Jay Primetown gives his thoughts on each of the fighters who competed at UFC 222 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Jay gives his letter grades for each fighter on TheMMA-Analysis podcast which can be found on MMAOddsbreaker.com.
Jordan Johnson vs. Adam Milstead
Johnson: This was a fight where his wrestling ability had a real chance to stand out, but he struggled to get it to the mat (1 of 10 on takedown attempts). He ultimately got the result by forcing Milstead against the cage, but his lack of power on the feet makes it difficult to finish. Downgraded from C to C-
Milstead: He did well in his drop down to light heavyweight. He stuffed takedowns well and landed some nice punches. If he was able to get off the cage and have more of this fight at range, he likely would have won. Upgraded from D- to D
Bryan Caraway vs. Cody Stamann
Caraway: His inability to secure takedowns in this bout made it difficult for him to get a result. He had limited success on the feet, but he was at a major speed disadvantage in this fight and it cost him on the counter. Downgraded from B to B-
Stamann: He did a tremendous job of defending takedowns and doing just enough on the feet to earn the biggest win of his career. Stamann should be in the division’s top 15 when the rankings are released next week. Upgraded from C+ to B-
Zak Ottow vs. Mike Pyle
Ottow: He did what he had to do in getting a relatively quick finish over Mike Pyle. This is not a victory that should raise Ottow’s grade given where Pyle was in the state of his career. Grade remains D+
Pyle: A tough way to end his MMA career, Pyle had been fighting in the UFC for nearly nine years. His best run of form include a four-fight winning streak which included wins over Josh Neer and Rick Story in 2012 and 2013. Pyle was a pretty well-rounded fighter who could do a bit of everything. He was a solid veteran, but recent results show it was time to hang up the gloves.
CB Dollaway vs. Hector Lombard
Dollaway: I didn’t like the pace Dollaway employed as it has been shown the best way to beat Lombard is to tire him out. Dollaway took an illegal punch at the end of round one and was awarded the winner by disqualification. It’s tough to alter Dollaway’s grade with the way the fight ended. Grade remains C-
Lombard: There’s no doubt Lombard’s power is still there even at his advanced age. He had a decent round one, but cost himself the bout with the punch after the bell. Grade remains C-
John Dodson vs. Pedro Munhoz
Dodson: He did very well striking primarily with a left handed attack. It appeared as if he hurt his right hand at some point of the bout, but it didn’t matter as he got the result. Downgraded from A- to B+
Munhoz: His aggression gave Dodson some problems, but his hand speed let him down as he was tagged throughout the fight. He showed well in this fight, but he’s not on the same level as Dodson. Grade remains B-
Beneil Dariush vs. Alexander Hernandez
Dariush: Facing a newcomer on short notice, Dariush certainly had to like his chances in this fight. However, it was not meant to be as he was dropped and finished by the younger and faster lightweight. A crippling loss for the lightweight as he must go back to the drawing board. Downgraded from B to B-
Hernandez: An amazing debut for Alexander Hernandez. His speed and aggression really stood out and he made quick work of Dariush. It was a relatively fast knockout, so it’s hard to fully evaluate him. Debut grade is C
Mackenzie Dern vs. Ashley Yoder
Dern: She had some struggles on the feet and was dropped in the second round, but once she was able to get the fight to the mat it was easy to see why the hype surrounding her was so high. She’s all-world on the mat and a threat to beat any opponent if she can get the bout to the mat. Grade remains C+
Yoder: She made this fight surprisingly competitive. Her striking stood out as she has definitely made in roads in that regard. A good performance overall despite defeat. Grade remains C-
Ketlen Vieira vs. Cat Zingano
Vieira: She countered on the feet pretty well, but where she is at her best is on the ground. She’s strong with a solid ground game. She has quickly become a contender in this division. Grade remains B
Zingano: She can be wild at times on the feet, but she has decent power and is a threat. Her ground game continues to let her down as once she’s taken to the mat she struggles to get back to her feet. Downgraded from B to B-
Andrei Arlovski vs. Stefan Struve
Arlovski: He landed the better shots on the feet and even secured a takedown in this bout. It ultimately came down to technique and Arlovski showed in this bout he’s the more skilled fighter. Upgraded from C- to C
Struve: He looked sluggish in this bout and really struggled to figure out his opponent. Poor performance from Struve in a fight he could have easily won. Grade remains C-
Sean O’Malley vs. Andre Soukhamthath
O’Malley: He showed a ton of variety once again on the feet and he does it so well in combination. He was in a lot of trouble in the third round after injuring his foot, but his heart was on full display as he was able to get to the final bell to earn the decision win. Grade remains C-
Soukhamthath: He had a real chance to steal this fight in the final round, but his game plan after seeing that O’Malley couldn’t put pressure on his foot was stunningly poor. Disappointing result here given the circumstance. Downgraded from D+ to D
Frankie Edgar vs. Brian Ortega
Edgar: He was moving well in this bout, landing shots, and getting out of harm’s way. However, he took a big elbow from Ortega and a few shots later he was spiraling to the canvas. It was the first time Edgar had ever been finished in his career. Downgraded from A+ to A
Ortega: One of the most stunning results in a long time. Ortega was certainly a threat in this fight due to his submission prowess, but knocking out Frankie Edgar was a thought that crossed the slimmest of minds. A tremendous win for Ortega and now a bout with champion Max Holloway is all but a reality. Upgraded from A- to A+
Cris Cyborg vs. Yana Kunitskaya
Cyborg: After some initial adversity as Kunitskaya was able to get top control, the fight went back to the feet where Cyborg completely dominated before a ground and pound finish. Cyborg is the clear top female MMA fighter in the world until proven otherwise. Grade remains A++
Kunitskaya: She knew she couldn’t compete with Cyborg in a prolonged striking exchange, so she did her best to get the fight to the mat. She had the champion’s back momentarily, but it didn’t last long. Once back to the feet, it wasn’t going to end well. She showed solid IQ in her approach and once she moves down to bantamweight she should be a top 15 fighter. Debut grade at bantamweight is C+
