A main card filled with Heavyweights was always going to be big and fast, and it didn’t disappoint with a total fight time of just over 21 minutes.
Heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos (15-1) proved that he is looking to hold the belt for a while, putting on a dominant performance over contender Frank Mir, (16-6) resulting in a TKO win in round 2.
This ending was exactly as Dos Santos had predicted at the weigh ins a day before.
“That was my strategy, I thought he came into the fight to take me down.” Dos Santos said at the post-fight press conference, “I was trying to keep my distance in round 1 then in round 2 my plan was to walk a little bit more forward.”
So with a perfectly executed game plan, what’s next for Dos Santos?
UFC President Dana White mentioned that in regards to a Cain Velasquez – winner over Antonio ‘Bigfoot’ Silva (10-1) – “we like that fight, we’ll see what happens”.
Dos Santos is a little more reserved, saying that “whoever the UFC wants to put against me, I will be watching his fights”.
With Junior Dos Santos remaining champion in the Heavyweight division, we look at the other winners and losers for UFC 146.
Winners
Jamie Varner
Varner (20-6-1 (1 NC)) was a late replacement for an injured Evan Dunham at the beginning of the month, giving the former WEC Lightweight Champion a second chance at the UFC dream, facing favourite Edson Barboza.
Barboza started the round by in control, throwing some perfectly accruate and cutting low kicks. Varner was able to clip him with some heavy punches until finally catching the Brazilian, allowing Varner to pounce with some ground and pound until the fight was called at 3:23 of round 1.
Varner was written off before he stepped into the cage. His win is the upset of the card, handing Barboza his first loss of his career. Varner couldn’t believe how quick the fight went, saying that he “was planning for a 15 minute war and an after-party in the hospital”.
The lightweight division is quite busy and there are a number of fights that could be made, although I’d like to see Varner face someone like Mac Danzig.
Roy Nelson
There is just something about Roy ‘Big Country’ Nelson (17-7). He puts on fantastic fights time after time, and is one of the only two fighters to go the distance with Junior Dos Santos.
While the Las Vegas native said at the post-fight press conference that “my plan was actually to grapple and take it slow”, Nelson only took 51 seconds to down opponent Dave Herman with a giant right hand.
Will Nelson get a title shot? Nope. He will however continue to face the best of the division and a couple more wins might give him consideration.
Glover Teixeira
The debut of Teixeira (18-2) was always going to be big, as the hype surrounding the Brazilian increased upon announcement of signing with the UFC. This fight didn’t disappoint.
Teixeira faced Kyle Kingsbury, knocking down the American with a right uppercut and taking control with a full mount. He then was able incredibly to put on a triangle arm choke, forcing Kingsbury to tap at 1:53 of round 1.
Given that it’s Teixeira’s first fight in the promotion, he will probably be faced with a few other middle-tier competitors in the division, like Cyrille Diabate, before climbing the ladder.
Losers
Mayhem Miller
Miller (23-8) is always good for some fun outside the cage, as we have witnessed when he coached last season’s The Ultimate Fighter, but it seems he has taken it one step too far this time, costing him his job with the UFC.
Miller looked to be troubled by an injured knee during the three round decision loss to C.B Dollaway and at times had his competitor on the back foot, knocked down and looking hurt. Yet Miller failed to finish up.
What is more troubling is news that Mayhem had an incident backstage, yet to be specified, which caused him to be immediately cut from the UFC.
Miller has options outside of the UFC. He has had a successful reality TV show on MTV with Bully Beatdown, and is quite popular in Japan through Dream, with his crazy fight antics.
What’s your best bet? For great odds on all your favourite sports check out PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.
It’s a pretty good time to be a Tasmanian sports fan right now. After years in the sporting wilderness with not much to celebrate,…
Olympic swimming legend and Australian Sports Commission boss Kieren Perkins has warned that "someone will die" if a multi-sport event that allows athletes to…
In 2015 when heavyweight boxer Tyson Fury beat Wladimir Klitschko, the fighter regarded by many as the ‘Greatest of all time’ in the sport,…
Join Australia's most vibrant online sports community and you have the chance to win $1000. The Roar is the perfect blend of sports reporting,…
Here is a review of our boxers who made a splash in the world rankings over the past year.
After intense debate at Roar HQ, we’ve selected the 23 most controversial moments for 2023.
