Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) made its debut in Mexico last night (Sat., Nov. 15, 2014) with the exciting UFC 180 pay-per-view (PPV) event live from Arena Mexico in Mexico City. After another event featuring a plethora of finishes, UFC fans hope to see the momentum continue as 2014 comes to a close over the next several weeks.
In the main event of the evening, Fabricio Werdum became the interim UFC heavyweight champion by knocking out Mark Hunt with a highlight-reel flying knee that will not soon be forgotten.
Check out the highlights here.
In the co-main event, Kelvin Gastelum choked out Jake Ellenberger late in the first round, making a statement to the welterweight division that he is not just a prospect, but a true contender who finishes fights.
Also featured on the PPV card were another three unbelievable finishes.
Hector Urbina opened up the PPV with a savvy guillotine victory over Edgar Garcia. In the second bout, Augusto Montano obliterated Chris Heatherly with a series of knees en route to a TKO victory. In the third fight on the PPV, Ricardo Lamas ended Dennis Bermudez's incredible hot streak by choking out the streaking featherweight early in the first round.
With that quick recap, here are your biggest winners, as well as the runners-up from Mexico City.
Biggest Winner: Fabricio Werdum
The Brazilian will be flying back home with UFC gold strapped around his waist.
Fabricio Werdum may not have had the start he hoped for, but you can bet his knockout finish over Mark Hunt was as satisfying as victories get. Werdum was stunned by Hunt twice in the first eight minutes of the fight, and was stuffed on all of his takedowns as "The Super Samoan" controlled "Vai Cavalo" early on. After surviving Hunt's onslaught, Werdum shocked the MMA world with a highlight-reel flying knee knockout over the former K-1 world champion.
With the victory, Werdum became the interim UFC heavyweight champion, and will be re-booked to fight Cain Velasquez in March or April of next year. Although Werdum may not have performed well outside of his knockout, his victory is what will be remembered down the line.
One thing is for certain: If the Werdum who fought Hunt tonight shows up against Velasquez in 2015, it could be a short stint as UFC champion for "Vai Cavalo."
Runners-up:
Kelvin Gastelum
The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 17 winner had a huge test in front of him last evening as he took on No. 7 ranked welterweight Jake Ellenberger, and Kelvin Gastelum passed with flying colors.
After struggling on the feet in the first round, getting rocked on two separate occasions, Gastelum hung tough as he continued to exchange with Ellenberger inside. After a suplex from Ellenberger, Gastelum pulled the switch leading to the fight ending rear-naked choke just seconds later.
The victory proved that Gastelum is the real deal, and could be a legitimate title challenger with one or two more marquee victories in 2015. Gastelum is quickly shedding his label as the "guy who beat Uriah Hall" by proving to be a force to be reckoned within the 170-pound division.
Ricardo Lamas
Ricardo Lamas came into UFC 180 somewhat forgotten by pundits and fans alike. The former featherweight title challenger was seemingly expected to just roll over and become Dennis Bermudez's stepping stone en route to a UFC title shot next year.
Instead, "The Bully" won his second fight in a row by choking out "The Menace" with a savvy guillotine in the very first round. The finish was Lamas' second in his UFC career, and ends Bermudez's incredible seven-fight winning streak.
Lamas not only beat a very tough fighter in Bermudez, but he beat him on one of MMA's biggest hot streaks and via finish in the first round.
Talk about impressive.
Expect Lamas to move up from his current spot at No. 4, and potentially take on fellow former title challenger Chad "Money" Mendes next year.
Biggest Loser: Mark Hunt
Mark Hunt did not take last night's title fight on three weeks' notice in order to lay down and get submitted.
Many MMA pundits and fans alike expected Fabricio Werdum to dominate Hunt on the mat, en route to a submission victory early on. But after "The Super Samoan" rocked "Vai Cavalo" in the first round, it looked as if Hunt's storybook ending as UFC champion would come to fruition. Unbelievably, Hunt actually took Werdum down in the first, landing ground and pound in the ADCC legend's guard for more than two minutes.
Unfortunately for Hunt and his legion of fans, Werdum's athleticism and heart kept him in the fight even during the bad moments, which subsequently resulted in one of the year's most hellacious knockouts. A 235-pound heavyweight landed a picturesque flying knee on a former K-1 World Champion to become the interim UFC heavyweight champion.
Hunt was in control for the entirety of the fight up until the monstrous knockout from Werdum, but that is just the way the cookie crumbles in MMA sometimes. There is no reason to suspect Hunt won't be back in action in 2015 knocking people out for our enjoyment once again.
Runners-up:
Jake Ellenberger
Three straight losses never bodes well for any fighter, and it certainly won't for "The Juggernaut," either.
Ellenberger came into UFC 180 on a two-fight losing streak, but both losses came to top contenders in Rory MacDonald and Robbie Lawler, respectively. While some speculated that Ellenberger was simply outclassed by both men, they will have little to offer in reasons to why Ellenberger was finished by the "prospect" Kelvin Gastelum last evening.
Ellenberger simply is not the fighter he once was, and he has seemingly lost that killer instinct that made him so feared only 15 or so months ago. For Ellenberger to lose because Gastelum out-scrambled him is shocking. Ellenberger had Gastelum hurt multiple times, but ultimately the TUF 17 winner's heart and desire were bigger than that of "The Juggernaut."
While Ellenberger's spot on the roster is likely not in jeopardy, he will certainly be fighting for his job next time out. The question is whether UFC feeds him another top-15 contender, or gives him an easier fight to climb his way back to the top of the division.
Leslie Smith
Let's give some credit to Leslie Smith. Even with her ear essentially hanging off her face (pic), Smith wanted to continue to trade blows with Jessica Eye.
Ultimately, the doctor made the right call by not allowing Smith to continue, and also avoided a potential disaster with Smith's ear in serious jeopardy of being severed had she taken any more punishment.
Regardless, a loss is a loss, and this one will hurt Smith. Coming into UFC 180 as the No. 13 women's bantamweight, Smith had a chance to shoot up the rankings by defeating Eye. Instead, the TKO loss will derail all of her momentum, and she will have to start over in her quest for UFC gold.
That's a wrap!