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RICH HANSEN, MMATORCH COLUMNIST: (10.0)
Even if Francis Carmont fought 12 straight fights before the main event fight, I'm giving this card a solid 10.0. Jon Jones and Alexander Gustafsson just put on the best fight in UFC history, and there's really no debate on this. So to score the card as a whole anything other than a perfect 10 discounts the greatness we just witnessed. Jon Jones just faced the best fighter he's ever fought, and that fighter fought the best fight he is capable of fighting, Jones was unprepared for the offensive onslaught he had to endure, and he STILL managed to win the (very close) fight going away. It was both tactical and brutal. Technical and powerful. Fast paced and violent. You just cannot ever ask for a better fight. This will be one I remember 40 years from now.
BRAD WALKER, MMATORCH COLUMNIST: (9.99999)
That rating is based mostly on the fact that the main event may very well be the greatest fight I have ever seen. Razor thin decision with some of the best striking exchanges one can imagine. Gustafsson who even I counted out gave Jon Jones the fight of his life and put him in a spot he has never been in before. Jones took his shots and showed the need to finish the fight at the end of the fourth. All in all this is going to win fight of the night, year and maybe decade. I am entirely blown away by the battle between these two.
Renan Barao is a monster the spinning back kick to the chin was brutal and solidified his true claim the the title - if Cruz isn't ready by March strip him! Brendan Schaub showed a renewed vigor in his win over Matt Mitrione that he very desperately needed, and looked great. Francis Carmont put on an absolute wrestling clinic against Costa Phillipou and completely outed him as a one tool fighter. I would keep going but I am still trying to wrap my head around the main event...wow!
RAZ, MMATORCH UK CONTRIBUTOR: (7.0)
Tonight's card had its ups and downs with the card peaking fantastically in the main event. From submissions to decisions with few KO's tonight ended exactly how we would want main events to end with both fighters delivering and coming to fight it has to be said "what a fight". This card ranks 7/10 for me with two snoozers in there it drops the score but overall I was happy to be awake till 6AM (UK time) to watch this card. What really made this night stand out for me was the main event with jones receiving his hardest fight to date there was that fight fan feeling that anything could truly happen but with Glover waiting in the stands it begs the question how close jones can flirt with defeat till he loses. Next up Cain-JDS!
ERIC HOBAUGH, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR: (9.5)
The undercard on Fox 1 was decent, but nothing that stood out too much. Stephen Thompson did have a nice KO over Chris Clements.
Costa Philippou vs. Francis Carmont was a boring grappling match. Vegas picked Philippou to win and Vegas was wrong. Carmont looked great in his decision victory and he is improving every time we see him. He is ready for a top ten fight in his next match. Philippou will come back if he can work on his take down defense and BJJ.
The fact that the match-up between Brendan Schaub vs Matt Motrione was on the main card of a PPV was a head scratcher. Both of these fighters are not close to the top ten and neither have had much success recently inside the Octagon. This was a pretty good fight though and Schaub showed with the D'Arce choke victory that is a legit brown belt. Schaub should get another top ten fighter in his next fight and Mitrione might be headed to Bellator for his next fight.
Renan Barao vs Eddie Wineland was a short, but great fight. Renan Barao is one of the best fighters on the planet and he proved it with his spinning jump reverse side KO victory. This was a great KO and I have never seen quite a finish like this. It will be on highlight reels for years. Barao will continue on with his title defenses in his next fight. Wineland will go back to the drawing board and try to make his way back to the title.
Jon Jones vs Alexander Gustaffson was quite simply the best title fight in the history of the sport. Before the decision I had no idea who had won the fight. Both fighters had so many exciting exchanges this made this fight impossible to score. Either fighter could have won the fight and it would have been perfectly OK. Gustaffson showed the world that he is one of the best fighters in the world. He will work his way back to the title and if Jones has the title then Gustaffson could very well win the belt. Jones kept the title and he also won some fans in the process.
Great night of fights!
TONY BECERRA, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR: (8.5)
What a great main event! Jones was tested like never before and he now holds the record for most consecutive title defenses in the LHW division. Seriously though, I can't remember the last time Jones was in that much trouble so early. Gustafsson was a great challenger and at one point looked in prime position to dethrone the champ. Hats off to both, this to date is the best fight in 2013!
Barao is a bad dude! That spinning heel kick to the face was nuts! Wineland came in early to exchange and I had him winning after one but then... Barao man, wow, that's too bad for Cruz who after a two and a half year lay of has to come back and fight this dude.
Khabib's victory over Pat was impressive. He definitely showed he is ready for top 10 competition in the lightweight division. Great slam in the third, just dominant performance throughout. Schaub putting Mitrione to sleep was not what I expected but good quick fight. They both came to trade leather and that's always entertaining to watch. If not for Carmont's 12:05 "clinic" on how to gain top position and stay there, this pay-per-view rating would have been higher.
FRANK HYDEN, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR: (9.5)
I agreed with the judging in the Jones-Gustafsson fight. I think the champion won at least three rounds with possibly a fourth round in his favor. I personally gave Jones four rounds, but I can certainly understand if someone only gave him three rounds. That fight was intense, and should serve to propel Jones forward. No question this was his toughest test ever. He was damn close to losing the belt he covets so much.
Alexander Gustafsson deserves major credit for executing the gameplan just about perfectly. He was so close to winning that I hope this also propels him forward rather than sidetrack him with thoughts of bad judging. Great performances by both fighters.
Renan Barao put an exclamation point on his win over Eddie Wineland with that finish. What a display by Barao. He looks to be getting better and better. At this point it doesn't look like anyone is going to be able to beat him. Of course, that's why that have the fights. Tonight proved, yet again, that things can change when you're in that cage.
SHAWN ENNIS, MMATORCH SENIOR COLUMNIST: (9.5)
If the first two fights weren't so disappointing, this would have been a perfect 10 score. But that's the last I want to talk about any fight other than Jones-Gustafsson. Classic fights are rare. Classic title fights are extraordinarily rare, even with the high number of championship fights we see every year. But the main event of UFC 165 delivered in a way that few fights ever have.
Jon Jones was almost seen as invincible coming into the fight. "Not Quite Human" was the slogan on Jones' shirt on the way to the Octagon, and few even batted an eye at it. Even though we've seen the mighty fall time after time in MMA, Jones seemed to be on another level. Unstoppable with takedowns. Impossible to take down. Tough to hit and tougher to hurt. Deadly in the clinch and in top position.
But Gustafsson, while he didn't win, made Jones look not quite Not Quite Human. He battered Jones with crisp striking and stuffed all but one of his takedowns. And even when Jones was finally able to get the fight to the mat, Gustafsson was able to jump back to his feet without taking any damage. Gustafsson did more than build his own credibility and provide fans with one of the greatest fights, title or no, that they'll ever see. He made Jon Jones seem touchable. And strange as it may sound, that helps the champion. It makes him more interesting. Easier to relate to. More human.
Oh, by the way, Renan Barao had one of the more impressive knockouts you'll see with a spinning back kick to the chin of Eddie Wineland. As rare as a spinning wheel kick KO is, a spinning back kick to the face is even less likely to be seen. And Brendan Schaub picked up a nice submission by putting Matt Mitrione to sleep, Mitrione giving a thumbs up even as he twitched toward unconsciousness. There were some other nice performances on the card, but none of them matter in the face of the main event. Khabib Nurmagomedov looked good, Myles Jury stayed undefeated by the skin of his teeth, Stephen Thompson got back to knocking people out, and Jones and Gustafsson put on one for the ages. If you haven't seen it, go watch it now. If you have, go watch it again.
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
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