Ten Things We Learned From UFC 130

MORE THAN BIG NAMES NEEDED FOR A SUCCESSFUL EVENT

Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Frank Mir and Roy Nelson are all bigger names than Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard, but their combined star power still didn’t make this event anything more than an average show.

Losing the intrigue of the light heavyweight championship fight took the steam out of this show. Jackson did a good job earning laughs and building some interest during the week, but the sluggish pace of the main event and the one-sided beating Mir put on Nelson didn’t win over any fans.

There is no one to blame here; the injuries to the two 155 pound stars lowered the expectations of the card. In the process, the new structure showed that fans are becoming increasingly interested in compelling fights, not just marquee names.

JACKSON STILL ONE OF THE BEST, BUT FOR HOW LONG?

Heading into UFC 130, there were a lot of people who questioned whether Jackson still had the focus to beat a hungry fighter like Matt Hamill. While he was certainly the more talented of the two, Hamill was the one who pushed for this fight and saw it as a way to propel himself to new levels in his career; Jackson was a former champion who talked more about his exit plan than his upcoming fight.

Saturday night, Jackson proved that he remains one of the top light heavyweight competitors in the sport, dominating Hamill over three rounds. He repeatedly stuffed the decorated wrestler’s takedown attempts and landed with his hands throughout. Though it was a solid performance, many questions remain.

Beating Hamill is one thing, but can Jackson do the same against the elite of the light heavyweight division?

UFC President Dana White announced at the post-fight press conference that Jackson would likely be the first man to challenge Jon Jones for the light heavyweight title he won back in March. Could Saturday night’s Jackson get the better of Jones? Few people would say yes, and therein lies his problem.

While there is no doubt that Jackson can hang with fighters in the lower half of the top 10 and below, without committing himself to fighting completely, he will remain at this stage until he reaches the exit point he’s talked about so much over the last year.

That might be good enough for Jackson, but is it good enough to keep fans interested in seeing him fight?

FRANK MIR: THE AAAA HEAVYWEIGHT

There is a description used of baseball players who are superstars in Triple A but struggle in the majors; critics call them “AAAA talents.” The name implies that they are in a different class than most everyone else, but still a notch below the best in the business.

That’s where Mir stands right now; he’s a Quadruple-A heavyweight.

Mir dominated Nelson in the UFC 130 co-main event, giving him back-to-back wins and positioning himself near the top of the division. Like Jackson, he’s clearly a cut above the middle of the pack in the heavyweight ranks, but against the elite, Mir doesn’t matchup as favorably.

After stopping Brock Lesnar in his UFC debut, Mir has gone 0-2 against Lesnar and Shane Carwin, and many pundits would cast him as the underdog against Cain Velasquez or Junior dos Santos. That leaves Mir in a tricky position.

The hyper-confident former champion wants those big name fights and to make another run at the title, and while he’ll probably get his chance, his last two outings against those above him in the rankings haven’t gone favorably. Whether he can reverse those outcomes remains to be seen.

That leaves Mir in a strange holding pattern within the heavyweight division; the better than most, but perhaps not quite good enough to be the best.

KNOCKOUT WIN EARNS BROWNE NOD AS TOP HEAVYWEIGHT PROSPECT

Going into their meeting on Saturday night, most people were talking about Stefan Struve as the top young talent in the heavyweight division. After a middling performance against Cheick Kongo in his previous outing, Travis Browne was viewed as a good prospect, but maybe not good enough to take the next step.

That all changed with his performance at UFC 130.

With a perfectly timed Superman punch, Browne knocked out the near seven-foot Dutchman and moved himself to the top of the list of young stars in the big boy division. Though a case could be made for Brendan Schaub, the TUF 10 finalist isn’t nearly as well rounded as Browne, who brings a strong ground game honed with the team at Alliance MMA in addition to the knockout power he’s exhibited in two of his three UFC appearances.

Struve still has room to grow, especially if he makes an effort to use his length to his advantage in the future, but Saturday’s victory set him back a step or two. Browne now steps into his place, and should earn a step up in competition next time out. Another win or two, especially if they come in spectacular fashion, should put him in the thick of the title chase.

STORY ANNOUNCES HIS PLACE IN WELTERWEIGHT TOP 10

After knocking off perennial top 5 welterweight Thiago Alves on Saturday night, there is no question that Rick Story has fought his way into the top 10 in the 170 pound division.

The Brave Legion fighter used a game plan predicated on is wrestling to keep Alves pressed into the fence, nullifying his striking and forcing him to expend energy on the defensive. Even when he eschewed his successful strategy in the final round, Story’s granite chin and determination to earn the biggest win of his career kept him pressing forward.

With six straight wins, Story has climbed from the preliminary ranks into the upper echelon of the division. He’s being described as a more aggressive Jon Fitch, and it’s an apt comparison. Like Fitch, Story brings a strong control game into the cage thanks to his wrestling pedigree, but unlike the American Kickboxing Academy standout, Story has shown a willingness and ability to throw hands and finish fights.

Ironically, Fitch was the man Story said made the most sense as his next opponent. Maybe once the former #1 contender recovers from shoulder surgery, we’ll get the chance to determine whether the comparison is correct inside the Octagon.

A MOVE TO MIDDLEWEIGHT THE ONLY LOGICAL PATH FOR ALVES

No matter what he does next, the UFC 100 welterweight title challenger will have to start over. He’s lost three of his last four, and while they’ve come to quality talent, a change in scenery might be the only way for Alves to get back into title contention.

The road to a title shot at 170 pounds is pretty well closed; Alves would need to avenge his losses to Story and Fitch, and those opportunities aren’t coming any time soon. As such, perhaps a fresh start 15 pounds up would be the best approach moving forward.

Though Alves made weight for the second straight fight, the massive American Top Team product has the frame and fearsome striking to at least make a little noise in the middleweight ranks. With the dearth of talent in the division thanks to Anderson Silva’s ongoing reign, it could conceivably only take a few quality wins for Alves to put his name in the mix.

There aren’t nearly as many punishing wrestlers in the 185 pound ranks as there as populate the welterweight division, another reason Alves should seriously consider a change in address; all three of his recent losses came as a result of being out-wrestled.

It will be interesting to see what the “Pitbull” does next.

BRIAN STANN’S FUTURE BRIGHTEST OF ALL

Last week was Brian Stann’s coming out party.

While his impressive knockout victory over Jorge Santiago was the exclamation point at the end of the week, the star potential of the former Marine began to shine through starting with Wednesday’s press conference.

Simply put, Brian Stann has the potential to become the face of the UFC. No, I’m not joking. The decorated war hero is as well spoken as they come, with life experiences that connect to those who may not identify with the sport otherwise. Physically, he looks like the part as well; square jaw, a toothy smile, and a welcoming handshake for everyone who approaches.

His development inside the cage only ups the ante.

Stann said during the build up to Saturday’s fight that his goal for 2011 was to make his way into the top 10, and with his impressive showing at UFC 130, he’s already reached that goal. While he didn’t have a next step mapped out by the time he took to the dais at the post-fight presser, don’t be surprised if you’re seeing a lot of Stann in the coming months.

With a place in the top 10 secured and oozing marketability, Stann is poised to become a major star. And if he keeps on improving between each fight the way he has of late, he could be challenging for the middleweight title in the near future as well.

THE GREAT SCORING DEBATE FROM UFC 130

Demetrious Johnson took home a unanimous decision win over former WEC bantamweight champion Miguel Torres on Saturday night. Some people had no issues with the verdict, while others cried foul, leading to the next edition of the ongoing scoring debate in MMA.

Few would argue that Torres took the opening round; all three judges saw it that way, and everyone else did too. However, the next two rounds have been being discussed since the decision was read.

With the fight being contested on the ground, Johnson was in top position for the bulk of the final ten minutes, sporadically landing with hands, but never coming close to securing a finish in any way, shape or form. Conversely, Torres spent that same period working off his back, hunting for submissions, attacking with the occasional elbow and executing numerous sweeps.

How does a fight like that get scored?

Some feel the judges got it right, awarding Johnson the final two frames for being on top and securing the takedowns that brought the fight to the floor in the first place. Others, however, felt that the effort Torres delivered off his back, and working towards finishes was enough to overcome the positional advantages Johnson held.

My card had Torres coming out ahead, and while I can see Johnson taking one of the final two rounds, you need to do more than just maintain positional control to take a round on my scorecard, that doesn’t seem to be the case with everyone.

How did you score it?

BOETSCH IMPRESSES, GROVE NOT SO MUCH

Tim Boetsch made his middleweight debut a successful one, earning a clean sweep of the scorecards to take a unanimous decision over Kendall Grove.

The former light heavyweight not only looked in far better shape having cut down to 185 pounds for the first time, but he was able to use his strength advantage to dominate the fight in its entirety. His wrestling base returned in force, as he not only dragged Grove to the ground at will, but also delivered a powerful slam or two in the process. It was a strong debut at his new address for Boetsch.

On the flip side, Grove continued to frustrate and disappoint. The former TUF winner has spent the last four-plus years alternating between quality performances and bad outings, and Saturday night came down in the latter column.

The Hawaiian has been on the verge of being cut in the critic’s eyes for a while now, and Saturday’s loss could be the final straw. White was unsure of his future following Saturday’s event, and while he’s always admired Grove’s willingness to accept whatever fight he’s offered, the bottom line is that the results haven’t been there for quite some time.

With a new addition to the division stepping forward, maybe a long-time member of the pack gets let go?

26 WINS AND COUNTING

Somehow, Renan Barao has managed to bring his winning streak to 26 without gaining much attention. How does that happen?

After earning a solid victory over Cole Escovedo in the UFC 130 opener, Barao should be in line for a move up the fight card next time out. In a sport where every impressive streak eventually comes to an end, the UFC would be best served taking advantage of what the Nova Uniao product has going right now.

The lighter weight classes have continually delivered the most exciting performances card after card. With a winning streak that stretches a quarter of the way to a hundred and a skill set that brings excitement to every fight, Barao could start finding himself further up the lineup from now on.

With an ever increasing schedule and a need for new stars, Barao and his 26 fight unbeaten streak could be the next bantamweight to be given a big push in the UFC.