Photo Credit: Esther Lin (MMA Fighting)
By: Chris Huntemann, Columnist
The feeling you experience after eating a deluxe, five-course meal – or even your Mom’s home cooking – is hard to describe. The easiest way to explain it is satisfaction. You don’t feel you can eat any better than you just did. That was the feeling after watching UFC 178 last night. You felt satisfied. It was described as the most stacked card in recent memory, and it didn’t disappoint. From the preliminary fights to the main event, each bout delivered on its promise, with even some good old-fashioned controversy thrown in for good measure.
So, what can we expect from some of the bigger names involved in last night’s action going forward?
Dominick “The Dominator” Cruz (19-1) def. Takeya Mizugaki (20-8-2) via first-round TKO (Bantamweight – 135 lbs.) Layoff? What layoff? Dominick Cruz looked like he never spent time on the sideline in making very short work of an always dangerous Takeya Mizugaki. The quick first-round TKO guarantees Cruz a title shot against bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw, and an opportunity for Cruz to regain the belt he never lost. UFC President Dana White said as much during the post-fight coverage. Of course, it wouldn’t be Dominick Cruz if his beef with Urijah Faber wasn’t resurrected also. The trash talk between the two sparked anew last night, and hopefully those two complete their trilogy sooner rather than later.
Cat “Alpha” Zingano (9-0) def. Amanda “The Lioness” Nunes (9-4) via third-round TKO (Women’s Bantamweight – 135 lbs.) Speaking of bantamweight title shots, the no. 1 contender in the women’s bantamweight division is also set. Cat Zingano weathered an early assault from Amanda Nunes to achieve a third-round finish and a title shot early next year against champion Ronda Rousey. I thought Zingano made a mistake in the first round by staying on her back when she could have stood up, and Nunes made her pay with some vicious ground-and-pound and a near finish. But, Zingano emerged in the second and third rounds to take control and unleash some ground-and-pound of her own on Nunes to get the duke. Zingano also made her feelings clear to Dana White after the fight, shouting her desire for a title shot in his direction. I can’t say I blame her. I understand UFC’s flirtation with Gina Carano, though she seems perfectly content with her Hollywood career. I’ve said to anyone who would listen that I don’t think Rousey will ever lose. I don’t know if Zingano can make me change my mind, but I do think her skills can possibly make her the first one to take Rousey into the deep rounds when their title fight happens.
Yoel “Soldier of God” Romero (8-1) def. Tim Kennedy (19-5) via third-round TKO (Middleweight – 185 lbs.) This is where we found our controversy last night. Tim Kennedy nearly finished Yoel Romero at the end of the second round, before Romero was saved by the bell. However, Romero took longer than the allotted minute between rounds to get off his stool. It’s been reported that he had an excess of Vaseline on himself that had to be wiped off. As a result, Romero received nearly a two-minute break and ended up finishing Kennedy in the third round. Kennedy confronted Romero backstage and according to the Nevada State Athletic Commission rulebook, if a fighter fails to answer the bell for a round, the referee should award a decision or TKO victory to his opponent. John McCarthy clearly failed in his duties to enforce this rule, and Kennedy has a legitimate gripe. It’s probably unlikely the result of the fight will be overturned, but hopefully Kennedy gets a rematch.
“The Notorious” Conor McGregor (16-2) def. Dustin “The Diamond” Poirier (16-4) via first-round TKO (Featherweight – 145 lbs.) The ascension of Conor McGregor continues, and his bandwagon has a new member in yours truly. I was skeptical of him going into his fight, but his quick work of an extremely tough fighter in Poirier won me over. McGregor has made it known he will attend UFC 179 in Brazil next month to watch featherweight champion Jose Aldo fight Chad Mendes in person. McGregor believes he deserves a title shot, and it’s tough to argue against that. But, Cub Swanson is scheduled to fight Frankie Edgar later this year in a presumed no. 1 contender fight at featherweight. Swanson has won six fights in a row, and Edgar has been on an absolute roll since his loss to Aldo. Both guys also deserve a title shot, so I would personally like to see McGregor matched against the winner of that fight in a true no. 1 contender bout. That would really add some buzz to any future fight card.
Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone (25-7) def. Eddie Alvarez (23-4) via unanimous decision (Lightweight – 155 lbs.) Eddie Alvarez’s UFC debut was a successful one in my opinion, despite his loss. The UFC stage did not appear too big for him and he gave Donald Cerrone all he could handle. But “Cowboy” showed why he is such a fan favorite, methodically picking apart Alvarez with an array of strikes, knees and kicks, staking his claim to a title shot. Cerrone has always been ambivalent toward title shots, preferring instead to fight just for the enjoyment and, well, money. You have to admire his honesty. A fight between Cerrone and the winner of the Anthony Pettis/Gilbert Melendez lightweight title fight later this year would definitely make “Cowboy” a rich man.
Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson (17-2-1) def. Chris “Kamikaze” Cariaso (17-6) by second-round submission (Flyweight Title – 125 lbs.) After Demetrious Johnson emerged victorious in the main event, UFC commentator Jon Anik floated the theory that Johnson had not yet cleaned out the 125-pound division. With all due respect to an underrated commentator and intelligent guy, I respectfully disagree. I believe Johnson has. John Dodson is presumed to be next in line for a title shot when he returns from his injury. While Dodson took Johnson the distance in their last bout, I’m not sure Dodson would fare any better the second time around. Johnson clearly improves with each fight. I consider him the third best pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC, behind light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez. I would like to see Johnson give the bantamweight division another shot. I was there in person when he took then-bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz the distance in their title fight in 2011. Even with the increased weight that comes with competing in a new division, I think Johnson could compete with and beat some of the best bantamweights in the world right now.
Chris Huntemann writes about mixed martial arts in the state of Maryland. He also contributes his thoughts to our site on the UFC, Bellator, and World Series of Fighting. Check out his blog, or follow him on Twitter: @mmamaryland.
