Hector Lombard vs. Rousimar Palhares: Now this was the Hector Lombard
that we were all waiting for! He instantly came out aggressive and was looking
for the knockout from the get go. Palhares’ weakness has always been his
striking and Lombard took full advantage of it. He consistently went for the
right hook KO and eventually about halfway through the first round, he landed.
It dropped Paul Harris and he finished him off with ground and pound.
Possible matchups for Lombard: Now that Hector Lombard has officially arrived
in the UFC, I want to see him fight a bigger name. I know he called out Michael
Bisping, but that isn’t going to happen right now. But he could possibly get his wish. I
would like to see Lombard fight the loser of Bisping vs. Vitor Belfort, either
way could be an amazing fight.
Possible matchups for Palhares: This fight further cemented the fact
that Rousimar Palhares could very well be the most overrated fighter in the UFC
today. Ed Herman is coming off of a decision loss to Jake Shields, though it
was overturned to a No-contest after Shields tested positive for steroids. Ed
Herman is definitely a well-rounded enough fighter to be able to defeat
Palhares.
Colin Fletcher vs. Norman Parke: I do believe we have found a new name
that could become a contender in the near future. Norman Parke has solid
grappling skills and strength that can hold down a majority of the lightweights
in the UFC. He needs to work on his standup, and once he does that he could be
a legitimate threat at 155. The first two rounds were Parke going in and taking
Fletcher down and grinding him out with his superior grappling. The third round
was an absolute slugfest and Fletcher landed some really solid kicks. It was an
awesome fight and I can’t wait to see how he develops as a fighter.
Possible matchups for Parke: As I said before, Parke has all the skills
to be a future contender. But he should be moved at a slower pace, I want them
to work him up to contention without rushing him. Ramsey Nijem is on a solid 3
fight win streak and has a lot of name value. A win over Nijem would be huge
for Parke.
Possible matchups for Fletcher: This guy is an entertainer, that is for
sure. He is also a very talented fighter. But he desperately needs to work on
his takedown defense. He is very well rounded but his bottom game is very
questionable when he is being controlled well. He should fight the Canadian Mitch
Clarke to get back on track.
Robert Whittaker vs. Brad Scott: This fight was exactly as I expected
it. It was an all-out bloody war from beginning to end. It was a razor thin
unanimous decision for Whittaker. He was the more accurate striker from the
beginning, landing more combos and more kicks. Scott is a tough as nails mini
British version of Forrest Griffin and I see him gaining some star power.
Remember both of these guys’ names.
Possible matchups for Whittaker: This is a similar situation as Norman
Parke; tons of potential but needs to be moved at the right pace. Dan Miller is
coming off of a big 3rd round submission win over Ricardo Funch and
has always been a very tough outing for everyone. A fight between these two
would be very fun and could show how much potential Whittaker truly holds.
Possible matchups for Scott: The British Forrest Griffin is an awesome
fighter. He’s extremely skilled and he is tough-as-nails in every sense of the
term. I really want to see him stick around for a while. I think the fight to
keep Scott around would be a scrap with Brock Jardine.
Ross Pearson vs. George Sotiropoulos: There is no doubt as to who the
better man is after tonight. From the moment that the first bell rang, Ross
imposed his will over the Australian and dropped him on multiple occasions.
George had his back for a minute or two at the end of the first round but that
was really the only high point for George. Ross dropped him again early in the
third round and finished off his rival in under a minute into the third.
Possible matchups for Pearson: Ross Pearson is undoubtedly better at
lightweight than he is at featherweight. His striking is faster, his cardio is
better, and he is mentally more together. Yves Edwards is coming off of a huge
first round KO win over Jeremy Stephens and a fight between these two just
spells barnburner.
Possible matchups for Sotiropoulos: At 35 years old and three losses in
a row where he was KO’d in two and almost finished in the other, Sotiropoulos needs to start
thinking about retirement. It’s a shame but it’s true. His technique is amazing
but his chin is quickly, quickly deteriorating. Sam Stout is coming off of a
huge upset decision loss to John Makdessi. This fight makes perfect sense at
this point in their careers.
