UFC on Fox 15 Results: Burning Questions Heading into UFC 186
UFC on Fox 15 is in the books. The results are as follows:
UFC on Fox 15 Main Card
- Luke Rockhold def. Lyoto Machida, submission (Round 2, 2:31)
- Ronaldo Souza def. Chris Camozzi, submission (Round 1, 2:33)
- Max Holloway def. Cub Swanson, submission (Round 3, 3:58)
- Paige VanZant def. Felice Herrig, unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26)
Prelims on Fox
- Beneil Dariush def. Jim Miller, unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Ovince Saint Preux def. Patrick Cummins, knockout (Round 1, 4:54)
- Gian Villante def. Corey Anderson, TKO (Round 3, 4:18)
- Aljamain Sterling def. Takeya Mizugaki, submission (Round 3, 2:11)
Fight Pass Prelims
- Tim Means def. George Sullivan, submission (Round 3, 3:41)
- Diego Brandao def. Jimy Hettes, TKO (Round 1, 5:00)
- Chris Dempsey def. Eddie Gordon, split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Next up? UFC 186 on April 25.
Absolutely nothing has gone right for this card. Injuries, lawsuits, drug-test failures and more have stripped this card of nearly all its intrigue. What's left is a mess that carries a huge price tag. That said, a strong undercard gives fans a little something to look forward to, and it's always nice to see Demetrious Johnson work.
So what are the hottest topics entering next week's pay-per-view? Find out right here!
What Is the UFC's Buyrate Floor?
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The Fight: N/A
The Real Fight: UFC vs. Opening Up Its Pocketbook
The Stakes
Once again, flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson has fallen into headlining a card. Once again, the financial outlook for it is bleak. While Johnson is quite possibly the most dominant male fighter in MMA today, his drawing power is close to nil. With no serious backup to speak of on this card, we will likely see the lowest buyrates in UFC history.
The Question
How bad will the buyrates be for this card?
Analysis
At one point, UFC 186 was a serviceable card for hardcore fans. Two title fights, Rory MacDonald vs. Hector Lombard, the return of Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Michael Bisping vs. CB Dollaway? That's not bad at all. Fight by fight, however, UFC 186 went from being decent to awful. Now, it is likely to pinpoint the UFC's pay-per-view floor.
Which TUF20 Alum Will Achieve Title Relevance?
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The Fight: Aisling Daly vs. Randa Markos
The Real Fight: High-Upside Talent vs. Established Veteran
The Stakes
Maryna Moroz's upset of Joanne Calderwood last week has blown the door to strawweight title contention wide open, and international talents Aisling Daly and Randa Markos have the chance to walk through it. Both ladies are marketable in their own right, and this bout could yield Joanna Jedrzejczyk's first challenger.
The Question
Which The Ultimate Fighter 20 alum will achieve serious relevance?
Analysis
Markos, the fighter who should have been TUF20's breakout star, has the looks and the skills to be a true star in MMA with a bit more seasoning. Daly, a veteran of the European circuit who trains alongside Conor McGregor, could wind up being a solid anchor for the UFC in Ireland. An emphatic win for either fighter may lead to a title shot in the near future, and that would be a win-win for the UFC on all fronts.
Why Is This Fight on the Prelims?
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The Fight: Aisling Daly vs. Randa Markos
The Real Fight: Aisling Daly, Randa Markos vs. UFC's Nonsensical Booking
The Stakes
While Daly vs. Markos may be one of the best fights on the card, it is inexplicably set to kick off the night on Fight Pass. That is just kind of silly, all things considered, and it's worth wondering what train of thought led to this.
The Question
Why is this fight on the prelims?
Analysis
Daly or Markos may be close to a title shot. They may be two of the top pound-for-pound fighters on this card. Their match may be one of the favorites to win Fight of the Night.
That, however, is not enough to get on the main card. Or even on TV.
Instead, this bout (which involves two top-10-ranked competitors) is booked at the very bottom of the card. It's hard to justify this, and it's nigh impossible to brand it a wise move.
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Which Former Bantamweight Will Make a Splash at 115?
4 of 9The Fight: Jessica Rakoczy vs. Valerie Letourneau
The Real Fight: Former Bantamweight vs. Former Bantamweight
The Stakes
The wide-open strawweight division is set to welcome in a couple of familiar faces in TUF18 alumni Jessica Rakoczy and Valerie Letourneau. Both ladies made a bit of a splash at 135 pounds but were visibly undersized against the majority of bantamweight talent. With an emphatic win, either one could become a player at 115 pounds.
The Question
Which former bantamweight will make a splash at 115?
Analysis
Even at bantamweight, Rakoczy was a compelling talent. Her technical striking ranked among the best in the division and allowed her to overcome her weak ground game en route to the finals of TUF18.
Letourneau's time on TUF18 didn't last through the first day, but she earned her way back to the UFC and posted a win at UFC 174 over Elizabeth Phillips. Training at Tristar alongside Georges St-Pierre and Rory MacDonald, she has posted a serviceable 6-3 record despite having a distinct size disadvantage in many of her fights (though it's worth noting her strength of competition has swung wildly between extremely strong and extremely weak).
While neither lady is a complete MMA package, the change in weight class could be enough to nudge them toward contention.
Which Current Bantamweight Will Remain Relevant?
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The Fight: Alexis Davis vs. Sarah Kaufman
The Real Fight: Struggling Vet vs. Surging Vet
The Stakes
Alexis Davis and Sarah Kaufman have climbed to the top of the women's MMA mountain. They have also both been thrashed by Ronda Rousey. Now, they face off to maintain their place near the top of the division at the expense of the other, while a slew of young contenders seek to leapfrog over them.
The Question
Which current bantamweight will remain relevant?
Analysis
Davis vs. Kaufman is an intriguing stylistic matchup between two veterans of the pre-UFC days of women's MMA. Kaufman is a scrappy clinch striker. Davis is a crafty ground specialist. They have faced off twice before, with Kaufman coming out the winner of both matches (first by TKO, then by majority decision), so it will be interesting to see if Davis has added anything to her game that can change up the usual result.
Which Veteran Welterweight Will Show He Still Belongs?
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The Fight: Patrick Cote vs. Joe Riggs
The Real Fight: Veteran vs. Veteran
The Stakes
Patrick Cote and Joe Riggs have both contended for the UFC title. Both men are separated from those title shots by six and nine years, respectively. Now, as elder statesmen entrenched in the middle of one of MMA's deepest divisions, they look to prolong their UFC careers by putting in a strong performance here.
The Question
Which veteran welterweight will show he still belongs?
Analysis
Cote briefly gained some momentum after posting back-to-back wins at 170 pounds, but Stephen Thompson halted his progress at UFC 178. Joe Riggs has found new life since joining the MMA Lab but had his UFC return soured by a neck injury at UFC on Fox 13.
That said, neither man has particularly strong footing right now in the crowded welterweight division. If they want to continue getting solid placement on bigger cards, they will need to put their best foot forward here.
How Will Steve Bosse Fare?
7 of 9The Fight: Fabio Maldonado vs. Steve Bosse
The Real Fight: Fabio Maldonado vs. Some Guy, I Guess?
The Stakes
Quinton "Rampage" Jackson is out. Steve Bosse is in against Fabio Maldonado.
It's a big opportunity for the highly touted prospect, but the Brazilian slugger is a tough out for anybody in the division. It will be interesting to see if Bosse can instantly establish himself as a player at 205 pounds, or if he becomes another statistic for Maldonado.
The Question
How will Steve Bosse fare?
Analysis
It's worth pointing out that the UFC knew that Rampage probably wasn't going to fight at UFC 186 weeks in advance but didn't even bother to seek out a legitimate replacement for him. Seriously. There are plenty of fighters out there who would have combined with Maldonado for an exciting, relevant fight. Instead, the UFC dusts off Bosse, who has fought just once since 2011.
If you're a Montreal fan, you should be downright livid about that.
Anyway, Bosse was once a legitimate prospect, and Maldonado is a gutsy but technically unremarkable striker. This fight has upset written all over it. It also has "no big deal" written all over it.
Which Middleweight Will Remain a Top-10 Fighter?
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The Fight: Michael Bisping vs. CB Dollaway
The Real Fight: Bisping, Dollaway vs. The Clock
The Stakes
Michael Bisping and CB Dollaway are long on experience but short on title relevance these days. With both men coming off devastating losses (to Luke Rockhold and Lyoto Machida, respectively), they desperately need to stop the bleeding to keep their careers on life support. It's a less-than-compelling fight that is ill-fitting for a pay-per-view co-main event spot, and it will do little to improve either man's stock, regardless of the outcome.
The Question
Which middleweight will remain a top-10 fighter?
Analysis
You may have noticed a trend with this card. Many of the bouts feature fighters in similar career positions. Some are looking to climb up the ladder. Some are trying to regain their footing. Some (like these men) are simply trying to keep their ship afloat.
At this point, neither man is going to get a UFC title shot. Bisping's losses to Vitor Belfort, Luke Rockhold and Tim Kennedy lock him out of contention. So, too, does Dollaway's complete lack of marketability. Both men are basically fighting for pride and longevity at this point, and even an emphatic knockout will be little more than a footnote for the winner.
Does Kyoji Horiguchi Stand a Chance Here?
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The Fight: Demetrious Johnson vs. Kyoji Horiguchi
The Real Fight: Demetrious Johnson vs. Prey
The Stakes
Kyoji Horiguchi is one of the most enticing prospects at 125 pounds. Unfortunately, instead of steadily grooming him against slumping veterans or fellow young hotshots, the UFC is feeding him to Demetrious Johnson, the division's nearly untouchable champ. While the Shooto alum is an interesting talent, it's hard not to feel like this bout is too much, too soon.
The Question
Does Kyoji Horiguchi stand a chance here?
Analysis
Johnson is a top-three pound-for-pound fighter, and his reign as champion has seen him thrash nearly every legitimate challenger. Unfortunately, that has put the UFC in a position where it must call on untested, underdeveloped prospects to face him. It's not an ideal situation, of course, and it's not a situation where you can blame the UFC—John Dodson's injury and John Lineker's inability to consistently make weight have tied the company's hands—but there's no denying that it stinks.
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