Jay Primetown gives his thoughts on each of the fighters who competed at UFC Fight Night 115 in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Jay gives his letter grades for each fighter on TheMMA-Analysis podcast which can be found on MMAOddsbreaker.com
Thibault Gouti vs. Andrew Holbrook
Gouti: Easily his best performance inside the cage. He let his lands fly and he was able to land consistently in this bout. However, it was a head kick that truly changed the complexion of the bout. Upgraded from F to D-
Holbrook: Not a good performance by the American. He left a lot of holes defensively for Gouti to exploit and it resulted in a first round stoppage loss. Downgraded from C- to D-
Abdul Kerim Edilov vs. Bojan Mihajlovic
Edilov: As good of a debut as one could hope for in the UFC. He dominated this fight from start to finish landing heavy ground and pound to earn a finish. In a thin light heavyweight division, Edilov’s already a fringe top 15 fighter. Debut grade is C-
Mihajlovic: He dropped down from heavyweight to light heavyweight, but it didn’t make a difference. He was still undersized and not competitive against a debuting fighter. Grade remains F-
Zabit Magomedsharipov vs. Mike Santiago
Magomedsharipov: His technical ability on the feet is some of the best in the UFC. He even attempted a Showtime kick in round one. What makes him one of the best prospects in the division is his ability to combine that striking with a dominant grappling skill-set. Debut grade is C+
Santiago: Tough matchup for Santiago who just came off of fighting on the Dana White Contender Series. He landed some effective body shots, but ultimately, he doesn’t have the creative striking skill-set and the grappling ability that his opponent has. Grade remains D+
Francimar Barroso vs. Alexsander Rakic
Barroso: He spent way too much time backing up and against the cage to have a chance of out-striking his opponent. He’s a lower rung fighter in the light heavyweight division and is a good fighter to have for debuters to face in bouts such as this one. Downgraded from D to D-
Rakic: He’s got nice size for the division and is a well accomplished striker. He was certainly cautious in this bout which is understandable for a debuter, but he will need to improve his defensive wrestling if he’s going to be able to compete with top 15 light heavyweights. Debut grade is D+
Dez Green vs. Rustam Khabilov
Green: He was too reliant on a counter striking style. In a close fight, a counter striker is rarely going to get the nod from the judges. Not a bad performance against a solid fighter. Upgraded from C- to C
Khabilov: He came out strong in round one, but I was disappointed with how he finished the fight. He was unable to land any significant punches late in the fight. Grade remains C+
Mads Burnell vs. Michel Prazeres
Burnell: Disappointing debut against a veteran. He was put on his back in each round and was unable to press Prazeres in any way. Downgraded from D+ to D
Prazeres: He controlled his opponent from start to finish. He was never in trouble in this bout and was able to get yet another victory in the UFC. He continues to be one of the most underrated lightweights on the roster. Grade remains C+
Felipe Silva vs. Mairbek Taisumov
Silva: He never got into this fight. He was unable to absorb a right hand from Taisumov and was put away early in the bout. Grade remains C-
Taisumov: With this first round victory, he now has five consecutive finish victories tied for the most in the UFC. He’s a dangerous fighter and one that very few fighters will want to take on. Upgraded from B- to B
Darren Till vs. Bojan Velickovic
Till: Darren Till fought with supreme confidence dropping his opponent twice in this bout on the way to win a decision on the scorecards. He’s now on a four-fight unbeaten run in the UFC. Upgraded from C- to C
Velickovic: He had some success landing kicks to the lead leg, but he was simply outclassed by Till in this bout. He did show real grit by making it all 15 minutes. Grade remains C-
Bryan Barbarena vs. Leon Edwards
Barbarena: He started slow like he typically does, but had a chance in round two to put Edwards away. With everything to fight for in the final round, he was unable to stop Edwards’ takedown attempts. This is a fight he should have won given how the bout played out after two rounds. Grade remains C
Edwards: He did well to survive in the second round, but what impressed me the most was how well composed he was in the final round, outworking a very well-conditioned opponent. Upgraded from C to C+
Talita Bernardo vs. Marion Reneau
Bernardo: Her offensive wrestling and top control are pretty good, but she really needs to work on her conditioning if she’s going to be able to stick in the UFC. Debut grade is D+
Reneau: This fight was a bit more difficult than it should have been, but she did well out-striking and out maneuvering a tired opponent. Grade remains C+
Siyar Bahadurzada vs. Rob Wilkinson
Bahadurzada: He did well to get back to his feet from his opponent’s takedown attempts. Giving up eight inches in reach, he was still able to land regularly in this bout and eventually get the stoppage win. A good return from layoff victory. Grade remains C-
Wilkinson: He secured some takedowns, but didn’t offer much resistance for Bahadurzada. The fight was nowhere near as close as the closing line indicated. Debut grade is D-
Stefan Struve vs. Alexander Volkov
Struve: He had success early on in this bout opening a cut on Volkov’s left cheek with a knee. As the fight wore on though, his defense became more porous and it was only a matter of time until he was going to be finished. Struve has been competitive in recent bouts, but it is clear he’s not an elite heavyweight. Grade remains C-
Volkov: It took a few minutes, but Volkov’s clean striking combinations on the feet shone brightly in this fight. It was an important finish as Volkov has now ascended into the top 10 rankings of the heavyweight division. Upgraded from C to C+
