TUF 24 Finale Results: 5 Burning Questions Heading into UFC 206, Fight Night 102
The Ultimate Fighter Season 24's Finale is in the books. The results are as follows:
Main Card (Fox Sports 1)
- Demetrious Johnson def. Tim Elliott by unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-45)
- Joseph Benavidez def. Henry Cejudo by Split Decision (27-29, 30-26, 29-27)
- Jorge Masvidal def. Jake Ellenberger by TKO via Punches at 4:05 of Round 1
- Jared Cannonier def. Ion Cutelaba by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Sara McMann def. Alexis Davis by Submission via Arm-Triangle Choke at 2:52 of Round 2
- Brandon Moreno def. Ryan Benoit via Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Preliminary Card (Fox Sports 1)
- Ryan Hall def. Gray Maynard via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
- Rob Font def. Matt Schnell by TKO via Knee and Punches at 3:47 of Round 1
- Dong-Hyun Kim def. Brendan O'Reilly via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Jamie Moyle def. Kailin Curran via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Preliminary Card (UFC Fight Pass)
- Anthony Smith def. Elvis Mutapcic by TKO via Elbow and Punches at 3:27 of Round 2
- Devin Clark def. Josh Stansbury by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Next up? A double-header of UFC cards in Friday's UFC Fight Night 102, and Saturday's UFC 206.
206 has been a hot topic of discussion due to the UFC's stripping Conor McGregor of the featherweight title and owning what might be the all-time weakest main event in UFC pay-per-view history (more on that later). That said...there are some fun fights on that card. Fight Night 102, though...not so much.
Anyway, get down and read up on the Burning Questions ahead of these two cards.
What Will We See from Tim Kennedy?
1 of 5
Event: UFC 206
The Fight: Tim Kennedy vs. Kelvin Gastelum
The Real Fight: Tim Kennedy vs. A Very Long Layoff
The Stakes
Tim Kennedy hasn't been seen in the Octagon since 2014, but still owns an interesting space in the middleweight division's title picture. As the only man to post a win over champion Michael Bisping at 185 pounds and not be flagged for PEDs thereafter and with his loss to Yoel Romero carrying multiple asterisks, he has a unique-yet-legitimate claim to a title shot. That changes, however, if he drops this fight to Kelvin Gastelum.
The Question
What Will We See from Tim Kennedy?
Analysis
Only in a wild year like 2016 would we see a fighter that has never been ranked in the top-five returning to the title picture after a two-year-old loss. That's not something to complain about, though.
Despite never getting the attention of middleweights like Chris Weidman or Luke Rockhold, Kennedy was quietly one of the best in his division for a long time. He has a unique grappling game that combines wrestling, jiu-jitsu, jujutsu and Army combatives, and that has made him into a formidable "grinding" type fighter that can catch even savvy veterans off-guard. Similarly, his unique resume could let him cut ahead of some of the more logical contenders with a win here.
That shouldn't be too tricky, either. If Kennedy remains fairly similar to his 2014 self, he has what he needs to outwork and out-point a smaller, less-experienced Gastelum.
If he pulls it off, things could get a bit interesting...
Is Doo-Ho Choi Ready for His Shot at the Bigtime?
2 of 5
Event: UFC 206
The Fight: Cub Swanson vs. Doo-Ho Choi
The Real Fight: Doo-Ho Choi vs. UFC Matchmaking
The Stakes
Doo-Ho Choi, the Korean Superboy, has been absolutely phenomenal in the UFC thus far. The company is throwing him into the deep end now, however, by pitting him against the savvy (and stylistically tricky) veteran, Cub Swanson.
The Question
Is Doo-Ho Choi Ready for His Shot at the Bigtime?
Analysis
Choi entered the UFC as one of the hottest prospects in MMA, emptying out DEEP's entire roster from 2010 through 2013 and blowing up a number of legitimate fighters along the way. His skills have translated to the North American circuit, too, kicking off his UFC career with three vicious first-round knockouts.
There's a lot to love about Choi at this point in his career but, as is often the case, the UFC has little interest in grooming an immensely talented young fighter. Instead, they are opting to give him the "sink or swim" treatment with an incredibly difficult fight.
That isn't to say Choi is doomed here. While Swanson is a well-coached veteran and top-10 staple, he's on the wrong side of 30 years old and has undeniably lost a step after 12 years of professional cagefighting. That's not good against a real-life One Punch Man like Choi.
Still, this is a high-risk, medium-reward fight for the 25-year-old. He can trampoline into the top-10 off a win over Swanson, but if he loses? He sinks right into the quagmire that is the middle tier of the UFC featherweight division.
Can Anyone Stop Francis Ngannou?
3 of 5
Event: Fight Night 102
The Fight: Francis Ngannou vs. Anthony Hamilton
The Real Fight: Anthony Hamilton vs. A Force of Nature
The Stakes
Three up, three down for UFC heavyweight Francis Ngannou, and there's no reason to think he stops here. Set to face Anthony Hamilton, he's likely to expand his highlight reel even further.
The Question
Can Anyone Stop Francis Ngannou?
Analysis
There's a lot to love about Ngannou. He's a huge, athletic 30-year-old in a division that is as slow as it is old. On his sheer power alone, he's capable of overwhelming and finishing almost any opposition. And if he gets a bit more technical? It's easy to buy into him as someone that can stick around in the title picture for years to come.
Hamilton probably won't inhibit that development. While the American has heavy hands and some collegiate wrestling credentials, he doesn't turn into a cyclone of violence in the way Ngannou does.
This should be another quick one for the French fighter, and it will hopefully be followed by a jump up to top-10 competition from there.
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Can Donald Cerrone Keep Cruising at 170 Pounds?
4 of 5
Event: UFC 206
The Fight: Donald Cerrone vs. Matt Brown
The Real Fight: Donald Cerrone vs. Consistency, According to Dana White
The Stakes
After his UFC 205 fight with Kelvin Gastelum was aborted due to a botched weight cut, Donald Cerrone was quickly rebooked for UFC 206 in what could be a late Fight of the Year candidate. His opponent? Veteran slugger Matt Brown.
The Question
Can Donald Cerrone Keep Cruising at 170 Pounds?
Analysis
To quote myself from the UFC 205 edition of Burning Questions:
"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....There are some big opportunities on the horizon for Cerrone. All he needs is to keep winning.
"
That hasn't changed after three weeks, obviously.
Assuming he doesn't get retaliatory treatment from the UFC over being the face of a fighters association, he is just a fight or two away from a title shot. Brown his toughest 170-pound foe to date on paper and if he posts another big win? There's reason to look at him as a legitimate threat to anyone in the welterweight division.
Who Is the Third-Best Featherweight in MMA?
5 of 5
Event: UFC 206
The Fight: Max Holloway vs. Anthony Pettis
The Real Fight: Max Holloway, Anthony Pettis, Jose Aldo vs. Conor McGregor's Shadow
The Stakes
Max Holloway and Anthony Pettis are amazingly talented fighters competing in a contest that could be one of the most action-packed affairs in recent memory. That isn't what anyone is talking about, though.
From the social media chatter to the actual trailers for the fight, the real storyline entering UFC 206 is Conor McGregor, his two titles and the back-and-forth over how one of them suddenly vanished. Holloway and Pettis, unfortunately, are caught in the middle of that.
The Question
Who Is the Third-Best Featherweight in MMA?
Analysis
Here are a few facts that the UFC doesn't like to admit about the featherweight title picture.
- McGregor didn't "relinquish" the title. He was stripped by the promotion (warning, NSFW language).
- McGregor is still the lineal champion to a title that dates back to 1992 when Noboru Asahi defeated Kazuhiro Sakamoto in Shooto. The "undisputed" championship Jose Aldo holds dates back to a purchase on the UFC Online Shop.
- McGregor being stripped of the title stems from an injury suffered to the light heavyweight champion, which doesn't quite seem fair.
- Fans do not play along and toe the company line when it comes to titles being stripped. Just ask Daniel Cormier.
It's a shame, really. Holloway vs. Pettis is an excellent fight. But it's hard to even pay attention to it because there is so much to talk about here, and so much more historical significance in the UFC stripping a champion of his title less than a year after winning it.
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