Jay Primetown gives his thoughts on each of the fighters who competed at UFC 248 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Grades are updated with each fight and can be found on MMAOddsbreaker.com
Danaa Batgerel vs. Guido Cannetti
Batgerel: His striking was crisp in this fight. He looked good earning the finish. This win gives him an opportunity for additional fights in the UFC. He likely would have been cut with a loss. Upgraded from F to D
Cannetti: At 40 years old, his skills have diminished and he just doesn’t have the ability to compete in the UFC. Downgraded from D to F
Giga Chikadze vs. Jamall Emmers
Chikadze: He’s a talented striker, but his conditioning is a real red flag. He snuck out a win, but really fell off in the second half of the fight. Grade remains D+
Emmers: He struggled with Chikadze’s length in this fight early on and took a couple of punches that wobbled him. He recovered well and was dominant in the third round. Unfortunately for him, it was too late to sway the judges. Debut grade is D+
Gerald Meerschaert vs. Deron Winn
Meerschaert: He utilized his length well and did a nice job of combining strikes. He really took over the fight once he focused on the body and was able to slow Winn down. Good win for Meerschaert. Upgraded from D+ to C-
Winn: He’s way too small for this weight class. He struggles to land punches and just at a reach disadvantage in every fight. If he doesn’t drop to welterweight, he’s not going to be able to stick in the UFC. Downgraded from D+ to D
Saparbek Safarov vs. Rodolfo Vieira
Safarov: He was the biggest underdog on the card for a reason. He had no shot once this fight hit the mat. It’s tough to see him sticking around in the UFC. Grade remains D-
Vieira: His grappling is just so good. He’s a real threat in the middleweight division and I look forward to seeing him against top 15 opposition. Upgraded from C to C+
Austin Hubbard vs. Mark Madsen
Hubbard: He found some success late in the fight, but it was too little, too late. This was a tough fight for him as he just didn’t have the answers to defend takedowns. Grade remains D
Madsen: He’s an elite wrestler and that will get him pretty far in the UFC’s deepest division. Grade remains C+
Sean O’Malley vs. Jose Quinonez
O’Malley: He looked great after a long layoff. He’s put on some muscle so he’s not as physically frail as he had been when he debuted. O’Malley has excellent hand speed and a varied attack making him an excellent prospect moving forward. Upgraded from C- to C
Quinonez: He was out gunned in this fight against a much better striker. No shame in this loss. Grade remains D
Max Griffin vs. Alex Oliveira
Griffin: He started well in this fight, but once he was cut open his vision was impaired and he lost control of the bout. Debut grade is D+
Oliveira: His performances lack consistency, but he’s the type of fighter if he smells blood, he’s able to increase his level and take over. Good win for Oliveira in an effort to generate some momentum. Grade remains C-
Li Jingliang vs. Neil Magny
Jingliang: He was beat up and out classed by a better conditioned, more refined fighter. Back to the drawing board. Grade remains C
Magny: He was dominated once this fight found a way to the ground. It’s going to be tough for Minner to stick in the UFC. Upgraded from C+ to B-
Beneil Dariush vs. Drakkar Klose
Dariush: He showed his power in this fight earning a spectacular finish. He took some big punches in this fight showing renewed durability. Upgraded from C+ to B-
Klose: He was really starting to get into the fight and had a major opportunity to finish his opponent. However, he was too aggressive leaving himself vulnerable and it cost him the bout. Grade remains C
Joanna Jedrzejczyk vs. Weili Zhang
Jedrzejczyk: She was behind earlier, but found herself towards the end of round two and turned this bout into a classic. She took a lot of damage in defeat and may never be the same. Grade remains A
Zhang: In her first ever full 25-minute fight, she showed real brass going toe to toe with one of the best fighters in history. Zhang’s power was the difference as she battered the former champion and caused significant damage. This is a huge win for Zhang and sets her up for a lengthy title reign. Upgraded from A to A+
Israel Adesanya vs. Yoel Romero
Adesanya: He was extremely cautious against Romero and rightfully so. He was facing arguably the most dangerous opponent in the division and took his time landing throughout the fight. It wasn’t a spectacular performance, but more than good enough to win the fight. It felt Jon Jones inspired and perhaps one day that fight will happen. Grade remains A+
Romero: He fought at a good pace, but just didn’t do enough to win the fight. When we look back at Yoel Romero’s career, it’s plausible that he will be the best fighter to never win a UFC title. Grade remains A-
