Jay Primetown gives his thoughts on each of the fighters who competed at UFC 210 in Buffalo, New York. Jay gives his letter grades for each fighter on TheMMA-Analysis podcast which can be found on MMAOddsBreaker.com.
Magomed Bibulatov vs. Jenel Lausa
Bibulatov: As complete a performance as one will show in a UFC debut. He disguises his kicks and spinning attacks really well. He combines that with great head movement, but what makes me believe he is already a Top 10 flyweight is his wrestling. He’s a powerful, crafty wrestler that can land ground and pound from top control. All in all, a very impressive debut. Grade remains B
Lausa: A very difficult fight for Lausa, as this was a matchup he was outmatched in. He was confused by Bibulatov’s spinning attacks and had no answers once put on his back in this fight. Lausa will need to improve his grappling in order to stick long term in the UFC. Grade remains D+
Irene Aldana vs. Katlyn Chookagian
Aldana: She did a good job of landing her jab but took too many kicks to the lower body. It was her inability to check the kicks that were the difference in a close fight. With that said, she showed she’s on the same level as a fringe Top 15 bantamweight in Chookagian. Upgraded from C- to C
Chookagian: In a very close fight, Chookagian was able to mix her strikes better to take a close decision. Concerning for the New Jersey-based fighter was her inability to secure takedowns. That’s going to limit her ceiling in this division. Downgraded from C+ to C
Josh Emmett vs. Desmond Green
Emmett: He placed too much emphasis on every strike as opposed to landing in combination. He struggled with accuracy and was beat up by Green during the second half of the fight. A disappointing loss for Emmett, as his ceiling appears to be limited. Downgraded from C to D+
Green: A solid UFC debut for the Bellator and Titan FC veteran. He maintained a calm composure in this fight and landed punches accurately throughout. He slowed down a bit in the third round, but he did enough to get the victory. It will be interesting to see how he does against a rangier striker in the future. Grade remains C-
Gregor Gillespie vs. Andrew Holbrook
Gillespie: A tremendous statement from Gillespie in his native New York. The undefeated lightweight ran through Holbrook, dropping him in the first minute of the fight and following up with ground-and-pound to secure the win. Given his wrestling credentials and new found striking, he’s perhaps the best prospect in this weight class and nearing the division’s Top 15. Upgraded from C to B-
Holbrook: He ran into a buzzsaw at UFC 210 and was completely outmatched. His opponent is a future Top 10 lightweight, so there’s no shame in this loss. Next time out he’ll face an opponent closer to his level. Grade remains C-
Jan Blachowicz vs. Patrick Cummins
Blachowicz: He came out firing and had Cummins badly hurt multiple times in the first round. The problem for Blachowicz is that he was unable to finish and fatigued badly. He had no response once he got tired and gave up takedowns throughout the final two rounds to lose a decision. Given how well he started in the fight, this was a bad loss for him. Grade remains C-
Cummins: His wrestling and control is near the top of the division, but his chin is one of the worst. Every fight he’s in, he’s in danger of being knocked out. In this case, he was able to survive the early onslaught and grind out a decision. At this point, Cummins is simply a decent gatekeeper to the middle of the division. Grade remains C-
Shane Burgos vs. Charles Rosa
Burgos: A relatively quiet start, but Burgos made adjustments during the bout and his power shots began to land. A couple big punches sent Rosa back pedaling and the referee was forced to step in. Despite the victory, Burgos showed there are still holes in his game he needs to resolve before he can beat fighters in the upper half of the decision. Upgraded from C- to C
Rosa: He had a smart game plan early in this fight by focusing in on Burgos’ lead leg. As the fight wore on, it was evident that Rosa lacked the power in his strikes to really trouble his opponent. He made this fight competitive, but that inability to land power is a real flaw in his arsenal. Downgraded from C to C-
Sean Strickland vs. Kamaru Usman
Strickland: He was never in this fight. Strickland was pushed against the cage early in round one and was taken to the mat. A combination of ground-and-pound — as well as the damage he took to his eye — limited his vision making the stand-up a losing proposition as well. This is one of those losses fighters learn a lot from and make improvements. Grade remains C
Usman: Another tremendous performance from the surging welterweight. He beat up and dominated a very good prospect. He was never in trouble in this fight. It’s time for him to face Top 10 opposition. He’s ready. Upgraded from B to B+
Mike De La Torre vs. Myles Jury
De La Torre: He was put into a bad matchup, and he never had a chance in this fight. De La Torre didn’t have the defensive wrestling or the grappling ability to contend with Jury on the mat and suffered a quick defeat because of it. Grade remains D+
Jury: He was given a favorable matchup coming off a long layoff, and he didn’t disappoint. He went to his bread and butter and quickly out-grappled de la Torre and earned a quick finish. Time will tell if Jury has made improvements to his overall game when he’s tasked to fight better competition. Grade remains B
Will Brooks vs. Charles Oliveira
Brooks: Losing to Oliveira is one thing, but being out-wrestled by him is another. When Brooks entered the UFC, he was considered an instant threat in the division and a potential title contender. He’s now 1-2 in the UFC after being submitted by Do Bronx and in danger of becoming irrelevant in the division. Downgraded from B- to C+
Oliveira: Just another day at the office for Do Bronx. He’s proven time and time again that he’s the best submission grappler in the history of the UFC. He continues to be able to submit quality opposition and can do so in a variety of ways. What surprised me most in this bout was his success in securing takedowns against a good wrestler like Brooks. That bodes well for Oliveira moving forward as he continues to face quality opponents at both featherweight and lightweight. Upgraded from B- to B
Thiago Alves vs. Patrick Cote
Alves: Perhaps his best performance in nearly five years in the UFC. His striking was smooth, and he had a major speed advantage in this bout. He had Cote hurt multiple times and even did damage from top control in round three. Upgraded from C to C+
Cote: In his final MMA fight, Cote stood and traded with the dangerous Thiago Alves. That’s who Cote is. He’s a fighter that wanted to entertain fans and win fight bonuses. He came up short in his final bout, but that was what we’ve come to expect from Cote and that is entertainment. Final grade is C-
Cynthia Calvillo vs. Pearl Gonzalez
Calvillo: Her striking is improving, and she was able to put forth a decent output in this bout. Why I am excited for her future prospects is because of her ability to scramble and transition on the mat. She’s world class in that regard, and no one in the division will want to be on the ground with her. She’s new to the UFC, but she’s certainly capable of competing with Top 15 opposition now. Upgraded from C to C+
Gonzalez: Her offensive wrestling showed promise in this fight, however, she was completely outclassed in the scrambles and got put in bad positions on the mat throughout the fight. She is a fighter who can certainly compete with the lower tier of the division, but her striking isn’t consistent and her submission game isn’t advanced enough currently to contend against Top 15 strawweights. Grade remains C-
Gegard Mousasi vs. Chris Weidman
Mousasi: He struggled in the first round to defend takedowns and was nearly submitted. As Weidman began to slow down, Mousasi was able to land some big strikes, including a knee that put Weidman in a lot of trouble. The fight certainly was called in controversial fashion, so it’s uncertain how it would have played otherwise. With that said, Mousasi was awarded the victory, and it’s a big one over a former champion. Grade remains A
Weidman: He looked great early in this fight, but once again conditioning was an issue, as he started to slow down in the second round. Weidman took another big knee shot, and the wear and tear from fighting is really beginning to take a toll. With three straight losses, it’s hard to see Weidman finding his way back to the championship. Grade remains A
Daniel Cormier vs. Anthony Johnson
Cormier: Outside of a head kick that put him on the back foot near the end of round one, Cormier was in control of this fight. He let Johnson use up energy, and when he sensed he was tiring, he went for the takedown and went to work on the ground. It was nearly a carbon copy strategy of the first time they fought. There’s only one real barrier left for Cormier in this sport and it’s the one man who has beaten him: Jon Jones. Grade remains A+
Johnson: Surprisingly, he tried to wrestle with Cormier, and it was that strategy that did Johnson in. The only way he was going to beat Cormier was to knock him out. A wrestling game plan was a poor strategy, and it showed in the final result of this fight. Johnson shocked the MMA world by retiring at the conclusion of the fight as one of the great knockout artists in the history of the sport. Final grade is A-