UFC 197 Results: Matches to Make for the Winners and Losers
He's back.
Jon Jones returned at UFC 197 in dominant fashion against Ovince Saint Preux. The lopsided decision victory netted him the interim UFC light heavyweight championship, but that is a consolation prize to just being back inside the cage.
It was an impressive showing, but another champion was even more dominant in the co-main event.
Demetrious Johnson made quick work of Olympic gold medalist Henry Cejudo with a first-round TKO to retain the flyweight belt. Johnson continues to be the shining example of what high-level MMA is all about, and he is staking his claim as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.
There was plenty of other action in Las Vegas on Saturday night, and the winners and losers will be seeking matchups following the show. That is what we take a gander at today.
These are the matches to make for all 24 fighters who competed at UFC 197.
UFC Fight Pass Prelims
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Kevin Lee def. Efrain Escudero by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
It's time to say goodbye to Escudero. He's just not cutting it.
Lee is a solid prospect to watch, and this was a solid performance from him. There's no reason to rush him back into a big fight. Teemu Packalen fits the mold for what a Lee opponent should be at this juncture. It's also a plus that it would likely be an exciting fight.
Marcos Rogerio de Lima def. Clint Hester via submission (arm-triangle) at 4:35 of the first round
That's three losses in a row for Hester, and he hasn't looked like he is making any strides. Time to cut ties.
"Pezao" is back in the win column. He could meet another mid-tier light heavyweight, but perhaps a showdown with Jimi Manuwa makes more sense. It's a big opportunity for the Brazilian and a solid return from for Manuwa. A win-win for the UFC.
Walt Harris def. Cody East by TKO at 4:16 of the first round
East should be fired. He likely shouldn't have been hired with his laundry list of transgressions, but after Harris ousted him with a first round TKO, it's time for the UFC to serve him walking papers.
Jared Cannonier vs. Harris is a quality heavyweight tilt. According to MMAjunkie, Cannonier said he has plans to move to light heavyweight, but that will be a process. He can still take one more fight at heavyweight, and Harris is on an equal playing field.
Fox Sports 1 Prelims
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James Vick def. Glaico Franca by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Vick remained undefeated, and at five consecutive UFC wins he needs a bigger fight. Beneil Dariush is ranked and coming off a loss. The two fit together well for a fall meeting.
Franca did well enough, but there's nothing particularly exciting about him. Chad Laprise would do well enough as an opponent for a future Fight Pass prelim that no one will remember.
Carla Esparza def. Juliana Lima by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
If you just looked at the result, then you would come to the conclusion that Esparza is back, but let's be clear, she did not look great against Lima.
Ericka Almeida is a proper opponent for Lima at this point in their UFC careers. For Esparza? The UFC should eye Livia Renata Souza (should she successfully defend the Invicta FC title against Angela Hill). Souza is a legitimate elite strawweight, and she is vicious. That's a great fight, and the winner is an instant title contender.
Danny Roberts def. Dominique Steele by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Roberts vs. Steele gave the fans one of the best fights of the year. Though, the fans weren't quite pleased with the decision.
Randy Brown recently lost his UFC debut, and pitting him against Steele would be a quality undercard bout between two prospects. Roberts is not too far ahead of them, but a win is a win. Santiago Ponzinibbio has back-to-back wins and is on a similar timetable. A meeting against Roberts is appealing given their recent performances.
Sergio Pettis def. Chris Kelades by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
It may be time to write-off Pettis as a golden prospect in the flyweight division. Sure, he is still very young, but he just isn't progressing at a rate that makes anyone believe he has championship material like his brother.
Kelades is a suitable opponent for Zach Makovsky, who desperately needs a win. Pettis is in the unenviable position of fighting a ranked fighter but not really proving he deserves such a fight. Ray Borg may be the UFC's best bet in this scenario.
Yair Rodriguez vs. Andre Fili
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Yair Rodriguez def. Andre Fili by KO at 2:15 of the second round
Rodriguez has had buzz surrounding him ever since he stepped foot inside the Octagon, and he continued to show why against Fili. A spectacular, Knockout of the Year contender, flying head-kick finish puts him into much bigger fights for the foreseeable future.
As for Fili, he has good tools but has not been able to realize his potential. A serious step back is in order. Yaotzin Meza is still under UFC contract and should be a favorable matchup he can build from.
Rodriguez is due for a ranked opponent. Charles Oliveira would be an intriguing and difficult test for him, and it will be a test for Oliveira to make 145 again.
Oliveira vs. Rodriguez puts the winner into contention, and the featherweight division is a stacked division full of fun and exciting high-level bouts at the top end.
Robert Whittaker vs. Rafael Natal
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Robert Whittaker def. Rafael Natal by unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
Natal isn't quite known for being the most fan-friendly fighter to watch, but his bout against Whittaker helped to get the crowd excited. It was an entertaining slugfest for both men.
Whittaker picked up the easy decision, and the win keeps him undefeated at 185-pounds.
Natal is a fine fighter to have on an undercard, and his next fight should come in Brazil against a fellow Brazilian. Thale Leites hits all the criteria for being a good choice for Natal.
Whittaker is a contender. The trouble with booking his next fight is that nearly everyone at middleweight is booked, so he has to wait for the results to come down. The fighter who makes the most sense, should he win, is Anderson Silva.
Silva vs. Whittaker is a mouth-watering matchup, and one that could elevate the Australian to a new plateau. If Silva loses to Uriah Hall at UFC 198, then it's anyone's guess as to which direction the UFC takes.
Anthony Pettis vs. Edson Barboza
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Edson Barboza def. Anthony Pettis by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Barboza finally got over the hump with a quality performance against the former lightweight champion. It had seemed that Barboza always faltered in these matchups—such as he did against Tony Ferguson in December—but he would not be denied on Saturday.
Pettis has not shown the same championship-caliber performances since UFC 185, when he was dethroned. Against Barboza, he allowed the Brazilian to be first and control the action. The leg kicks landed tallied up, and Pettis did not have much to offer in the final round.
The third-straight loss for Pettis won't remove him from being considered one of the best in the world, but it should remove him from fighting a ranked opponent in his next outing. Drew Dober would be a good test for Pettis to gauge what is left in the gas tank and a good premiere fight for Dober as well.
Barboza is in title contention. The availability of other contenders is the issue. The matchup that makes the most sense would likely be the loser of the lightweight title fight in July. Rafael dos Anjos, the current champion, or Eddie Alvarez.
There's not much else for Barboza to take without taking a step backwards.
Demetrious Johnson vs. Henry Cejudo
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Demetrious Johnson def. Henry Cejudo by TKO at 2:49 of the first round
Yikes. "Mighty Mouse" is a terrifying 125-pound individual.
Johnson tore through Cejudo in the co-main event as if the Olympic gold medalist was a rookie (which he is). Johnson landed multiple knees in the clinch before rocking him with one to the face and finishing with punches. Cejudo was never in the fight.
Cejudo will learn a lot from this experience, and as a developing fighter, he needs a fight that will help him do just that. Ali Bagautinov, a former title challenger, is a great stylistic matchup for Cejudo to improve against.
Johnson has no viable contender at flyweight. If he wants to continue to defend his belt at the classification, then he'll likely be on the shelf for a minute. But if he chooses to take the 10-pound leap to bantamweight, then there should be a title opportunity awaiting him.
Johnson is the cream of the crop in MMA today. Let's see him go for double gold.
Jon Jones vs. Ovince Saint Preux
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Jon Jones def. Ovince Saint Preux by unanimous decision (50-44, 50-45, 50-45)
The former undisputed light heavyweight champion of the world didn't have his best performance at UFC 197, but he was never in any danger.
Jones dominated a slow-paced fight, and he looks to move toward once again becoming the undisputed champion. His next fight will be against reigning champion Daniel Cormier to unify the belt with his newly won interim strap.
OSP was a winner at UFC 197. He fought valiantly on short notice, and he didn't look overwhelmed against the most dominant 205-pound fighter in MMA history. It would be easy to say that the UFC needs to put him against another top contender, but he still needs development.
The smart move would be to put him against a credible named opponent, but one who doesn't pose great risk. Ilir Latifi fits that mold.
A victory in a return would then allow the UFC to book him against another title contender, but he needs to get a victory and prove he has learned from his loss against Jones first.
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