UFC 179 Results: Burning Questions Heading into Fight Nights 55, 56

UFC 179 is in the books. The results are as follows:

• Jose Aldo defeats Chad Mendes by unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-46)
• Phil Davis defeats Glover Teixeira by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Fabio Maldonado defeats Hans Stringer by TKO at 4:06 of the second round
• Darren Elkins defeats Lucas Martins by split decision (30-27, 27-30, 30-27)
• Beneil Dariush defeats Carlos Diego Ferreira by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Neil Magny defeats William Macario by TKO at 2:40 of the third round
• Yan Cabral defeats Naoyuki Kotani via submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:06 of the second round
• Wilson Reis defeats Scott Jorgensen via submission (arm-triangle) at 3:28 of the first round
• Andre Fili defeats Felipe Arantes by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Gilbert Burns defeats Christos Giagos via submission (armbar) at 4:57 of the first round
• Tony Martin defeats Fabricio Camoes via submission (kimura) at 4:16 of the first round

Next up? A more-or-less double-header of Fight Nights.

Fight Night 55 on Friday, November 7 features a decent lineup of talent in Australia, as Michael Bisping and Luke Rockhold face off in one of the year's biggest grudge matches. Afterward, in Brazil on Saturday, November 8, light heavyweight strikers Mauricio "Shogun" Rua and Jimi Manuwa will try and knock the other out...of the rankings.

So what topics are worth discussing this week? Find out right here!

Can Soa Palelei Bounce Back?

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Event: Fight Night 55
The Fight: Soa Palelei vs. Walt Harris
The Real Fight: Soa Palelei vs. The Lingering Effects of Jared Rosholt

The Stakes

In one of those moments that show how quickly things can turn around in MMA, Soa Palelei went from possible heavyweight title contender to midcarder-in-his-own-backyard in less than 20 minutes. Now he finds himself in need of a bounce-back win at the expense of the recently reacquired Walt Harris.

The Question

Can Soa Palelei get back on the winning track?

Analysis

In case you missed it, Daniel Omielanczuk withdrew from his fight with Palelei and was replaced with Walt Harris. Harris, you may remember, was booted from the UFC after dropping his first two bouts opposite Nikita Krylov and Jared Rosholt. Palelei gets a serious downgrade in competition, which is great for him since he should be a heavy favorite opposite Harris, while Omielanczuk would have been a tough fight with little payoff.

Ultimately, that works out best for everyone (outside Omielanczuk). Harris gets his foot back in the door. Palelei gets what should be an easy win. The UFC gets to (probably) cement Palelei's standing as the promotion's foremost Australian foothold.

How Will Warlley Alves Look After the Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 3?

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Event: Fight Night 56
The Fight: Warlley Alves vs. Alan Jouban
The Real Fight: Warlley Alves vs. The Post-TUF Drop-off

The Stakes

Warlley Alves made his official UFC debut back in May when he beat Marcio Alexandre to take top honors on The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 3. While he demolished the standard hodgepodge of low-level prospects who make up the cast of any given season of TUF, now he has to show that his skills hold up against people who didn't end up in the UFC by way of reality TV. His first opponent is former RFA contender Alan Jouban.

The Question

How will Warlley Alves look after The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 3?

Analysis

Alves easily ranks among the most interesting commodities to come off The Ultimate Fighter in recent years. With his exciting style, remarkable finishing power, an undefeated record and youthful vigor, anybody who has seen him compete is at least slightly interested in seeing what happens from here.

But as stated, The Ultimate Fighter is rarely as tough as "the real thing." Jouban is not an elite talent, but his debut KO win over Seth Baczynski is not to be dismissed. If Alves wins emphatically, he can easily be regarded as one of the hottest up-and-comers at 170 pounds.

What Will Happen with John Lineker?

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Event: Fight Night 56
The Fight: Ian McCall vs. John Lineker
The Real Fight: John Lineker vs. Pretty Much Everything, Really

The Stakes

John Lineker returns to the cage again and finds himself with a massive opportunity. While he became notorious for his inability to make weight, the ugly state of the flyweight division has left him him deceptively close to a title fight. If he can put everything together, both in and out of the cage, it's very possible we see him challenging Demetrious Johnson in 2015.

The Question

What will happen with John Lineker?

Analysis

No fighter in the UFC's lower weight classes provides as much entertainment as Lineker. To quote myself, "from his weight-cutting troubles to the out-of-the-cage coaching drama to his absurd punching power, every fight with Lineker offers something new before, during and after." Adding actual title-relevant wrinkles to the novel that is his fighting life? That's just gravy.

It is anyone's guess what this next chapter will hold, and that is a welcome departure from what has generally been a stale progression for the UFC of late.

Will Ian McCall Force His Way into a Title Shot?

USA TODAY Sports

Event: Fight Night 56
The Fight: Ian McCall vs. John Lineker
The Real Fight: Ian McCall vs. Whiplash

The Stakes

A year ago, Ian McCall was regarded as one of the biggest duds in UFC history. Now, he is possibly one win away from a title fight. With his recent win over Brad Pickett (one of the only people to beat Demetrious Johnson and the only flyweight to do so), a title shot is almost certainly in his future if he can beat John Lineker.

The Question

Will Ian McCall force his way into a title shot?

Analysis

Johnson's stunning dominance in the UFC thus far has put matchmaker Sean Shelby in an awkward position. Or at least, it has put him into an even more awkward position than he usually finds himself in, given his active effort to bury every up-and-coming contender (Tim Elliott vs. Joseph Benavidez, Joseph Benavidez vs. Dustin Ortiz, etc.). Semi-compelling rematches are all that remain for Johnson.

Enter McCall.

McCall already shares two competitive fights with Mighty Mouse, and, really, Uncle Creepy probably represents the "biggest" 125-pound fight available to Johnson at this time. If he can finally manage to get a winning UFC record, there is no reason he shouldn't face off with Johnson.

Which Lightweight Will Deserve a Jump Up in Competition (but Won't Get It)?

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Event: Fight Night 55
The Fight: Ross Pearson vs. Al Iaquinta
The Real Fight: Legitimate Talent vs. Fight Pass

The Stakes

The Ultimate Fighter veterans Ross Pearson and Al Iaquinta face off in a battle of high-upside lightweights. Pearson, the TUF9 lightweight winner, is one competent judge short of a 4-0 (1) record since returning to 155 pounds  and would hold notable wins over former contenders Diego Sanchez and Gray Maynard.

Iaquinta, the TUF15 runner-up, is 4-1 since the end of the season. Whoever wins this fight should be regarded as a fringe top-10 lightweight and is more than deserving of a step up in competition.

Unfortunately, he probably won't get it.

The Question

Which up-and-coming lightweight will earn a jump in competition?

Analysis

Talent has never been a question for either of these lightweights. They both have that in spades. In the fast-moving, overpopulated lightweight division, however, talent isn't necessarily enough to make a splash. 

While the winner of this fight will absolutely deserve a crack at top-10 talent, the UFC probably won't accommodate him. Fight Pass is a quagmire for most fighters, but it's particularly detrimental for the likes of Pearson and Iaquinta. Young, hot, fast-rising commodities like these two can put on an amazing show...but nobody will notice because they're on a mediocre, pay-walled Internet card during off-hours. That, my friends, does not compute when we're talking about fighters who may be the future of the division.

The events that would eventually become Fight Pass-exclusive shows were initially conceived as untelevised shows designed to showcase regional-level fighters from growing foreign markets with the UFC's signature flair. For fighters like Pearson and Iaquinta, a bout on Fight Pass is a wasted opportunity.

How Will Ovince Saint Preux Bounce Back?

Matt Strasen/Associated Press

Event: Fight Night 56
The Fight: Ovince Saint Preux vs. Francimar Barroso
The Real Fight: Ovince Saint Preux vs. Getting Beaten Down by Ryan Bader

The Stakes

Ovince Saint Preux was groomed by Strikeforce for years on end. As Gegard Mousasi, Mo Lawal, Rafael Cavalcante and Mike Kyle received top billing in the 205-pound division, Saint Preux was fed random names like T.J. Cook and Benji Radach. While he showed a great deal of promise early in his UFC career by mauling Cody Donovan, Nikita Krylov and Ryan Jimmo, he was beaten fairly convincingly by lifelong gatekeeper Ryan Bader. Now, he returns to the bottom of the pack to face no-name Brazilian Francimar Barroso.

The Question

How will Ovince Saint Preux bounce back?

Analysis

Ryan Bader is a good fighter, but there is no overlooking his well-established place as the division's gatekeeper. His biggest career win came over a knee-less Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, and his next biggest win comes over—hell, I don't know—Antonio Rogerio Nogueira? Maybe Keith Jardine? Suffice it to say, when he convincingly takes four rounds off a guy, it probably isn't a good sign.

OSP is a good, well-rounded threat, but he clearly has a lot of room to grow. He gets an easy draw in Barroso, however, and it's easy to envision him dispatching the Brazilian with ease. Even so, it will probably be a long, hard climb back to the top.

Can Michael Bisping vs. Luke Rockhold Possibly Make Good on the Buildup?

Event: Fight Night 55
The Fight: Michael Bisping vs. Luke Rockhold
The Real Fight: Rivalries vs. The Difficulty of Living Up to Them

The Stakes

In a matchup built on both necessity and white-hot heat, possible-next-in-line-for-a-title-shot Luke Rockhold takes on top-10 staple Michael Bisping. The two middleweights have been beefing for almost two years now, and things have progressively gotten more and more personal. With these longtime rivalries, however, the fights rarely live up to the buildup.

The Question

Can Michael Bisping vs. Luke Rockhold possibly make good on the buildup?

Analysis

Remember how we were all hyped up for Rampage vs. Rashad Evans? That fight had one of the biggest, ugliest buildups in MMA history but was a fairly straightforward affair when the cage door locked. Bouts between formidable strikers, similarly, tend to disappoint more often than not (I'm looking at you, Patrick Cote and Stephen Thompson).

The buildup to this fight has been amazing, sure, but that does not necessarily mean the bout will be anything special.

What Happens to Michael Bisping After Fighting Luke Rockhold?

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Event: Fight Night 55
The Fight: Michael Bisping vs. Luke Rockhold
The Real Fight: Michael Bisping vs. Uncertain Futures

The Stakes

Rarely does a single fight have as profound an importance for a fighter as this one does for Bisping. A win would move the Brit into the thick of title contention and would arguably outright make him the top contender. A loss could very well shove the Brit into retirement.

The Question

What happens to Michael Bisping after fighting Luke Rockhold?

Analysis

It can't be understated how big of a fight this is for Bisping. With how things sit in the division, Rockhold would almost certainly have a title shot on his lap if it weren't for Chris Weidman being injured (again). Given how the UFC has been actively looking to give Bisping a title shot for the better part of a decade, it's hard to imagine the UFC wouldn't take the opportunity to do so, should he beat the former Strikeforce champ. 

On the flip side, it's hard to look at Bisping's age and recent eye troubles and think something other than "retirement." It's not just the media, either. Bisping mentioned the possibility that a loss to Cung Le in Macau could have ushered him into a full-time commentary gig. A loss to Rockhold would be a major, possibly irrevocable, setback for him.

Where Is Jimi Manuwa's Ceiling?

Event: Fight Night 56
The Fight: Mauricio Rua vs. Jimi Manuwa
The Real Fight: Jimi Manuwa vs. Starting MMA Too Late in Life

The Stakes

Jimi Manuwa's martial arts career (of any kind) started just six years ago. Despite that, the Brit has carved out a spot among the top dogs of the light heavyweight division and is actually among the deadliest strikers in the game today. At 34 years old, however, it is worth wondering how much of his potential will actually be realized...and just what could have been, if Manuwa had started fighting earlier in life.

The Question

Where is Jimi Manuwa's ceiling?

Analysis

Manuwa, at this point, will almost certainly never be anything more than a gatekeeper. It's unfortunate, but that's what happens when you probably can't fight in the States (he was sent to prison in 2002, and the UFC has ominously never attempted to book him on a card in America). It also doesn't help that, in his first fight against a Top 10 opponent, albeit Alexander Gustafsson, that he was absolutely steamrolled.

Nevertheless, the fight-by-fight progression of Manuwa has been an absolute treat to watch. Over the course of his career, he has gone from an athletic can-crusher on the British circuit to one of the hardest hitters at 205 pounds.

He has a tailor-made matchup in former champ Mauricio Rua. Shogun, a formidable striker himself, should pair with Manuwa for an exciting, all-stand-up affair. While Manuwa may or may not win, fans should be excited at what should be a super-exciting kickboxing match.

How Much Does Shogun Have Left in Him?

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Event: Fight Night 56
The Fight: Mauricio Rua vs. Jimi Manuwa
The Real Fight: Mauricio Rua vs. Time

The Stakes

Mauricio "Shogun" Rua hasn't ever been popped for PEDs. He hasn't smashed up his car while being sauced. He hasn't gone on one of those mythos-shattering losing streaks. 

Still, only the markiest mark will deny that Rua's best days are a distant memory. 

He may or may not defeat Jimi Manuwa. Either way, the question of how much longer he can keep fighting will linger on.

The Question

How much does Shogun have left in him?

Analysis

At age 32, Rua is actually one of the younger fighters in the UFC's rankings in the light heavyweight division (only Alexander Gustafsson, Phil Davis, Ryan Bader and Jon Jones are younger). You wouldn't know it, however, given how old he looks in the cage.

Is it because of his lengthy career? His brutal training regimen back in the Chute Boxe days? A general lack of athleticism in comparison to modern-day light heavyweights?

Maybe, maybe and maybe. Either way, the reign of Shogun is coming to an end sooner than later. It's just left to be seen whether he will go out with a bang...or slumped over a coach's shoulder.