Jay Primetown gives his thoughts on each of the fighters who competed at UFC 215 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Jay gives his letter grades for each fighter on TheMMA-Analysis podcast which can be found on MMAOddsbreaker.com.
Kajan Johnson vs. Adriano Martins Johnson: A stunning win for Johnson in a fight he was down decisively heading into round three. He was able to finish a quality opponent and for that he deserves an upgrade in ranking. Upgraded from D+ to C- Martins: He was ahead in this fight but was unable to absorb a punch to the side of the head which sent him to the mat in round three. A really disappointing loss for Martins who at this point can no longer be considered a contender in the lightweight division. Downgraded from C+ to C Arjan Bhullar vs. Luis Henrique Bhullar: He stood with Henrique and landed the better strikes. A good win for a debutant who is known for his grappling ability. Debut grade is D+ Henrique: This was always going to be a difficult fight for him as he’s had his success previously utilizing wrestling. In this bout, he had no way to take Bhullar down and thus was unable to get a result. Grade remains D+ Mitch Clarke vs. Alex White Clarke: He simply couldn’t withstand the potent punching power of his opponent and eventually succumbed to strikes. With the loss, he retired from mixed martial arts. Final grade is D White: He did a solid job of avoiding the takedown and landing big punches on the feet. He really turned it on in round two securing a TKO. Upgraded from D+ to C- Rick Glenn vs. Gavin Tucker Glenn: His pace in this bout was impressive as he really turned it on the final two rounds beating up his tired opponent to win a wide decision. Upgraded from D+ to C- Tucker: He certainly is a flashy striker, but his gas tank is a major concern as he faded significantly after the opening round. Downgraded from C- to D+ Ashlee Evans-Smith vs. Sarah Moras Evans-Smith: She did a good job of getting a takedown early in this fight, but struggled to defend Moras’ submission attempts and succumbed to an opening round finish. Grade remains C- Moras: She tends to be taken to the mat in each of her fights, but she has a very active guard which makes her a threat even against the better fighters in the division. Upgraded from D+ to C- Sara McMann vs. Ketlen Vieira McMann: Once the fight got to the second round, McMann struggled offensively and once she was put on her back she did not know what to do. This was a disappointing loss for McMann who was on the verge of contendership. Downgraded from A- to B- Vieira: She’s one of the most physically imposing fighters in the division. Her wrestling ability continues to be underrated. She’s the first fighter to take McMann to the mat in her MMA career. At only 26 years of age, Vieira is entering her prime and is a likely contender within the next couple of years. Upgraded from C to B Gilbert Melendez vs. Jeremy Stephens Melendez: He was limited in this fight due to a lower leg injury. He simply couldn’t push off his left leg and that was the real difference in this bout. He’s now 1-5 in the UFC and it’s difficult to see him getting another shot in the promotion. Downgraded from B+ to C+ Stephens: He took advantage of an injured Melendez to win an easy decision. Stephens took minimal risks and should be able to get back in the cage quickly after this victory. Grade remains B Ilir Latifi vs. Tyson Pedro Latifi: He was able to secure four of five takedowns in this bout. That was ultimately the difference in a fight where little happened on the feet. Grade remains C Pedro: He’s had success in previous fights when he was able to gain top position, but in this fight that never came to fruition. He needs to show more versatility if he’s going to be able to move the rankings. Grade remains D+ Henry Cejudo vs. Wilson Reis Cejudo: His best ever performance inside the Octagon. His striking was crisp and his speed had his opponent all out of sorts. He landed a beautiful right hand that sent his opponent to the canvas. At this point, he’s the clear number two fighter in the division. Grade remains A Reis: He was out of his depth against a better wrestler and one with a much better striking game. Grade remains B- Rafael dos Anjos vs. Neil Magny Dos Anjos: A dominant performance by the former lightweight champion. He had no problem getting Magny to the mat and securing a submission. He’s put himself into title contention with the win. Upgraded from B to B+ Magny: He’s struggled against grappling-based fighters and did so again in this bout. When an opponent can readily take him to the canvas, he’s had no answers. Downgraded from B to B- Amanda Nunes vs. Valentina Shevchenko Nunes: She paced herself much better in this bout and it was the takedown she secured in round five that ultimately allowed her to retain the championship. Grade remains A+ Shevchenko: She had Nunes confused on the feet, but simply didn’t do enough offensively to make the round decisive enough to get the nod from the judges. Grade remains A+
