UFC 136 Results: Questions Answered and Lessons Learned

The stacked card that was UFC 136 is finally in the history books. A multitude of questions were answered and several lessons were learned.

Frankie Edgar proved too much for Gray Maynard, winning by stunning TKO victory and bringing their series to 1-1-1, and Kenny Florian again proved that he can't win in big situations, dropping a decision to Jose Aldo.

However, there were many other fights that taught the MMA community lessons. What were they and what lessons did they teach? Read and find out!

Mike Massenzio Has Improved His Striking

Middleweight Mike Massenzio was known primarily as a grappler when he came into the UFC. The problem with this was he was basically only a grappler.

He had an unimpressive 1-2 run in the UFC and then picked up a win on the local scene, came back, and lost again, bringing his UFC record to 1-3 before meeting Steve Cantwell at UFC 136.

He battered Cantwell with his improved striking in the second and third rounds en route to a decision victory. Massenzio showed that he has improved his striking enough to out-strike a striker.

If he continues to improve at this rate, he'll continue to swiftly climb the middleweight rankings.

Eric Schafer Has a Chin

Eric Schafer endured a three-round beating from Aaron Simpson that saw him knocked to the canvas on several occasions.

Somehow, he managed to survive the onslaught and Simpson slowed down, giving Schafer a reprieve and allowing him to survive.

The lesson would be "Aaron Simpson has improved his striking" but, in reality, he beat up a one-dimensional jiu-jitsu fighter with limited striking and poor takedowns, so it's difficult to really tell if his striking has truly improved, or if the credit should go to his opponent.

Tie Quan Zhang Needs a Lot of Work/The UFC in China Has Been Set Back

If Tie Quan Zhang proved anything, it was that his grappling still needs a lot of work.

His striking was crisp as was his guillotine but his attacks or sweeps off of his back were nonexistent. He still needs to fully develop his grappling game.

With Zhang's loss, the UFC's efforts to break into the Chinese market has taken a temporary hit. Without a successful star to market there, how can the UFC grow in the highly-coveted marke?

Joey Beltran Is Just Average, Stipe Miocic Is Still an Unknown Quantity

While "The Mexicutioner" Joey Beltran has the best nickname in the heavyweight division, he has the most average fighting skills.

His performances wow fans due to his determination and ability to absorb punishment, rather than for his technical prowess. His fight against Stipe Miocic proved this; he attacked but it just wasn't enough. Miocic was too skilled for him.

Does that mean Miocic is impressive? To a degree, yes. However, the Croatian-American's true skill level won't truly be known until he fights more accomplished competitors.

Anthony Pettis Has Learned His Lesson

Anthony Pettis demonstrated a much improved wrestling game against Jeremy Stephens.

In Pettis' last fight against Clay Guida, Guida smothered the former (and last) WEC lightweight champion with dominant wrestling.

At UFC 136, Pettis proved he learned his lesson. He had better takedown defense and landed quite a few takedowns of his own.

With Bellator welterweight champion and 2008 Olympian Ben Askren as one of his training parterns Pettis' wrestling will no doubt continue to improve.

The Void Brittney Palmer Left at Cageside Is Still Unfilled

If you enjoyed looking at Vanessa Hansen, the "new" ring girl, don't get too comfortable because she was only a guest cageside. The duo of Arianny Celeste and Chandela Powell will have to suffice for now.

The Lightweight Division Is More Complicated Than It Seems

If Melvin Guillard vs. Joe Lauzon proved anything, it was that any lightweight fighter can beat any lightweight opponent on any given night.

Guillard initially looked to be a bit too quick and explosive for Lauzon, but then he got tagged square in the face by a Lauzon uppercut and eventually found himself on the mat. Lauzon quickly followed up and made Guillard tap out to a rear-naked choke.

Guillard was being touted as the next potential title contender, but if he could be disposed of so easily what does that mean? Does that mean that Lauzon is a contender? But Lauzon was manhandled by George Sotiropoulos, who lost to another potential contender in Dennis Siver!

So what does that all mean?

It means that lightweight is a tangled web of a division and that any one of the top fighters can beat any of the others.

Old Habits Die Hard

Leonard Garcia proved that old habits die hard. In his fight against Nam Phan, he started out each round with very technical striking and it appeared as though he had abandoned his brawling style.

However, as time went on, his strikes became more wild and looping, allowing Phan to pick him apart once again.

Unfortunately for Garcia, he couldn't kick his habit of winging his punches; he will likely always remain a brawler.

Chael Sonnen's Ability to Hype a Fight Is Legendary

Chael Sonnen vs. Brian Stann was unique because the post-fight antics revealed more than the actual fight itself (which went like most people expected—when a great wrestler faces a fighter with mediocre wrestling, it's not too hard to pick the winner).

As soon as Sonnen got near the microphone, he insulted the middleweight champion and began to hype his potential rematch with Anderson Silva, only this time with higher stakes—if Silva wins, "Uncle Chael" will allegedly leave the UFC, but if Sonnen wins than Silva must vacate the middleweight division. 

Sonnen proved that his ability to hype a fight is legendary. Perhaps we will see Silva-Sonnen 2 on FOX?

Jose Aldo Is Good, Not Great; Kenny Florian Isn't Fated to Wear UFC Gold

Jose Aldo looked good against Kenny Florian, but just good. He didn't put on the type of crushing performance which made him famous in the WEC days. 

Why didn't he? Because he is now facing a higher level of competition.

Initially, featherweight had a very small talent pool, but that talent pool is growing by leaps and bounds, especially with former lightweights entering the weight class. 

Thus, Aldo is done making highlight reel moments out of lower-level fighters. Each fight will only get more difficult for him until he's finally beaten.

What about Kenny Florian?

He just wasn't blessed with the abilities to be at the top one percent of the top one percent like every other champion. He was good, but not good enough (the story of his career, unfortunately).

With no other weight class to retreat to, it's unknown what Florian will do now.

Frankie Edgar Is Rocky Balboa

Frankie Edgar is the closest thing the UFC has to Rocky Balboa, period.

Balboa is known for his ability to absorb punishment but still come back and win the fight, and Edgar is known for exactly the same thing.

Edgar again survived a devastating first-round onslaught from Gray Maynard, but this time the New Jersey native managed not only to come back, but to come back in force, knocking Maynard out in one of the most unexpected finishes in recent UFC memory.

Edgar is a perennial underdog due to his undersized stature, as one of a handful of fighters who doesn't cut weight, and legitimate humble personality. When these Rocky-like qualities are combined with his incredible fighting spirit and heart, it can't be denied that he is MMA's answer to Rocky Balboa.