The Good, Bad and Strange from UFC 205
The Good, Bad and Strange from UFC 205
Irish superstar Conor McGregor shined under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden at UFC 205
It just doesn't get bigger than Madison Square Garden.
On Saturday night at UFC 205 in New York City, the most prominent promotion in mixed martial arts made its official debut in the Big Apple. In addition to putting together the most stacked card in their 23-year history, the UFC tapped it's current megastar Conor McGregor to headline the event.
The reigning featherweight champion, and the roving circus that follows, descended upon New York City for fight week in the lead up to the Irishman's go at history against lightweight titleholder Eddie Alvarez. McGregor had his sights set on claiming a second belt while Alvarez stood to derail the 'Conor McGregor Show' on the sport's biggest stage.
There were plenty of heated exchanges in the lead up to their collision at UFC 205, which built nicely towards one of the biggest fights in UFC history. And while Alvarez held his own in the verbal exchanges, many wondered if the 155-pound champion could hold his own when it mattered most. McGregor was just too much.
McGregor wobbled or dropped Alvarez with nearly everything he threw and took zero damage in the process. There were several moments where it seemed the fight would be over in the first, but the lightweight champion managed to survive the opening frame.
That wouldn't be the case in the second.
The brash Irishman finished what he set out to do by finishing Alvarez with a crisp combination in the second round to become the first two-divisional champion in UFC history. Flat out amazing.
While the main event took the lion's share of attention at UFC 205, two other title fights and a host of other badass matchups made for a crazy night of action inside the Madison Square Garden. Let's take a look at the good, band and strange from Saturday night in New York City.
The Good
Conor McGregor has officially elevated to a new level of stardom.
The fast-talking Irish phenom built his name off calling his own shots and on Saturday night in New York City, McGregor turned a historic night for the UFC into his own historic showcase. The reigning featherweight champion slugged and battered lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez from pillar to post until finally putting the Philadelphia native away with a crisp combination early in the second round.
It was simply a flawless performance by McGregor as he made a savvy veteran look as if he had zero business being inside the Octagon with him. That said, McGregor claiming a second title will take his mega-watt status to an entirely new level.
The UFC is entering a time when viable stars are at an all-time low, and McGregor is shinning so bright no one can tell the difference. Everything the man touches turns to gold or goes to sleep violently, and this makes him an interesting beast in the high stakes world of the fight game. There's nothing I can say here that McGregor won't tell you himself, but his show is absolutely the biggest show rolling.
Whether McGregor decides to take a break from fighting, jumps right back into fighting to defend one of his belts or plans to invade another weight class, the world will absolutely be watching. And rightfully so.
Joanna Jedrzejczyk has ruled the women's strawweight division with technical dominance. Violent and technical dominance.
The scrappy champion has steamrolled the majority of her competition under the UFC banner, but her fellow countrywoman Karolina Kowalkiewicz was figured to be a stern test to her reign. And that's exactly what happened.
Although Jedrzejczyk dominated the bout with volume and aggression, the title challenger proved to be tough as nails as she hung in through three rough frames. Kowalkiewicz landed a huge right hand counter in the fourth that put Joanna Champion in more trouble than she'd seen in quite some time. Nevertheless, Jedrzejczyk is also as tough as they come and she battled back in every exchange.
The championship rounds saw the action hit with force as both champion and challenger slung leather with the worst of intentions turning the first UFC title tilt in New York into a firefight.
When the final bell sounded it was Jedrzejczyk's hand that was raised, but Kowalkiewicz has nothing to hang her head about. The two Polish representatives put on one hell of a fight at UFC 205, and represented their country impressively.
Yoel Romero has put himself at the front of the pack for a shot at the middleweight title.
The Cuban-born powerhouse leveled Chris Weidman in the third round of their tilt at UFC 205, and put a brutal stamp on his place in the title picture at 185 pounds. Romero bounced back from a sluggish opening round to control the action in the second, which created a scenario where the final frame would decide the outcome. Romero wasn't willing to take it to the judges.
The former Olympian timed a Weidman shot perfectly and placed a flying knee firmly on the side of Weidman's head. As the former champion hit the canvas, Romero unloaded numerous shots that forced the referee to jump in and end the fight. The stunned crowd in New York City watched as a puddle of blood gushed out of the Long Island native's head and Romero did his signature salute to the onlookers.
Following his victory, Romero had some choice words for current champion Michael Bisping who was standing in the Fox Sports 1 booth on the deck above. Bisping flipped Romero a pair of middle fingers while the American Top Team fighter continued to shout on the microphone. There is nothing official set just yet, but Joe Rogan alluded to Romero being next in line for a shot at the strap.
Romero later confirmed backstage nothing has been officially offered by the UFC in regard to a title shot, but was adamant a fight against Bisping is what needs to happen next.
Nov 12, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Frankie Edgar (red gloves) fights against Jeremy Stephens (blue gloves) during UFC 205 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
Frankie Edgar has always dreamed of fighting at Madison Square Garden. And on Saturday night at UFC 205, the fighting pride of Toms River, New Jersey made his dream come true in a very big way.
Fresh off his loss to Jose Aldo at UFC 200 back in July, the former lightweight champion turned featherweight contender was determined to get back into the win column. Standing between him and that goal was hard-hitting veteran Jeremy Stephens, who was guaranteed to provide a stern test for Edgar. Sure enough, the fight was exactly as projected.
The two scrappy veterans engaged in a full-throttled scrap that used up every second of the 15-minute affair. Edgar used his movement and wrestling to keep Stephens at bay throughout the opening round, and appeared to be doing more of the same until a Stephens headkick dropped him to the mat midway through the second frame. Stephens swarmed to capitalize, but the battle-savvy Edgar used angles to make space and recovery time.
And that's where the signature Edgar came to life.
Although he was badly hurt, the 35-year-old former titleholder turned the tides with a perfectly timed takedown. Edgar put Stephens on his back and finished the round dropping bombs from the full mount.
The final round saw Edgar return to his original game plan as me mixed in strikes and takedowns with efficiency. The final result was a unanimous decision victory that will return Edgar to the heated title race that has been raging through the featherweight division for the past two years. And that's exactly where Edgar wants to be.
Nov 12, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Khabib Nurmagomedov (red gloves) fights Michael Johnson (blue gloves) during UFC 205 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
Khabib Nurmadomedov had quite the roller coaster experience leading into UFC 205.
The undefeated grappling machine was initially rumored to face Eddie Alvarez for the lightweight title, and when Conor McGregor was announced in his spot all could have gone south. Nurmagomedov was undoubtedly upset with how the scenario unfolded, but a matchup against Michael Johnson gave him the opportunity to lock an official spot on the card.
With Tony Ferguson's current run up the divisional rankings, Nurmagomedov needed a strong performance on Saturday night. And things weren't looking good for the Dagestan-born fighter in the early goings.
Johnson's speed and output baffled Nurmagomedov in the first half of the opening round. The Blackzilians fighter wobbled Nurmagomedov with a quick combination and it looked as if the upset would materialize.
Strangely enough, the punches seemed to snap Nurmagomedov back to life.
After putting Johnson up against the cage, Nurmagomedov used his wrestling to put The Ultimate Fighter alum in the worst of positions. Once on top, Nurmagomedov punished Johnson with huge shots and a brutal ground and pound attack.
This process would repeat for the next 12 minutes until Nurmagomedov latched onto a kimura that forced Johnson to verbally submit. And while his performance in the fight was top notch, Nurmagomedov wasn't quite finished. The 28-year-old beast used his post-fight microphone time to throw out some cold numbers and put Conor McGregor and the Irish contingent on blast.
It's safe to say "The Eagle" has returned with force.
Nov 12, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Tim Boetsch (blue gloves) fights Rafael Natal (red gloves) during UFC 205 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
Tim Boetsch is back to his barbaric ways.
The middleweight staple snapped a three-fight skid back in July with a victory over Josh Samman, then took another step back to form on Saturday night at UFC 205.
The 185-pound powerhouse folded savvy veteran Rafael Natal in quick fashion as a big right hand found its mark on the Brazilian's chin. Natal hit the canvas and ate two more nasty shots before the referee stepped in to stop the action. It was an impressive bit of quick work for Boetsch, and another move away from the brink of obscurity where he stood not too long ago.
With Boetsch back in the middleweight mix there are plenty of interesting matchups waiting for him in 2017.
Nov 12, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Jim Miller (red gloves) fights Thiago Alves (blue gloves) during UFC 205 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
It wasn't long ago Jim Miller's days as an elite lightweight looked all but finished.
The New Jersey native had spent the better part of a decade as one of the best 155-pound fighters in the world, but a lengthy bout with Lyme disease which produced a rough stretch inside the cage, not only put Miller's upper-tier status in jeopardy, but his very career as well.
And while Miller's 2015 campaign was filled with adversity and setbacks, his current run has been focused on making up lost ground. The Sparta native had won back-to-back bouts coming into his fight against Thiago Alves on Saturday night, and Miller notched a third-straight win in New York City.
Miller outworked the former welterweight title challenger with solid striking and strong wrestling en route to picking up a unanimous decision on the judges' scorecards. It was another gritty performance for a fighter who has made a career churning them out, and Miller's win should have made him the most successful fighter in the history of the UFC's lightweight division.
Nevertheless, the historic moment will have to wait. Alves missed weight and the the bout took place at 163 pounds, which will not go down as an official lightweight win on Miller's record.
Nov 12, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Vicente Luque (red gloves) knocks out Belal Muhammad (blue gloves) during UFC 205 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
There were stars up and down the lineup at UFC 205, and Vicente Luque wasn't high on the list of media attention. That will change after Saturday night.
The 24-year-old New Jersey native scored the first big moment of the event by starching Belal Muhammad on the preliminary portion of the card. Luque landed a crisp counter left that dropped Muhammad, then The Ultimate Fighter alum finished off the bout by dropping several hard shots that stole his opponent's consciousness.
That's capitalizing on the biggest moment in the biggest way possible. Kudos Luque.
It's crazy to say but there wasn't really all too much material for this particular category from UFC 205. Kelvin Gastelum missed weight and UFC President Dana White said he'll never fight at welterweight again, but when it comes to the action that went down on Saturday night, there weren't all too many missteps.
Chris Weidman certainly owned one of them.
Not only did the Long Island native suffer a brutal knockout in front of a home state crowd at the hands and knee of Yoel Romero, but the former champion suffered his second-straight loss in the process. The former middleweight king came into UFC 205 looking to erase the image of his rag-dolling at the hands of Luke Rockhold last December, and appeared to be working an effective game plan after the first round concluded.
Nov 12, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Yoel Romero (blue gloves) fights Chris Weidman (red gloves) during UFC 205 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
Romero would find his footing in the second and used his power-wrestling attack to control the action throughout the frame. It was anyone's fight going into the final stanza, but a huge flying knee from Romero put Weidman flat on the deck. Blood immediately began to gush from the top of his head as Romero planted a few extra shots to solidify the victory.
The Madison Square Garden crowd sat stunned while the former Olympian ran around the outside of the cage saluting the audience. It took a few moments for Weidman to get back to his feet, but the reality of what went down at UFC 205 will take hold in the coming weeks.
While there was a period of time where Weidman appeared to be settling in for a lengthy run as 185-pound king, recent outcomes suggest Weidman needs to change some things.
Miesha Tate changed her career path at UFC 205..
In all fairness the former women's bantamweight champion fought a tough fight against a hard-nosed competitor, but Tate suffering her second consecutive loss won't serve her profile all too well. Tate has long held status as one of the elite female fighters at 135 pounds, but back-to-back setbacks and being bested by Raquel Pennington would have knocked her out of title talk for quite some time. That said, Tate took herself out of far more at UFC 205.
While many figured Tate would be too versatile for The Ultimate Fighter alum, Pennington outworked her former coach from all angles. Tate simply had no answers for anything Pennington brought to the table, and found herself in bad positions early and often. Pennington continued to apply the pressure, and Tate pressed on, but it was all "Rocky" when the fight was said and done.
When the fight ended questions immediately began to swirl regarding Tate's elite status, but she used her post-fight interview to give a definitive answer to that question. Speaking with Joe Rogan, the 30-year-old Xtreme Couture product announced her retirement from MMA.
Tate confirmed she still had love for the sport, and it was her sluggish performance that led to her decision, but also shared her belief it was no longer her time.
It's unclear weather or not Tate will follow through with her retirement once things calm down in the aftermath of UFC 205, but if she's truly ready to walk away then good for her.
Tate has been one of the most popular figures in MMA over the past five years, and she's done her part to move things ahead for the future of WMMA.
A week filled with fur coats, chair grabs and fighters missing weight like nobody's business there just isn't enough room to cover all the strangeness that occurred. But we'll sure try.
Once the official lineup for the event was announced the star-studded card seemed too good to be true. Lord Chaos has reigned supreme in 2016, and the promotion's initial offering in New York City seemed to be the perfect lure for heartbreak.
Nevertheless, fight week arrived, and having only lost one bout from the billing, the biggest card in UFC history appeared as if it would go off without a hitch.
Nope.
The fight between Rashad Evans and Tim Kennedy was scratched then moved to UFC 206 due to the former champion being denied a fight license by the New York commission. And while that turn of events chipped away at the star power on the ticket for Madison Square Garden, the official weigh-ins on Friday morning brought chaos front and center.
For the first time in his storied career Jim Miller was forced to gain weight when his opponent Thiago Alves missed the mark. Miller was lucky enough to be informed Alves wouldn't come in on weight and was able to get within the five pound allowance given by the state athletic commission. Donald Cerrone was not that lucky.
The Jackson/Winkeljohn product stepped on the scale to make his weight official and shortly after was told Kelvin Gastelum would not be making the weight. The bout was cancelled shortly after, which spoiled Cerrone's dream of fighting under the bright lights at Madison Square Garden.
Fortunately Cerrone won't have to wait long as he was tapped to face Matt Brown at UFC 206 in Toronto on Dec. 10, but having Cowboy do his thing in NYC held solid appeal for fight fans tuning in.
Funny enough, once the card officially got underway on Saturday night, there wasn't a ton of weirdness to be had. The action rolled on seamlessly with bodies hitting the floor at a solid clip. Even the fights that did not end in a finish produced plenty of excitement, which made for a solid night for the passionate fans watching the historic event.
Therefore, the fact UFC 205 actually delivered was perhaps the strangest element of all. Then Bruce Buffer went full Steve Harvey.
[tweet url="https://twitter.com/FXQueenBee/status/797682039516528640" hide_media="0" hide_thread="1"]
Following an excellent back and forth between Tyron Woodley and Stephen Thompson for the welterweight strap in the co-main event, the longtime announcer took a brief exit from the cage. Confusion hung in the air for a bit, then evaporated for a moment when Buffer read the scorecards. Buffer read the judges' scores of 47-47, 47-47 and 48-47 with one judge seeing the bout for Woodley. He then proceeded to announce the 170-pound champion as the winner and the celebration began.
Woodley started his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan, but an abrupt stop brought the confusion back with force. Rogan received word the decision had been read wrong and collected the fighters to do a proper correction that the fight had been ruled a majority draw. The Garden filled with boos and Woodley seemed baffled by the situation.
Rogan explained he would still retain the welterweight crown, but there would be no official victory to be had. Social media naturally erupted in the fashion only Twitter can, and UFC 205's strangest moment reached full glory.
On Saturday night at UFC 205 in New York City, the most prominent promotion in mixed martial arts made its official debut in the Big Apple. In addition to putting together the most stacked card in their 23-year history, the UFC tapped it's current megastar Conor McGregor to headline the event.
The reigning featherweight champion, and the roving circus that follows, descended upon New York City for fight week in the lead up to the Irishman's go at history against lightweight titleholder Eddie Alvarez. McGregor had his sights set on claiming a second belt while Alvarez stood to derail the 'Conor McGregor Show' on the sport's biggest stage.
There were plenty of heated exchanges in the lead up to their collision at UFC 205, which built nicely towards one of the biggest fights in UFC history. And while Alvarez held his own in the verbal exchanges, many wondered if the 155-pound champion could hold his own when it mattered most. McGregor was just too much.
McGregor wobbled or dropped Alvarez with nearly everything he threw and took zero damage in the process. There were several moments where it seemed the fight would be over in the first, but the lightweight champion managed to survive the opening frame.
That wouldn't be the case in the second.
The brash Irishman finished what he set out to do by finishing Alvarez with a crisp combination in the second round to become the first two-divisional champion in UFC history. Flat out amazing.
While the main event took the lion's share of attention at UFC 205, two other title fights and a host of other badass matchups made for a crazy night of action inside the Madison Square Garden. Let's take a look at the good, band and strange from Saturday night in New York City.
The Good
Conor McGregor has officially elevated to a new level of stardom.
The fast-talking Irish phenom built his name off calling his own shots and on Saturday night in New York City, McGregor turned a historic night for the UFC into his own historic showcase. The reigning featherweight champion slugged and battered lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez from pillar to post until finally putting the Philadelphia native away with a crisp combination early in the second round.
It was simply a flawless performance by McGregor as he made a savvy veteran look as if he had zero business being inside the Octagon with him. That said, McGregor claiming a second title will take his mega-watt status to an entirely new level.
The UFC is entering a time when viable stars are at an all-time low, and McGregor is shinning so bright no one can tell the difference. Everything the man touches turns to gold or goes to sleep violently, and this makes him an interesting beast in the high stakes world of the fight game. There's nothing I can say here that McGregor won't tell you himself, but his show is absolutely the biggest show rolling.
Whether McGregor decides to take a break from fighting, jumps right back into fighting to defend one of his belts or plans to invade another weight class, the world will absolutely be watching. And rightfully so.
Joanna Jedrzejczyk has ruled the women's strawweight division with technical dominance. Violent and technical dominance.
The scrappy champion has steamrolled the majority of her competition under the UFC banner, but her fellow countrywoman Karolina Kowalkiewicz was figured to be a stern test to her reign. And that's exactly what happened.
Although Jedrzejczyk dominated the bout with volume and aggression, the title challenger proved to be tough as nails as she hung in through three rough frames. Kowalkiewicz landed a huge right hand counter in the fourth that put Joanna Champion in more trouble than she'd seen in quite some time. Nevertheless, Jedrzejczyk is also as tough as they come and she battled back in every exchange.
The championship rounds saw the action hit with force as both champion and challenger slung leather with the worst of intentions turning the first UFC title tilt in New York into a firefight.
When the final bell sounded it was Jedrzejczyk's hand that was raised, but Kowalkiewicz has nothing to hang her head about. The two Polish representatives put on one hell of a fight at UFC 205, and represented their country impressively.
Yoel Romero has put himself at the front of the pack for a shot at the middleweight title.
The Cuban-born powerhouse leveled Chris Weidman in the third round of their tilt at UFC 205, and put a brutal stamp on his place in the title picture at 185 pounds. Romero bounced back from a sluggish opening round to control the action in the second, which created a scenario where the final frame would decide the outcome. Romero wasn't willing to take it to the judges.
The former Olympian timed a Weidman shot perfectly and placed a flying knee firmly on the side of Weidman's head. As the former champion hit the canvas, Romero unloaded numerous shots that forced the referee to jump in and end the fight. The stunned crowd in New York City watched as a puddle of blood gushed out of the Long Island native's head and Romero did his signature salute to the onlookers.
Following his victory, Romero had some choice words for current champion Michael Bisping who was standing in the Fox Sports 1 booth on the deck above. Bisping flipped Romero a pair of middle fingers while the American Top Team fighter continued to shout on the microphone. There is nothing official set just yet, but Joe Rogan alluded to Romero being next in line for a shot at the strap.
Romero later confirmed backstage nothing has been officially offered by the UFC in regard to a title shot, but was adamant a fight against Bisping is what needs to happen next.
Nov 12, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Frankie Edgar (red gloves) fights against Jeremy Stephens (blue gloves) during UFC 205 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
Frankie Edgar has always dreamed of fighting at Madison Square Garden. And on Saturday night at UFC 205, the fighting pride of Toms River, New Jersey made his dream come true in a very big way.
Fresh off his loss to Jose Aldo at UFC 200 back in July, the former lightweight champion turned featherweight contender was determined to get back into the win column. Standing between him and that goal was hard-hitting veteran Jeremy Stephens, who was guaranteed to provide a stern test for Edgar. Sure enough, the fight was exactly as projected.
The two scrappy veterans engaged in a full-throttled scrap that used up every second of the 15-minute affair. Edgar used his movement and wrestling to keep Stephens at bay throughout the opening round, and appeared to be doing more of the same until a Stephens headkick dropped him to the mat midway through the second frame. Stephens swarmed to capitalize, but the battle-savvy Edgar used angles to make space and recovery time.
And that's where the signature Edgar came to life.
Although he was badly hurt, the 35-year-old former titleholder turned the tides with a perfectly timed takedown. Edgar put Stephens on his back and finished the round dropping bombs from the full mount.
The final round saw Edgar return to his original game plan as me mixed in strikes and takedowns with efficiency. The final result was a unanimous decision victory that will return Edgar to the heated title race that has been raging through the featherweight division for the past two years. And that's exactly where Edgar wants to be.
Nov 12, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Khabib Nurmagomedov (red gloves) fights Michael Johnson (blue gloves) during UFC 205 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
Khabib Nurmadomedov had quite the roller coaster experience leading into UFC 205.
The undefeated grappling machine was initially rumored to face Eddie Alvarez for the lightweight title, and when Conor McGregor was announced in his spot all could have gone south. Nurmagomedov was undoubtedly upset with how the scenario unfolded, but a matchup against Michael Johnson gave him the opportunity to lock an official spot on the card.
With Tony Ferguson's current run up the divisional rankings, Nurmagomedov needed a strong performance on Saturday night. And things weren't looking good for the Dagestan-born fighter in the early goings.
Johnson's speed and output baffled Nurmagomedov in the first half of the opening round. The Blackzilians fighter wobbled Nurmagomedov with a quick combination and it looked as if the upset would materialize.
Strangely enough, the punches seemed to snap Nurmagomedov back to life.
After putting Johnson up against the cage, Nurmagomedov used his wrestling to put The Ultimate Fighter alum in the worst of positions. Once on top, Nurmagomedov punished Johnson with huge shots and a brutal ground and pound attack.
This process would repeat for the next 12 minutes until Nurmagomedov latched onto a kimura that forced Johnson to verbally submit. And while his performance in the fight was top notch, Nurmagomedov wasn't quite finished. The 28-year-old beast used his post-fight microphone time to throw out some cold numbers and put Conor McGregor and the Irish contingent on blast.
It's safe to say "The Eagle" has returned with force.
Nov 12, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Tim Boetsch (blue gloves) fights Rafael Natal (red gloves) during UFC 205 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
Tim Boetsch is back to his barbaric ways.
The middleweight staple snapped a three-fight skid back in July with a victory over Josh Samman, then took another step back to form on Saturday night at UFC 205.
The 185-pound powerhouse folded savvy veteran Rafael Natal in quick fashion as a big right hand found its mark on the Brazilian's chin. Natal hit the canvas and ate two more nasty shots before the referee stepped in to stop the action. It was an impressive bit of quick work for Boetsch, and another move away from the brink of obscurity where he stood not too long ago.
With Boetsch back in the middleweight mix there are plenty of interesting matchups waiting for him in 2017.
Nov 12, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Jim Miller (red gloves) fights Thiago Alves (blue gloves) during UFC 205 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
It wasn't long ago Jim Miller's days as an elite lightweight looked all but finished.
The New Jersey native had spent the better part of a decade as one of the best 155-pound fighters in the world, but a lengthy bout with Lyme disease which produced a rough stretch inside the cage, not only put Miller's upper-tier status in jeopardy, but his very career as well.
And while Miller's 2015 campaign was filled with adversity and setbacks, his current run has been focused on making up lost ground. The Sparta native had won back-to-back bouts coming into his fight against Thiago Alves on Saturday night, and Miller notched a third-straight win in New York City.
Miller outworked the former welterweight title challenger with solid striking and strong wrestling en route to picking up a unanimous decision on the judges' scorecards. It was another gritty performance for a fighter who has made a career churning them out, and Miller's win should have made him the most successful fighter in the history of the UFC's lightweight division.
Nevertheless, the historic moment will have to wait. Alves missed weight and the the bout took place at 163 pounds, which will not go down as an official lightweight win on Miller's record.
Nov 12, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Vicente Luque (red gloves) knocks out Belal Muhammad (blue gloves) during UFC 205 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
There were stars up and down the lineup at UFC 205, and Vicente Luque wasn't high on the list of media attention. That will change after Saturday night.
The 24-year-old New Jersey native scored the first big moment of the event by starching Belal Muhammad on the preliminary portion of the card. Luque landed a crisp counter left that dropped Muhammad, then The Ultimate Fighter alum finished off the bout by dropping several hard shots that stole his opponent's consciousness.
That's capitalizing on the biggest moment in the biggest way possible. Kudos Luque.
The Bad
It's crazy to say but there wasn't really all too much material for this particular category from UFC 205. Kelvin Gastelum missed weight and UFC President Dana White said he'll never fight at welterweight again, but when it comes to the action that went down on Saturday night, there weren't all too many missteps.
Chris Weidman certainly owned one of them.
Not only did the Long Island native suffer a brutal knockout in front of a home state crowd at the hands and knee of Yoel Romero, but the former champion suffered his second-straight loss in the process. The former middleweight king came into UFC 205 looking to erase the image of his rag-dolling at the hands of Luke Rockhold last December, and appeared to be working an effective game plan after the first round concluded.
Nov 12, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Yoel Romero (blue gloves) fights Chris Weidman (red gloves) during UFC 205 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
Romero would find his footing in the second and used his power-wrestling attack to control the action throughout the frame. It was anyone's fight going into the final stanza, but a huge flying knee from Romero put Weidman flat on the deck. Blood immediately began to gush from the top of his head as Romero planted a few extra shots to solidify the victory.
The Madison Square Garden crowd sat stunned while the former Olympian ran around the outside of the cage saluting the audience. It took a few moments for Weidman to get back to his feet, but the reality of what went down at UFC 205 will take hold in the coming weeks.
While there was a period of time where Weidman appeared to be settling in for a lengthy run as 185-pound king, recent outcomes suggest Weidman needs to change some things.
Miesha Tate changed her career path at UFC 205..
In all fairness the former women's bantamweight champion fought a tough fight against a hard-nosed competitor, but Tate suffering her second consecutive loss won't serve her profile all too well. Tate has long held status as one of the elite female fighters at 135 pounds, but back-to-back setbacks and being bested by Raquel Pennington would have knocked her out of title talk for quite some time. That said, Tate took herself out of far more at UFC 205.
While many figured Tate would be too versatile for The Ultimate Fighter alum, Pennington outworked her former coach from all angles. Tate simply had no answers for anything Pennington brought to the table, and found herself in bad positions early and often. Pennington continued to apply the pressure, and Tate pressed on, but it was all "Rocky" when the fight was said and done.
When the fight ended questions immediately began to swirl regarding Tate's elite status, but she used her post-fight interview to give a definitive answer to that question. Speaking with Joe Rogan, the 30-year-old Xtreme Couture product announced her retirement from MMA.
Tate confirmed she still had love for the sport, and it was her sluggish performance that led to her decision, but also shared her belief it was no longer her time.
It's unclear weather or not Tate will follow through with her retirement once things calm down in the aftermath of UFC 205, but if she's truly ready to walk away then good for her.
Tate has been one of the most popular figures in MMA over the past five years, and she's done her part to move things ahead for the future of WMMA.
The Strange
A week filled with fur coats, chair grabs and fighters missing weight like nobody's business there just isn't enough room to cover all the strangeness that occurred. But we'll sure try.
Once the official lineup for the event was announced the star-studded card seemed too good to be true. Lord Chaos has reigned supreme in 2016, and the promotion's initial offering in New York City seemed to be the perfect lure for heartbreak.
Nevertheless, fight week arrived, and having only lost one bout from the billing, the biggest card in UFC history appeared as if it would go off without a hitch.
Nope.
The fight between Rashad Evans and Tim Kennedy was scratched then moved to UFC 206 due to the former champion being denied a fight license by the New York commission. And while that turn of events chipped away at the star power on the ticket for Madison Square Garden, the official weigh-ins on Friday morning brought chaos front and center.
For the first time in his storied career Jim Miller was forced to gain weight when his opponent Thiago Alves missed the mark. Miller was lucky enough to be informed Alves wouldn't come in on weight and was able to get within the five pound allowance given by the state athletic commission. Donald Cerrone was not that lucky.
The Jackson/Winkeljohn product stepped on the scale to make his weight official and shortly after was told Kelvin Gastelum would not be making the weight. The bout was cancelled shortly after, which spoiled Cerrone's dream of fighting under the bright lights at Madison Square Garden.
Fortunately Cerrone won't have to wait long as he was tapped to face Matt Brown at UFC 206 in Toronto on Dec. 10, but having Cowboy do his thing in NYC held solid appeal for fight fans tuning in.
Funny enough, once the card officially got underway on Saturday night, there wasn't a ton of weirdness to be had. The action rolled on seamlessly with bodies hitting the floor at a solid clip. Even the fights that did not end in a finish produced plenty of excitement, which made for a solid night for the passionate fans watching the historic event.
Therefore, the fact UFC 205 actually delivered was perhaps the strangest element of all. Then Bruce Buffer went full Steve Harvey.
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Following an excellent back and forth between Tyron Woodley and Stephen Thompson for the welterweight strap in the co-main event, the longtime announcer took a brief exit from the cage. Confusion hung in the air for a bit, then evaporated for a moment when Buffer read the scorecards. Buffer read the judges' scores of 47-47, 47-47 and 48-47 with one judge seeing the bout for Woodley. He then proceeded to announce the 170-pound champion as the winner and the celebration began.
Woodley started his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan, but an abrupt stop brought the confusion back with force. Rogan received word the decision had been read wrong and collected the fighters to do a proper correction that the fight had been ruled a majority draw. The Garden filled with boos and Woodley seemed baffled by the situation.
Rogan explained he would still retain the welterweight crown, but there would be no official victory to be had. Social media naturally erupted in the fashion only Twitter can, and UFC 205's strangest moment reached full glory.