UFC 235 was this past weekend and it was a stacked card. Let’s get right to the rundown.
UFC 235
GOOD- Pedro Munhoz stops Cody Garbrandt
This was a wild fight. Garbrandt got dropped but then battled back and both fighters started throwing huge bombs. Some connected, some didn’t, but they were all thrown with vicious intent. Munhoz caught Garbrandt with a power shot that ended things towards the end of the first round. Big win for Munhoz and a tough loss for Garbrandt, who’s now been finished three fights in a row.
GOOD- Weili Zhang vs. Tecia Torres
This was a nice solid fight that Zhang won by decision. She did more on the ground and got the nod. Good win for Zhang.
GOOD/BAD- Ben Askren submits Robbie Lawler
Lawler crushed Askren early and about won the fight there, but Askren fought back and locked in a choke and the ref jumped in to stop the fight. Lawler didn’t appear to be unconscious like the ref thought so not a great stoppage. Askren remains undefeated, though, and he survived a big test. I imagine they’ll have a rematch soon.
GOOD- Kamaru Usman vs. Tyron Woodley
Usman just snatched Woodley’s soul during this fight. He dominated him in ways you normally have to pay for and did whatever he wanted. I think this was Usman’s tribute to the retiring Georges St-Pierre because he did what GSP did so many times and dominated an opponent so badly that the later rounds lack interest. To be honest, I was only kind of paying attention to the last few rounds because it didn’t seem possible for Woodley to come back. He looked like a defeated man. The scorecards were 50-44, 50-44, and 50-45.
Usman is your new UFC Welterweight Champion. I will say that I’m surprised Woodley looked as bad as he did. He didn’t seem his normal self. I’m sure at least part of that is from Usman but Woodley just looked bad here. Nevertheless, Usman has about as dominant a championship decision win as possible. Great win for Usman.
GOOD- Anthony Smith vs. Jon Jones
Just as I wrote above that Usman had as dominant a championship decision win as possible, along comes Jones to completely and utterly dismantle Smith. This was almost hard to watch because Smith was so outclassed that it felt like watching a pro fight some guy who hasn’t even had a fight yet. There’s no other way to put it than to say that this was the biggest, most lopsided, five-round fight ever. At least, it sure felt that way. Jones was deducted two points and still destroyed Smith on the scorecards, 48-44 on all three cards.
Jones had two of his five pre-fight drug tests display irregularities but not enough to jeopardize the fight. This seems to be part of the Jon Jones Experience so no one’s surprised that controversy follows him. And as long as he still draws interest and eyeballs, the UFC won’t care either. It’s to the point that if nothing out of the ordinary happens with Jones, you start wondering why not? There’s no denying that Jones is one of the best ever to do it, but man, drama follows him around to a degree I’ve never seen in MMA. That might be part of the appeal for some, though. One thing’s for sure, a Jon Jones fight never lacks for drama.
NEXT: LIKE TOM BRADY AND MICHAEL JORDAN, JON JONES IS THE SUREST BET IN SPORTS
Comments and suggestions can be emailed to me at hydenfrank@gmail.com and you can follow me on Twitter at @hydenfrank
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