The Hit List: The Top 5 Moments from UFC Fight Night Machida vs. Rockhold
Paige VanZant showing grit
Strawweight Paige VanZant gets a lot of flack for being inexperienced, young, and getting a ton of attention and lucrative offers despite all that. Haters can hate, but one thing they can't truthfully claim is that the 21-year-old isn't a top-level fighter with true toughness.
By the mid-way point of her three round battle with Felice Herrig, Saturday, VanZant turned the corner and laid a rough beating on the veteran. The damage was such that it could tempt us to forget how close the first round was.
In the first, Herrig got PVZ's back and sent her head snapping back from repeated heavy punches to the grill in the clinch. VanZant took those shots and then gave out her own in the second and third.
The point is, whatever she looks like before and after she fights, while she is competing, Paige VanZant looks like a beast. She's stronger than she looks, she's tougher than people give her credit for and she's a top-10 strawweight.
Sorry, haters.
Beneil Dariush's grappling showcase
Luke Rockhold (top) used big blows on the ground to soften Lyoto Machida up, Saturday.
For awhile, Beneil Dariush and Jim Miller traded submission attempts and positions in their exciting lightweight fight. Then, Dariush surged ahead with takedowns and on the ground, controlling position and putting Miller on the defensive for the rest of the contest.
Beating Jim Miller in any manner is impressive. The man has simply been one of the very best lightweights in the world for years, now.
Beating the former wrestler and dangerous Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt with your grappling is almost crazy. Beneil Dariush showed that he's a top-10 lightweight talent by not just beating one of the division's best, but by also managing to beat him at his own game, and on short notice.
If Dariush continues to improve as he has been, there is no telling how good he can become. Right now, the kid is just 25 years old and looks good enough to compete with anyone on any given night.
Should he manage to continue to improve substantially, and avoids serious injuries, he could very well contend for a title in a couple years. We were wowed by his performance against Miller, and can't wait to see what is next for Dariush.
The young man Max Holloway rumblin'
Max Holloway had quietly built an impressive win streak since losing two straight to Dennis Bermudez and Conor McGregor. Saturday night, the 23-year-old's progress got a lot more noticeable.
Before she turned the tide and put a beating on Felice Herrig, Paige VanZant had to absorb her own punishment and survive some tough spots, Saturday.
In dominating and then finishing Cub Swanson, Holloway showed that he's more than a promising young fighter. The Hawaiian is a bona fide contender.
Holloway used a great game plan and mostly stayed away from Swanson's dangerous punches. It wasn't long ago that Cub Swanson was one fight away from a title fight.
After breaking Swanson's jaw and forcing him to tap out, Holloway showed that he may not be too far from one, himself.
Ovince Saint Preux's lightning striking again
Can we all agree that it is time to stop thinking that Ovince Saint Preux simply gets "lucky" with his quick, "what the heck just happened" clipping KOs? Just as he did against legend and former champion Mauricio "Shogun" Rua in his previous fight, OSP instinctively took advantage of an overextended opponent charging forward, side-stepped and delivered a pin-point punch to the jaw of Patrick Cummins.
Before that, of course, Ovince showed impressive takedown defense and ability to get right back after being taken down by the wrestler. After Cummins couldn't keep OSP down, he lunged forward with strikes.
Saint Preux stepped backwards and to his own left slightly and delivered a quick punch even as he was hit with one. The shot instantly KO'd Cummins. Face it, folks - this is what OSP does.
Twice makes a pattern. Saint Preux is rapidly improving and is a legit top-10 fighter in the light heavyweight division, now.
Ovince Saint Preux once again made an opponent pay, quickly, on Saturday night.
