UFC on Fox 22 Results: 5 Burning Questions Heading into UFC 207

UFC on Fox 22 is in the books. The results are as follows:

• Michelle Waterson def. Paige VanZant by technical submission (rear-naked choke), 3:21, Rd. 1
• Mickey Gall def. Sage Northcutt by submission (armbar), 1:40, Rd. 2
• Urijah Faber def. Brad Pickett by unanimous decision
• Alan Jouban def. Mike Perry by unanimous decision
• Paul Craig def. Luis Henrique da Silva by submission (armbar), 1:59, Rd. 2
• Mizuto Hirota def. Cole Miller by unanimous decision
• Colby Covington def. Bryan Barbarena by unanimous decision
• Alex Morono def. James Moontasri by unanimous decision
• Josh Emmett def. Scott Holtzman by unanimous decision
• Leslie Smith def. Irene Aldana by unanimous decision
• Eddie Wineland def. Takeya Mizugaki by TKO, 3:04, Rd. 1
• Hector Sandoval def. Fredy Serrano by unanimous decision
• Sultan Aliev def. Bojan Velickovic by split decision

Next up? UFC 207 on Friday, Dec. 30.

The return of Ronda Rousey opposite women's bantamweight champ Amanda Nunes is the clear-cut most important thing on this card, but don't be fooled! The card is deep past that and includes a slew of interesting bouts including a men's bantamweight title bout between Dominick Cruz and Cody Garbrandt, as well as a number of former champions like Cain Velasquez, Fabricio Werdum, Johny Hendricks and TJ Dillashaw.

There are a lot of interesting fights on this card, so jump on in, folks, and find out the most compelling questions that will be answered at the year's last big MMA event.

Is This the End for Johny Hendricks?

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The Fight: Johny Hendricks vs. Neil Magny
The Real Fight: Johny Hendricks vs. The Typical Career Trajectory of a Welterweight Veteran

The Stakes

Since his aborted weight cut for a fight opposite Tyron Woodley in 2015, Johny Hendricks has gone 0-2. Neither loss was especially competitive. Neither fight saw him look even remotely as good as he did during his rise to the welterweight title. Now he's openly discussing retirement, and win or lose, it's worth wondering what Hendricks has left in him.

The Question

Is this the end for Johny Hendricks?

Analysis

Hendricks' decline has been so sudden and so steep that fans and pundits are still trying to figure out how things went so wrong. Speculation has run wild over what would make a fighter go from nearly beating Georges St-Pierre to getting handled by Kelvin Gastelum, but while the past has been combed over thoroughly, a quick look to the future is important as well.

Speaking with MMAjunkie Radio, Hendricks said his wife holds veto power over his career at this point. "As soon as my wife says, 'Honey, I want you home more,' that's when I'm done," he said. "Even if I win this fight, (I could retire). We have four kids now, and she needs help, and I get that and I want to be a father in my kids' life."

While that's quite theoretical, he was clear when speaking with ESPN's Five Rounds podcast. "The last two I have lost, fair and square, I know I have," he said, via MMAMania.com. "Realistically, if...I go out there and lose, that's when it's time to say 'I'm done.' I'm not gonna keep fighting to hopefully find a person I can beat."

That's reasonable on Hendricks' part, but elite fighters are rarely known for having an accurate assessment of where they are in their careers. As such, it's easy to wonder if Hendricks is either checked out on fighting at this point or still has the kind of hunger that can push him through tough fights.

Neil Magny is a stiff test for Hendricks, and if he isn't on point, that will become clear quickly.

Is There a Rabbit in John Lineker's Hat?

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The Fight: TJ Dillashaw vs. John Lineker
The Real Fight: John Lineker vs. The Odds

The Stakes

John Lineker has looked phenomenal at 135 pounds to this point and deserves a shot at the next level. He gets that shot at UFC 207 but faces a seemingly impossible-to-overcome TJ Dillashaw.

The Question

Is there a rabbit in John Lineker's hat?

Analysis

Lineker's career has boomed since he left the flyweight division behind. His skills are rapidly developing, his fanbase has grown, and he is closer to a title shot now than he ever has been before. 

It's been an amazing run so far, but it feels destined to end at UFC 207. While Lineker has been sensational, he squares off with a bigger, stronger, probably faster Dillashaw, who has more tools in his striking arsenal and an offensive wrestling game that is better than anything Lineker has faced to this point.

A lot of factors are working against the Brazilian here, and this wouldn't be the biggest upset of the year, but boy, it feels like Lineker is doomed.

Which Former Champ Still Holds Up in 2016?

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The Fight: Fabricio Werdum vs. Cain Velasquez
The Real Fight: Fabricio Werdum, Cain Velasquez vs. Getting One Last Chance at the Title

The Stakes

The heavyweight division's title picture remains as shallow as ever, and with former champs Cain Velasquez and Fabricio Werdum both coming off strong wins, they find themselves close to a title shot. With both men being at advanced stages of their careers and with a number of interesting contenders coming down the pipe, however, there is a strong chance they have only one chance left to reclaim the title.

The Question

Which former champ still holds up in 2016?

Analysis

Werdum is nearly 40 years old. Velasquez has had so many surgeries that he may be a cyborg at this point. Both are past their primes, and while that isn't necessarily a big deal in the higher weight classes, the division is quickly becoming a competitive one at the top, with Alexander Volkov, Derrick Lewis and Francis Ngannou on the rise and Top 10 veterans like Ben Rothwell and Junior Dos Santos sticking around.

The margin for error in the UFC's heavyweight division is shrinking, and that's not a good thing for these two. Whoever wins could challenge for the heavyweight title in his next fight. Whoever loses, though, will be bogged down in an increasingly sticky quagmire.

How Good Is Cody Garbrandt?

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The Fight: Dominick Cruz vs. Cody Garbrandt
The Real Fight: Cody Garbrandt vs. Too Much, Too Soon?

The Stakes

Cody Garbrandt has stormed his way to the bantamweight title picture with scary ease. That quick rise, however, has left many questions unanswered about how good Mr. Neck Tattoo is as a fighter. This mystery, weighted against the ever-entertaining Dominick Cruz, makes the UFC 207 co-main event one of the most intriguing bouts in recent memory.

The Question

How good is Cody Garbrandt?

Analysis

Garbrandt is an amazing prospect, but he's still a 25-year-old prospect in most ways. Ten fights and four years deep into his career, he's still growing and developing. That has led him to victory over fellow prospects like Thomas Almeida and declining veterans like Takeya Mizugaki, but can it translate to a win over a stud like Cruz?

That's tough to guess at this point, but this writer is dying to find out the answer. 

Will Ronda Rousey Be Able to Avoid Amanda Nunes' Early Onslaught?

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The Fight: Amanda Nunes vs. Ronda Rousey
The Real Fight: Ronda Rousey vs. Amanda Nunes' High-Octane First Round

The Stakes

For the most part, Amanda Nunes is a tailor-made matchup for Ronda Rousey: The champ's grappling isn't particularly amazing, she prefers to fight up close, and she tends to tire quickly. For a seemingly renewed Rousey, that should mean a decisive win. 

The only hiccup? Nunes' devastating early offense. 

The Question

Will Ronda Rousey be able to avoid Amanda Nunes' early onslaught?

Analysis

The initial questions about Rousey's mental state were valid but seemed to be answered by her interview with Ramon Shelburne of ESPN The Magazine. While the piece touches on many topics, the key takeaway, at least in this writer's mind, was that Rousey's approach to UFC 207 is similar to that of Conor McGregor's ahead of UFC 202. She is putting her sole focus on this fight, and damn everything else.

That's the mentality that fans of the former champ should want to see, and while there may be some ring rust, chances are that Rousey will enter UFC 207 in the same mental space as she did UFC 175. With that in mind, the only question with Nunes vs. Rousey is whether Rousey can endure Nunes' early onslaught.

Nunes has buttered her bread with early pressure, and that approach has led her to victory over most of her opponents to date, including Miesha Tate at UFC 200. That's a tightrope walk for Rousey, who has historically been willing to absorb strikes in order to get into range for clinch work, and it could lead to big trouble if anything lands.

If Rousey can avoid trouble, though, she should reclaim the title. What comes after that is anyone's guess.