UFC Fight Night 101 Results: 5 Burning Questions Heading into TUF24 Finale
UFC Fight Night 101 is in the books. The results are as follows:
- Robert Whittaker def. Derek Brunson by TKO at 4:07 of the first round
- Andrew Holbrook def. Jake Matthews by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
- Omari Akhmedov def. Kyle Noke by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
- Alex Volkanovski def. Yusuke Kasuya by TKO at 2:06 of the second round
- Tyson Pedro def. Khalil Rountree via submission (rear-naked choke) at 4:07 of the first round
- Seohee Ham def. Danielle Taylor by split decision (30-27, 28-29, 30-27)
- Dan Kelly def. Chris Camozzi by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
- Damien Brown def. Jon Tuck by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
- Jonathan Meunier def. Richard Walsh by unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
- Ben Nguyen def. Geane Herrera by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-27)
- Jason Knight def. Daniel Hooker by unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-26)
- Marlon Vera def. Ning Guangyou by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Jenel Lausa def. Yao Zhikui by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Next up? The Ultimate Fighter Season 24 Finale.
For those who haven't been keeping up, TUF24 offered fans a new look for the long-running series. Instead of the usual roundup of mediocre prospects, TUF24 brought together 16 champions from regional and international promotions for a tournament with a shot at UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson up for grabs.
While the main event has not yet officially been announced, most of the card has been. As such, it's worth taking an early look and picking out which important questions will be answered next Saturday.
Is Brandon Moreno for Real?
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The Fight: Brandon Moreno vs. Ryan Benoit
The Real Fight: Brandon Moreno vs. Making the World Believe
The Stakes
Brandon Moreno made his UFC debut with a shocking finish of at-the-time Top 10 flyweight Louis Smolka in October. Now he needs to prove he isn't a one-hit wonder by facing Ryan Benoit in the finale to the show he never got close to winning.
The Question
Is Brandon Moreno for real?
Analysis
Moreno is such a strange case.
He entered TUF24 seeded No. 16 out of 16, and the promotion didn't give him a chance at winning. He seemed to live down to that expectation by tapping to Alexandre Pantoja in the season premiere. He was given a surprise shot in the "real" show when Sergio Pettis pulled out of his fight with Smolka, who was ranked No. 9 in the division and only a fight or two away from a title shot, and again, fans, pundits and betters didn't think Moreno had a shot at winning.
Then he won the fight in the first round via spectacular submission (see above). That emphatic win over a seemingly elite fighter leaves his place in the division unclear, and the only way for that to become clear is with more fighting.
His sophomore UFC fight sees him rejoin his former castmates opposite 2-2 flyweight Ryan Benoit. Moreno's opponent, who has become famous for his dirty fighting (warning, NSFW language) despite a mediocre UFC run to this point, isn't an especially tough foe, but Benoit isn't an easy out for a fighter who is still an unknown commodity.
If Moreno can pull off another decisive win, he enters the top-10 discussion at flyweight. If he can't, it will be tempting to look at his win over Smolka as the product of a short-notice substitution gone awry.
Which Woman Will Renew Her Contender Status?
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The Fight: Alexis Davis vs. Sara McMann
The Real Fight: Alexis Davis, Sara McMann vs. Getting Noticed in the Women's Bantamweight Division
The Stakes
Former UFC title contenders Sara McMann and Alexis Davis are back in the cage at the perfect time. With contendership in the women's bantamweight division wide open, both women have the chance to claim some territory in the title picture with a win here.
The Question
Which woman will renew her contender status?
Analysis
With challenger Ronda Rousey's return potentially temporary, champion Amanda Nunes lacking any sort of star power, on-paper top contender Julianna Pena publicly butting heads (warning, NSFW language) with UFC brass and top-10 staple Miesha Tate entering retirement, all bets on what happens after UFC 207 in December are officially off.
That makes this fight a deceptively interesting one between two underappreciated contenders.
McMann has been a bit of a disappointment to this point in her UFC career, racking up a so-so 3-3 record with none of her wins coming over elite-level competition. Her Olympic silver medal in freestyle wrestling speaks for itself, though, and she has all the athleticism, determination and raw power that one would expect from that.
Davis is no slouch either. While she has never blown away a high-level opponent with her physicality or punching power, she has a number of great names on her resume, including the current UFC champ. Her savvy cannot be underestimated, and despite a lengthy layoff due to pregnancy, she is still coming off a submission win over former Strikeforce champion Sarah Kaufman.
While neither woman is a big star or an especially hot name at the moment, the door to contention is open right now. One of them just needs to walk through.
Can Joseph Benavidez Force His Way Back into Title Contention?
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The Fight: Joseph Benavidez vs. Henry Cejudo
The Real Fight: Joseph Benavidez vs. Precedent
The Stakes
Joseph Benavidez has been the second-best fighter at 125 pounds for years now but hasn't had the chance to establish himself as the greatest since his ill-fated rematch with still-reigning champ Demetrious Johnson in 2013. Riding a five-fight winning streak and with few other options available in the division, however, he might force his way back into contention with a win over Henry Cejudo.
The Question
Can Joseph Benavidez force his way back into title contention?
Analysis
No fighters under the UFC, or the former Zuffa umbrella, received a title shot after taking two losses to a reigning champ. Benson Henderson, Chael Sonnen, Miesha Tate, John Dodson, Urijah Faber, Rich Franklin, etc. were all either forced into a yearslong holding pattern in the hope that their old rival would drop the belt or had to change divisions.
Benavidez has stuck around at 125 pounds despite owning two losses to Mighty Mouse, but that has left his fights over the last three years feeling like busywork. He has been consistently passed over for title shots for less complete fighters, and bouts with middling veterans and untested prospects have done little to make a trilogy feel necessary.
This fight with Cejudo, however, bucks that trend.
Cejudo is coming off a devastating loss to Johnson but is universally regarded as an elite-level flyweight. If Benavidez can extend his winning streak to six at Cejudo's expense, that might just do the trick in terms of pushing him back into the top-contender spot at a time when there are no other viable options...assuming DJ wins in the main event, of course.
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So Who Is Fighting Demetrious Johnson, Anyway?
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The Fight: Demetrious Johnson vs. TBA
The Real Fight: Tim Elliott vs. Hiromasa Ogikubo
The Stakes
The final episode of the reality TV portion of TUF24 is yet to go down, and as such, Demetrious Johnson's opponent is as yet unknown. We'll find out Wednesday when a returning Tim Elliott faces Japanese standout Hiromasa Ogikubo.
The Question
So who is fighting Demetrious Johnson, anyway?
Analysis
TUF24 is the usual TUF experience in most ways, and it was widely panned after being announced for its confusing format...but the quality of competitors has helped make it feel better than the norm. Elliott and Ogikubo are prime examples of that.
Elliott is a familiar name for observant MMA fans due to his three-year run in the UFC from 2012 to 2015. While the UFC booted him after a three-fight skid, his ability to hang with Top 10 competition had many feeling like the UFC had acted too hastily in sending him packing. His 3-0 run in Titan FC and strong run on TUF has proved his standing in the division.
Ogikubo is a new name for American fans, but his resume is strong. He owns a 15-3 record at the expense of solid competition, and his losses have largely come from elite-level competition. His performance on TUF has been solid, and there's cause to be optimistic about how his skills will hold up in the UFC.
While both men are solid, however, it's easy to ask...
Does the Winner of TUF24 Have Anything to Offer Demetrious Johnson?
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The Fight: Demetrious Johnson vs. TBA
The Real Fight: The UFC vs. Demetrious Johnson's Dominance
The Stakes
During his four-year title reign, Demetrious Johnson has manhandled Ali Bagautinov and John Dodson. He has knocked out Joseph Benavidez and Henry Cejudo. He has tapped out Kyoji Horiguchi.
He has demolished all comers with every conceivable tool a fighter could use. Now, with a contender manufactured through reality television, it's worth asking...
The Question
Does the winner of TUF24 have anything to offer Demetrious Johnson?
Analysis
Tim Elliott and Hiromasa Ogikubo are good fighters, but Johnson has effortlessly finished elite competition time and again en route to cementing one of the greatest championship reigns in UFC history. To say the odds are against them in this fight? Well, that's an understatement.
Of course, this is basically the same situation Matt Serra found himself in on TUF4, and he pulled off one of the greatest upsets in UFC history opposite Georges St-Pierre. It will be fun to see if Elliott or Ogikubo can do the same.
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