UFC on Fox: Machida vs Rockhold provided entertaining fights, exciting finishes, and break out performances. Perhaps the only thing it was lacking was a five round war in the main event, but on this night one man was simply too good to let that happen.
With so much of the above, it’s hard to whittle these lists down to three and a notable mention, but that is exactly what we’ve done. Here are your countdowns of the biggest 3 winners, and losers from an action packed night inside the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey on Saturday night.
#3 Winner – Beneil Dariush
Stepping in on short notice to replace Paul Felder, Beneil Dariush took a big step up in competition to face Jim Miller. For three rounds Dariush out grappled an opponent who has been at the top end of the 155 pound division for over five years. He put Miller on defense in a way that we have rarely seen inside the octagon, particularly in a dominant second round. That Miller was able to make it out of that round without being submitted, showed what an accomplished fighter Dariush was controlling, and went a long way to turning him into a contender at 155 pounds.
#2 Winner – Max Holloway
Max Holloway had always looked like a prospect, but in previous outings against elite featherweights he had suffered back to back losses against Dennis Bermudez and Conor McGregor. Cub Swanson was his first return to that level of competition and it bought out a career best performance. For two rounds Holloway displayed a versatile range of striking to break his opponent down. The finish in the third, set up by a pair of straight lefts that led into a guillotine choke, was the icing on the cake. Holloway might not be ready for a Jose Aldo, Frankie Edgar or Chad Mendes just yet, but he proved that he can compete with the best of the rest.
#1 Winner – Luke Rockhold
It had been hyped as a fight that was too close to call. Two of the world’s best middleweights pushing each other into the latter rounds. Luke Rockhold was simply too good to let that be the case on Saturday night. Rockhold bullied Machida in a one sided first round that appeared to break the will of the former light-heavyweight champion. Such was the beating handed out in the first, Machida looked visibly shaken by the time he came out for the second round. When Rockhold went for a choke, Machida offered no defense at all. It was a performance that screamed title shot, and that is likely what comes next for the American Kickboxing Academy fighter.
Notable Mention: Ovince St. Preux for landing an incredible counter uppercut that wrecked Patrick Cummins and gave St. Preux another impressive first round win.
#3 Loser – Felice Herrig
Herrig had notable advantages in experience, wrestling, and overall grappling, yet still couldn’t stand the pace against a busy Paige VanZant. As has too often been the case in big fights, Herrig broke early in a winnable contest and was overwhelmed by her opponent. The division had really opened up in recent weeks and a second UFC win would have gone a long way to moving her through the pack. Given an opportunity to make a statement against an opponent with obvious holes in her game, this was the performance that proved Herrig will never be a contender.
#2 Loser – Cub Swanson
Before his fight with Max Holloway, we had a very clear picture of where Swanson sat in the featherweight division. His performance in defeat against Frankie Edgar in November had shown that the top five in the division were simply too good for him. His five fight win streak before that loss had shown him to be the best of the rest. Max Holloway ignored the natural order at 145 pounds and beat Swanson up. It was a defeat that moved Swanson back into the featherweight pack, a long way away from title contention.
#1 Loser – Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza
When the two feature attractions of UFC on Fox 15: Machida vs Rockhold were booked, it seemed to be a clear four fighter shoot out for a title shot. Machida would face Rockhold, Jacare would face Romero, and whoever won most impressively would be next in line for a shot at the middleweight title. When Yoel Romero pulled out due to injury, it put Jacare in an impossible position. He could do no more than beat Chris Camozzi more impressively than he did last time, something he achieved by shaving over a minute off his previous winning time. The problem is that whatever happened in the main event, it was always going to overshadow Jacare’s win. Luke Rockhold didn’t just overshadow Jacare, he turned him into an afterthought at the show’s conclusion. Jacare is probably further away from a title shot now than he was before the show.
Notable Mention: Former TUF winner Eddie Gordon who looked dreadful in dropping a decision to Chris Dempsey on the prelims.
