UFC 188 Results: Burning Questions Heading into Fight Night 69
UFC 188 is in the books. The results are as follows (courtesy of Bleacher Report's play-by-play linchpin, Craig Amos):
UFC 188 Main Card
- Fabricio Werdum def. Cain Velasquez, submission (Round 3, 2:13)
- Eddie Alvarez def. Gilbert Melendez, split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
- Kelvin Gastelum def. Nate Marquardt, TKO (Round 2, 5:00)
- Yair Rodriguez def. Charles Rosa, split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
- Tecia Torres def. Angela Hill, unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Prelims on FX
- Henry Cejudo def. Chico Camus, unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
- Efrain Escudero def. Drew Dober, submission (Round 1, 0:54)
- Patrick Williams def. Alejandro Perez, submission (Round 1, 0:23)
- Johnny Case def. Francisco Trevino, unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Prelims on UFC Fight Pass
- Cathal Pendred def. Augusto Montano, unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Gabriel Benitez def. Clay Collard, unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Next up? UFC Fight Night 69 on June 20.
The UFC returns to Germany for a Fight Night event, but the promotion has a special treat for Fight Pass subscribers in the form of a women's strawweight title bout between Joanna Jedrzejczyk and Jessica Penne. Also on the card? The one and only Tatsuya Kawajiri, who will face German slugger Dennis Siver.
So what is worth looking forward to? What topics are worth discussing? Find out here!
How Will Makwan Amirkhani Look in His Sophomore Fight?
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The Fight: Makwan Amirkhani vs. Masio Fullen
The Real Fight: Makwan Amirkhani vs. Unrealistic Expectations
The Stakes
Makwan Amirkhani made his UFC debut memorable, crushing Andy Ogle in just eight seconds. Now, he has the unenviable task of coming up with an equally impressive performance in his next fight opposite Masio Fullen.
The Question
How will Makwan Amirkhani look in his sophomore fight?
Analysis
Amirkhani is a potential promotional gold mine. The Finnish finisher has the swagger of a champ both inside and outside the cage and has a style that meshes well with fans. If he can pull off another big win, there may be big things for him in the future.
Can Tatsuya Kawajiri Make a Run in the UFC?
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The Fight: Dennis Siver vs. Tatsuya Kawajiri
The Real Fight: Tatsuya Kawajiri vs. Terrible Booking
The Stakes
Pride veteran and man of the people Tatsuya Kawajiri is returning to the Octagon in a relatively odd fight against Dennis Siver. The bout makes little sense from a booking perspective, but coming off a loss to Clay Guida, it is nonetheless a make-or-break fight for The Crusher.
If he can win, he would cement himself as a formidable, fringe top-10 veteran. If he loses, it's possible fans won't see him in the UFC much longer.
The Question
Can Tatsuya Kawajiri make a run in the UFC?
Analysis
Why is Kawajiri fighting Siver? It's a serious question.
Kawajiri is a fan favorite whom people just want to see go to work. Siver is a standard "big" veteran with decent skills all over the cage. Kawajiri should be in fun, exciting fights that add some fan enthusiasm to iffy cards. Siver should be a big test for hot up-and-comers.
It doesn't make sense, fight fans!
Oh, Kawajiri making a run in the UFC? Yeah, this would be a big win for him. While it wouldn't vault him into contention by any stretch, it could solidify his place in the UFC rankings and open up some interesting future options for him.
Does Jessica Penne Have Anything Up Her Sleeve?
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The Fight: Joanna Jedrzejczyk vs. Jessica Penne
The Real Fight: Jessica Penne vs. Size, Striking, Strength, Various Other Disadvantages
The Stakes
In a surprising twist, Jessica Penne finds herself poised to challenge for the UFC strawweight belt. Unfortunately for her, Joanna Jedrzejczyk is the champion. While there's always a chance, the whopping plus-540, minus-800 line, per OddsShark.com, speaks to how slim those chances are.
The Question
Does Jessica Penne have anything up her sleeve?
Analysis
Penne isn't a bad fighter by any stretch. Her ground skills are top-notch, and she is methodical and smart. Her run in Invicta and her 12-2 record against solid competition speak to that. That said, she was at her best at 105 pounds and is noticeably undersized against true strawweights.
Jedrzejczyk is one of the biggest 115-pounders and has displayed strong takedown defense against two of the division's best in Carla Esparza and Claudia Gadelha. If Penne can't force Jedrzejczyk to the ground, she might be in for a rough night.
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Is Joanna Jedrzejczyk as Good as She Seems?
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The Fight: Joanna Jedrzejczyk vs. Jessica Penne
The Real Fight: Fans, Pundits vs. Old Habits
The Stakes
Joanna Jedrzejczyk has the UFC strawweight title. Now she needs to start building up a legacy.
While she looks the part of an elite talent and took the belt with a lopsided win over Carla Esparza, she needs to continue posting dominant performances in order to establish her brand. Against a seemingly overmatched Jessica Penne, however, she will need to be dominant in order to continue her hype train's blistering pace.
The Question
Is Joanna Jedrzejczyk as good as she seems?
Analysis
On paper, Jedrzejczyk is poised for a lengthy title run. Her sprawl-and-brawl style is the perfect counter to the division's hordes of grapplers, and her striking is technically solid to the point where few can contend with her standing.
That, however, is on paper. In reality, Joanna Champion is still a relatively inexperienced fighter who hasn't been tested on the ground and hasn't yet faced any of the division's many high-level strikers. While Jedrzejczyk rightly sits as a huge favorite, she isn't a slam-dunk sure thing at this point. It takes a few lopsided wins over fighters like Penne for that to change.
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