In the past, UFC has usually lined up a star-studded event for the Superbowl weekend. This year was no exception, with a mega-matchup between the welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre and the lightweight champion BJ Penn in the main event, and the undefeated lightheavyweight contenders Thiago Silva and Lyoto Machida meeting in the co-main.
The remainder of the card was so evenly matched that all eight undercard bouts went to a decision; five of them a split decision. It turned out that the close matchups for most part did not make for exciting fights.
Nate Diaz vs. Clay Guida (155 lbs)
In the opening bout of the broadcast, Guida’s wrestling made all the difference as he was able to control Diaz and maintain dominant position through most of the bout. Guida had Nate’s back very quickly in the first round, and alternated between back control and top guard for much of the fight, staying out of Diaz’s submissions though not inflicting much damage on his opponent. Diaz did a better job of keeping the fight on his feet in the third round, but outboxing Guida was not enough to win the fight for Nate. Guida took home the split decision victory.
Fight Grade: 2/5
Aftermath: The first loss on the record of the ‘Ultimate Fighter’ winner Nate Diaz shows that he needs to improve his wrestling to advance in the very deep decision. Guida earns a win but will not earn many fans with a grinding methodical style – a big change from Guida’s earlier UFC bouts where he was the exciting fan favorite who often walked away on the losing end of close decisions.
Karo Parisyan vs. Dong Hyun Kim (170 lbs)
This was a battle between two judo masters whose similar styles canceled each other out, making for a rather tedious fight to watch. Kim was the bigger man in this contest and seemingly controlled Parisyan for most of the fight; surprisingly two of the judges disagreed, giving Kim the split decision.
Fight Grade: 2/5
Aftermath: Parisyan earns a much-needed win in his struggle to remain relevant in the welterweight division. Kim experiences his first loss in the Octagon and will have to step up his game to become a contender in the deep division.
Stephan Bonnar vs. Jon Jones (205 lbs)
In a lightheavyweight bout, the UFC rookie Jon Jones posted an impressive performance against the veteran Stephan Bonnar. Jones won the battle of the takedowns as well as frustrated Stephan with his unorthodox and flashy yet effective striking, knocking Bonnar down with a spinning elbow at one point in the match. Jones was not able to finish Bonnar but dominated all three rounds, earning an unanimous decision.
Fight Grade: 3/5
Aftermath: Jones is now 2-0 in the UFC, with a great showing against a name fighter in his first televised bout. With another couple of wins, Jones will become a legit contender in the division. Bonnar comes up short in his comeback bout and will remain a gatekeeper.
Lyoto Machida vs. Thiago Silva (205 lbs)
In a battle of undefeated lightweight contenders, Thiago Silva’s aggressive style presented a perfect opportunity for Machida. Silva’s attack was met with pinpoint precision striking, and Thiago was dropped twice in the first round, then taken down by Machida as the round was winding down. Machida followed up with a huge flying punch that left Silva unconscious just as the round ended. Silva was unable to get up off the canvas, giving Machida the knockout victory.
Fight Grade: 4/5
Aftermath: Machida should now be the next in line for the lightheavyweight title; though it is likely that he will have to wait for his shot if Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson defeats Keith Jardine in their upcoming bout. Thiago Silva is dealt the first loss of his professional career and loses any claim to remaining in the 205 Top 10.
Champion Georges St. Pierre vs. BJ Penn (170 lbs championship bout)
This battle of the champions was billed to be one of the greatest bouts of all time, but turned out to be a rather one-sided affair. After a close first round where Penn demonstrated solid takedown defense, St. Pierre had no problem taking BJ down and passing his guard in rounds 2, 3, and 4. Penn hung in there but was not able to offer any offense and just absorbed punishment, until his corner and the ringside doctor decided that he’s had enough, and called off the fight before the start of the fifth and final round.
Fight Grade: 2/5
Aftermath: Georges St. Pierre will go on to defend his welterweight title against a very worthy contender in Thiago Alves. BJ Penn will hopefully give up the hope of dominating multiple weight classes, and return to 155 lbs to defend the lightweight title against Kenny Florian.
All in all this event fell very short of living up to the hype, and most bouts did not produce any fireworks. A rather boring event.