UFC 148: What We Learned from Ivan Menjivar vs Mike Easton

Bantamweight Mike Easton stayed undefeated in the UFC with a unanimous decision win over Ivan Menjivar at UFC 148.

Even if the plodding pace of the fight left the MGM Grand Garden Arena crowd breathing deep sighs of relief, Easton (13-1) dictated the pace and was aggressive enough over three rounds to accumulate a clear advantage.

In a contest that saw a lot of gadget strikes—most of which were unsuccessful—the blow of the fight might have been a flying knee from Easton that reached Menjivar's chin in the second round. 

By going to a decision, the fight continued an early trend for the night; all five bouts before Easton/Menjivar also went the distance. 

What We'll Remember from This Fight

Two weeks from now, I'm not going to remember anything about this fight. It was not compelling.

What We Learned About Mike Easton

He's a player at 135 pounds. Over 15 minutes, he was persistent in moving forward. He didn't inflict a great deal of damage, but gradually wore down an opponent who had not previously lost in the UFC Octagon.   

What We Learned About Ivan Menjivar

He's gimmicky. Lots of high kicks and, interestingly, quite a few spinning inside leg kicks never really found the mark. What was his game plan?  

What's Next for Mike Easton

Easton, now 3-0 in the UFC, is an exciting fighter (with this performance perhaps excepted) and a charismatic guy. Why not push him into the spotlight? The loser between Brad Pickett and Yves Jabouin would provide a stern test. And you know what? So would Miguel Torres. 

What's Next for Ivan Menjivar

He's still 3-1 in the UFC (24-9 overall). The winner between September's bout between Takeya Mizugaki and Jeff Hougland would work.

For updates and things from UFC 148 and MMA in general, follow Scott on Twitter @ScottHarrisMMA.