UFC 145 Results: Anthony Njokuani Defeats John Makdessi

Anthony Njokuani got back in the win column by defeating John Makdessi at UFC 145. The Nigerian star had lost two of his last three matches, including a split-decision loss to Danny Castillo in December, but had a much better performance against Makdessi.

Njokuani moves his career MMA record to 15-6 with one no-contest. He's 2-2 since becoming part of UFC early last year. “The Assassin” once again showed off his power in a bout between two fighters who love going for the knockout.

It was a vital victory for Njokuani. Due to the increased competitiveness throughout UFC, losing streaks cause significant damage to a career. The margin for error has become much smaller, which helps add intensity to each and every fight on the card.

The win should give him a little bit more breathing room and a chance to land a higher-profile opponent next time out. He will need to put a winning streak together to climb the lightweight division ladder, but at least he's moving in the right direction again.

Unfortunately for Makdessi, the loss is another setback for him. After starting his career with nine straight wins, he's now dropped two straight bouts after losing to Dennis Hallman via submission.

The 26-year-old Canadian still has plenty of potential, but really needs to get a win in his next fight, even if it means lowering his level of competition to get his confidence back. His attacking style is dangerous, but learning to harness that power will be the key.

But Njokuani stole the spotlight from him and will attempt to parlay that momentum into bigger things moving forward. He certainly has enough talent to make some noise.