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D. FOX: Post-fight reactions to UFC on Fox 16 "Dillashaw vs. Barao II"
Jul 26, 2015 - 10:15:52 AM
D. FOX: Post-fight reactions to UFC on Fox 16 "Dillashaw vs. Barao II"
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By: Dayne Fox, MMATorch Contributor

Even though everyone was expecting it, T,J, Dillashaw established that his first victory over Renan Barao wasn't a fluke. While it won't be as memorable as the first fight thanks to the upset factor involved in the original, it was both a more dominant performance from Dillashaw and a more competitive showing from Barao. Believe me, I realize that is an oxymoron, but it is the truth. Hopefully the bantamweight division can now move on from this long and overdrawn feud and we can see Dillashaw make a title defense against someone he hasn't beaten before… or at least has a UFC victory on their record (looking at you Joe Soto).

The rest of the card didn't produce any stinkers that left the crowd booing, as Miesha Tate staged another comeback (of sorts) against Jessica Eye, while Edson Barboza and Paul Felder staged a fun striking exchange with big shots landed on both sides.


T.J. Dillashaw defeated Renan Barao via TKO at 0:35 of the fourth round

There wasn't one single moment that defined this fight. Dillashaw landed far more strikes than his opponent, and did so from every standing aspect of the fight. That isn't to say that Barao didn't have his moments, and certainly was far more prepared for Dillashaw this time, landing some hard shots that looked for an ever-so-brief moment like they might have rocked Dillashaw late in the first round. Barao was certainly improved (thus my statement saying this fight was more competitive), but Dillashaw improved even more (thus why I say more dominant).

Dillashaw may not have landed that one single punch that changes the tide like he did in the first fight, but he continued to land high impact strikes that indicate that he has been able to add significant power to his unique striking style, something that seems to make an already dangerous striker that much more potent. That isn't even with me talking about how much better his jab looked or his improvement in the clinch. If Dillashaw continues to improve the way that he has under the tutelage of Duane Ludwig, he will be in the talks for P4P best in the world. It would be asking a lot, but not out of the realm of possibility. Hopefully Dominick Cruz can stay healthy and we can see him receive the opportunity to regain his throne that fate took from him in what should be an epic clash.

Barao is still one of the best fighters in the world, but he has stylistically a horrible matchup against Dillashaw. Every indication shows that he will likely assume the role of uber-gatekeeper that Urijah Faber held for so many years as he will likely be able to beat everyone except the champion. A fight with Cruz could very well be in the cards down the road as well, but the chances of him besting Cruz don't seem to be that great either given the similarities between Dillashaw and Cruz. Another possibility I see floating around is Barao moving up to 145 lbs. given his issues making 135 lbs., the upcoming ban on IVs, and rumors of teammate Jose Aldo moving up to lightweight after fighting Conor McGregor. Just a thought.


Miesha Tate defeated Jessica Eye via unanimous decision

It's safe to say that Tate is officially a slow starter after scoring a come-from-behind victories over Liz Carmouche and Sara McMann and even here. The reason for the tentativeness here is Tate woke up a lot sooner this time, flooring Eye with two minutes left in the first round to change the complexion of the fight as Eye was piecing her up before the knockdown. Eye lost her confidence at that point as she refused to commit to her boxing as she had done earlier with leg kicks becoming her primary attack in rounds two and three. Tate was headhunting the rest of the fight when it was standing and weird enough, it worked out quite well for her as she landed some good punches as Eye's head movement was nonexistent.

Tate should be getting a fight with Ronda Rousey next, having done what she needs to do for another shot at the belt. Yes, it would be a third fight in a one-sided rivalry, but Tate has proven she knows how to get under Rousey's skin and there is no one else remotely close to being worthy. Someone has to challenge Rousey's supremacy, why not someone who can help sell? Eye on the other hand showed plenty of physical toughness, but seemed to mentally check out after Tate's bomb landed and abandoned what makes her good. However, there is no shame in losing to Tate and Eye should get better from here. I do believe she will be fighting for the title someday, it just isn't happening as soon as she would like to. McMann or a rematch with Sarah Kaufman seem appropriate.


Edson Barboza defeated Paul Felder via unanimous decision

Has anyone kept track of the most spinning strikes attempted in a single fight? If so, I'm pretty sure this fight shattered the record. Barboza threw the majority of them as if he was trying to prove a point on the heels of Felder's awesome spinning backfist victory over Danny Castillo in January, and even though he didn't score a KO blow or land a high percentage of them, he landed enough to keep Felder honest (including a brutal shot to Felder's groin in the first) in addition to his lightning-quick switch kicks to the gut. Barboza wasn't getting much love from analysts going into the fight, and it seems as though he had to remind us that he is pretty damn good.

With the win, Barboza should be close to where he was before his lackluster performance against Michael Johnson. He was aggressive against Felder and that seems to be the key to his success. Lightweight is THE preeminent shark tank for the sport and he'll need to score an impressive victory over a ranked opponent before he can make a serious move up the ladder. He should get that chance in his next appearance. Felder shouldn't be hurt from this performance as he was thrown into the deep end in only his third UFC fight and held his own with a badass striker. There are infinite options for whom he faces next, but expect the UFC to take a slower approach with him at this point.


Joe Lauzon defeated Takanori Gomi via TKO at 2:37 of the first round

I feared as much the fight would go the way it did, and it proved to be very anticlimactic. Gomi's grappling has long been known to be a weakness and it proved to be his undoing against the aggressive Lauzon. Lauzon scored a quick single leg set up beautifully with his striking and it wasn't long before he took the back of Gomi and flattened him out. Hard punches started raining down and Gomi ended up going out. Once Lauzon realized that, he got up before Herb Dean could stop the fight, only for the longtime official to do so once a weary Gomi sat up.

Lauzon maintains his reputation as an action fighter even if this fight didn't turn out to the slobber-knocker we all hoped it might become. You can't blame him though as he did what he needed to do to win. He isn't about to make a run for the title, but will continue to be a final test for those looking to enter the official UFC rankings. I'd like to see Gomi retire at this point. Yes, he has made adjustments in recent years to be a viable mid-tier fighter, but he looked more of a shell of himself than he ever has. Granted it is his choice when he retires, but I also know that I'm not alone in this thinking.


Tom Lawlor defeated Gian Villante via KO at 0:27 of the second round

Wait a minute… did Lawlor pick up punching power while he was away from the UFC, or was it simply depleted from his days of cutting to 185 lbs.? Whatever it was, Lawlor landed a crushing right hand on an advancing Villante and sent the former collegiate linebacker crashing to the ground. Lawlor landed a few more punches before the referee was able to stop the fight, though none of them were necessary. While Lawlor serves as a breath of fresh air to a division badly in need of that, he was getting pieced up by the bigger Villante in the first round, his face wearing the effects of that post-fight. He is undersized at 205 lbs., but a lack of bodies there will make the move up beneficial for him. Villante is the same guy we figured he was the last few years: talented, but as inconsistent as they come. Time is running out for him to stabilize his career and make a run.


Jim Miller defeated Danny Castillo via split decision

Maybe it is just me, but for a fight that was as close as this one was all of the drama and wonder seemed to disappear after the first round. Miller caught an early kick from Castillo to take him down and immediately started fishing for a sub, but was unable to get it. Castillo was able to reverse the position after Miller lost a triangle attempt and the threat of the fight ending before 15 minutes seemed to go out the window… though I won't say it was a lack of effort on Miller or Castillo. Both just provided solid defense throughout the fight. Castillo attacked with kicks to the head and body that Miller mostly parried and Miller pressed the action with a heavy dose of leg kicks and the referees responded to his constant moving forward and solidify his spot on the roster as a gatekeeper into the ranks, similar to Lauzon. Castillo could be cut as that was his third straight loss, but as close as this fight was (along with his loss to Tony Ferguson), I'd say he deserves one more attempt.


Ben Saunders defeated Kenny Robertson via split decision

I don't know how much casual fans enjoyed the fight, but this was a battle of wills as to who was going to enforce their fight on the other. Saunders peppered Robertson's arms and body with a heavy barrage of kicks, and landed some hard knees from the clinch when Robertson got too close. That didn't stop Robertson from pressing forward to land punches in the pocket and had Saunders on dizzy street in the first two rounds at times. The final round consisted of Saunders taking advantage of a Robertson takedown and trapping him in a triangle position, spending the majority of the round attacking his head with elbows off of his back in what turned out to be the deciding round. Overall it was a close fight that really could go either way. Saunders could very well get a ranked opponent next while Robertson won't slip far if at all as his performance was gutty and impressive.


Bryan Caraway defeated Eddie Wineland via unanimous decision

The movement was there, but that was about it. Whoever it was parading around in the vessel of Wineland struggled to make anyone believe that he was going to be able to jump into the mix of things in the bantamweight division. Amazingly enough, it was Caraway who pushed the pace and landed the better strikes. Though Joe Rogan wouldn't stop harping about the threat of the takedown throwing Wineland off of his game, that hadn't been an issue in previous fights against Scott Jorgensen and Brad Pickett (two other takedown threats). I actually kind of expect Wineland to retire as he was batting the idea around after breaking his jaw 14 months before this fight and he didn't look sharp against Johnny Eduardo before having his jaw broken anyway. As for Caraway, it is hard to say that this victory proves that he is a threat thanks to Wineland's recent fade, even if Wineland easily qualifies as the biggest name on his ledger. His next performance will speak volumes about where he is at.


James Krause defeated Daron Cruickshank via submission at 1:27 of the first round

My belief was if Krause was going to pick up a win it was going to be from securing a submission in the midst of a scramble, and that is exactly what happened. However, Krause upped the ante by initiating the scramble by hitting a trip from the clinch, immediately going for the back of Cruickshank. Overall it was a perfectly executed game plan, and keeps Krause employed in the world's largest MMA organization. Where he goes from here I have no clue as Krause has had a strange UFC career, but someone on the similar level of Cruickshank should be expected once again. Cruickshank needs to reevaluate some things. Pressure has been killing him as Krause and Beneil Dariush both did just that to take away his kicks and eventually ended up submitting him in his last two appearances. His job will likely be on the line in his next showing.


Andrew Holbrook defeated Ramsey Nijem via split decision

Even though I absolutely disagree with the decision, I feel as though Nijem had no one to blame other than himself. He had a clear advantage on the feet, and had Holbrook in trouble on the feet at the beginning of both the second and third rounds, and responded by taking Holbrook to the ground. It seems as though it was due to instinct as Nijem is a former collegiate wrestler, but he took the fight into Holbrook's world when he went to the ground, and he paid the price in the eyes of the judges. Nijem usually controlled the positioning, but Holbrook's aggressiveness in going for the submission attempts seemed to be what the judges noticed. Nijem may get cut, but I don't anticipate that happening… yet. Holbrook looks like he belongs, but improvement in his standup is a must to move up the ladder.


Elizabeth Phillips defeated Jessamyn Duke via unanimous decision

I don't want to rip on this fight too much as I enjoyed watching it, but this felt like a clinic of what not to do when searching for a submission, particularly in the case of Duke. Leglocks, guillotines, brabo chokes… Duke attempted them all, and did so with poor enough technique that she didn't put Phillips in a truly perilous situation until the final bell rang when she attempted an armbar. Though I like Duke, she absolutely needs more seasoning. I expect her to end up in Invicta, but don't be surprised to see her back in the UFC soon enough. Phillips showed she has a lot of potential, but she is gonna have to deepen her gas tank if she wants to have an extended run. She is young enough in her career that her improvement could still come in leaps and bounds.


Zak Cummings defeated Dominique Steele via TKO at 0:43 of the first round

So was this a sign of how much Cummings has improved since his last appearance in the Octagon over a year ago, Steele indicating that he is in over his head in the UFC, or Steele simply getting caught? I have a feeling a little bit of everything, but more of the latter. Cummings has flashed his power before (his entry bout into the TUF 17 house), but no one is about the mistake him for being a regular striking threat at this point. He was a solid test for young prospects and newcomers and I don't see that changing despite this performance. I'd have to see this again to change my mind. Steele will get another opportunity, but the sum of the parts has always been greater than the whole for him and see no reason for that to change for him.


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