Considering all of the hype that surrounded the matchups on the card at UFC 178, it would not have been surprising if the actual fights had been something of a letdown. After all, this was supposed to be the event that put the UFC back on the Pay-Per-View map after several lackluster showings in the past several months. Many casual fans might have tuned in expecting to see a string of gladiator-like battles in the Octagon if the promotional advertisements were to be believed.
Although there weren’t any swords or house-drawn chariots to be found on Saturday night, MMA fans certainly could not be disappointed by the fights that actually took place. The card lived up to its billing and then some, providing a string of entertaining knockouts, including the Main Event, which some boneheaded pundits argued was unworthy of headlining a Pay-Per-View card. There are plenty of takeaways from the UFC’s most successful event in recent memory, but here are the most important lessons we learned.
Dominick Cruz is back (and he’s coming for you, TJ Dillashaw)
Cruz had nearly a three-year layoff between fights, but no one would have known it from the performance he gave against Takeya Mizugaki. The former bantamweight champion showed his old explosiveness in getting a takedown in the first minute of the fight and put on an impressive display of ground and pound to leave with a first round TKO. At one point, Mizugaki seemed poised to regain his footing and continue the fight but Cruz stopped any thought of that with a devastating left-right combo. In doing so, he put the 135-pound division on notice that the abdicated king had returned.
The Dominator will almost surely get a title shot for his next fight and, deservedly so. The only remaining step in his recovery from three injury-plagued years is to prove he can survive training for a five-round bout. After the fight, it was clear that Cruz relished the upcoming title bout, uttering one of the more entertaining callouts in recent memory: “I’m just looking forward to beating up more Alpha Fails.” Champion TJ Dillashaw and top contender Urijah Faber, both members of Team Alpha Male: this is your notice, you have been served, gentlemen.
Conor McGregor can walk the walk
McGregor, one of the fastest rising stars in the UFC, has always had a penchant for rubbing opponents the wrong way with pre-fight trash talk. Before his fight against top-five contender Dustin Poirer on Saturday, McGregor predicted a first-round knockout, leading Poirer to call him a “loudmouth punk.” Well, ‘Notorious’ McGregor may be a loudmouth, but he’s a loudmouth who can fight, as Poirer learned when he did indeed get KO’d in the first round.
McGregor landed a vicious left jab to Poirer’s head that floored the Diamond and several hard strikes without resistance from Poirer led referee Herb Dean to stop the fight immediately. After four straight victories against increasingly tough competition in his UFC career, the Irishman has earned a bigger fight. He likely won’t get a title shot right away, but a matchup with top contender Chad Mendes, with whom he has a long-standing feud, could be in the cards. One thing is certain: there will be plenty of talk in the interim.
The Eddie Alvarez ‘hype train’ has stalled (for now)
Alvarez, who made his UFC debut Saturday, is one of the most hyped prospects in recent memory for the organization after ceding his Bellator lightweight title to enter the sport’s top promotion. However, his quest to become the 155-pound champion in the UFC as well will have to be put on hold after Donald Cerrone gave him a very rude welcome to the Octagon.
Alvarez won the first round, landing several big punches and opening a cut over Cerrone’s right eye. In the latter part of the fight, however, Cowboy was in complete control, landing numerous leg kicks and ending up with 26-2 advantage in that category. The unanimous decision backed up Cerrone’s boasts that he would spoil Alvarez’s debut and it demonstrates that he is still one of the top fighters in the division. The 30-year old Alvarez acquitted himself well and could still have a very productive UFC career, but his fast track to a title has been derailed at least until he can get his first win with the organization.
Dylan Sinn is a freelance contributor for CraveOnline Sports. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSinn or “like” CraveOnline Sports on Facebook.
