UFC Fight Night 86 Results: 5 Burning Questions Heading into UFC on Fox 19
UFC Fight Night 86 is in the books. The results are as follows:
UFC Fight Night 86 Main Card
- Junior Dos Santos def. Ben Rothwell, unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45)
- Derrick Lewis def. Gabriel Gonzaga, knockout (Round 1, 4:48)
- Francis Ngannou def. Curtis Blaydes, TKO (Round 2, 5:00)
- Timothy Johnson def. Marcin Tybura, unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Jan Blachowicz def. Igor Pokrajac, unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Maryna Moroz def. Cristina Stanciu, unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Prelims on Fox Sports 1
- Zak Cummings def. Nicolas Dalby, unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Alejandro Perez def. Ian Entwistle, submission (Round 1, 4:04)
- Mairbek Taisumov def. Damir Hadzovic, TKO (Round 1, 3:44)
- Damian Stasiak def. Filip Pejic, submission (Round 1, 2:16)
Prelims on UFC Fight Pass
- Lucas Martins def. Rob Whiteford, split decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)
- Jared Cannonier def. Cyril Asker, knockout (Round 1, 2:44)
- Bojan Velickovic def. Alessio Di Chirico, unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Next up? UFC on Fox 19 on Saturday.
This is a card defined by fighters on the rebound. Some are returning from injuries. Some are still picking up the pieces following failed title shots. Some are just looking to get one or two more fights before retirement.
There are lots of big fights involving lots of big names next week. So what are the hottest topics heading into UFC on Fox 19? Read on and find out.
Is Bethe Correia Any Good?
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The Fight: Bethe Correia vs. Raquel Pennington
The Real Fight: Bethe Correia vs. Discernible Talent
The Stakes
Bethe Correia earned a fight with Ronda Rousey with a fun, pro wrestling-style but failed to impress anyone with her actual work in the cage. With the Rousey rivalry officially in the past, she is going to have to let her fists talk for her for the foreseeable future. If she can't put up a good fight against the middle-of-the-pack Raquel Pennington, it will be the end of her days as a relevant mixed martial artist.
The Question
Is Bethe Correia any good?
Analysis
Correia doesn't get enough credit for her role in the Ronda Rousey story. As Chael Sonnen helped Anderson Silva become a revenue-generating fighter, Correia's beef with the "Four Horsewomen" transformed Rousey from a solid main eventer into the greatest attraction in MMA since Brock Lesnar.
That ability to sell a fight, however, did not trick seasoned MMA observers into thinking she was a legitimate contender.
Correia fought just three times opposite Julie Kedzie, Jessamyn Duke and Shayna Baszler before challenging Rousey. None of them is with the company today (save Duke...maybe), and none of her wins was especially impressive. Even before making the jump to the UFC, she was rarely able to finish fights against the softest competition the Brazilian regional scene could muster.
Despite her accomplishments, we have seen little to get excited about when it comes to Correia. If that doesn't change here against Pennington, who isn't that tough to look good against, it will likely be the beginning of the end for Correia with the UFC.
Which Strawweight Will Become the On-Paper Top Contender?
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The Fight: Rose Namajunas vs. Tecia Torres
The Real Fight: Rose Namajunas, Tecia Torres vs. Making the Most of Their Opportunities
The Stakes
Tecia Torres has effectively bounced back from a less than impressive run on The Ultimate Fighter Season 20. Rose Namajunas, similarly, has put her title-fight loss to Carla Esparza behind her and asserted herself as one of the division's best by beating Dancing with the Stars darling Paige VanZant into a bloody mess. With nobody else riding an impressive winning streak, the door is wide-open for the winner of this fight to walk into a title shot.
The Question
Which strawweight will become the on-paper top contender?
Analysis
The stakes are high and clear in this one. The winner will likely get a crack at UFC gold. The loser will be sent to the back of the line.
It's a tough fight to predict (in a very, very good way). Namajunas has grown leaps and bounds both athletically and technically, but Torres' clinch game remains excellent. They faced off once before in 2013 with Torres taking a fairly straightforward decision win, but they're both very different fighters in 2016.
This is a rare combination of "Fight of the Night" candidate and "most title-relevant." Make sure to watch.
Is Khabib Nurmagomedov the Same Man After a Two-Year Layoff?
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The Fight: Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Darrell Horcher
The Real Fight: Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. So, So Many Injuries
The Stakes
Khabib Nurmagomedov is back after two years out of the cage. Now, he needs to show his skills are intact after that long layoff by destroying the debuting Darrell Horcher.
The Question
Is Khabib Nurmagomedov the same man after a two-year layoff?
Analysis
Nurmagomedov was a downright amazing fighter in 2014. His chain grappling was astoundingly good, and the sheer number of ways he could initiate a takedown set him apart from the rest of the division. Alas, 2014 is two ACLs ago for the young man from Dagestan, and it's anyone's guess as to how well his body has held up in the time since.
He is set to face a woefully overmatched opponent in Horcher. The expectation is he will maul the newcomer, but if he struggles at all, it will be cause for concern.
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Where Is Lyoto Machida at in His Career?
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The Fight: Lyoto Machida vs. Dan Henderson
The Real Fight: Lyoto Machida vs. Age
The Stakes
Lyoto Machida is a former light heavyweight champion and fan favorite, but The Dragon has fallen on hard times of late. At 1-3 over his last four fights, he needs to show he still has the tools to compete at a high level by demolishing the battle-worn Dan Henderson.
The Question
Where is Lyoto Machida at in his career?
Analysis
MMA fans attracted by Ronda Rousey and Conor McGregor will never understand how special Lyoto Machida was.
Ten years ago, karate was literally a joke to MMA fans. With every UFC champion coming from either a wrestling or jiu-jitsu background, "traditional martial arts" like taekwondo, judo and karate were seen as snake oil marketed to parents who wanted to get their children out of their hair. The pinnacle of MMA, it seemed, was a wrestling foundation with punches layered on top, a la Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Chuck Liddell.
Machida changed that. His base was karate. His takedowns were sumo-style trips. His gym was the New Japan Pro Wrestling Dojo. He had the rare honor of being slapped around by the legendary Antonio Inoki.
He was a breath of fresh air into a stagnant sport, and that makes his recent decline that much sadder.
At 37 years old, Machida has undeniably lost a step at this point. The trouble is that his two most recent performances have looked like his struggles go beyond that. If he has any difficulty handling the 45-year-old Henderson, it could mean the Machida Era has officially come to an end.
Has Glover Teixeira Hit His Stride?
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The Fight: Glover Teixeira vs. Rashad Evans
The Real Fight: Glover Teixeira vs. Getting Over the Hump
The Stakes
Glover Teixeira has bounced back brilliantly from his tough 2014 by posting back-to-back stoppage wins over Ovince Saint Preux and Patrick Cummins. In the super-thin light heavyweight division, he may be able to force his way back into contention with a win over Rashad Evans.
The Question
Has Glover Teixeira hit his stride?
Analysis
Teixeira was something of a hype job entering the UFC. His wrestling game was mediocre, his cardio was lacking, and his striking was limited to a counter right hand. His real strengths, which were lost in the UFC's hype, were his Brazilian jiu-jitsu and his timing.
Over the last 12 months, we've seen him add a few new wrinkles to his game that play to those strengths, and that could be enough to slingshot him back into contention.
A convincing win over Evans could very well set him up for a fight against Anthony Johnson or Alexander Gustafsson. That, in turn, would give him a clear shot at gold.
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