UFC 189 Results: What We Learned from Matt Brown vs. Tim Means

The highly anticipated welterweight scrap at UFC 189 on Saturday fulfilled expectations. Matt Brown and Tim Means delivered in a stellar one-round altercation.

"

I love Brown as an action fighter against midlevel competitors. Just turn him loose on donks. No need to make him climb the ladder.

— Jonathan Snowden (@JESnowden) July 12, 2015"

Means looked sharp early and staggered Brown. The ultra-tough Ohio native returned the favor and dropped Means later in the first. Means seemed to lose the range after that, but he did land one of his nasty elbow strikes.

Brown just smiled in return.

Brown then landed a fight-altering elbow. Means was hurt and shot in, and then Brown locked in a guillotine. The end came at 4:44 of the first round. With the win, Brown moves back into contention at 170 pounds.

What We'll Remember About This Fight

The end came with the guillotine, but we will remember the elbows.

Those are the strikes that changed the course of the fight. Brown placed them perfectly to hurt and wobble Means.

Brown is one of the best finishers in the UFC. When he knows he has his opponents hurt, he knows exactly how to finish them off.

We will recall how Brown slipped in the heavy elbow right on the side of Means' head.

What We Learned About Means

If there was any question whether Means can compete against the upper echelon, he answered it on Saturday.

Yes, he lost. Yes, he lost in the first round. But he was in this fight. He hurt Brown. He just got caught. That was the only difference in this fight, and Means showed that he can compete with his style against anyone in the division. He still has numerous holes in his game, but he is continually improving.

Means is a fun fighter to watch. This was a learning experience that will only benefit him down the road.

What We Learned About Brown

This is a tough one to answer because we honestly did not learn anything new about Brown. This was a classic Matt Brown performance.

He is a gritty fighter who has sneakily improved into being one of the best in the world. His style opens him up to get caught from time to time, and he lacks some of the top-end athleticism to consistently compete against the elite. However, his technical proficiency helps keep him in fights to make him a constant threat to finish at any point.

What's Next for Means

I would hate to see Means fight someone outside of the top 15. He showed he belongs.

A matchup against Ryan LaFlare, who is coming off a loss to Demian Maia, could be the right fight. The winner would solidify his spot in the top 15.

It's a stylistic matchup that is troublesome for both men. Means would have to prevent LaFlare from his grinding grappling, and LaFlare would have to avoid standing with Means for prolonged periods. It may not be the most enticing matchup available, but it makes sense for where they stand in the division.

I just do not want the UFC to push Means back into fighting someone outside of the top 15. He has earned big-time fights.

Jason Silva-USA TODAY Sports

What's Next for Brown

Carlos Condit. Please let it be Carlos Condit.

That fight would be amazing, and it could be a title eliminator. They are both ranked in the top five, and they are both finishers. Their styles complement each other so well that it would be a shock if it weren't Fight of the Night, regardless of what card it ends up on.

This is the fight to make.