UFC 132 – Cruz vs. Faber 2
July 2, 2011
Mandalay Bay Events Center,
Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
UFC Bantamweight Championship
Bantamweight (135 lbs)
Dominick Cruz (18 – 1 – 0) defeated Urijah Faber (25 – 5 – 0) by unanimous decision. Cruz, who has not lost in over 4 years, remains ranked at [#1] and jumps 3 spots up the Division Dominance list from [#7DD] to [#4DD]. The fight that makes most sense now for Cruz is a rematch with [#5] Brian Bowles, after Bowles’ unfortunate hand injury cut the first bout short. A possible rubber match with Faber may be in the cards as well. Faber, who is 3-2 in his last 5 (1-1 in the UFC), drops 1 spots from [#3] to [#4]. Now might be a good time to pull the trigger on a Faber vs. [#12] Miguel Torres bout, if they do not decide on the immediate Cruz/Faber rubber match.
Middleweight (185 lbs)
Chris Leben (26 – 7 – 0) defeated Wanderlei Silva (33 – 11 – 1) by KO due to punches at 0:27 of round 1. Leben, who is 4-1 in his last 5 (12-6 in the UFC), moves 13 spots up the ranks from [#23] to [#10]. A bout with fellow rising star [#8] Mark Munoz would most likely dazzle the crowd with wild stand up exchanges and good scrambles. Silva, who is 1-3 in his last 4 (2-4 in the UFC), after falling off the rankings due to inactivity enters the middleweight “Top 350” at [#21]. There has been retirement talk abound in regards to Wanderlei, and his next fight will most likely be one of his last. A bout against someone like [#12] Jorge Santiago would help shed light on how far gone Silva’s abilities are. He could also wait to face the loser of the [#9] Vitor Belfort vs. [#42] Yoshihiro Akiyama bout taking place at UFC 133 in August, provided Akiyama is not cut following a loss.
Lightweight (155 lbs)
Dennis Siver (19 – 7 – 0) defeated Matt Wiman (13 – 6 – 0) in a hotly contentious unanimous decision. Siver, who is 8-1 in his last 9 (8-4 in the UFC), remains ranked at [#8]. Bouts against [#6] Clay Guida or [#14] Sam Stout would help usher a new name into the title discussion. Wiman, who was on a 3 fight win streak prior to this loss (7-4 in the UFC), moves 5 spots down the ranks from [#32] to [#37]. Many people believe Wiman deserved the nod, but the records still show he lost. He should face fellow loser on the card [#40] Shane Roller in his next fight in an Oklahoma native battle.
Light Heavyweight (205 lbs)
Tito Ortiz (17 – 8 – 1) defeated Ryan Bader (12 – 2 – 0) by submission due to a guillotine choke at 1:56 of round 1. Ortiz, who was 0-4-1 in his last 5 prior to this victory (and had not won since 10/10/2006), jumps 15 spots up the ranks from [#27] to [#12]. Ortiz should look to face either the winner of [#9] Rich Franklin vs. [#21] Antonio Rogerio Nogueira or a rematch with [#22] Vladimir Matyushenko (should he beat [#25] Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 133). Bader, who now has back to back losses (5-2 in the UFC), drops 9 spots down the ranks from [#9] to [#18]. Conversely, Bader could face the loser of the Matyushenko vs. Gustafsson scrap.
Welterweight (170 lbs)
Carlos Condit (27 – 5 – 0) defeated Dong Hyun Kim (14 – 1 – 1) by TKO via flying knee and punches at 2:58 of round 1. Condit, who is on a 4 fight win streak (3 by (T)KO), moves 1 spot up the ranks from [#7] to [#6]. With 4 wins (3 stoppages) in a row over difficult UFC talent, Condit is the logical next contender for the welterweight title. He should face the winner of [#1] Georges St. Pierre vs. [#4] Nick Diaz coming up at UFC 137 in October. If he wants to stay busy before then, he could take a fight with [#17] Charlie Brenneman, though the risk vs. reward of the bout is not very tantalizing for Condit. Kim, who was on a 3 fight win streak prior to this loss (5-1-0 1 NC in the UFC), drops 10 spots down the ranks from [#18] to [#28]. He should look to rebound from his first loss by facing either the loser of [#9] Mike Pyle vs. [#30] Rory MacDonald taking place at UFC 133 or [#19] Rick Story next.
Preliminary Bouts
Lightweight (155 lbs)
Melvin Guillard (28 – 8 – 2) defeated Shane Roller (10 – 4 – 0) by KO due to punches at 2:12 of round 1. Guillard, who is on a 5 fight win streak (3 by (T)KO), moves 6 spots up the ranks from [#15] to [#9]. A bout with the winner of [#7] Jim Miller vs. [#20] Ben Henderson coming up at UFC Live 5 in August would be appropriate for Guillard. Roller, who was on a 2 fight win streak prior to this loss (1-1 in the UFC), drops 13 spots down the ranks from [#27] to [#40]. Roller vs. [#37] Matt Wiman would be a great test for both opponents, portending who will take one step closer to contention and who will take one step closer to the UFC unemployment line.
Lightweight (155 lbs)
Rafael dos Anjos (15 – 5 – 0) defeated George Sotiropoulos (14 – 4 – 0) by KO due to a punch at 0:59 of round 1. Dos Anjos, who is 4-1 in his last 5 (4-3 in the UFC), flies 40 spots up the ranks from [#56] to [#16]. Dos Anjos should face someone like [#14] Sam Stout next, for both men have shot up the rankings after their recent victories. Sotiropoulos, who has back to back losses for the first time in his career (prior to which he was on an 8 fight win streak), drops 14 spots down the ranks from [#12] to [#26]. “G-Sot” will be in a must win position in his next fight, and should look to face [#29] Mac Danzig next.
Bantamweight (135 lbs)
Brian Bowles (10 – 1 – 0) defeated Takeya Mizugaki (14 – 6 – 2) by unanimous decision. Bowles, who is 4-1 in his last 5 (2-0 in the UFC), holds his rank at [#5]. Perhaps it is time for Bowles to try and reclaim the bantamweight title that he lost to [#1] Dominick Cruz in their first match due to a broken hand. A fight with [#6] Demetrious Johnson would prove entertaining and technical. Mizugaki, who is 2-3 in his last 5 (1-1 in the UFC), moves 4 spots down the ranks from [#18] to [#22]. Mizugaki needs to win impressively to separate himself from the relatively thin bantamweight pack, and should look to do so over [#29] Antonio Banuelos.
Middleweight (185 lbs)
Aaron Simpson (10 – 2 – 0) defeated Brad Tavares (7 – 1 – 0) by unanimous decision. Simpson, who has back to back wins following this victory (5-2 in the UFC), moves 1 spot up the ranks from [#36] to [#35]. Recently [#34] Tim Boetsch called out Simpson’s training partner [#46] C.B. Dalloway, as well as expressing desires to beat more “Ultimate Fighter” alumni. While Simpson isn’t a TUF alum, he is Dalloway’s training partner. Simpson vs. Boetsch could be a war on the feet between two wrestlers if they neutralize each others grappling games. Tavares, who has finished in all but 1 of his victories, falls 12 spots down the ranks from [#185] to [#197]. Tavares can’t afford to lose too many more fights as he pulls up the tail end of the UFC middleweight division. He could face [#112] Jesse Bongfeldt, or even consider a cut to welterweight where he isn’t as outsized and out-muscled.
Lightweight (155 lbs)
Anthony Njokuani (14 – 5 – 0) defeated Andre Winner (11 – 6 – 1) by unanimous decision. Njokuani, who is 2-3 in his last 5 (1-1 in the UFC), soars 74 spots up the ranks from [#182] to [#108]. A bout between Njokuani and [#109] John Makdessi would surely wow the crowd with a stand up war. Winner, who is on a 3 fight losing streak (2-4 in the UFC), cascades 30 spots down the ranks from [#147] to [#177]. Winner could face fellow “Ultimate Fighter” alum [#193] Cody McKenzie next in what would most likely be a striker vs. grappler affair.
Bantamweight (135 lbs)
Jeff Hougland (10 – 4 – 0) defeated Donny Walker (15 – 7 – 0) by unanimous decision. Hougland, who is on an 8 fight win streak (7 by stoppage; 6 by submission), bounds 37 spots up the ranks from [#67] to [#30]. Hougland should look to face the winner of [#32] Ivan Menjivar vs. [#81] Nick Pace taking place at UFC Live 5 in August. Walker, who was on a 7 fight win streak prior to this loss, moves from [#67FW] into the bantamweight “Top 150” at [#52]. Donny Walker could face [#45] Chris Cariaso next in what might function as a “loser leaves town” match.