· UFC 132: What We Learned

MMA returned to the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. with UFC 132 on Saturday night. The card, from top to bottom, offered an array of fight finishes for fans who have already been treated to a summer rich with MMA action. But before we get into which fighters took a step forward, and which ones took a step back, we have to ask ourselves the question: What did we learn?

Condit Launches Himself Into Welterweight Title Talk

With a beautifully orchestrated flying knee that dropped a previously undefeated Dong Hyun Kim, Carlos Condit has positioned himself for a shot at the winner of the Georges St-Pierre vs. Nick Diaz tilt currently slated for UFC 137 in October. The aerial strike stunned the South Korean, who slumped against the fence as Condit pounced and used him as a human punching bag. Referee Steve Mazzagatti was forced to halt the bout in Condit’s favor at the 2:58 mark of round one.

One of the pleasant surprises of the WEC-UFC merger has been Condit (27-5), who notched his third straight decisive finish. After losing to Martin Kampmann in his UFC debut at UFC Fight Night 18, he has reeled off four victories in a row. Now, with two back-to-back highlight reel KOs of Dan Hardy and Kim (14-1-1)—along with back-to-back UFC “Knockouts of the Night”—Condit is as well-known by casual MMA fans as he was by hardcore ones when he reigned over the WEC’s welterweights.

Condit has the all-around game to challenge for the division title, as evidenced by his sweep to full mount when Kim slammed him to the mat to start the fight. While the WEC merger was supposed to push the bantamweights and featherweights into the MMA spotlight, Condit’s newfound striking power has made him a dark horse to become a welterweight champion again—but this time in the sport’s biggest promotion.

Ortiz Breathes Life Into The Tail End Of His Career

UFC 132 will be remembered as a superb all-around fight card. There were many spirited preliminary fights that fell to decision, as well as impressive undercard knockouts by Rafael Dos Anjos (over George Sotiropoulos) and Melvin Guillard (over Shane Roller). The night even ended with an exciting main event that went to the championship rounds.

But over time Tito Ortiz’s stunning triumph over upstart Ryan Bader will ultimately be the most memorable bout of UFC 132. The MMA veteran popped Bader (12-2) with a right hand that dropped him to the canvas, then pounced and transitioned to an arm-in guillotine that forced Bader to tap after only 1:56 of the first round.

It was Ortiz’s (16-8-1) first win since defeating Ken Shamrock back in 2006—so it’s been five years since he’s had his hand raised. That’s a lifetime in MMA. For a former champion who has made more headlines lately outside of the Octagon than inside it, Ortiz was surely hoping for another chance at UFC glory, even in a fight where few gave him a real chance of winning.

By submitting a fighter who was considered a top light heavyweight prospect coming into 2011, Ortiz has breathed new life into the twilight years of his career. This gives him the opportunity to bank a few more high-profile bouts before riding off into the sunset. It also means he can continue to wage his war of words with UFC President Dana White, which is always entertaining.

Leben Notches A Signature Win Over Silva

Surely few were surprised that the Chris Leben vs. Wanderlei Silva bout only lasted 27 seconds. While it might have been difficult to predict which one would be left standing, it was easy to assume that the two bangers would stand in the pocket and trade, and that the man with the stiffer chin would achieve a swift KO victory.

If this fight had taken place five years ago, perhaps the result would have been different. Silva certainly has more mileage on him now, and it once again showed as he waded in with abandon. Though he landed some stiff shots, Leben, with his jaw of stone, returned fire and hurt the Brazilian with a left hook. As Silva tried to recover Leben landed a series of uppercuts that sent him face-first into the Octagon floor. Leben swarmed and Josh Rosenthal saved Silva from further damage, stepping in for a stoppage that allowed Leben to add the legend to his recent list of victims.

Taking nothing away from Leben (26-7), who is certainly a fan favorite who delivers every time he makes an appearance inside the Octagon, Silva (33-11-1) is not the same fighter today as he was when he was terrorizing Pride middleweights as champion; his recent results support this. He has lost six of his last eight fights. And unfortunately four of those defeats have been devastating KOs. He has reached a point where his future health is certainly in question each time he dons MMA gloves.

In contrast, Leben’s recent resurgence has been a great storyline in a sport where The Next Big Thing is constantly lauded. He has won four of his last five match-ups, and throughout his career he’s rarely been in a boring bout. Every time his name shows up on a fight card MMA fans know they’ll get his best, and that usually an entertaining finish is on the horizon. As we’ve said before, if you’re not going to contend for a title, that’s how you make a living as a mixed martial artist.

Cruz Avenges His Only Loss And Retains His Title

Dominick Cruz capped an impressive UFC debut by earning a unanimous decision over Urijah Faber Saturday night—and retained his bantamweight title in the process. The judges’ scores came in at 50-45, 49-46, and 48-47 in favor of Cruz (18-1), who exacted revenge against Faber (25-5), the man who placed the only blemish on his otherwise pristine record. After witnessing spectacular finishes on the front end of the main card, fans were treated to a blink-or-you-might-miss-it battle that, predictably, stretched into the championship rounds.

Cruz used his elusive stand-up style to stick and move, utilizing his full arsenal of lightning-quick punches, kicks, and knees to befuddle the former WEC featherweight champ. Some of the rounds were razor-close and could have fallen to either fighter, but Cruz finished the fight strong in the fifth and final frame by notching successful takedowns on the slippery Faber.

But Faber also found success in the stand-up game. On a couple of occasions he caught Cruz flush and made the champion reset and recover. He also fought off multiple takedown attempts before finally succumbing to a determined Cruz in the fifth round. While Faber fans would certainly like to argue with the judges’ decision in a close fight, Fightmetric’s breakdown definitely favors Cruz: he landed 97 total strikes to Faber’s 58, which is a significant gap.

The good news is that the rubber match is inevitable. In a division that was finally showcased as a UFC main event, few fans will have a problem with an immediate rematch after a fight of that caliber—especially if it involves fan favorite Faber. The problem for Faber is that it’s hard to foresee a different outcome for him the next time out. You can train up almost every skill but speed. And right now that is what Cruz is using to quietly but emphatically rule the bantamweight roost.