UFC 189: Grades for Every Main Card Fighter from McGregor vs. Mendes Fight Card

UFC 189 delivered what could be considered the greatest main card in UFC history.

All five fights were special in their own way, and on another night any of them could have won Fight of the Night. We were treated to a special night all the way around. The UFC updated its presentation and had live walk-out music for the main event, and every main card athlete brought it.

It was a great night.

Las Vegas was buzzing with Irish pride throughout the evening, and the raucous crowd elevated the special feeling of the crowd.

How can one possibly put a grade on their performances? Well, I am here to try. It is a difficult task to break down these performances and reduce them to a single letter.

Regardless, here are the grades for every fighter on the main card.

Brad Pickett vs. Thomas Almeida

Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Result: Thomas Almeida defeats Brad Pickett by KO at 0:29 of the second round

Brad Pickett: B-

Pickett started off great. He was sharp with his striking, and he dropped Almeida twice in the opening round. He looked great back at 135 pounds.

However, he has to be docked some points—not just because he was finished in the second round, but because he was dropped in the first round. He got a bit careless at times. He is an aging fighter struggling to hang on.

This may have been his swan song as a top-end fighter.

Thomas Almeida: B

Almeida is one of the UFC's brightest prospects, and his fight with Pickett was a true test to see if he is ready for the next level at 135 pounds.

He is, but perhaps the UFC should not rush him into another fight against a veteran.

Almeida got tagged repeatedly by a slower fighter. Other bantamweights will shut off his lights. He gets a B due to his resiliency and diverse striking. The knockout put Pickett flat out, and he didn't have to follow up with any unnecessary punishment.

The kid has a bright future, but he has to tighten up his game.

Gunnar Nelson vs. Brandon Thatch

Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Result: Gunnar Nelson defeats Brandon Thatch via submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:54 of the first round

Gunnar Nelson: A

This could not have gone much better for Nelson.

This looked like a striker vs. grappler battle on paper, but Nelson got the best of both areas. He floored Thatch with a punch before finishing up his work on the canvas.

Nelson got back in the win column, and his performance moved him right back in position for a significant fight in the welterweight division. He has the tools to be a threat against most in the division. With the magnitude of UFC 189, this could not have been a better stage for a dominant showing.

Brandon Thatch: C-

Thatch has a great frame for the division, and he has very good striking. But this loss is a big setback.

He never really got going. Nelson had tagged him before the fight could really get going, and on the mat he is outclassed. His fight against Benson Henderson really exploited the holes in his ground game. Against Nelson it was almost academic how it would end up on the ground.

It isn't a failing grade, as he simply got caught, but he needs to refocus before returning to the cage.

Dennis Bermudez vs. Jeremy Stephens

Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Official Result: Jeremy Stephens defeats Dennis Bermudez by TKO at 0:32 of the third round

Dennis Bermudez: B-

On a different night this could have been Fight of the Night, but they were out-shown by the co-main event.

Bermudez did well against the power-punching Stephens and landed many big shots himself. He hurt Stephens, took him down and generally did an all-around good job. Unfortunately for Bermudez, he ate a knee in the third round.

The loss is a major setback for the former contender.

Jeremy Stephens: C

Stephens matched Bermudez in just about every way, but he ended up with the TKO victory. So, why does he have a lower grade? He missed weight.

As a professional, that has to be taken into account. I dock a full letter grade for missing weight, and missing weight by four and a half pounds is just ludicrous.

Stephens' power was the great equalizer. He also landed several hard leg kicks against the opposing wrestler. Stephens got the all-important victory, but it means little coming off the scale egregiously overweight.

Robbie Lawler vs. Rory MacDonald

John Locher/Associated Press

Official Result: Robbie Lawler defeats Rory MacDonald by TKO at 1:00 of the fifth round

Robbie Lawler: A-

Lawler had a good first two rounds. His right jab was on point, and he unleashed his power left when the opportunity presented itself. After losing Rounds 3 and 4, Lawler rebounded with the win in the fifth.

He got the win from accumulation. Lawler had already broken MacDonald's nose earlier in the fight, and he landed the final fight-ending blow right on the button. MacDonald just could not handle that level of pain. Lawler retained the belt.

I feel a bit dirty having to dock Lawler points on what was such an amazing fight, but he lost the third and fourth rounds clear as day.

Rory MacDonald: B+

The first round was close, but after that MacDonald starting wearing the fight on his face. He was cut multiple places from Lawler's punches.

Hurt and bloodied, MacDonald rebounded. It is why he is an elite fighter. MacDonald won those latter rounds before falling in the fifth. He took a lot of punishment and has taken quite a bit throughout his MMA career. This was the kind of beating that can change a fighter.

It was still a great performance, but he took far too much damage to get an A.

Conor McGregor vs. Chad Mendes

Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Official Result: Conor McGregor defeats Chad Mendes by TKO at 4:57 of the second round 

Conor McGregor: B+

I struggled with giving McGregor an A, but his takedown defense was just not good enough to warrant it. Mendes is a fantastic wrestler, but McGregor did not make it difficult for him to take him down.

On the feet, however, he excelled. McGregor consistently talked to Mendes even when he was eating big punches. The fact McGregor could eat those power shots was impressive, but the fact remains he got hit with them. Eventually, that has bad results.

McGregor's body work and left hand was too much for Mendes on this night, and he claimed interim UFC gold.

Chad Mendes: B+

Mendes was the hardest fighter to grade on this card. He gassed early in the fight and got finished. However, he also took this fight on short notice, and he was successful with his wrestling.

It is hard to grade him too low given the circumstances. If he had not gone for the guillotine, he may very well have won the second round. Could he have survived the next three rounds? Who knows. His wrestling and top control may have also tired McGregor out, but there is no way to know.

It was a good effort for a fighter on short notice, but it turned out to be the wrong call for Mendes.

Regardless, for what he was able to do under the circumstances, it was impressive. Also, it left many clamoring for a rematch between the two when Mendes can dedicate himself to a full training camp. Sign me up for that too.