UFC Fight Night 89 Results: 5 Burning Questions Heading into UFC 205

UFC Fight Night 89 is in the books. The results are as follows:

• Tony Ferguson def. Rafael Dos Anjos by unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47)
• Diego Sanchez def. Marcin Held by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-27)
• Ricardo Lamas def. Charles Oliveira via submission (guillotine) at 2:13 of the second round
• Martin Bravo def. Claudio Puelles by TKO at 1:55 of the second round
• Beneil Dariush def. Rashid Magomedov by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
• Alexa Grasso def. Heather Jo Clark by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
• Erik Perez def. Felipe Arantes by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
• Joe Soto defeats Marco Beltran via submission (heel hook) at 1:37 of the first round
• Max Griffin def. Erick Montano by TKO at 0:54 of the first round
• Douglas Silva de Andrade def. Henry Briones by TKO at 2:33 of the third round
• Sam Alvey def. Alex Nicholson by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Marco Polo Reyes def. Jason Novelli by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
• Enrique Barzola def. Chris Avila by unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-26)

Next up? UFC 205 on Nov. 12.

It's the event that fans have been waiting for. Eddie Alvarez! Conor McGregor! Madison Square Garden! Champion vs. champion!

As if that wasn't enough, the UFC stacked the card with two more title fights and the best undercard in the history of the promotion. It was tough to limit this to just five questions, but here they are.

What Will the Middleweight Title Picture Look Like by Night's End?

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The Fight: Chris Weidman vs. Yoel Romero, Tim Kennedy vs. Rashad Evans
The Real Fight: Michael Bisping vs. The World

The Stakes

The middleweight title picture is a complete mess these days, but some clarity should come from UFC 205. The recent cancellation of Luke Rockhold vs. Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza all but guarantees that one of the four middleweights on the card will get the next crack at Michael Bisping's title.  

The Question

What will the middleweight title picture look like by night's end?

Analysis

The winner of Chris Weidman vs. Yoel Romero is the clear favorite to challenge Bisping next. Both men have a strong claim to a title shot as is—with Weidman not far removed from his ill-fated UFC 199 title shot (which slipped through his fingers due to an injury) and Romero riding an impressive seven-fight winning streak.

A win at UFC 205 would remove any question about who is most deserving.

That said, there is some appeal in continuing Bisping's redemption tour. Despite taking the middleweight title in dramatic fashion at UFC 199, he is struggling to gain respect due to the lengthy list of losses he took before his championship berth. Tim Kennedy and Rashad Evans both scored impressive wins over him in the past, and both would be capable of promoting a rematch with the title on the line.

If Weidman vs. Romero ends up being a snoozer (or, judging from recent events, if they play hardball at the negotiating table), it could open the door for the winner of Kennedy vs. Evans to cut the line.

Will Donald Cerrone Continue to Cruise at 170 Pounds?

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The Fight: Kelvin Gastelum vs. Donald Cerrone
The Real Fight: Donald Cerrone vs. Momentum Against Stiff Competition

The Stakes

Donald Cerrone jumped up to 170 pounds earlier this year, and, boy, does he look good in this new weight class. He's 3-0 and coming off back-to-back TKO wins over respected veterans, and he has the chance to cement his place in the top 10 by defeating No. 5-ranked Kelvin Gastelum.

The Question

Will Donald Cerrone continue to cruise at 170 pounds?

Analysis

The welterweight version of Cerrone has looked legitimately phenomenal to this point. On top of his improved cardio and extra muscle, he's a bit more trigger-happy in the early game, which is important for a fighter who has a well-earned reputation as a slow starter. 

He is already sniffing around the perimeter of the top 10, but a win over Gastelum would cement his place in the rankings. From there, he would be only a fight or two away from challenging for the title.

There are some big opportunities on the horizon for Cerrone. All he needs is to keep winning.

Will Joanna Jedrzejczyk's Gym Change Pay Dividends?

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The Fight: Joanna Jedrzejczyk vs. Karolina Kowalkiewicz
The Real Fight: Joanna Jedrzejczyk vs. Changes, Wanting to Be a Better, Richer Woman

The Stakes

Joanna Jedrzejczyk is already a dominant champion, but she's not getting complacent. She's now working with American Top Team, one of the United States' best gyms, and fans will get to see a slightly different version of the world's best strawweight. But that begs the question...

The Question

Will Joanna Jedrzejczyk's gym change pay dividends?

Analysis

Double-J got her wish to fight in Madison Square Garden, and she's getting a manageable huckleberry in Karolina Kowalkiewicz. Still, this isn't an easy fight for her, and a gym change is nothing to take lightly. She's coming off a brutal fight with Claudia Gadelha and is an ocean away from her comfort zone, her family, her longtime coaches and her usual training regimen. 

Working with ATT, home to the likes of Amanda Nunes, Robbie Lawler and Yoel Romero, she has the right people around her to be elevated from dominant champ to all-time great. That said, plenty of fighters have suffered from a lack of chemistry with otherwise excellent coaches.

Will UFC 205 be the debut of a newer, better Jedrzejczyk? Or will there be some growing pains?

Is Tyron Woodley a Legitimate UFC Champion?

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The Fight: Tyron Woodley vs. Stephen Thompson
The Real Fight: Tyron Woodley vs. Getting Some Respect Around Here

The Stakes

The ghosts of Rory MacDonald and Jake Shields are looming over Tyron Woodley's title reign, and that's not good for the newly minted welterweight champion. Already stuck between a rock and a PR hard place, he needs to put a big hurtin' on Stephen Thompson if he wants to start getting his due as the best 170-pound fighter in the world.

The Question

Is Tyron Woodley a legitimate UFC champion?

Analysis

What is a champion? According to UFC President Dana White and the many fans who take his word as gospel, it's whoever happens to be holding the big, gaudy, black-and-gold belt seen above. 

The reality, however, is much different. Being the world champion, ideally, is being part of a lineage that can be traced back to a number of all-time greats who, at one time or another, were indisputably the best in the world at their craft and continuing that tradition into modern times. Woodley isn't a part of any lineage, and a strong argument can be made that he isn't the best fighter in his division.

The reality with Woodley is that he is just two years separated from being thrashed by MacDonald and just three years removed from his loss to Shields. The reality is that he took the belt from Robbie Lawler with a hard punch in the early goings of their fight, which didn't prove he had moved past the technical flaws that resulted in his earlier losses. The reality of his belt is that it was fabricated on the spot when long-reigning champion Georges St-Pierre put the real belt, held by Matt Hughes, BJ Penn and Pat Miletich, on his mantel. 

There's a lack of pureness to Woodley's reign that makes it difficult to buy into him as the champion...for now. As the greatest champion in combat sports history John Cena once said, "The title doesn't make the man, the man makes the title."

It's on Woodley to make that title, and beating Thompson would be a great way to do so.

Can Conor McGregor Make History?

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The Fight: Eddie Alvarez vs. Conor McGregor
The Real Fight: Conor McGregor vs. History

The Stakes

Conor McGregor has already broken and rebroken a number of the UFC's business records. That's commendable, but we don't measure athletes' legacies in dollars and cents. They're measured in competitive accolades.

McGregor has the opportunity to do something special at UFC 205: become the first man to hold two UFC titles at the same time. If he can pull it off by defeating UFC lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez, he will carve out a special place in MMA history.

The Question

Can Conor McGregor make history?

Analysis

Whether or not you like McGregor, here are the facts about becoming a two-division UFC champion:

• No one has ever held two UFC titles at the same time.
• Only two men have ever held UFC titles in more than one weight class; BJ Penn (lightweight and welterweight) and Randy Couture (heavyweight and light heavyweight).
• Only a handful have challenged for UFC titles in multiple weight classes, a group that includes Demetrious Johnson, Frankie Edgar, Lyoto Machida and Vitor Belfort.
• Penn is the only person who has ever had the chance to become a two-division champion. As lightweight champ, he unsuccessfully challenged Georges St-Pierre for the welterweight title at UFC 94.
• Across all major MMA organizations, the only fighters to hold two titles at the same time are Dan Henderson (who held the Pride FC welterweight and middleweight titles), Gegard Mousasi (who held the Dream middleweight and light heavyweight titles) and David Branch (who currently holds the WSOF middleweight and light heavyweight titles).

That's some illustrious company, and if McGregor beats Alvarez, he'll have scored one on all of them.