Jay Primetown gives his thoughts on each of the fighters who competed at UFC Fight Night 117 in Japan. Jay provides his letter grades for each fighter on TheMMA-Analysis podcast which can be found on MMAOddsbreaker.com.
Daichi Abe vs. Hyun Gyu Lim
Abe: Good debut for the young Japanese fighter. Lim is a tough fighter to prepare for given his size, but Abe did well to land and closed the fight strong, hurting Lim in the final minute of the bout to secure the win. Debut grade is D
Lim: Another disappointing performance from Lim who was again out-struck by a smaller fighter. Lim has really stagnated since opening his UFC stint with back-to-back victories. Downgraded from D+ to D
Shinsho Anzai vs. Luke Jumeau
Anzai: His ability to secure takedowns in a fight that was otherwise lackluster. Upgraded from F to D-
Jumeau: He just wasn’t able to get going in this fight. When he was taken to the mat, he offered little in resistance to get back to his feet. After a solid debut, one has to question whether he has the talent to stick in the UFC. Downgraded from D to D-
Chan Mi-Jeon vs. Syuri Kondo
Jeon: It was a rather close fight that could have gone either way. She simply doesn’t have the striking power that her opponent possessed. Downgraded from D to D-
Kondo: Her striking prowess was on display in this fight as she was the aggressor in this bout. It wasn’t a pretty performance, but enough to get her hand raised. Debut grade is D
Alex Morono vs. Keita Nakamura
Morono: Despite out striking his opponent in all three rounds, Morono fell just short in this bout, losing a split decision. Like some other bouts on this card, it was a rather close fight that could have gone either way. Grade remains D+
Nakamura: In a rather close bout on the feet it was his two takedowns that were the difference in this bout. Nakamura is now 3-2 in his UFC career and is a decent veteran that young fighters can test their skills against. Grade remains D+
Jussier Formiga vs. Ulka Sasaki
Formiga: It took him a few minutes to get into this fight, but once he dropped his opponent it was the beginning of the end. Formiga was dominant in the second round, winning by submission. He may not be an elite flyweight, but he’s certainly in that next tier. Grade remains B
Sasaki: He had some success early in the bout, but he simply couldn’t keep up with the more talented Formiga and eventually succumbed to submission. Grade remains C-
Rolando Dy vs. Teruto Ishihara
Dy: A point taken away in the third round was the difference between him losing and for him earning a draw with Ishihara. Dy landed the heavier punches in this bout, but his lack of discipline cost him this fight. Grade remains D-
Ishihara: He started off really strong in this bout outlanding Dy 25 to 4 in the first round, but slowed down in the final 10 minutes. If it weren’t for a point taken away from Dy, this fight would of ended in a draw. Grade remains D-
Luis Henrique vs. Gokhan Saki
Henrique: He had Saki backed up against the cage and in some trouble, but it was a counter punch that sent him spiraling, forcing the referee to step in and stop the bout. With four straight losses, don’t expect to see Henrique back in the UFC. Downgraded from D- to F
Saki: The former world champion kickboxer made his UFC debut and did so with a bang, knocking out his opponent with a counter hook in the first round. Saki’s all-around ability remains an unknown, but in a full-on striking contest, he’s as dangerous as any fighter in the division. Debut grade is D+
Takanori Gomi vs. Dong Hyun Kim
Gomi: There’s no other way to say it, but Gomi should not be competing in combat sports anymore. He’s been dropped and finished in each of his last five fights. The caliber of the competition has decreased, but the result has been the same. Gomi had a great career, but he can no longer take the damage that he once could. Downgraded from F- to F–
Kim: The very first punch he landed clean was enough to put his opponent away. He did what he should of done in this fight. Grade remains D
Jessica Andrade vs. Claudia Gadelha
Andrade: By far the performance of the night, Andrade took to task one of the best female fighters in the world. She did so at her own game, utilizing her strength and power to beat up Gadelha to win a dominant decision. Upgraded from A- to A Gadelha: A real head scratching performance from the long proclaimed best three round fighter in the strawweight division. Gadelha had some success in the opening round, but fatigued fast after being cut open in the second round of the fight. Endurance continues to be a major issue for Gadelha as she’s fatigued late in nearly every fight she has been in. She took a bad beating in this bout and it’s one of those type of losses that could really see a fighter regress quickly in her career. Downgraded from A+ to A- Yushin Okami vs. Ovince St. Preux Okami: This was a complete mismatch to start. Okami dove in at the very beginning of the fight. His tactic didn’t work and he was suddenly dealing with St. Preux’s submission attempts. He eventually succumbed to St. Preux’s von Flue choke; the third of his UFC career. Downgraded from D+ to D St. Preux: He has become the master of the von Flue choke. While he hasn’t beaten top opposition yet, he’s been absolutely dominant against the lower rung fighters in the division. Upgraded from C+ to B-
