UFC on FX 4 Guida vs. Maynard Results: Questions Answered and Lessons Learned

I've finally made my escape from Atlantic City and have had time to reflect on the events that took place last night at UFC on FX 4. It was poised to be a great event with a very interesting lightweight fight between Gray Maynard and Clay Guida. 

While the fight didn't come close to living up to expectations, it definitely created some stories for discussion in the upcoming days. Maynard appeared to have finally turned a corner and become a fan favorite, while Clay Guida may have killed any goodwill he had build with fans. 

As with every event, there are always questions that get answered and lessons to be learned. Find out what they were for UFC on FX 4. 

RIP JMMA

Hatsu Hioki was viewed as the last beacon of hope for Japanese MMA. Here was a legitimate featherweight who had found success at the highest levels and could challenge Jose Aldo for the title. 

Last night not only showed that he wasn't ready for Aldo, but he may not be ready for even the top tier of the division. Ricardo Lamas has never been viewed as a great fighter, and many viewed last night's fight as a "gimme" for Hioki. 

The loss not only plummets him in the rankings, but it may also remove Hioki from any future consideration for the belt. 

Rest in peace, Japanese MMA. You had a pretty good run. 

Steven Siler Is a Fighter to Watch

Steven Siler is a totally unassuming 25-year-old. One look at him and you see a regular looking guy who probably gave up more lunch money in middle school to bullies than the rest of his classmates. 

It's obvious that he is a case of "don't judge a book by its cover" because Siler put an absolute beating on Joey Gambino. His kickboxing looked solid, as did his ground game. 

I'm excited to see what the future holds for Siler. Hopefully he continues to develop into something special. 

There's Honest Emotion in MMA

That photograph says everything I could ever say and more. Dan Miller has had a very tough few years, and his win last night was possibly the most real release of emotion we'll ever see in MMA. 

Remember that the next time you grow tired of this sport. It's still young enough that fighters put their everything out there for us to see. 

Sam Stout and Spencer Fisher Put on Classics

This is my other favorite moment from the night. Spencer Fisher sounded like he was strongly considering walking away from the sport in the week leading up to the fight. 

If he does, I'm glad that his last fight was against Stout. They've put together some of the best 45 minutes in MMA, and I'm happy that I can say I was there to see the final chapter live. 

Gray Maynard Finally Wins over the Fans

Gray Maynard has had a lot of trouble getting fans to accept him. They view his style as grinding, which usually translates into boring fights. 

Last night he entered the arena to a shower of boos. By the third round, the crowd had slowly shifted support from Clay Guida to Maynard.

When Bruce Buffer finally read the decision, the crowd was in completely behind Maynard.

At the post-fight presser, he joked that the reason fans booed his entrance was because it was a Wiz Khalifa song. I'm glad he's finally starting to get that he needs to win over fans. Hopefully this is the beginning of a more charismatic Gray Maynard. 

14 Percent Strikes Landed Doesn't Win Fights

Clay Guida stated at the post-fight press conference that he believed if he had more movement and landed just a couple more punches, he would have walked away with the win. In fact, he stated that fought exactly according to the game plan that his coaches had created for him. 

It kind of makes sense. It was obvious early on that Guida was attempting to mimic Frankie Edgar, who utilized a ton of movement to keep Maynard from settling into a rhythm. 

There's just one huge difference. Frankie Edgar has some of the best boxing in the lightweight division and mixes strikes with takedowns. 

Guida didn't do any of that. He danced and ran away from Maynard for 25 minutes and was even warned by the referee for being timid. 

I hope the folks at Greg Jackson's recognize that Guida shouldn't be fighting a "safe" fight. He won't have success due to his lack of striking technique. 

NJSAC Continues to Show It Is the Best Commission in the Sport

The NJSAC was the mastermind behind the Unified Rules of MMA. And last night, it showed that being the innovator makes it far more qualified to oversee fights than anyone else in the country. 

From the doctor stoppage of Nick Catone because of a ridiculously ugly cut to Dan Miragliotta warning Clay Guida for being timid, the commission was on point all night. 

Possibly the best compliment is that Dana White agrees that Nick Lembo is running a tight ship. Hopefully this means that the UFC will continue to return to New Jersey in the future.

Matthew Roth is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes were obtained first-hand.