UFC 184: Grades for Every Main Card Fighter from Rousey vs. Zingano Fight Card

Ronda Rousey defended the UFC Women's Bantamweight Championship at UFC 184, and the fight capped off a solid evening of performances.

The five-fight main card delivered four finishes, and each one was exciting. Three of the four finishes earned performance bonuses. That tells you just how solid this main card was in regard to excitement.

Three of the four finishes Saturday came in the first round of action.

The UFC 184 main card fighters got after it. They wasted no time in seeking fight-ending offense. This is the kind of main card that fans want in this sport. They want fighters who go after finishes early and often. It is easier said than done, but the UFC 184 main card victors sure made it look easy.

How did each one grade out?

Here are the grades for each participant on the main card.

Tony Ferguson Defeats Gleison Tibau

USA TODAY Sports

Gleison Tibau—D

Gleison Tibau got caught, and Tony Ferguson never allowed him to recover. That's all that happened to the longtime UFC veteran.

Until that point, Tibau was not doing too badly against the lengthier fighter. He found his way inside a couple of times with strikes. The fight didn't go long enough for him to truly test Ferguson's grappling, but for the first two minutes and 37 seconds of the fight, Tibau did enough to avoid a straight F.

Tony Ferguson—A

Ferguson is a talent. He moved his win streak to five straight, and the UFC will have to give him a ranked opponent next time out.

He is a solid prospect, and this performance was exceptional.

Ferguson never let a stunned Tibau regain his composure. He kept up the pace and sunk in the rear-naked choke for the finish.

Stopping Tibau is impressive. This performance should make waves in the lightweight division. I'll be excited to see Ferguson return against a top-tier opponent.

Alan Jouban Defeats Richard Walsh

USA TODAY Sports

Richard Walsh—D

Richard Walsh and Alan Jouban mixed it up right from the gate at UFC 184, and Walsh was able to land good strikes of his own.

Unfortunately for Walsh, he ate one too many strikes from Jouban.

It was playing out to be a fun scrap with both fighters finding their offense, but Jouban landed flush with an elbow that rocked Walsh. It was all over from there, and Walsh's night was over.

Alan Jouban—B+

Jouban is not yet an elite fighter, but these performances will endear him to fans.

He still has some holes in his game. He's young, after all. Regardless, his striking is fun to watch. And when he hurts you, he knows how to finish. Jouban stayed on Walsh once he had him hurt and got the stoppage.

It was a solid performance, but I would have liked to have seen more from Jouban. This matchup just didn't allow that to happen. He absorbed a few shots from Walsh that he should have avoided, but other than that, it was a quality showing.

Jake Ellenberger Defeats Josh Koscheck

USA TODAY Sports

Josh Koscheck—F

I have given other fighters who got finished quicker a slightly higher grade than Koscheck. Why do I fail the former The Ultimate Fighter cast member?

He gets a failing grade for how quickly he fell into a defensive shell. He came out in the first round looking quite well on the feet and with his wrestling. When he ate a right hand from Ellenberger, his entire game changed.

His striking was defensive from that point out, and he was not looking to engage. His wrestling then became easier to stuff. That detracted greatly from his performance. It was a total disappointment to see him get hit once and then retreat.

Jake Ellenberger—B

It took a few minutes, but Ellenberger found his groove.

His striking continues to improve, and his strength was on display in the choke attempt. Koscheck squirmed but had nowhere to go. Ellenberger's grip was too strong.

After some rough outings against the top end of the division, this was the performance that Ellenberger needed. He is still a Top 15 welterweight, but the UFC needs to bring him back up the ranks slowly. He has the tools to be a significant threat.

Holly Holm Defeats Raquel Pennington

USA TODAY Sports

Raquel Pennington—C

This is who Raquel Pennington is. She is a tough fighter. That doesn't play out well against high-end fighters, but it does push them to be better.

And that's what she did Saturday. She pushed Holly Holm.

Pennington did not do too shabby on the feet, but she was out of her depth against the former world champion in boxing. Pennington also tested Holm's takedown defense. Pennington dropped the decision, but she forced Holm into a fight.

This is who she is, and that was a decent performance. It is time the UFC gives her some lesser competition so she can continue to develop.

Holly Holm—B-

This was your average Holm MMA fight. Her credentials in boxing may make fans expect early vicious knockouts, but that's not her game.

Holm takes her time, picks her shots and earns points on the scorecards. She never stopped one of her low-level opponents on the regional scene in the first round. It does not appear that she will start doing that in the UFC either. She is passive at times, but ultimately, it is just that she is calculated.

Pennington also did not get too aggressive to give Holm an opening for a vicious counter.

The best thing Holm did in this fight was showing off that she has solid takedown defense. That will go a long way in proving she is a contender in the division.

Holm was never in danger in this fight, but it wasn't the performance many expected. It was a little bit of a letdown but still a solid debut.

Ronda Rousey Defeats Cat Zingano

Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press

Cat Zingano—D

The fight was over in 14 seconds, and Zingano tapped out. Why is this not an F?

It's partially because the fight was only 14 seconds and partially because Zingano went right after Rousey.

What happens if that knee in the opening seconds lands? What happens if that scramble goes just a bit differently? We will never know, but I will give Zingano credit for trying to take it to Rousey. She was not going to let the champion dictate the early portions of the fight.

It just ended up being a poor decision on Zingano's part. I would be interested to see how she handles a rematch.

Ronda Rousey—A+

Clearly, this is the only grade to give Rousey.

It was an A-plus, record-setting performance. She got a bonus check from UFC President Dana White as well.

Rousey is a special athlete with a unique skill set who is far and away better than anyone else in her division. She continues to showcase it in spectacular fashion. This was a stunning performance that was a joy to watch for each of those 14 seconds.