While the UFC 23 card was loaded with up and comers, many of the victors find themselves suddenly being considered in title talks. So without further ado, let's get into it.
QUICK RECAP
I'll post a quick recap of fight here, with a more in-depth analysis further down the page. Enjoy.
-Matt Wiman defeats Cole Miller via Unanimous Decision (30-27 x2, 29-28)
-Wiman controlled this bout from the get-go, out matching Miller on the feet and setting a pace that Miller was unable to keep up with. A dominant top game led Wiman to his most impressive victory inside the Octagon.
-Pat Barry defeats Joey Beltran via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)
-Barry utilized vicious leg kicks to hobble Beltran, landing almost at will in the 3rd round en route to an impressive win.
-Mark Hominick defeats George Roop via TKO (Rd 1 - 1:28)
-Roop came out aggressive, but was no match for the technical striking of Hominick. Hominick landed almost 80% of the punches he threw in a dominant victory. Hominick receives the first shot at new UFC FW Champion Jose Aldo.
-Matt Mitrione defeats Tim Hague via TKO (Rd 1 - 2:59)
-Mitrione threw and landed 4 times as many shots as Hague in this bout, overwhelming his opponent and picking up another win.
-Melvin Guillard defeats Evan Dunham via TKO (Rd 1 - 2:58)
-Guillard's stand up was on point in this fight, and he picked Dunham apart on the feet before finishing him with knees.
UFN 23 ANALYSIS
LIGHTWEIGHT DIVISION (155lbs)
"Handsome" Matt Wiman vs Cole Miller
Coming In: Both fighters entered this bout having won their last two fights. Wiman has always looked good inside the Octagon, but has had a tendency to take risks and put himself in tough situations. Miller is very similar in the sense that he is willing to attempt all sorts of submissions, regardless of the position he may end up in. It will be interesting to see which one of these fighters can capitalize on their opponent's mistakes.
What Happened: Both fighters paced frantically back and forth in their corners during the introductions. Wiman came out aggressive, throwing leather and kicks. Miller was unable to counter effectively, and his only answer seemed to be clinching against the cage. Wiman continued to apply an aggressive stand up game, as well as dominant top control when the fight hit the mat. Wiman played it smart, landing punches while making sure he wasn't vulnerable to submissions. After three rounds of this, Wiman walked away with the decision. Post fight replays showed that while Wiman was throwing more punches and being more aggressive, not many of his shots were landing cleanly.
What Next: That makes three in a row now for Matt Wiman, who has looked better each time he's stepped into the Octagon. I know a lot of people would love to see a rematch between Wiman and Mac Danzig after their fight was improperly stopped.
As for Cole Miller, he's 2-2 in his past 4 bouts and is in need of some wins in a stacked LW division. There has been some back and forth trash talk between Miller and Donald Cerrone, so a potential bout between those two would definitely raise a few eyebrows.
HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION (265lbs)
Pat "HD" Barry vs Joey "The Mexecutioner" Beltran
Coming In: Coming off of a loss, each fighter was looking to put on an impressive performance to turn things around. Barry is known as one of the more powerful strikers in the HW division, boasting vicious kicks and powerful punches. Beltran is well known for his "Zombie" approach, having a tremendous ability to take punishment and keep moving forward a la Chris Leben. This fight has all the makings for a slugfest.
What Happened: Long feeling out process starts the bout before Beltran presses Barry up against the cage to work dirty boxing. Ref eventually splits the fighters, and Barry is able to land some powerful kicks before Beltran pushes him against the cage again. Barry doing a good job of stuffing Beltran's takedown attempts. A pair of knees land square on the cup of Barry, bringing a halt to the action and seemingly angering HD. At the end of round 1, Barry stares down Beltran as the bell rings. As the fight goes on, Barry continues to land hard leg kicks on Beltran, basically crippling him. Barry tires at end of the second, and is suddenly at risk of being finished in the third by the Mexecutioner who continues to push forward with punches. After an inadvertent eye poke, Beltran seems like he is unable to see out of his left eye, and Barry begins to unload with heavy leg kicks, dropping Beltran. More kicks and punches follow from HD until the fight ends. A very entertaining bout although Barry could have finished it if he was a little bit more aggressive. Barry takes a unanimous decision victory.
What Next: Although Beltran has lost his last two bouts, he is exactly the type of fighter the UFC wants to keep around. He constantly pushes forward and really makes his opponents work. Beltran is a solid opponent for anyone in the UFC.
Pat Barry looked good in this fight, showing his usual dominant stand up, but also exhibiting a solid base and take down defense. Cardio still seems to be an issue for Barry, as he tired in a manner similar to the Cro Cop fight. It would be interesting to see Barry in there with Cheick Kongo, as a guaranteed brawl would ensue.
FEATHERWEIGHT DIVISION (145lbs)
Mark Hominick vs George Roop
Coming In: Roop comes into this bout following the most impressive win of his career, a head kick KO of the "Korean Zombie" Chan Sung Jung. A TUF alum, Roop is trying to solidify his spot in the UFC after a short stint in the WEC.
Hominick on the other hand has won his previous four fights, and a win against Roop would earn him a title shot against featherweight kingpin Jose Aldo in March. Hominick feels he has the best stand up in the division and wants to put that on display against Roop.
What Happened: Roop came out fast and aggressive, throwing a multitude of punches, kicks and knees. Roop began trying to use his length and reach to keep Hominick at bay. After pressing forward, Hominick lands a huge straight right that drops Roop. Roop quickly up, and Hominick continues to press forward, stalking his opponent, before landing a left hook/right hand combo. Big left hook drops Roop again. One follow up punch is all it takes before Turnage steps in to call it. Roop is barely able to stand on his own following the fight. Hominick does a few pushups in the center of the Octagon which seems to be his thing now.
What Next: For Roop, who knows. I've never thought he was a good fighter, dating back to his appearance on TUF. Surely this loss will result in him being cut from the promotion.
As for Hominick, he has earned a shot at the champ. Hominick claimed to have the best stand up in the division, and definitely made a statement against Roop. Hominick was able to get his opponent's timing down and counter effectively, landing 80% of the punches he threw. Roop really never stood a chance. A Hominick vs Aldo title fight looks incredible at this point. While Hominick may not be on the same level as Aldo, he is definitely the best striker that Aldo has faced thus far. Can't wait for that one.
HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION (265lbs)
Matt "Meathead" Mitrione vs Tim Hague
Coming In: Once considered a nutcase and a clown on the Heavyweight Season of TUF, Mitrione has completely turned his came around and notched three straight wins in the UFC. Another win tonite would put Mitrione in great position to join the ranks of fellow cast members Roy Nelson and Brendan Schaub.
Tim Hague dropped three of his first four UFC fights, including a seven second KO loss to Todd Duffee. Since that losing streak, Hague has notched two wins in other organizations and is now trying to fight his way back into the UFC.
What Happened: Mitrione looks very light on his feet early, bouncing all over the ring. He also looks a little bit antsy, throwing lots of feints. Hague attempts a takedown but is stuffed, before Mitrione lands a right hand, followed by a flurry. Hague attempts another takedown which is easily tossed aside by Mitrione. Mitrione is dominating with his hands, and lands a big straight left that floors Hague. Mitrione follows with heavy shots before Miragliotta steps in to save Hague. Mitrione's stand-up looked great in this fight. After the fight, Mitrione "calls out" teammate Pat Barry, saying "Hey Pat Barry, come on maan", with a little chuckle after.
What Next: Don't be surprised if Hague is on his way right back out of the UFC. He has lost his past four UFC bouts, and just doesn't belong in this division.
Mitrione has continued to improve and impress since his appearance on the Ultimate Fighter. It's becoming apparent that his "persona" on the show must have been an act, as he seems to have everything in order when he steps into the Octagon. While a bout against Pat Barry would definitely be exciting, it's not a guarantee considering they are training partners. I personally would like to see Mitrione take a step up in competition and take on Stefan Struve or Brendan Schaub, although both fighters already have scheduled bouts. Either way, expect to see more from Mitrione in the future.
MAIN EVENT
LIGHTWEIGHT DIVISION (155lbs)
Evan Dunham vs Melvin Guillard
Coming In: Dunham enters this fight after losing a controversial split decision to Sean Sherk. Before that, he had won his first four UFC bouts, and looks to be a promising lightweight prospect.
Guillard enters the bout following a controversial split decision in which he was declared the winner against Jeremy Stephens. After switching camps to train with Greg Jackson, Guillard is currently riding a three fight win streak, and has won six of his last seven bouts. A win here for either fighter would absolutely move them into title consideration.
What Happened: Melvin enters the Octagon looking ripped. He has always been known for his strength and physique, but he looks even bigger than normal. Dunham comes in looking calm and focused. At the staredown, Melvin's says "Let's do it Evan", and the fighters touch gloves. Both fighters come out light on their feet. Dunham shoots in but Melvin is able to stay on his feet. Dunham is persistant and drags Melvin to the mat. Guillard moves to the cage to try and wall walk, but Dunham keeps him down. Dunham is unable to pass, and Melvin gets back to his feet. Dunham is having trouble gauging Guillard's timing, and he seems very hesitant to throw anything. Melvin is throwing feints then suddenly connects with a straight right. Dunham tries to shoot in and is caught with an uppercut on the way. Dunham is now wobbled against the cage, with Guillard throwing punches. A big left knee lands for Melvin, followed by more knees and punches, crumpling Dunham to the mat. Guillard pounces with more punches before the ref pulls him off. Huge upset here and a tremendous win for Guillard.
What Next: Dunham, once one of the UFC's hottest prospects, suddenly has back to back losses and is in desperate need of a win. It will be very interesting to see what the UFC does with Dunham here. They could either put him in there with someone like Tyson Griffin or Gomi in basically an elimination match, loser leaves the UFC. I personally think Dunham should fight Nik Lentz, Wiman, Danzig, Pellegrino, Tibau. The UFC has to think this one through and let their prospect grow.
Guillard, who following the victory called for a title shot, is finally living up to his potential. Guillard entered the UFC at the age of just 22, picking up flashy KO's, before his sub par ground game was exposed. Now that he has matured and is with a strong camp, the sky's the limit for Melvin. It's doubtful that he'll be given a title shot, considering Guida and Pettis are already slated for a #1 contender's match. One matchup I would love to see would be Guillard vs Kenny Florian, who is currently injured, but won't be out for too long. Also a Guillard-Gomi bout would be guaranteed fireworks. One thing's for sure, Guillard needs at least one more win before he can get a crack at the belt.
All in all this was a very exciting event. The first two bouts were entertaining from start to finish based on the fact that Wiman was constantly aggressive, and Barry-Beltran was a slugfest. After that, we witnessed three extremely impressive performances. Beautiful TKO finishes from Hominick, Mitrione and Guillard give us a lot to look forward to in the future, especially with Hominick vs Aldo.
The next UFC event is UFC 126: Silva - Belfort, February 5.
No comments:
Post a Comment