The UFC hit New Jersey’s IZOD Center on Saturday night for a battle of two lightweight contenders. New Jersey’s own Jim Miller faced off against the mean-mugging Nate Diaz in one of the most anticipated fights in the lightweight division this year so far. Let’s break down the highs and lows of the night’s fights.
The Highs
Roland Delorme and Nick Denis had an amazing fight on the prelims. After getting battered in the clinch with knees and elbows, Roland Delorme hit back with technical combinations before locking in a rear naked choke at 4:59 in the first round. Roland Delorme is an Ultimate Fighter vet, and coming off back to back submission wins, it will be very interesting to see who the UFC will match him up with next. Bantamweight is certainly heating up, with Dominic Cruz defending his belt against Urijah Faber at UFC 148, and Renan Barao vs. Ivan Menjivar also taking place on that card.
Flyweights provided fireworks in the first non-tournament 125-pound fight in UFC history. Highly-touted UFC debutant John Lineker faced TUF alum Louis Gaudinot. In a back-and-forth brawl with over 400 strikes thrown, Gaudinot managed to jump guard and secure a tight Guillotine Choke. Lineker refused to tap and went to sleep in a great flyweight fight.
Middleweight contenders clashed, as Alan Belcher met Rouismar Palhares. I was really impressed with Belcher, who traded submission attempts with Palhares, who was runner up in last year’s Abu Dhabi Combat Club grappling tournament. Belcher exposed the BJJ player’s kryptonite, ground and pound, after landing elbow after elbow and punch after punch; the ref was forced to call a stop to the fight, and declare Alan Belcher the winner. Alan Belcher has improved leaps and bounds in the last four years, but I hope the UFC matchmakers take their time building him to a title shot, I would love to see him face the winner of Stann vs. Lombard next.
Nathan Diaz has finally outgrown his big brother Nick’s shadow, and has cemented himself as a Top 3 UFC 155-pounder. Nate absolutely obliterated Jim Miller, becoming the first person to ever finish him. Nathan really showed his ground game is at another level — perhaps the best in the division — after doing what champion Ben Henderson failed to do, and submit Jim Miller. I would love to see Nate meet Anthony Pettis in a number one contendership fight next that has fireworks written all over it.
The Lows
I’m a big fan of Pat Barry, but he looked awful again tonight, and I think his days in the UFC are numbered. He lacked his usual excitement tonight, and made some awful decisions, like giving up mount and moving to side control to look for a submission when he could have pounded Lavar out from on top. Credit goes to Johnson, who’s won 2 straight, but it’s about time the UFC feed him to the big boys. Expect him to meet Travis Browne next.
Tony Ferguson was expected to make light work of Michael Johnson, but he looked stale. I think he needs to join a big camp like Xtreme Couture, which has a proven history of making lightweight contenders. Johnson looked great — the team down in Boca Raton, Florida have been housing some of the most talented fighters in the world, and I think he has picked up a lot from Tyrone Spong, as his Muay Thai looked sharp.
All things considered, this was the best FOX card yet. Do you think the UFC should start to market more exciting fighters on the FOX main card like Lavar Johnson, or stick to putting more meaningful fights on?
Good question. I think a mix of both would be best.