UFC 232 Results: Matches to Make for the Winners and Losers
The Forum in Inglewood, California, played host to UFC 232 on short notice Saturday and got two, very different title performances.
In the main event, Jon Jones recaptured the UFC light heavyweight strap with a workmanlike performance that ended with violent ground and pound. Alexander Gustafsson had given Jones his toughest fight to date, but the rematch was nowhere near as competitive.
As for the women's featherweight title tilt. Amanda Nunes, reigning bantamweight champion, obliterated Cris "Cyborg" Justino in under a minute to become the first women's double champion in UFC history.
All the action came and went, and now the future holds all the cards.
As we enter 2019, who moves into title contention? Who is looking for one more shot under the bright lights?
Here are the matches to make following UFC 232.
Preliminary Fights Quick Hits
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Montel Jackson def. Brian Kelleher via submission (D'Arce choke) at 1:40 of the first round.
- Brian Kelleher vs. Douglas Silva de Andrade
- Montel Jackson vs. Cody Stamann
Curtis Millender def. Siyar Bahadurzada by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27).
- Siyar Bahadurzada vs. Frank Camacho
- Curtis Millender vs. Mike Perry
Uriah Hall def. Bevon Lewis by KO at 1:32 of the third round.
- Bevon Lewis vs. Oskar Piechota
- Uriah Hall vs. David Branch
Nathaniel Wood def. Andre Ewell via submission (rear-naked choke) at 4:12 of the third round.
- Andre Ewell vs. Martin Day
- Nathaniel Wood vs. John Dodson
Ryan Hall def. B.J. Penn via submission (heel hook) at 2:46 of the first round.
- B.J. Penn should be cut from the roster.
- Ryan Hall vs. Daniel Hooker
Petr Yan def. Douglas Silva de Andrade by TKO (corner stoppage) at the end of the second round.
- Douglas Silva de Andrade vs. Brian Kelleher
- Petr Yan vs. Rob Font
Megan Anderson def. Cat Zingano by TKO (injury) at 1:01 of the first round.
- Cat Zingano vs. Megan Anderson should be rebooked.
Walt Harris def. Andrei Arlovski by split decision (27-30, 29-28, 29-28).
- Andrei Arlovski vs. Maurice Greene
- Walt Harris vs. Alexander Volkov
Chad Mendes vs. Alexander Volkanovski
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Alexander Volkanovski def. Chad Mendes by TKO at 4:14 of the second round.
Perhaps it was a changing of the guard as Alexander Volkanovski took away Chad Mendes' spot among the title contenders at UFC 232.
Mendes is far from done, but Saturday's loss will force him to prove himself once again. There is little question he should still be fighting ranked opponents. Mirsad Bektic is injured, but should the timetable work out, he would be an ideal choice for Mendes' next outing.
Volkanovski is in a rough spot. The division needs new contenders, but the opportunities to claim a title shot are slim.
Cub Swanson is on a losing streak, Jeremy Stephens and Zabit Magomedsharipov are scheduled to fight and Jose Aldo meets Renato Moicano soon as well. That leaves Frankie Edgar. The former lightweight champion is injured also, but he is one of the few choices that makes sense unless Volkanovski is forced to wait for another winner from one of the two previously mentioned fights.
Slim pickings at featherweight for an exciting contender.
Ilir Latifi vs. Corey Anderson
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Corey Anderson def. Ilir Latifi Decision by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28).
Ilir Latifi found himself at No. 5 in the light heavyweight division. That should tell you all you need to know about the 205-pound division, even though Latifi is sort of a cult figure in the sport. It's just not a deep, talent-rich portion of the sport.
Anderson beat him and took his spot.
Latifi may be best matched with Volkan Oezdemir. The fight would be a nice addition to a European card and help figure out which light heavyweight is worth another shot in the upper echelon.
Anderson didn't just beat Jan Blachowicz. He embarrassed him. Yet three years after that fight, Blachowicz is ranked ahead of him. Given those circumstances, it seems like the right time to run it back. Can Blachowicz erase that memory, or does Anderson take care of business again?
In light of the state of the division, that seems like the way to go.
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Michael Chiesa vs. Carlos Condit
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Michael Chiesa def. Carlos Condit via submission (kimura) at 0:56 of the second round.
I am a big fan of Carlos Condit, so it gives me no pleasure in saying the following: The UFC should cut him.
He is on a five-fight losing streak and hasn't won inside the Octagon since 2015. It is time to admit that the bloom is off the rose in this particular case. Condit hasn't had a two-fight win streak since 2011-2012. It's time to part ways.
Michael Chiesa, on the other hand, made a strong showing at welterweight.
Perhaps the most intriguing, and meaningful, fight that could be booked for Chiesa is a meeting with Gunnar Nelson. The stylistic and personality clash would be fascinating. The bout should also provide a result that helps elevate the winner into serious contention inside the top 10.
Cris 'Cyborg' Justino vs. Amanda Nunes
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Amanda Nunes def. Cris Cyborg by KO at 0:51 of the first round.
Wow. Simply stunning.
Amanda Nunes put a stamp on Cyborg and is clearly the greatest female MMA fighter of all time. There is no question.
How should the UFC proceed? Well, first, they should proceed by actively marketing Amanda Nunes like she deserved after icing Ronda Rousey. She is marketable, and she is the best women's fighter ever. She took out Rousey and Cyborg in under two minutes combined. Use that.
Awaiting Nunes at 135 pounds is Germaine de Randamie. Assuming De Randamie doesn't find an excuse, the UFC should give her another title opportunity and a chance to get a win back from Nunes after she came up short during their prior meeting years ago.
And what about Cyborg?
Technically, she does have one fight left on her deal, per FloCombat's Damon Martin. Rip it up. Come to an agreement on the end of Cyborg as a UFC fighter. Not that she isn't fun to watch. She is. But the featherweight division is a sham. She is one of only a handful of legitimate featherweight athletes, and she just got blasted by a bantamweight in under a minute.
End the division.
If they can come to an agreement to send her back to Invicta and cultivate the division there, that would make sense. Just don't do it in the UFC.
Jon Jones vs. Alexander Gustafsson
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Jon Jones def. Alexander Gustafsson by TKO at 2:02 of the third round.
After a long week that involved changing the event's host city, Jon Jones is back atop the light heavyweight world.
Alexander Gustafsson never quite found his rhythm, while Jones used his length to keep him out of boxing range. Jones' masterclass of distance management paid off, as he avoided heavy punches.
There are not a lot of options for Gustafsson to choose from in the light heavyweight landscape, but perhaps the best plan is a rematch of a bout that took place several years ago. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua lost that fight by a decision. Does he have what it takes to make one final push? Let's find out.
In the post-fight interview, Jones called out Daniel Cormier. That was 100 percent expected.
Hard pass.
Let's be upfront about this: That fight is probably going to happen. But why? We've seen it twice before, and Jones dominated. Why is there interest in seeing it for a third time? Even at heavyweight? It is uninteresting.
The opponents at 205 are not much better, but at least there are fresh faces. Give Anthony Smith a shot at gold. He's earned it, and if nothing else, he'll take the fight to Jones.
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