UFC Fight Night 103 Results: 5 Burning Questions Heading into UFC on Fox 23
UFC Fight Night 103 is in the books. The results are as follows, via Bleacher Report's Craig Amos:
Main Card on Fox Sports 1
- Yair Rodriguez def. BJ Penn, TKO (Round 2, 0:24)
- Joe Lauzon def. Marcin Held, split decision (27-30, 29-28, 29-28)
- Ben Saunders def. Court McGee, unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Sergio Pettis def. John Moraga, unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Prelims on Fox Sports 1
- Drakkar Klose def. Devin Powell, unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Augusto Mendes def. Frankie Saenz, split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
- Aleksei Oleinik def. Viktor Pesta, submission (Round 1, 2:57)
- Tony Martin def. Alex White, unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Prelims on UFC Fight Pass
- Nina Ansaroff def. Jocelyn Jones-Lybarger, submission (Round 3, 3:39)
- Walt Harris def. Chase Sherman, knockout (Round 2, 2:41)
- Joachim Christensen def. Bojan Mihajlović, TKO (Round 3, 2:05)
- Cyril Asker def. Dmitrii Smoliakov, TKO (Round 1, 2:41)
Next up? UFC on Fox 23.
The NFL postseason is here, and with that comes UFC on Fox cards. The company often uses that bump to try to put eyeballs on soon-to-be title challengers, and UFC on Fox 23 is no different, as Julianna Pena and Valentina Shevchenko will face off for a shot at the women's bantamweight title and maybe the women's featherweight title. Also set to appear are TV staple Donald Cerrone and hot up-and-comers Francis Ngannou and Aljamain Sterling.
So what questions will burn into monitors if left on the screen too long? Read on and find out.
Will Aljamain Sterling Bounce Back?
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The Fight: Raphael Assuncao vs. Aljamain Sterling
The Real Fight: Aljamain Sterling vs. Losing Streaks
The Stakes
Aljamain Sterling played a public game of hardball with the UFC when he hit free agency last year as an undefeated fighter ranked in the top 10 of his division. In the traditional sports world, that's normal. In MMA, however, seeking a fair deal from the UFC is a cardinal sin.
While a smart professional sports outfit would normally groom an incredibly talented and highly marketable talent that is signed long-term, the UFC instead gave him a stylistically troublesome opponent in Bryan Caraway. Then, in a move that screams "sour grapes," it matched him up against veteran contender Raphael Assuncao in a fight that will likely go down on the preliminary card.
The deck is stacked against Sterling at UFC on Fox 23, and he can't afford to lose here.
Analysis
In a classic WWE-style power move, the UFC actively tried to undermine Sterling's drawing power as his contract approached its end in 2015. Despite actively seeking media opportunities, Sterling was kept off cameras. Despite posting impressive stoppage wins, he wasn't given profile-strengthening post-fight bonuses. Despite being a consensus top-10 name, he was relegated to preliminary cards.
The only thing the UFC couldn't control was the outcome of the fights, and Sterling just kept winning. The UFC decision-makers still seem to be sore about that and are essentially giving him the post-UFC 193 Holly Holm treatment here. Except instead of Valentina Shevchenko, Sterling has drawn Assuncao.
Despite being largely forgotten in the rapidly changing bantamweight division, Assuncao remains a formidable talent. Before dropping a unanimous decision at UFC 200, Assuncao was riding a seven-fight winning streak that included victories over names like Johnny Eduardo, TJ Dillashaw and even Caraway.
Unless Assuncao is still rusty from his injury-riddled 2015, this is a tough test for Sterling. He'll need to be on point to avoid taking another loss and possibly a pay cut.
Is Francis Ngannou Already a Top-5 Heavyweight?
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The Fight: Andrei Arlovski vs. Francis Ngannou
The Real Fight: Francis Ngannou vs. Getting His Due
The Stakes
Francis Ngannou has been thrashing the competition with a consistent thoroughness that hasn't been seen since Junior Dos Santos' early days in the UFC. Already riding a four-fight winning streak but still getting little respect from the UFC's official ranking panel, Ngannou has the chance to vault deep into the top 10 by defeating former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski.
Analysis
Ngannou is the most interesting heavyweight prospect the UFC has had in a considerable length of time. He's a physical specimen with an absurd amount of punching power, which has seen him storm through his first four UFC opponents with ease.
The only knock on Ngannou to this point has been his relatively soft competition, but that will change here.
Despite being on an ugly three-fight skid, Arlovski is the toughest test of Ngannou's career by a wide margin. The 37-year-old still has quite a bit of pop in his hands and a tricky-to-tackle style that can catch unseasoned (and soft-chinned) competition off-guard.
Ngannou will need to be on point to beat Arlovski, but if he can, he should jump directly into title discussion.
Can Jorge Masvidal Save Demian Maia's Title Shot?
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The Fight: Donald Cerrone vs. Jorge Masvidal
The Real Fight: Jorge Masvidal vs. The UFC's Welterweight Title Plans
The Stakes
Donald Cerrone is on the fast track to the welterweight title, and the UFC likely believes that it is giving him an easy out in Jorge Masvidal. The 42-fight veteran has never fit that bill, though, and could play spoiler for the UFC's 2017 plans.
Analysis
Stephen Thompson is booked to face Tyron Woodley for the welterweight title at UFC 209. Many believe that Demian Maia, who owns an impressive six-fight winning streak, is the next in line, but realistically, the UFC is likely to brush him aside if a bigger name can make a comparably strong claim. Cerrone, who has a bigger name, isn't too far off from doing so.
The UFC is positioning Cerrone to cut the line, and one of the only obstacles left in that path is Masvidal. Despite never being regarded as an elite fighter at either 155 or 170 pounds, the Strikeforce alum is among the toughest, craftiest men on the roster. Even with Cerrone on a hot streak, he has the tools to keep things close and potentially edge Cerrone out down the stretch.
If he can, the UFC will be disappointed. But Maia will be happy.
What Does the Future Hold for Valentina Shevchenko?
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The Fight: Julianna Pena vs. Valentina Shevchenko
The Real Fight: Valentina Shevchenko vs. Uncertainty
The Stakes
Valentina Shevchenko is in a strange position right now. With a loss to the women's bantamweight champion on her record, a win over one of the contenders for the inaugural featherweight title on her resume and a complete mess of a division behind her, Shevchenko may (or may not) have a claim to a title shot with a win (or loss).
Analysis
Shevchenko has somehow ended up right in the thick of title contention in two different divisions while also being miles away from the discussion.
With only three UFC fights to her name and just one win separating her from a clean loss to champion Amanda Nunes, a title shot for Shevchenko normally wouldn't even get a second thought. That one win, however, came over former bantamweight champion and current featherweight contender Holly Holm.
That's a good win to have in one's pocket. Add to that the simple fact that there isn't a single strong alternative to her, and there's a strong chance fans see Nunes vs. Shevchenko II about a year after seeing the original.
And that's just discussing the women's bantamweight division.
Wouldn't she also be in line for a title shot at 145 pounds—win or lose—if Holm takes the title at UFC 208? And if Holm's opponent, Germaine de Randamie, wins, wouldn't she be near the front of the line anyway, given the fact that there isn't truly a featherweight division right now? Or would that not be the case, given the fact that she is naturally a flyweight?
Trying to figure out what comes next for Shevchenko is a guaranteed headache. Hopefully things become clearer after UFC on Fox 23...and after UFC 208.
How Good Is Julianna Pena?
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The Fight: Julianna Pena vs. Valentina Shevchenko
The Real Fight: Julianna Pena vs. The World
The Stakes
Julianna Pena has been regarded as contender material since winning the women's bantamweight tournament in the 18th season of The Ultimate Fighter, and the three wins she has posted since haven't hurt matters. Still, there are positives and negatives aplenty when it comes to determining Pena's ceiling as a fighter.
Analysis
On paper, there's no question who the top contender at 135 pounds is. It's Pena. She has physicality, psychology, MMA math and marketability on her side to the point where there isn't even room to debate her credentials.
The interesting question when it comes to Pena is what she is capable of long-term.
The Venezuelan Vixen has looked solid to this point, taking convincing wins over some solid foes in Jessica Eye and Cat Zingano. That said, she hasn't yet posted a thoroughly dominant victory against a high-end competitor the way past and present UFC titleholders have.
She has a prime opportunity to do it here, though, against a smaller foe with a complementary style. If she wants to convince fans that she's the real deal and the next woman to have a lengthy reign as bantamweight champion, she will need to make the most of this opportunity and put a hurting on Shevchenko.
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