UFC 146 Results: Post-Fight Stock Report for Dos Santos vs. Mir Fight Card

UFC 146 was a smashing success.

Literally.

Knockouts, submissions and forehead blood filled the MGM Grand Garden Arena, culminating a PPV card that showcased all five fights ending before the third round.

From Junior dos Santos finishing Frank Mir to Cain Velasquez dominating Antonio "Big Foot" Silva, to Stefan Struve's arm bar and Roy Nelson's one-punch KO, Saturday's showdowns were nothing but entertaining.

But with wins and loses, the future of every fighter weighs heavy.

Here's what each fighter's post-fight stock within the heavyweight division looks like.

Lavar Johnson: Holding Steady

You can't really get on Lavar Johnson for losing to Stefan Struve on such short notice.

The UFC newcomer has been great since making his debut back in January, securing knockout victories over Joey Beltran and Pat Barry.

And while he did get caught in a nasty arm bar, compliments of Struve, Johnson's stock stays relatively the same.

He may never contend as a top-five heavyweight, but the one-punch KO specialist has done enough to stay relevant within a growing division.

Stefan Struve: Rising

I think it's officially time to give Stefan Struve the recognition he deserves.

Currently riding a three-fight win streak following his submission over Lavar Johnson, Struve is showcasing the abilities to knock off some of the better talents within the division.

Johnson was suppose to give Struve problems considering his sometimes overwhelming power, but that wasn't the case.

After taking an uppercut against the cage, "The Skyscraper" proved once again that nine out of 10 times, technique beats power.

Struve's past three victories have all ended before the third round, immediately giving him a bid to face a top-five heavyweight in the division by the end of 2012.

Shane del Rosario: Holding Steady

Considering his loss to a very talented Stipe Miocic was his first fight within the UFC, Shane del Rosario gets the benefit of the doubt.

A former top Strikeforce contender, del Rosario showcased an exceptional standup game against one of the better boxers in the division, including vicious body kicks that rendered Miocic hurt a few times in the first round.

But even though he was successful on his feet, del Rosario was unable to defend Miocic's takedowns, which led to numerous hammer punches and elbows from the top.

With that said, his 11-1 MMA record and relative newness to the heavyweight division should provide the 28-year-old with another opportunity to prove his worth before his stock starts heading downhill.

Stipe Miocic: Rising

You have to give credit when credit is due.

After running into some issues on his feet against Shane del Rosario in the first round, Stipe Miocic utilized his wrestling abilities to take the fight to the ground in Round 2.

The 29-year-old showcased a different skill set than what we're used to seeing from him.  Instead of in and out boxing strikes, Miocic rained heavy hands and elbows from the mount, controlling the action inside the Octagon to secure the TKO finish.

With the victory over a previously undefeated fighter, Miocic retains a perfect 9-0 record in his own right (3-0 in the UFC).

Bottom line, the Mirko Cro Cop look-a-like deserves a shot at a top heavyweight, or at least a showdown against a submission expert like Stefan Struve so we can yet again witness the various abilities he possesses.

Dave Herman: Declining

I like Dave Herman, I really do.

But after getting dropped early in the first round Saturday night, his heavyweight stock doesn't look so promising heading into the future.

Roy Nelson's big KO victory leaves Herman's future shaky with a lackluster 1-2 UFC record, including another KO loss to an extremely less-powerful Stefan Struve.

Unless Herman can somehow cut enough weight to test the waters in the light heavyweight division, he'll continue to get overpowered, outmatched and out-dueled inside the Octagon.

One more loss and he could be out the door.

Roy Nelson: Holding Steady

Once again, Roy Nelson proved that he possesses some of the heaviest hands in MMA.

After literally putting Dave Herman on his ass, Nelson's performance speaks for itself.

The only reason why "Big Country" isn't on the rise is because he hasn't really produced against elite talent in the past.

For now, he remains on the cusp of the upper-echelon of heavyweights.

Antonio Silva: Declining

I realize this was Antonio "Big Foot" Silva's UFC debut, but fans around the MMA world were expecting so much more.

Not to discredit anything that Cain Velasquez did or has done in the past, but Silva is too talented to have just sat there and bled on the canvas.

With that said, the Brazilian did little to nothing to warrant an opportunity to face another top-five contender in his next fight.

Two suitable opponents would either be Cheick Kongo or Roy Nelson.

Cain Velasquez: Rising

Cain Velasquez is back!

Since his championship loss to Junior dos Santos at UFC on FOX 1, Velasquez has been waiting for his chance to redeem the only defeat of his professional career.

Man, what a way to prove your worth.

His dominating performance over Antonio "Big Foot" Silva on Saturday was, to be completely honest, the biggest ass beating I've seen in a while.

And with dos Santos retaining the heavyweight title, a rematch between the two makes for an intriguing storyline, as well as soaring PPV potential.

At this point, a title rematch has seemingly never been more deserved.

Frank Mir: Holding Steady

There's one thing you can take from Frank Mir's loss to Junior dos Santos at UFC 146, it's the fact that he lasted longer against the champion's elite boxing than now-No. 1 contender Cain Velasquez did.

Mir was ultimately unable to bring the fight to the mat, which is presumably the weakest and most suspect environment for dos Santos.

Whether the Brazilian has the tools to defend submissions and technical positioning has yet to be seen, due in part to extreme use of quick jabs and powerful overhand rights.

As far as Mir's loss is concerned, you kind of have to take it with a grain of salt.

Sure Mir lost his chance to win the heavyweight title for a third time, but he happened to be facing a guy that nobody within the UFC has been able to stop.

For that, alongside Mir's vast experience and even more broad skill set, he should be able to rebound and stay afloat as a top-five fighter in the division.

Junior dos Santos: Rising

How can a current UFC champion's stock be on the rise?

It's simple.  He's more dominant than ever.

Junior dos Santos showcased yet another fight in which he controlled the pace of the action to satisfy his unique boxing skills.

The fact that the heavyweight champ was able to shake off a Frank Mir takedown attempt and ankle lock in the first round, yet again proves that he deserves to hold the most coveted title in MMA.

"Cigano" looked better than ever and seems ready to be the perennial top dog. 

If dos Santos once again subdues Cain Velasquez's world-class arsenal, Alistair Overeem has to be next in line.

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