UFC 205, Alvarez vs. McGregor: 5 winners/losers
In a truly memorable night of fights, these are the five people that stood out the most. Here are the five winners and losers from UFC 205.
Once UFC 205 finally shaped up, it boasted the best, most stacked, line-up in mixed martial arts history. Fans everywhere were praying that it would all hold up, and despite two fights pulling out, the three title fights still remained.
They were also hoping that it would live up to the incredible hype. After all, the last card that was this heavily anticipated was UFC 200, and that was a big let-down for a lot of people. But UFC 205 had something that UFC 200 didn’t: Conor McGregor, and his superfight with Eddie Alvarez was as great as advertised.
But this card was amazing from top to bottom, and for New York, it was well worth the 20 year wait. Let’s take a look at the biggest winners and losers from UFC 205.
Winner: Khabib Nurmagomedov
Khabib’s path to UFC 205 was an unorthodox one. Even though Dana White originally asserted that he was fighting Eddie Alvarez for the belt, they instead went the superfight direction and pushed Nurmagomedov all the way down to third fight on the prelims.
But Khabib left no doubt that he’s the best lightweight on the planet by dispatching of Michael Johnson in three rounds, and improving his record to 24-0. Johnson’s an elite fighter, but you wouldn’t know that if you watched UFC 205, because Khabib made him look like a bar brawler. We know how good his wrestling is, and when he takes you down, his ground and pound is among the most vicious in the sport. Two judges even had him up 20-16 heading into the third round.
As if he needed even more of a reason to give him the next title shot, he turned around and cut a fantastic promo when he said “Russia has 150 million” in a building full of Irish fans. He’s got the skills to be a champion, and has proven he’s got the personality. It’s time that the UFC does right by him this time.
Nov 12, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Miesha Tate (red gloves) reacts after her fight against Raquel Pennington during UFC 205 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
Loser (but also a winner): Miesha Tate
UFC 205’s main card started off with a surprise when former bantamweight champion Miesha Tate lost to Raquel Pennington. It was a pretty cool “the student becomes the master” moment considering Pennington was on Tate’s team during The Ultimate Fighter, but Tate’s post-fight interview sent shockwaves throughout the UFC community.
After her second straight loss, Miesha announced in the Octagon that she’s retiring, and stated that “it’s not my time anymore.” One of her greatest attributes is the way she can keep going after taking heavy punishment, but according to her, she’s taken too much punishment in her career.
2016 has been a whirlwind of a year for Miesha Tate. She won the belt, headlined UFC 200 before ultimately losing it, then retired – all in three fights. She came into this fight expected to win, but nobody thought she would be done if she lost.
Despite this two-fight losing streak, Tate should be regarded as one of the best bantamweights ever. She’s always been a fan favorite, and has provided some of the most memorable moments in women’s MMA history. From her win over Marloes Coenen in Strikeforce, her bitter rivalry with Ronda Rousey, to her incredible come-from-behind win over Holly Holm to win the UFC title, she has left an indelible mark on the sport.
Many are hoping that this retirement will be like Lionel Messi’s. It felt like a spur of the moment decision, and she could eventually convince herself to come back. But if Tate is gone for good, everyone will remember the legacy she left behind, even if she did go out on a whimper.
Nov 12, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Chris Weidman (red gloves) reacts after losing to Yoel Romero during UFC 205 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
Loser: Chris Weidman
Weidman would’ve liked to fight in New York while he was still the middleweight champion, but it was a momentous occasion nonetheless. And while the reception Stipe Miocic received in Cleveland was special, it didn’t compare to the reaction that Weidman received during his walk-out.
But when it came time to fight, he ran into someone riding a seven-fight win streak. Yoel Romero is one of the greatest heels the UFC has, but beating Weidman in his hometown may have been his greatest accomplishment yet. Many people hate Romero’s questionable antics, but he’s arguably the most talented fighter in the middleweight division, and this win should put him at the front of the line for the next title shot. I mean, that flying knee was no joke.
As for Weidman, this is a spectacular fall from grace. His initial win over Anderson Silva and three subsequent title defenses made him one of the most revered champions in the entire UFC, but he hasn’t been the same since losing to Luke Rockhold. He already had to pull out of a fight this year, and he didn’t look 100% for this contest.
Even though he would never pull out of a fight at Madison Square Garden, it may have been the best decision for him. After all, his lifelong dream ended with him on the opposite end of a brutal knockout. Weidman’s now on a two-fight losing streak, and is behind a lot of the top contenders in the middleweight division. He wouldn’t get a shot ahead of Jacare Souza, Luke Rockhold, Gegard Mousasi, or even Nick Diaz if they so please.
Initially regarded as one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world, Chris Weidman will have to do a lot of soul searching if he wants to get back to that point.
Nov 12, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Tyron Woodley (red gloves) hugs Stephen Thompson (blue gloves) after their welterweight title bout during UFC 205 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
Winner: Tyron Woodley, Loser: MMA judges
The result of Tyron Woodley vs. Stephen Thompson was peak MMA judging. After a brutal 25-minute war, it looked like Bruce Buffer was stretching out the decision when he suddenly left the Octagon to confer with the judges. Then when he read the scorecards, he incorrectly read it as a split decision rather than a majority draw. However, Woodley still retained his belt despite the mistake.
Even though Thompson won more rounds, he didn’t do much damage and fought smart. Woodley’s two rounds were dominant – he outstruck Thompson 57-1 in the first round, and should’ve submitted him in the fourth.
Despite the final scorecard, Woodley proved that he was a worthy champion and that his win over Robbie Lawler wasn’t a fluke. His striking is absolutely lethal, and he’s got great wrestling too. Thompson is one of the hardest fighters to track down and hit, and he rocked him repeatedly in the fourth round.
Many thought that Wonderboy had the makings of the next welterweight champion, but he displayed some championship mettle in this fight. If anyone else was fighting Woodley, they would’ve been finished. And if anything, this final outcome should convince the UFC to book a rematch, which I’m sure everyone would want to see.
But this judging proved that MMA scoring needs a drastic overhaul. They adopted the 10-point must system from boxing, but this bout proved that it simply doesn’t work in this sport. Had Woodley not been given a 10-8 round, the fight would’ve gone to Thompson and the world would’ve cried robbery. They should adopt the Pride model, where they score it based on the entire fight rather than by individual rounds.
Nov 12, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Conor McGregor (blue gloves) celebrates after defeating Eddie Alvarez (red gloves) in their lightweight title bout during UFC 205 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
Winner: Conor McGregor
Just like he did in Cage Warriors, Conor McGregor became a two-division weight champion, and he did so flawlessly. Prior to his fight with Eddie Alvarez, many thought McGregor’s knockout of Ivan Buchinger, which won him the Cage Warriors lightweight title, was his best performance. But this one at UFC 205 was the best of his career, and proved that lightweight is where he’s most dangerous.
He knocked down Alvarez three times, and feinted beautifully. He hit and didn’t get hit, while his finishing move will be replayed for a long time. McGregor may have the pressure of an entire nation, but he’s never weighed down by the expectations. He has the world at his fingertips.
Dana may force him to vacate the featherweight belt if he doesn’t want to go back there, but when he knocked out Jose Aldo, it really was the death of the division. When he doesn’t compete there, everyone can see how much it suffers. Save for Max Holloway and Frankie Edgar, or even Showtime Pettis, there’s nobody there that can challenge him, and none of those guys are anything that he hasn’t seen before.
He hits like a Mac truck at featherweight, and that punch is even harder at lightweight. He might go down to featherweight for one title defense, but after that, he should be gone for good. There’s plenty of intriguing competitors at lightweight for him, and if this fight proved anything, it’s that he can become a dominant champion there.
It’s not all hype, and he’s not all talk. Conor McGregor is the greatest fighter that has ever stepped into the UFC Octagon, and he’s the biggest combat sports star since Muhammad Ali. The sky’s the limit for him now, but he’s proven that there’s no challenge too great for him.
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