UFC Fight Night 59 Results: Burning Questions Heading into UFC on Fox 14
UFC Fight Night 59 is in the books. The results are as follows:
Fight Night 59 Main Card on Fox Sports 1
- Conor McGregor def. Dennis Siver, TKO (Round 2, 1:54)
- Donald Cerrone def. Benson Henderson, unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Uriah Hall def. Ron Stallings, TKO (Round 1, 3:37)
- Gleison Tibau def. Norman Parke, split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Fox Sports 1 Prelims
- Cathal Pendred def. Sean Spencer, unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
- Lorenz Larkin def. John Howard, TKO (Round 1, 2:17)
- Chris Wade def. Zhang Lipeng, unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-26)
- Patrick Holohan def. Shane Howell, unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Johnny Case def. Frankie Perez, TKO (Round 3, 1:54)
- Charles Rosa def. Sean Soriano, submission (Round 3, 4:43)
UFC Fight Pass Prelims
- Sean O’Connell def. Matt Van Buren, TKO (Round 3, 2:11)
- Joby Sanchez def. Tateki Matsuda, split decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)
Next up? UFC on Fox 14.
The UFC is putting together a big card in a big venue in a relatively big city, tasking light heavyweight contender Alexander Gustafsson to fill up Stockholm's Tele2 Arena with a fight opposite Anthony "Rumble" Johnson. Past that is an interesting blend of veteran talent, ranging from Dan Henderson to Nikita Krylov.
So what topics are worth discussing over the next few days? What should you look out for entering fight night? Find out here!
What Will the Gate and Attendance Be Like?
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The Fight: N/A
The Real Fight: UFC vs. Uncharted Territory
The Stakes
Something flying under the radar with UFC on Fox 14 is that this event is actually a stadium show. Stockholm's Tele2 Arena will be the second-largest venue in UFC history, behind only Toronto's Rogers Centre, host of UFC 129. The gate and attendance this show garners will be important on multiple levels, from determining the UFC's standing in Europe to gauging Alexander Gustafsson's star power.
The Question
What will the gate and attendance be like?
Analysis
For all the talk of a Conor McGregor-led push into Ireland's biggest soccer arena, it is Gustafsson who will be the main man in Europe's first-ever MMA stadium show.
I was living in Sweden in 2014, and take my word for it, Gustafsson bordered on being an honest-to-goodness household name at the time. When the UFC was seriously discussing a Jon Jones vs. Alexander Gustafsson 2 stadium show in Sweden, there was little doubt in my mind that a card headlined by a Lusty Gusty title shot would fill up any given building in the chilly nation.
The atmosphere for this card will likely be no less intense than what fans and media in attendance for McGregor vs. Brandao described. Get excited.
Which Prospects Will Shine?
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The Stakes
Outside the main card, UFC on Fox 14 is short on established talent, but huge on compelling prospects. From solid Russians Albert Tumenov and Mairbek Taisumov, all the way down to newly minted flyweight Chris Beal, there are plenty of fighters to look out for in the early goings of this event.
The Question
Which prospects will shine?
Analysis:
Holly Holm, Henry Cejudo, Aaron Pico and those sorts of crossover prospects have actually taken some of the thunder away from "real" prospects who haven't already reached the pinnacles of combat-sports glory. That, however, does not take away from the potential that other rising stars own. With a lot of the fighters appearing early on this card worth looking out for, we might just be seeing the starts of strong careers.
Will Ryan Bader or Phil Davis Show Us Anything Special?
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The Fight: Phil Davis vs. Ryan Bader
The Real Fight: Gatekeeper (or is he?) vs. Gatekeeper (or is he?)
The Stakes
Phil Davis and Ryan Bader have both established themselves as top-10 fighters in the 205-pound division. top five? Not so much.
However, in the super-thin light heavyweight division, any given winning streak can easily translate into a title shot. With Bader on a three-fight streak, and with Davis coming off a lopsided victory over former contender Glover Teixeira, both men could reasonably face Jon Jones by year's end.
The Question
Will Ryan Bader or Phil Davis show us anything special?
Analysis
With large sample sizes to draw from, a clear picture of where either man lines up in the light heavyweight division has been developed. Both are above-average wrestlers who serve as a litmus test for up-and-comers. Neither has the striking skills to contend with the stiff top five of the light heavyweight division; Jon Jones, Alexander Gustafsson, Daniel Cormier, Anthony Johnson and Rashad Evans.
However, with the exception of Johnson, all of those men have fallen short against Jones in championship bouts. That leaves the champ in desperate need of fresh contenders (or, in Bader's case, fresh-ish). This a deceptively important fight for the two veterans.
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Does Dan Henderson Have Anything Left?
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The Fight: Dan Henderson vs. Gegard Mousasi
The Real Fight: Dan Henderson vs. Father Time
The Stakes
Dan Henderson has been labeled “MMA Royalty” during his last two walks into the cage. The moniker is spot-on, but even the most diehard Pride fans are unable to deny that Henderson's best days are a very, very distant memory.
Henderson is fighting against time, and in that struggle, he's taking some of the sheen off his legacy in the same way fighters such as Tito Ortiz and Ken Shamrock once did. A win over the MMA hipster favorite (but still relatively unknown) Gegard Mousasi will ultimately do little for him. A loss, however, would definitively establish futility as the norm for Henderson.
The Question
Does Dan Henderson have anything left?
Analysis
Henderson is coming off a sickeningly lopsided beatdown at the hands of Daniel Cormier. Even his win over Mauricio “Shogun” Rua was preceded by many, many punches to the face. Couple those struggles with lingering questions regarding how well a physically worn down 45 year-old can do without TRT and you have the makings of what could possibly be a retirement fight.
What Would a Win Mean for Gegard Mousasi?
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The Fight: Dan Henderson vs. Gegard Mousasi
The Real Fight: Gegard Mousasi vs. High Expectations
The Stakes
Gegard Mousasi had a strong reputation entering the UFC, and while it was unquestionably well-earned, his 2-2 UFC record has left his place in the division and very future in the sport a bit murky. Against an aging Dan Henderson, a win would do little more than keep him in place. Staying in place, however, would likely be welcome after a 12-month-long backward slide.
The Question
What would a win mean for Gegard Mousasi?
Analysis
It feels like just yesterday that Mousasi carried the title of "Fedor Emelianenko's successor." Looking back over his record and seeing some of the scalps he possesses, it's not an undeserved label, either. However, a Pride win over Hector Lombard and a submission of Mark Hunt in Dream don't do much for his reputation with your standard-issue UFC fan.
The Mousasi whom UFC fans know is the one who was out-pointed by Lyoto Machida and generally dominated by Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza. That's a shame, but such is the nature of sports. A win over Henderson will stop the proverbial bleeding, but he will need to win big to return to relevance.
Is Anthony “Rumble” Johnson Legit?
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The Fight: Alexander Gustafsson vs. Anthony Johnson
The Real Fight: Anthony Johnson vs. The Best Fighter He's Ever Faced
The Stakes
Anthony “Rumble” Johnson's rise from middling welterweight to fearsome light heavyweight is one of those stories that reminds you of how crazy MMA truly is. However, while his two UFC victories (a lopsided decision over Phil Davis and a brutal knockout of Antonio Rogerio Nogueira) have been impressive, there is still plenty of room for doubt regarding where he stacks up in the division.
A win over Alexander Gustafsson, however, would remove any questions regarding his standing at 205 pounds.
The Question
Is Anthony “Rumble” Johnson legit?
Analysis
Johnson is clearly a top-10 talent, but he isn't necessarily the bulletproof contender many believe him to be. While clearly a talented fighter, Davis remains a one-dimensional wrestler. While well-established in the division, Nogueira is physically broken and lacks serious potency in any given area of the cage.
Gustafsson would be the biggest feather in his proverbial cap...and not by a small margin. If he can beat the Swede, he will clearly, undeniably be the top 205-pound contender. If he falls short, the floor might just come out from under him.
Can Alexander Gustafsson Maintain His “Next in Line” Status?
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The Fight: Alexander Gustafsson vs. Anthony "Rumble" Johnson
The Real Fight: Alexander Gustafsson vs. Jon Jones' Whims
The Stakes
Jon Jones does not like Alexander Gustafsson, and he has almost reveled in leaving him twisting in the wind in regards to a title shot. The only thing Gustafsson can do to combat that? Leave no doubt that he is still the greatest threat to Jones' belt.
That's a tall order against a renewed Anthony “Rumble” Johnson. However, if he can win in anything close to dominant fashion, it will ensure his name remains at the top of the 205-pound title shot list.
The Question
Can Alexander Gustafsson maintain his “next in line” status?
Analysis
Gustafsson has had title shots slip through his fingers three times now. Frankly, it's hard not to feel bad for him.
He took an incredibly dangerous fight back in March against British slugger Jimi Manuwa and passed that test with flying colors by scoring an impressive second-round TKO. However, Johnson's return to the UFC has been scary in the cage and disheartening out of it.
If Gustafsson can get through this fight unscathed, it will cement his place as both an elite talent and the top contender at 205 pounds. If there is any level of doubt, however, and should another fighter such as Rashad Evans or Phil Davis put on a particularly strong performance in the meantime, expect Jones to try and once again take a pass on a rematch.
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