortunately for Pearson the cards weren't in his favor.
Masvidal was able to dictate the range early and tagged Pearson with sharp counter punches from the get-go. Pearson did his best to pressure his way inside, but ate shot after shot for his troubles. The tide of the bout was ultimately turned in the second round when a heavy left hand from Masvidal folded Pearson to the canvas.
While Pearson's toughness enabled him to scrap out the second frame, the hole was simply too deep for him to climb out of. Masvidal would take the unanimous decision victory on the judges' scorecards, and Pearson is left to face the reality of having little to no traction in any weight class.
Another fighter who will find himself in some divisional trouble after UFC 201 is Matt Brown.
The Ohio-born brawler fought back from the brink of obscurity to become a major player in the 170-pound collective, but his elite status may be in jeopardy after being finished by Jake Ellenberger on Saturday night. Brown came into the bout having lost to Demian Maia in his most recent outing, and in the midst of a streak where he'd lost three of his last four.
Granted, those setbacks came against some of the best his weight class had to offer, but losses of any variety hurt in a division as competitive as the welterweight fold is.
In order to keep his position in the upper tier Brown needed a victory over Ellenberger, and he wasn't able to get it done. Ellenberger set the tone early by dropping Brown with the first big punch he unleashed, which sent The Ultimate Fighter alum scrambling to recover. And while Brown was able to get sturdy legs underneath him for a short time, a body kick from Ellenberger put him back on the mat and signaled the end of the fight.
Nevertheless, even though Brown may now be the one with his back against the wall going into his next showing, it's not a situation he's foreign to. Brown was in a similar rough spot back in 2011 before he ripped off seven-straight victories on a run that solidified him as one of the very best at 170 pounds. If it's possible Brown could very well find a way.
No one had a stranger experience at UFC 201 than Wilson Reis
The No. 1 contender in the flyweight ranks was initially slated to face pound-for-pound great Demetrious Johnson for the 125-pound strap in Atlanta. Reis' championship opportunity came via mixed circumstances as finding success in three of his last four showings inside the Octagon had an equal amount of play as Johnson cleaning out the flyweight ranks.
It was simply Reis' turn to take a shot at the king. And then it wasn't.
Johnson was injured in the lead up to the co-main event tilt, and just like that Reis saw his title opportunity go up in smoke. Yet, rather than get bumped off the card, Reis decided to take a fight against an unranked opponent in Hector Sandoval.
In an unfortunate turn of events, Reis went from the biggest fight of his career--a title shot on a pay-per-view card--to kicking off the FS2 portion of the undercard against a fighter without a Wikipedia page. That's a rough shake any way you cut it, and props to Reis for handling the shake up the way he did.
Where some fighters would have jumped out to ensure their title shot would remain intact, the 31-year-old Brazilian let those bad boys fly in Atlanta, and the Gods of Violence rewarded him for his valor.
Reis put Sandoval away in quick fashion just as he should have, and at least he'll be able to leave UFC 201 with a full payday in tow.
Taking a dive further into the rabbit hole at UFC 201 is where the final round between Erik Perez and Francisco Rivera can be found.
To make things clear, what transpired neither good nor bad, and that's why it registers in this curious category. Both Perez and Rivera brought plenty of aggression throughout the opening 10 minutes, with each finding pockets of success. In the back-and-forth fray, Perez was getting the better half of the exchanges, but it was perceived to be a fight Rivera could rally back and win.
That's why the opening 30 seconds of the final round was such a mind bender.
Following in the recent trend set by Hawaiian standout Max Holloway, both Perez and Rivera made a verbal agreement to do the most MMA thing in the world by standing and banging it out center cage. It was a flurry of leather and poor decision making as both men let everything they had fly with the worst of intentions. Rivera rocked Perez only to have "Goyito" return the favor moments later.
And just when it seemed as if an epic moment was unfolding before us, the energy deflated as the action hit the canvas where Perez rode out the majority of the time remaining. Had the ruckus transpired in the final 30 seconds we could have witnessed greatness, instead it was just strange.
Lengthy reigns from legendary fighters like Matt Hughes and Georges St-Pierre made the 170-pound strap iconic, not to mention one of the most impressive achievements in mixed martial arts. Where other belts seem to trade hands on a monthly basis, the welterweight title has never been one to be passed around.
While many figured St-Pierre's exit would lead to the divisional crown going on tour, Robbie Lawler had other plans. The resurgent champion has stamped an impressive reign all his own, and it's been one forged out of blood, sweat and sheer determination to succeed.
Prior to making his return to the UFC in 2013, there were few in the MMA world who hadn't written Lawler off, but he's spent the past three years silencing those critics. Lawler's reign atop the welterweight division has been nothing short of epic as he's notched back-to-back title defenses that will go down as two of the best fights in the history of the weight class.
Lawler came into UFC 201 looking to continue shaping his legacy of destruction by defeating Tyron Woodley in Atlanta.
The former Strikeforce title challenger and fellow American Top Team representative patiently waited for his title shot to materialize, and vowed to make the most of his long awaited opportunity to claim the 170-pound strap. In his pre-fight interviews Woodley signaled a change of season in the welterweight division, and proclaimed it was his time to reign.
And man oh man was he right.
Woodley spent the first part of the opening round feeling out the space between him and Lawler before unleashing a mega-watt right hand that folded the champion to the canvas. The punch was as brutal as it was clean, and just like that a new champion was crowned in Atlanta. It was an incredible finish for a fighter who called his shot every step of the way.
Let's take a look at the good, bad and strange from UFC 201
The Good
There is a new king of the UFC welterweight division.
When you take a look at the wars Robbie Lawler has endured and the durability the man possesses, the true scope of the shot Tyron Woodley landed at UFC 201 comes into focus. The former Strikeforce champion stalked the current UFC belt holder until he found the perfect window and let loose a devastating shot that leveled Lawler in an instant.
While some knockouts are considered to be of the "flash" variety, and fans complain fighters with proven toughness weren't allowed the proper time to defend themselves, there will be no such arguments after UFC 201. Woodley didn't squeak by to become the champion, he took the belt and did so in brutal fashion against an opponent who has built a career on ferocity.
Although Woodley will surely take time to enjoy the moment and the reality of what he achieved on Saturday night, there will be very little time for the new champion to get comfortable. There is a healthy list of potential contenders with the most prominent being Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson. That said, a showdown with Thompson will come soon enough, and for right now "The Chosen One" is the reigning king of the welterweight mountain.
There was a shot at gold on the line when Rose Namajunas and Karolina Kowalkiewicz stepped into the Octagon at UFC 201.
Both women had built a firm case for the right to fight Joanna Jedrzejczyk for the strawweight strap, but only one would earn the right to do so later in 2016. While Kowalkiewicz was still somewhat new to the brightest lights and the biggest moments, the Poland-born fighter looked like a savvy veteran as she went shot for shot with the former title challenger.
Namajunas had her moments early, but Kowalkiewicz returned fire at every turn. Furthermore, she was able to do some serious damage from inside the clinch with short punches and elbows when the fight was in close quarters. The end result was a split decision victory for Kowalkiewicz, and a stamped title opportunity to face her fellow countrywoman "Joanna Champion" before the year comes to a close.
No one needed a victory on Saturday night worse than Jake Ellenberger.
Where the Nebraska native was once one of the prominent players in the elite tier of the welterweight division, that status has waned in recent years. Ellenberger stumbled in one big fight after the next and just couldn't seem to find the groove that pushed him up the divisional ladder earlier in his career. The backslide was severe enough (lost five of his last six) where it seemed widely accepted a loss at UFC 201 could bring his time in the UFC to an end.
Ellenberger was determined to change courses and Matt Brown found out just how fiercely he could do so.
The Ohio native rushed out to take the center of the Octagon and was promptly returned to the corner from whence he came via a thunderous overhand right from Ellenberger. Although Brown was visibly hurt, he's as durable as they come in the fight game, and scrambled to get back to his feet.
It looked as if Ellenberger had blown out his gas tank trying to finish Brown early as "The Immortal" pressed forward landing several clean shots. In past fights where he hurt Martin Kampmann and more recently Stephen Thompson and let them recover, Ellenberger fading eventually led to his finish. That would not be the case at UFC 201.
Just as Brown closed in Ellenberger unleashed a perfectly placed liver kick that crumbled his opponent to the ground. He swarmed in was hammer-fists and the referee jumped in shortly thereafter. While Ellenberger's win over Brown on Saturday night may not be the biggest of his career, it certainly was one of the most important as it will allow him another night to dance inside the Octagon.
Nikita Krylov is knocking on the door to much bigger things in the light heavyweight division.
After dropping his divisional debut against Ovince Saint Preux at UFC 171 back in 2014, the Ukrainian has picked up five-straight victories inside the Octagon, and Ed Herman became the most recent addition to his resume on Saturday night in Atlanta.
Despite having moments of success, the seasoned veteran left himself wide open midway through the second round and Krylov capitalized on the mistake by planting a head kick clean on Herman's dome. The shot toppled The Ultimate Fighter alum to the canvas and the referee jumped in to wave off the action. It was a brutal kick and one that set social media on fire.
https://twitter.com/jeremybotter/status/7595645628...
With the win, Krylov adds to his current run, and will move closer to landing a coveted top 10 spot in the light heavyweight ranks. At the very least Krylov's recent success will ensure the opponents he faces will continue to have more established names, and that's exactly what the 24-year-old prospect needs at this point in his career.
Jorge Masvidal came into UFC 201 needing a win in the worst way.
After dropping back-to-back outings in a stretch where he'd lost three of his last four, Masvidal needed to turn things around in Atlanta. The American Top Team fighter's road to rebound seemed as it were only going to get rockier when his original opponent Siyar Baharazuda withdrew from their matchup with an illness two weeks out.
Ross Pearson agreed to take the fight, and Masvidal's date for redemption was back on the calendar. With the new matchup set many figured to see two strikers go head-to-head, and that's precisely how things played out on Saturday night.
Pearson attempted to press while Masvidal effectively countered his aggression with clean shots from the outside. After two rounds it was clear Masvidal had the advantage, and despite Pearson's best efforts to turn the tables, the clock would run out on The Ultimate Fighter winner.
Masvidal went to take a clean sweep on the judges' scorecards, and snap a two-fight skid in the process.
Despite his best intentions Anthony Hamilton's time in the UFC has been a mixed bag.
The veteran heavyweight has struggled to find traction since making his Octagon debut back in 2014, but the Jackson/Winkeljohn fighter was determined to turn things around against Damian Grabowski at UFC 201. Hamilton needed only 14 seconds to accomplish his mission.
https://twitter.com/MrMWellsArt/status/75954716723...
Grabowski was game to trade punches in the center of the cage, but it was an ill-fated decision as Hamilton melted him with a vicious barrage of heavy shots en route to picking up a much needed victory.
The Bad
Ross Pearson just can't seem to find his place.
The scrappy Brit has been a staple in the UFC since winning season nine of The Ultimate Fighter back in 2009, but Pearson has struggled to find his footing over the past few years. Despite initially finding success as a lightweight, a tough run of losses led the Englishman to make the drop down to featherweight waters.
Pearson's time at 145 was short lived, and while he would eventually return to the lightweight ranks, the consistency he once enjoyed has escaped him.
After dropping a hard-fought unanimous decision against Will Brooks early in the month, the Team Alliance member decided to jump up a weight class to face Jorge Masvidal at UFC 201. While taking a bout against against a game opponent the likes of Masvidal was a risk in itself, putting himself in jeopardy of losing as more fights (three) than some fighters take in a calendar year was a dangerous move.
Unfortunately for Pearson the cards weren't in his favor.
Masvidal was able to dictate the range early and tagged Pearson with sharp counter punches from the get-go. Pearson did his best to pressure his way inside, but ate shot after shot for his troubles. The tide of the bout was ultimately turned in the second round when a heavy left hand from Masvidal folded Pearson to the canvas.
While Pearson's toughness enabled him to scrap out the second frame, the hole was simply too deep for him to climb out of. Masvidal would take the unanimous decision victory on the judges' scorecards, and Pearson is left to face the reality of having little to no traction in any weight class.
Another fighter who will find himself in some divisional trouble after UFC 201 is Matt Brown.
The Ohio-born brawler fought back from the brink of obscurity to become a major player in the 170-pound collective, but his elite status may be in jeopardy after being finished by Jake Ellenberger on Saturday night. Brown came into the bout having lost to Demian Maia in his most recent outing, and in the midst of a streak where he'd lost three of his last four.
Granted, those setbacks came against some of the best his weight class had to offer, but losses of any variety hurt in a division as competitive as the welterweight fold is.
In order to keep his position in the upper tier Brown needed a victory over Ellenberger, and he wasn't able to get it done. Ellenberger set the tone early by dropping Brown with the first big punch he unleashed, which sent The Ultimate Fighter alum scrambling to recover. And while Brown was able to get sturdy legs underneath him for a short time, a body kick from Ellenberger put him back on the mat and signaled the end of the fight.
Nevertheless, even though Brown may now be the one with his back against the wall going into his next showing, it's not a situation he's foreign to. Brown was in a similar rough spot back in 2011 before he ripped off seven-straight victories on a run that solidified him as one of the very best at 170 pounds. If it's possible Brown could very well find a way.
The Strange
No one had a stranger experience at UFC 201 than Wilson Reis
The No. 1 contender in the flyweight ranks was initially slated to face pound-for-pound great Demetrious Johnson for the 125-pound strap in Atlanta. Reis' championship opportunity came via mixed circumstances as finding success in three of his last four showings inside the Octagon had an equal amount of play as Johnson cleaning out the flyweight ranks.
It was simply Reis' turn to take a shot at the king. And then it wasn't.
Johnson was injured in the lead up to the co-main event tilt, and just like that Reis saw his title opportunity go up in smoke. Yet, rather than get bumped off the card, Reis decided to take a fight against an unranked opponent in Hector Sandoval.
In an unfortunate turn of events, Reis went from the biggest fight of his career--a title shot on a pay-per-view card--to kicking off the FS2 portion of the undercard against a fighter without a Wikipedia page. That's a rough shake any way you cut it, and props to Reis for handling the shake up the way he did.
Where some fighters would have jumped out to ensure their title shot would remain intact, the 31-year-old Brazilian let those bad boys fly in Atlanta, and the Gods of Violence rewarded him for his valor.
Reis put Sandoval away in quick fashion just as he should have, and at least he'll be able to leave UFC 201 with a full payday in tow.
Taking a dive further into the rabbit hole at UFC 201 is where the final round between Erik Perez and Francisco Rivera can be found.
To make things clear, what transpired neither good nor bad, and that's why it registers in this curious category. Both Perez and Rivera brought plenty of aggression throughout the opening 10 minutes, with each finding pockets of success. In the back-and-forth fray, Perez was getting the better half of the exchanges, but it was perceived to be a fight Rivera could rally back and win.
That's why the opening 30 seconds of the final round was such a mind bender.
Following in the recent trend set by Hawaiian standout Max Holloway, both Perez and Rivera made a verbal agreement to do the most MMA thing in the world by standing and banging it out center cage. It was a flurry of leather and poor decision making as both men let everything they had fly with the worst of intentions. Rivera rocked Perez only to have "Goyito" return the favor moments later.
And just when it seemed as if an epic moment was unfolding before us, the energy deflated as the action hit the canvas where Perez rode out the majority of the time remaining. Had the ruckus transpired in the final 30 seconds we could have witnessed greatness, instead it was just strange.