Jay Primetown gives his thoughts on each of the fighters who competed at UFC on ESPN+ 2 in Fortaleza, Brazil. Jay gives his letter grades for each fighter on TheMMA-Analysis podcast which can be found on MMAOddsbreaker.com.
Magomed Bibulatov vs. Rogerio Bontorin
Bibulatov: He was the better fight on the feet, but struggled mightily in scramble situations giving up his back in the first and the third rounds. It cost him the fight and the outlook on him has diminished considerably since he joined the UFC. Downgraded from C+ to C-
Bontorin: A really good UFC debut. He showed he can strike with a quality striker like Bibulatov and he was opportunistic on the mat. This was not an easy debut and he did enough to win the fight. He has an opportunity to be a top 15 flyweight in the UFC. Upgraded from D+ to C-
Said Nurmagomedov vs. Ricardo Ramos
Nurmagomedov: His striking was on point in this fight. His kicks were accurate and he showed a lot of creativity. He finished a very good prospect and is one to watch in this division. Upgraded from C- to C
Ramos: He was uncomfortable with his opponent’s kicking game and the fight was quickly over. A disappointing loss for Ramos as it will take him a couple more fights to get back to where he was which was on the cusp of the division’s top 15. Downgraded from C to C-
Felipe Colares vs. Geraldo de Freitas
Colares: A worrisome performance from Colares who did not appear to have UFC level striking and his ground game was not strong enough to get his opponent to the mat. In fact, as he grew tired he was taken to the mat with relative ease. Debut grade is F
Freitas: His striking looked crisp and he had a lot of success in the exchanges on the feet. He opted to take the fight to the ground several times despite having a major advantage on the feet. Overall a good performance, but this is an opponent he should have finished. Debut grade is D
Junior Albini vs. Jair Rozenstruik
Albini: He had a really strong opening round, but when he wasn’t able to get his opponent grounded in the second round he was in trouble. With his third loss in a row, Albini is likely on his way out of the promotion. Downgraded from D+ to D
Rozenstruik: While his ground game is a real liability, he’s a very dangerous striker. His punch kick combination to send Albini to the mat will definitely make other heavyweights notice. Debut grade is D+
Thiago Alves vs. Max Griffin
Alves: He was nearly finished at the end of the first round, but he upped his pace in the final two rounds to get the better of the striking exchanges to win in his hometown by split decision. Upgraded from D+ to C-
Griffin: He had no problem getting into a fire fight with Thiago Alves, but he lost the battle of endurance and it cost him in a close and competitive battle. Grade remains C-
Mara Romero Borella vs. Taila Santos
Borella: A smart game plan to force the fight against the cage to nullify the striking of her talented opponent. It was a great gameplan as she won a clear decision to get her second career win in the UFC. Grade remains C
Santos: She had her moments on the feet, but she needs to improve her defensive grappling and wrestling if she’s going to make a run in the flyweight division. Debut grade is C-
Anthony Hernandez vs. Markus Perez
Hernandez: He had no issue throwing with Perez, but he showed some holes defensively that Perez was able to exploit. It was a body kick that really hurt him and the submission on the mat was just a formality at that point. There’s still some potential there, but we’ll need to see it in his next bout if he’s going to stick around in the UFC. Grade remains D
Perez: A much better performance from Perez who showed creativity on the feet and secured a beautiful submission on the ground. I wouldn’t expect him to challenge the top fighters in the division, but he’s entertaining and should be in the UFC for years to come. Grade remains D+
Sarah Frota vs. Livia Renata Souza
Frota: On the feet, she’s quite imposing and will be a problem for much of the weight class. She really held her own against a good opponent and nearly came away with the win. Look for her to have success in the UFC despite defeat in this bout. Upgraded from D+ to C
Souza: This was a difficult fight for her and she had to really work in this bout in order to get her hand raised. As she the fight wore on, she didn’t have as much success securing takedowns which is a concern as she will need that against the division’s top 10 fighters. Grade remains C
Justin Ledet vs. Johnny Walker
Ledet: After starting 3-0 in the UFC at heavyweight, he has since transitioned to light heavyweight and gone 0-3. Losing in 15 seconds is likely going to see him cut from the promotion. Downgraded from D to D-
Walker: Perhaps the biggest winner of the entire fight card, Walker dazzled fans with a fast and violent finish. With his charisma, athleticism, and finishing ability, there will be a lot of hype around him moving forward. Upgraded from D+ to C
Charles Oliveira vs. David Teymur
Oliveira: One of his best performances inside the Octagon, Oliveira not only excelled on the mat but he out struck a very good striker in David Teymur. A great win for the Brazilian who is poised for a top ten opponent in his next bout. Upgraded from B- to B
Teymur: He had a great opportunity to earn a marquee win, but he was beat badly in this fight. He should have dominated the striking exchanges, but instead got beat up on the feet. One has to wonder if we’ve seen Teymur’s apex already. Downgraded from B- to C
Lyman Good vs. Demian Maia
Good: It’s hard to determine anything from his performance. Most fighters struggle with Maia’s grappling; Good was no exception. Grade remains C-
Maia: He quickly grabbed the leg of his opponent and did what he always does; find his way to his opponent’s back and secure a submission. At 41 years old, Maia is still very competitive in the welterweight division. Grade remains B
Jose Aldo vs. Renato Moicano
Aldo: The legendary fighter put in a vintage performance against a very good opponent. His blitz when he had Moicano was in trouble was memorable as he really poured it on to force the referee to step in and stop the bout. Aldo showed that if Holloway moved up to lightweight, he’d be right back at the top of the featherweight food chain. Upgraded from A to A+
Moicano: Given an opportunity against a legend to cement his place right near the top of the division, Moicano was unable to take the next step in his career. He’s clearly a top ten fighter at featherweight, but until he beats one of the division’s elite, he’ll be a level below. Downgraded from A to A-
Raphael Assuncao vs. Marlon Moraes
Assuncao: Finally just one fight away from a title shot, Assuncao just wasn’t up to the caliber of his opponent. The Brazilian fighter has been a top 10 fighter for years at bantamweight, but he’s a clear level below the elite in the division. Grade remains A-
Moraes: In his second UFC main event, Moraes did not disappoint as he earned his third straight first round finish against top 10 opposition. Moraes has really turned it on since the first time he faced Assuncao and is now to be considered a real threat to TJ Dillashaw’s bantamweight title reign. Grade remains A+
