Saturday’s big fight card is in the rear-view mirror, and that means the UFC 214 results are in! If you were able to catch the pay-per-view then you were in for a treat. UFC 214 brought the action with a series of amazing contests. Let’s get to the UFC 214 results and go over who you’re likely to see these fighters face next:
Jon Jones TKOs Daniel Cormier
The long-awaited return of Jon Jones lived up to all the hype. All the barriers and hurdles that he had to get through to finally make it here paid off in the end. It wasn’t easy though. Cormier proved to be a much more formidable opponent this time around. Back at UFC 182, Jones chopped through Cormier and was never put in any serious trouble. But this time, Cormier came with lots of improvements and looked to be getting the better of Jones through two rounds. Unfortunately for Cormier, a head kick in the third round sent him spiraling to the ground. Jones finished him with ground and pound to get the KO win.
This was a great fight that featured a lot of smart tactics by both men. Cormier dodged and slipped his way inside to rough Jones up. Cormier chased him around the Octagon several times and found homes for some really big hooks. The leg kicks also landed to good extent. Meanwhile, Jones stayed composed and looked like he needed a little while to warm up and get Cormier’s rhythm. His oblique kicks to the thigh and knees to the body helped keep Cormier at bay. It was at long-range where Jones was able to sneak a kick up high to rattle the light-heavyweight champ.
What next for Jon Jones?
With this win, Jon Jones retains his 205 lb title, and likely his spot as the #1 pound-for-pound fighter on the planet. The most interesting bit of the whole night was probably Jones’s call out of former heavyweight champ Brock Lesnar. There were rumors a while back about the UFC playing with the possibility, but Jones made a serious step forward last night. After the fight, Jones got on the mic and said,
“Brock Lesnar, if you want to know what it feels like to get your ass kicked by a guy that weighs 40 pounds less than you, come meet me in the octagon.”
Even though this superfight is something that millions would likely tune in to, it’s not a realistic match up to make in the short term. Lesnar would need to re-enter the USADA testing pool, which he has been rumored to have done, and needs to fulfill a 6-month testing period before competition. This would put a possible Brock Lesnar return around January, February, or March of 2018.
A more realistic option for Jon Jones given these UFC 214 results would be Alexander Gustafsson. The two engaged in a controversial decision before, a fight that many though Gustafsson should have won. Since then, Alexander has made himself a number one contender. I would suspect Jones vs Gustafsson II to headline the New Years Eve show in Vegas (UFC 219).
Tyron Woodley decisions Demian Maia
The only real downside to UFC 214 was this fight. It was 25-minute lackluster affair that the fans did not enjoy. While this match up was a real intriguing stylistic clash, it played out much like Woodley’s previous contest agaisnt Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson at UFC 209. Limited action, limited aggression, limited everything.
Maia relentlsesly pursued takedowns as that was his only means of victory, but was unsuccessful in over 20 attempts. Woodley shucked the Brazilian off with ease, but failed to follow up with significant offense on the feet. The power right hand that Woodley is known for landed a few times, but the fans were craving a finish.
UFC President Dana White was very outspoken about how much he disliked Woodley’s performance. He believed Woodley could have finished the fight at any time after the second round.
What’s Next for Tyron Woodley?
Prior to this fight, the general consensus was that former welterweight champion and superstar Georges St-Pierre would face the winner of this fight. However, due to Woodley’s lackluster performance and these UFC 214 results, it sounds like GSP will go with Plan A. The original plan was for St-Pierre to face middleweight champion Michael Bisping. At the time, it sounded like a bad idea and was met with serious fan backlash. Both Bisping and St-Pierre was unable to fight for a while too. As a consequence, the UFC scrapped the fight and arranged for GSP to face either Woodley or Maia. But now, it’s back on! Expect St-Pierre vs Bisping to happen at UFC 217 (Madison Square Garden, Nov 4).
So where does that leave Woodley? The only likely opponent for him to face is Robbie Lawler – who snagged a win over “Cowboy” Cerrone earlier in the night. Woodley originally knocked Lawler out at UFC 201 to claim the belt, and has defended it three times after these UFC 214 results. Lawler’s thrilling brawl with Cerrone was his first fight back from the devastating KO loss. I suspect Lawler vs Woodley to go down on the NYE card in Vegas or earlier 2018.
Cris Cyborg TKOs Tonya Evinger
It was a mismatch on paper … and a mismatch in reality. The bull-nosed Invicta 135 champ Tonya Evinger took this fight on short notice because literally no one else wants to fight Cris Cyborg. We saw why. Cyborg lit Evinger up for two rounds before eventually stopped her with strikes. Even though Evinger lost, we got to see how tough she is. It was clear she was at a strength and speed disadvantage, but she hung in there longer than most. In the end though – were these UFC 214 results really that surprising?
What’s next for Cris Cyborg?
Dana White hinted at this already. With Germaine de Randamie out of the 145 lb picture and Cyborg as the belt holder, there is really only one girl out there – Holly Holm. After all, Holm recently knocked out Bethe Correira in spectacular fashion, so she’s back to her winning ways and has some momentum. Holm is also a very big 135 lb’er, and would be Cyborg’s toughest test to date.
I expect this fight to be made later this year. It’s a very exciting fight that could carry a PPV on its own.
Volkan Oezdemir KOs Jimi Manuwa
Out of all the UFC 214 results, this was hands down the biggest upset of the night. Manuwa was on this card because he was seen as a top contender who could be willing to step in and replace Jones or Cormier if one pulled out. Little did he know that the hype behind Oezdemir is real. This guy became a top 5 light-heavyweight in just a few months after beating Ovince St-Preux, Misha Cirkunov, and now Jimi Manuwa.
From the beginning, Manuwa tried to hunt Oezdemir down and back him up. They tied up, but Manuwa just too comfortable in the clinch and ate a series of left hands to the temple that sent him reeling.
What’s next for Oezdemir?
This is a tricky question to answer. Oezdemir is a bit of an anomaly right now, but the casual fans likely have no idea who he is. He has a hard name to pronounce, isn’t American, and doesn’t have a very marketable look. However, hat he’s been able to do is nothing short of spectacular. Since Gustafsson will likely get the next title shot, I see Oezdemir having to fight another top ranked guy. Glover Teixeira is the only one up there that makes sense. Maybe Corey Anderson.
Thanks for checking out these UFC 214 results. Check back for more MMA content!
