UFC Fight Night 57 Results: 10 Burning Questions Heading into UFC 181

UFC Fight Night 57 is in the books. The results are as follows:

UFC Fight Night 57 Main Card

• Frankie Edgar def. Cub Swanson, submission (Round 5, 4:56)
• Edson Barboza def. Bobby Green, unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Chico Camus def. Brad Pickett, split decision (29-28, 30-27, 29-28)
• Alexey Oliynyk def. Jared Rosholt, knockout (Round 1, 3:21)
• Joseph Benavidez def. Dustin Ortiz, unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Matt Wiman def. Isaac Vallie-Flagg, unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

Fox Sports 1 Prelims

• Ruslan Magomedov def. Josh Copeland, unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
• Roger Narvaez def. Luke Barnatt, split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
• James Vick def. Nick Hein, unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
• Akbarh Arreola def. Yves Edwards, submission (Round 1, 1:52)

Fight Pass Prelims

• Paige VanZant def. Kailin Curran, TKO (Round 3, 2:54)
• Doo Ho Choi def. Juan Puig, TKO (Round 1, 0:18)

Next up? UFC 181 on December 6.

With two title fights in Anthony Pettis vs. Gilbert Melendez and Johny Hendricks vs. Robbie Lawler, there is plenty to talk about just looking at the headliners. Past those two fights, however, are interesting bouts involving returning heavyweights Travis Browne and Todd Duffee and intriguing up-and-comers in Sergio Pettis, Ashlee Evans-Smith, Tony Ferguson and Abel Trujillo.

So what topics merit discussion over the next two weeks? Find out right here!

Can Sergio Pettis Restart the Hype Train?

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The Fight: Sergio Pettis vs. Matt Hobar
The Real Fight: Prospect vs. Unrealistic Hype

The Stakes

Sergio Pettis, brother of the lightweight champion, was one of the most highly regarded prospects in the sport last year. Three fights deep into his UFC career, the rosy shine of high expectations has faded, and what remains is a mediocre bantamweight. If Pettis wants to recapture the mystique he had just 12 months ago, he will need to win big against 1-1 Matt Hobar. 

The Question

Can Sergio Pettis restart the hype train?

Analysis

Many (including yours truly) bit on the hype surrounding Pettis following his first two UFC fights. When a fighter gets pushed to his limits by Yaotzin Meza, however, that's a pretty big red flag.

Granted, Pettis is 21 years old. Also granted, an 11-1 record isn't something to scoff at. He has a lot of fighting and a lot of development ahead of him. But if he wants to be like Rory MacDonald—somebody who entered the UFC at a young age and instantly asserted himself as a contender—he's going to need to turn things around in a big way.

When Will Holly Holm Make Her Debut?

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The Fight: Raquel Pennington vs. Ashlee Evans-Smith
The Real Fight: Raquel Pennington vs. Not Holly Holm

The Stakes

Side-by-side with Sergio Pettis in all this "hot prospect" talk is Holly Holm. The boxing champion has been electric since transitioning to MMA, racking up a perfect 7-0 record with six of those victories coming by knockout. While Holm was expected to quickly establish herself as a legitimate contender for Ronda Rousey by roughing up Raquel Pennington, a neck injury has left all parties wondering when Holm can get back into the cage.

The Question

When will Holly Holm make her debut?

Analysis

What a waste...

For Pennington, this was an opportunity to pull off one of the biggest MMA upsets of 2014. For Holm, this was the tune-uppiest of tune-up fights and likely would have instantly made her the hottest name at 135 pounds outside of Rousey. Now it's a lower preliminary-card fight with no obvious relevance to the title picture.

Here's hoping Holm can get herself back in fighting condition quickly.

How Will Ashlee Evans-Smith Do in Her UFC Debut?

Photo by World Series of Fighting

The Fight: Raquel Pennington vs. Ashlee Evans-Smith
The Real Fight: Ashlee Evans-Smith vs. Raquel Pennington (Nothing Really Complicated Here!)

The Stakes

While Evans-Smith isn't a name on Holly Holm's level, she is a legitimate addition to the UFC roster. Despite her relatively limited professional experience (she owns a 3-0 record) and mediocre amateur record (she went 5-4 with mixed results against future UFC and Invicta fighters), she has solid wrestling skills and one of the division's scariest top games. It will be interesting to see how she holds up against UFC competition.

The Question

How will Ashlee Evans-Smith do in her UFC debut?

Analysis

Pennington is a fighter who gets by on pure strength. Evans-Smith is a fighter who gets by on ground-and-pound. On paper, that makes for one of those tough-to-watch, push-against-the-cage-until-the-bell-sounds fights. However, if Evans-Smith can actually assert herself with her wrestling and finish Pennington inside the distance, it will establish her as a power player at 135 pounds.

Does Francisco Rivera Have Anything for Urijah Faber?

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The Fight: Urijah Faber vs. Francisco Rivera
The Real Fight: Predator vs. Prey

The Stakes

In another match that experts would label a Sure Thing vs. Huge Opportunity, Urijah Faber (the sure thing) faces Francisco Rivera (who has the huge opportunity). It's familiar territory for Faber, who has been pitted against jobber after jobber en route to failed title shot after failed title shot. Victory is all but assured for Faber; the only question is how interesting Rivera can make things.

The Question

Does Francisco Rivera have anything for Urijah Faber?

Analysis

A man has to eat, and Faber is no different. Unfortunately, in the barren wasteland of the bantamweight division, pickings are slim. The all-time great has been forced to prey on bony midcarders instead of meaty contenders.

Rivera is slated to be his latest victim, and precedence shows that this should be a slam-dunk win for "The California 35-Year-Old." If Rivera makes this competitive, however, it will be a welcome treat for fans.

Which Lightweight Will Earn a Jump Up in Competition?

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The Fight: Tony Ferguson vs. Abel Trujillo
The Real Fight: Up-and-Coming Lightweight vs. Up-and-Coming Lightweight

The Stakes

Tony Ferguson and Abel Trujillo are two of the fastest-rising lightweights in the game today. Trujillo scored one of 2014's scariest wins when he nearly decapitated skilled veteran Jamie Varner, while Ferguson owns a solid 6-1 UFC record with wins over formidable opponents like Ramsey Nijem, Yves Edwards and Danny Castillo. Whoever wins this fight is likely in for a major jump up in competition.

The Question

Which lightweight will earn a jump up in competition?

Analysis

The lightweight division has always been good, but there are so many fighters climbing the rankings right now. Veterans like Jorge Masvidal and Edson Barboza are finally making their way to relevance after lengthy careers, while new blood like Myles Jury, Al Iaquinta and Rustam Khabilov are knocking on the door of the top 10.

Unfortunately for Trujillo and Ferguson, there isn't enough room for both of them to join that lot.

What Will Happen with Todd Duffee?

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The Fight: Todd Duffee vs. Anthony Hamilton
The Real Fight: Todd Duffee vs. Pretty Much Everything

The Stakes

Five years ago, Todd Duffee was one of the hottest commodities in MMA. Just 23 years old at the time, he broke the official record for fastest UFC knockout (held at the time by Don Frye) in his promotional debut and was supposed to be the next big thing in a division that was the promotion's biggest attraction.

Then he lost. Then he was cut. Then he lost again. Then he disappeared for a year. Then he was invited back to the UFC. Then he disappeared for another two years.

Now, Duffee is back to square one and will have to show the world he remains an interesting X-factor in the UFC heavyweight division. 

The Question

What will happen with Todd Duffee?

Analysis

Some may label Duffee's career as a roller coaster, but the highs have been so infrequent and the lows have been so constant that his time in MMA is better described as a subway. What he has left in him is anyone's guess, but with his relative youth (he is 28 years old in a division stacked with fighters in their mid-to-late-30s) and his strong camp (he trains with American Kickboxing Academy alongside Cain Velasquez and Daniel Cormier), there is definitely still hope for the hitter.

Will Travis Browne Return to Being Dominant?

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The Fight: Travis Browne vs. Brendan Schaub
The Real Fight: Travis Browne vs. Somebody He Should Beat

The Stakes

Travis Browne has been in the Octagon with many of the heavyweight division's best already. This is the guy who finished Stefan Struve with a superman punch, pulled off one of the best comeback KOs in recent years against Alistair Overeem and possibly retired Josh Barnett with one of the scariest volleys of elbows you'll ever see.

While he lost to Fabricio Werdum in April, there is little reason to doubt Browne, especially against an unranked challenger like Brendan Schaub.

The Question

Can Travis Browne bounce back?

Analysis

Schaub is not a bad fighter, but he is at a clear disadvantage against Browne both stylistically and experience-wise. Schaub is solid enough that this isn't a full-on squash match, but it would be surprising if Browne didn't dominate this fight.

What Will We See out of Anthony Pettis?

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WEC NEVER DIE!

The Fight: Anthony Pettis vs. Gilbert Melendez
The Real Fight: Anthony Pettis vs. Long Layoffs, Injuries, Etc.

The Stakes

A deal with Reebok. Appearing on the Wheaties box. The No. 6 spot on the pound-for-pound rankings.

That's not bad for somebody with zero title defenses.

Pettis is in an awkward position where he needs to show that he deserves the accolades he has achieved while rehabbing his latest injury. He faces a particularly stiff test in Gilbert Melendez. 

The Question

What will we see out of Anthony Pettis?

Analysis

Considering Pettis is the champion of one of the UFC's deepest divisions, there sure are a lot of unknowns with him. Between the injuries and the questions regarding his wrestling skills, any well-rounded contender should get a second look from bettors. Melendez, by the way, is very well-rounded. 

If Pettis can thoroughly neutralize Melendez, he might just be as good as all the hype and endorsement deals would suggest. If he can't, we might be looking at a short title reign for Showtime (from a number-of-defenses perspective...as we've seen, he's more than capable of keeping the belt on his mantel during layoffs).

Will Gilbert Melendez Pull off One of the Greatest UFC Coups Ever?

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The Fight: Anthony Pettis vs. Gilbert Melendez
The Real Fight: Gilbert Melendez vs. The Man

The Stakes

At a time where fighters' pay seems to just be getting worse and worse, just one fighter has been able to force the UFC's hand. That one fighter is Melendez, who parlayed an ugly contract dispute with Zuffa into a guaranteed title shot by briefly signing with Bellator MMA. If Melendez can take this all the way and walk out of UFC 181 as the first direct Strikeforce import to win a belt, it will be one of the wildest stories of 2014. 

The Question

Will Gilbert Melendez pull off one of the greatest UFC coups ever?

Analysis

Contract disputes between the UFC and MMA pioneers and all-time greats are not new. Heck, the fact that Royce Gracie, Randy Couture, Frank Shamrock, Tito Ortiz and Wanderlei Silva have all gotten behind Bellator attests to that. Rarely, however, have we seen a fighter get into a contract dispute with the UFC and immediately turn that into a title shot.

Heck, even when BJ Penn left the UFC for K-1 holding the welterweight strap, he had to fight his way into a title shot against some young French-Canadian hotshot.

If Melendez can successfully pull this off—fighting at his own price on his own terms at the top level—it would be one of the greatest power plays by a fighter that we've ever seen.

How Will Johny Hendricks vs. Robbie Lawler 2 Go?

Matt Strasen/Associated Press

The Fight: Johny Hendricks vs. Robbie Lawler
The Real Fight: Johny Hendricks, Robbie Lawler vs. Patterns

The Stakes

Back in March, Johny Hendricks and Robbie Lawler faced off in a tense, competitive welterweight title fight. Nine months later, they're set to face off once again. Neither man wants the second showdown to go the same way; Hendricks wants to start carving out a niche as a champion on par with Georges St-Pierre, while Lawler wants to avoid the judges that may cost him the belt yet again.

The Question

How will Johny Hendricks vs. Robbie Lawler 2 Go?

Analysis

I have no idea how this fight will pan out. Lawler was one more stuffed takedown away from taking the belt...but Hendricks is also a great wrestler. On the other hand, Hendricks was also battered like a fish stick by Lawler, which made his "look at his face!" complaints regarding his fight with St-Pierre look silly.

Both fighters have their strengths and weaknesses, so we'll have to wait and see how this fight goes. It's definitely one to look forward to.