UFC 191 Results: 5 Burning Questions Heading into UFC Fight Night 75
UFC 191 is in the books. The results are as follows (c/o Bleacher Report play-by-play man, Craig Amos):
UFC 191 Main Card on Pay-Per-View
- Demetrious Johnson def. John Dodson, unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 50-45)
- Andrei Arlovski def. Frank Mir, unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
- Anthony Johnson def. Jimi Manuwa, knockout (Round 2, 0:28)
- Corey Anderson def. Jan Błachowicz, unanimous decision (30-25, 30-25, 29-26)
- Paige VanZant def. Alex Chambers, submission (Round 3, 1:01)
Prelims on Fox Sports 1
- Ross Pearson def. Paul Felder, split decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27)
- John Lineker def. Francisco Rivera, submission (Round 1, 2:08)
- Raquel Pennington def. Jessica Andrade, submission (Round 2, 4:58)
- Tiago Trator def. Clay Collard, split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Prelims on UFC Fight Pass
- Joe Riggs def. Ron Stallings, disqualification (Round 2, 2:28)
- Joaquim Silva def. Nazareno Malegarie, split decision (28-29, 30-27, 30-27)
Next up? UFC Fight Night 75 on Saturday, September 26.
The UFC returns to Japan for, basically, a The Ultimate Fighter finale kind of card. While these kinds of cards are usually terrible, this one features an interesting mix of talent, young and old, including the likes of Kid Yamamoto, Kyoji Horiguchi and Gegard Mousasi.
Oh, and the main event is Roy Nelson vs. Josh Barnett. That's pretty awesome.
So what are the hottest questions heading into the next card? Find out here!
Can Kid Yamamoto Turn Things Around?
1 of 5
The Fight: Norifumi Yamamoto vs. Matt Hobar
The Real Fight: Kid Yamamoto vs. Some Dude
The Stakes
Kid Yamamoto's return following a three-year layoff was a complete dud, ending in a disappointing no- contest against Roman Salazar in February. Well, the Japanese pioneer is giving it another shot and looks to post his first win since 2010 over Matt Hobar.
The Question
Can Kid Yamamoto turn things around?
Analysis
Many questioned why Yamamoto decided to come back, and rightly so. Three years out of the cage is hard to overcome for anyone, but it's an especially huge challenge for a 38-year-old. A 38-year-old bantamweight, no less.
Yamamoto, however, actually looked pretty good in his return—not "poised to make an Andrei Arlovski run back to the top" good, but good enough to add some credibility to these kinds of Fight Night cards. Because of that, this matchup with Ho-Hum-Bar is far, far more intriguing than it should be for all the Japanese MMA nerds.
Can Takeya Mizugaki Save His Career?
2 of 5
The Fight: Takeya Mizugaki vs. George Roop
The Real Fight: The Bantamweight Division vs. Getting Good
The Stakes
For almost a decade, Takeya Mizugaki was a staple of the bantamweight top 10 since the heyday of WEC. That changed, however, when he was roughed up in back-to-back fights by Dominick Cruz and Aljamain Sterling. If he drops his third fight in a row, it will likely mark the end of his days as a Zuffa fighter.
The Question
Can Takeya Mizugaki save his career?
Analysis
Mizugaki has always been a great commodity. A well-rounded, savvy veteran who lacks stopping power, he is an excellent measuring stick for the rest of the division. Losses are losses, however, and three of them in a row is not a position fighters want to be in.
If Mizugaki loses at Fight Night 75, it is possible we see him sent over to One FC, DEEP or Road FC.
Can Kyoji Horiguchi Bounce Back?
3 of 5
The Fight: Kyoji Horiguchi vs. Chico Camus
The Real Fight: Kyoji Horiguchi vs. the Lasting Effects of a Lopsided Beating
The Stakes
Kyoji Horiguchi was put into an awkward position when he was given a title shot at UFC 186. An undeniably green fighter, he risked his long-term development for a chance at gold. Needless to say, it didn't pay off.
Now, Horiguchi is set to return to the cage for the first time since his Mighty Mouse-administered thrashing. It will be interesting to see if he looks better, or worse, following that fight.
The Question
Can Kyoji Horiguchi bounce back?
Analysis
Horiguchi is one of the few true prospects in the UFC's lower weight classes. First joining the UFC at 22 years old, he has grown from being an experiment to being one of the top flyweights in the world.
It's easy to imagine the loss to Demetrious Johnson helping him to identify (and fix) his weaknesses. Unfortunately, it's also easy to envision him becoming more tentative after the first major setback of his career, en route to turtling away 10-9 rounds. Hopefully, he continues to progress.
Will Uriah Hall Suddenly Become a Top-10 Middleweight?
4 of 5
The Fight: Gegard Mousasi vs. Uriah Hall
The Real Fight: Uriah Hall vs. Consistency
The Stakes
Uriah Hall has a surprising opportunity in front of him. After bouncing onto the UFC's chopping block with ugly, boring losses and bouncing off it with spectacular knockouts, the TUF17 runner-up is lined up to jump into the middleweight top 10 with a fight against former Strikeforce champ Gegard Mousasi. While all of Hall's flaws will remain regardless of the outcome, a win over the crafty veteran basically guarantees a spot in the middleweight top 10.
The Question
Will Uriah Hall suddenly become a top-10 middleweight?
Analysis
How silly would this be? Hall has been widely (and rightly) criticized for fights such as his recent outing against Rafael Natal, where he seemed completely content with standing in place and coasting to a decision loss. But here he is, ready to spring into the top 10.
Can he do it, you ask? Sure.
While Hall is never a fighter to bet on, when he enters "beast mode" he is capable of beating anyone in a stand-up fight. Of course, even if he does win, he shouldn't really be a top-10 fighter. The timidity will not evaporate gone overnight, and the doubts about his ground game will linger.
That said, there's a great deal of humor to be found in Hall forcing his way into the rankings after Dana White said he "doesn't have what it mentally takes to compete in the UFC."
Is This the Last We'll See of Josh Barnett And/Or Roy Nelson?
5 of 5
The Fight: Josh Barnett vs. Roy Nelson
The Real Fight: Josh Barnett, Roy Nelson vs. Time
The Stakes
Josh Barnett and Roy Nelson are both pushing 40 years old. They both have a lot of wear and tear on their bodies. They are both coming off devastating losses. With that in mind, it's not out of the question that one or both of these veterans may ride off into the sunset after this fight.
The Question
Is this the last we'll see of Josh Barnett and/or Roy Nelson?
Analysis
Nelson is 1-4 in his last five fights, and a loss to Barnett would be his third straight. Barnett has already climbed to the top of the MMA mountain and has nothing left to prove in his MMA career...so why keep fighting under this new Reebok deal when he can return to pro wrestling and keep cashing checks from his work once AXS TV's New Japan Pro Wrestling returns?
Barnett and Nelson already have their legacies cemented, regardless of how this fight pans out. If they leave here, they go out as some of the most unforgettable figures in the history of the heavyweight division.
