(That about sums it up. Props: MMA TKO)
With so much MMA action packed into so few days, the Potato Index supercomputer is a bit overworked. It’s even been making a weird whirring sound lately. It sounded like it was overheating late last night, so we poured a bucket of water on it. Haven’t heard the whirring sound since. And to think there are some idiots out there who actually throw money away on an IT staff.
Let’s see who’s up, who’s down, and by how much after UFC 111.
Georges St. Pierre +137
A successful title defense in which he wins every single round, takes virtually no damage, and nearly snaps his opponent’s arm? Sorry, but even without a finish, we can’t find anything to complain about.
Dan Hardy -18
As far as offense, he had nothing for GSP. We expected that. What we didn’t expect is that he’d prove so difficult to put away. The kid has guts, even if he doesn’t have much of a takedown defense.
Shane Carwin +145
We still don’t know how he might do in the later rounds, but who cares? Carwin just smoked a top-ten heavyweight in brutal fashion. Seeing him stand next to Lesnar after the fight reminds us that he won’t be able to rely on a size/strength advantage when he fights for the real heavyweight title.
Frank Mir -91
Maybe he let himself get too distracted with thoughts of Lesnar, or maybe he just ran up against an unstoppable force on Saturday night. It doesn’t matter much now. Back to the middle of the pack for Frankie Powahouse.
Kurt Pellegrino +54
A submission finish over a tough grappler like Camoes ups Batman’s status a bit. That’s four straight for the Jersey boy. Maybe a rematch with Nate Diaz, who took a completely unnecessary verbal swipe at him during a post-fight interview this weekend, is up next.
Fabricio Camoes -49
A draw and a loss is not a great start to his stay in the UFC. If he doesn’t get cut this week, he should consider himself lucky. Then he should go out and win a fight in impressive fashion.
Jon Fitch +43
That was the fourth consecutive decision win for Fitch, and against perhaps the most finish-able opponent he’s faced in three years. Unlike GSP, Fitch rarely even looks as if he’s trying to end a fight. That’s no way to make your case as the number one contender.
Ben Saunders -21
He still gets credit for jumping up and volunteering for this one, even if the outcome was painfully predictable. Next, let Ellenberger have a shot at paying Saunders back for turning him into a spectator this weekend.
Jim Miller +49
He should consider himself lucky to have escaped from such a close fight with a victory. That thing could have easily swung the other way if not for the frighteningly positive energy of his cornermen.
Mark Bocek -37
He’s going to be revisiting the chance he had to finish Miller in the second round for a long time to come. Even with the loss though, he climbs up higher on the list of 155-pounders that no one in the UFC really wants to fight.
Rousimar Palhares +6
A quick win marred by a not-so-quick release on that heel hook. He gets suspended by the athletic commission in a fairly meaningless disciplinary move, and he may have cost himself the $65,000 Submission of the Night bonus.
Tomasz Drwal -39
An unfortunate slip followed by a very painful crank of the knee. Get well soon, “Gorilla.”
Nate Diaz +42
He dominated Markham right from the start and put to rest any fears that he couldn’t hang at 170. He followed that up by suggesting he’d probably go back to 155, forcing us to wonder what this little experiment was all about.
Rory Markham -44
Missing weight by six pounds and then losing a one-sided fight in the first round is about as bad a weekend as you can have. Don’t be surprised if the UFC gives him his walking papers next, just to make things a little worse.
Ricardo Almeida +52
Credit the Big Dog with getting the fight where he wanted it and making the most of his opportunities. He’s not the most well-rounded guy in the division, but he is still very dangerous.
Matt Brown -48
He’s improved so much over the last couple of years that we’re tempted to chalk this up as a learning experience. He’s still a gritty, hard-nosed fighter, and the UFC definitely has a place for a guy like that.
Jared Hamman +33
The opening moments of the bout made him seem like a fighter on his way to the land of nod, but he hung tough and got a decision win. Bet that bonus check helped soothe his aching face in the morning.
Rodney Wallace -17
On paper, it’s his second straight UFC loss, which puts him in a precarious situation with regards to job security. Then again, he was one half of the Fight of the Night, so they can’t exactly cut him now, can they? Or can they?
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In contrast, Fitch controlled Saunders but pretty much seemed to be doing it to keep his position. He did throw a couple of good elbows at one point, but otherwise all the energy in that match seemed to be spent simply on maintaining position. I can appreciate the work and skill that takes, but I don't want to be paying money to watch it.
Fitch is a monster and incredibly tough to beat. He's ruthlessly effective at what he does. I just don't really want to watch him do it. Same problem I had with Tim Sylvia when he was champ. Using your height/reach to neutralize your opponent is very effective and smart. It's also boring as hell to watch unless you finish the guy.