UFC Uruguay was an entertaining card. The card wasn’t stacked with the biggest names, aside from the Queen of Flyweights, Valentina Shevchenko, but there was solid matchmaking that helped a card of no names and debuts deliver. There was a fight of the year contender in Vicente Luque v. Mike Perry. So, overall, I’d say UFC Uruguay was a good show.
BEST WINNERS
Volkan Oezdemir. Oezdemir needed a win badly. He was coming in on a three fight losing streak. He needed to make some changes if he was going to get back in the title picture. I’d say he looked like he was working hard and improved a great deal. In the nearly two rounds before getting the TKO, he landed 92/166 punches, in comparison to Ilir Latifi’s 20/62 strikes landing. Oezdemir’s gas tank looked better than it has. He finally found a style to pace himself so he can be successful after the first round.
Marina Rodriguez. I had no idea who Marina Rodriguez was when I made my predictions for this event. I know Tecia Torres, and think pretty highly of her. That being said, Marina dominated Torres. Marina stuffed all 7 takedown attempts. She landed a takedown of her own. She doubled up Tecia’s significant strikes. Marina looked great and is on a trajectory to the championship.
Ciryl Gane. Heavyweight is one division that seems the easiest to get a title shot in. I guess it’s because if you get quick KOs, you don’t take much punishment and can fight sooner. Ciryl Gane made a statement in his debut. He was also facing a guy making his debut, so Gane is a couple of fights away from a ranked opponent. Gane needed 20 strikes and 48 seconds to get the finish to move to 4-0, all wins by stoppage, 2 TKO/KO and 2 submission.
Gilbert Burns. Gilbert Burns took this fight on two weeks notice. Burns was also a lightweight making his debut at welterweight. He was at a disadvantage to begin with. But he went out there and had a very strong first and second round. His striking was precise. He got some takedowns. Then he was able to hold off an attacking Aleksei Kunchenko, who was trying to get a finish to make up for losing rounds 1 and 2. Burns looked gassed in the third, but he did take the fight on two weeks notice. I have to believe with a full training camp, he won’t be so gassed out in the third round.
Veronica Macedo. Veronica Macedo had to feel pressure to get a big win. She started her UFC career 0-3, losing to Ashlee Evans-Smith, Andrea KGB Lee, and Gillian Robertson. Not the easiest slate to begin her UFC career. She went up against a very strong grappler. Polyana Viana landed an early takedown, which everyone thought was the beginning of the end for Macedo. Macedo went for her arm, and was able to take Viana’s arm and get in an armbar for a quick first round finish.
WORST WINNER
Chris Gutierrez. This was a pretty easy decision for me. I didn’t think Chris Gutierrez won the fight.
BEST LOSER
Mike Fucking Perry. Everyone knows Mike Perry is insane. Everyone knows Mike Perry is one of the toughest guys on the roster. Everyone knows Mike Perry is one of the most entertaining fighters on the roster. This was a razor thin decision. When the final bell rang, I said, “I won’t be shocked by this decision no matter which way it goes.” Mike Perry’s nose imploded at the end of the third round, and Perry still went for a takedown, which he landed but was not scored for him. There was no real loser in this fight. Perry looked great, and showed he has talent. I don’t think this will be too much of a setback.
MY FIGHTER OF THE NIGHT
Valentina Shevchenko. This is a bit of a biased pick. I’m a big fan of Valentina’s. I think she is a tremendous fighter and will have this flyweight division on lockdown for the foreseeable future. This wasn’t as exciting as her last fight against Jessica Eye, but Valentina is a counter striker. Matt Serra always says, “styles make fights.” Valentina is at her most exciting self when she is fighting a pressure fighter. Liz Carmouche is not a pressure fighter, and her game plan was to try to frustrate Valentina by doing nothing. The reason Valentina is champion is because she’s a smart fighter. There was no way she was going to be baited into a mistake like that. Valentina dominated and definitely avenged her loss to Carmouche.
PERFORMANCE OF THE NIGHT
Marina Rodriguez. See above.
SAVAGE OF THE NIGHT
Vicente Luque. Before the decision was announced, I knew the loser of the fight would be “Best Loser,” and the winner would be “Savage of the Night.” This is the fight people will remember most from this card. These two guys went to war and battered the shit out of each other. Both guys gave and took tremendous amounts of damage. It was impressive neither of them were finished. This is Vicente Luque’s first decision win. I think this win propels Luque to a top ten opponent next.
ALL ABOARD THE HYPE TRAIN
Marina Rodriguez. She looked great in a thin division. If she isn’t rushed to the top, I can see her fighting for the title in 4-5 fights. Possibly quicker, you never know in the UFC. Weili Zhang somehow received a title shot after beating Daniell Taylor (who?), Jessica Aguilar (1-5 in UFC), and Tecia Torres. Hell, if beating Torres got Weili the title shot, I don’t see why Marina beating Torres doesn’t propel her to a title fight.
NOT FIGHT OF THE NIGHT
Geraldo de Freitas Jr. v. Chris Gutierrez
FIGHT OF THE NIGHT
Vicente Luque v. Mike Perry