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Looking back at the previous fight card I will discuss three people/fighters that impressed me and three that disappointed me.  The individuals listed are not necessarily the fighters who performed the best or worst, but those who surprised me or failed to meet my expectations.  For example, at UFC 107 the most impressive performance was from B.J. Penn, but he did nothing to shock me.  I said, as did most, before the fight that he was better than Diego at everything Diego does.  Despite the impressive and dominating performance it was what most of us expected to see.

Three Who Impressed:

Kenny Florian: I was unsure whether to include Kenny on the list because I fully expected him to win and finish Clay Guida.  The truth is that Guida is an exciting and likable fighter, but he lacks the physical ability to compete with the top of the division.  However, Florian showed noticeably improved boxing which thoroughly impressed me.  To start, his jab was very effective.  Kenny has always been a highly skilled striker at close range thanks to his Muay Thai skills, but previous to last night he had not been able to control opponents with his combinations or jabs.  Saturday night his jab was sharp and his timing was excellent.  Florian even mentioned the improvement of his jab in the post fight interview.

The other aspect of Florian's boxing that newly surprised me was his head movement and defensive striking.  The consistency that he evaded Guida's strikes will be essential in making another run in the lightweight division.  I have mentioned before how many MMA fighters keep their head on a pole which makes an easy target for other fighters.  The ability to avoid damage is surprisingly something many MMA fighters fail to grasp and it was nice to see the improvement in Kenny.  To be fair, Guida is not a proficient striker and has a relatively short reach, but Florian was still impressive when he got within Guida's range.

Further Impressions and the Disappointments after the jump

SBN coverage of UFC 107: Penn vs. Sanchez

Mike Pierce: It is not as if Jon Fitch is a finishing machine (last five wins are by decision) so the fact that Pierce lost a decision is not the most impressive feat in the world.  However, Fitch is one of, if not the best wrestler in the UFC.  He is also one of the hardest workers and persistent fighters.  All those qualities provide Fitch with a dominating top control.  However, Peirce escaped and got back to his feet numerous times during the first two rounds.  His strength and defensive grappling were a surprise to me.  A fighter does need to be able to submit a fighter to win fights, but they need to be able to defend against them.  Pierce is a wrestler who has yet to submit anyone in his MMA career which would generally mean he has problems with his jiu-jitsu.  However, if he can use his strength and wrestling to get out of disadvantageous positions it will be a solid safety valve for his career.  I am still not sure about Pierce, but he looked much better than I expected.

TJ Grant/Diego Sanchez: To be honest I have not seen the Grant fight yet.  However, good for Grant on getting KO of the Night.  The man recorded only his second KO/TKO of his career and his first in 14 fights.  Good for him.

Sanchez did nothing that surprised me because he was fighting an uphill battle against a more talented fighter.  However, he got beat down and kept coming.  He also did not sound fazed at all after the fight.  There might not be a more mentally tough and well conditioned fighter in all of MMA.

Those Who Disappointed:

Stefan Struve: Struve even admitted that he was unhappy with his performance and he should be.  Now a win is a win and that is what goes on his record, but if he fights the way he did than he is not going to pick up much more in the UFC.  The entire first round he had Buentello's back and could not finish or really do much damage.  He did not keep Paul guessing with strikes and tried the exact same move with no unpredictability.  It made it easier for Buentello to defend and it is why he could not finish.  I understand Struve is a submission fighter, but he was a kickboxer at one point.  How is striking so freaking awful?  Just because he likes trading punches does not mean he should try and get hit in the face.  This would be the opposite of Kenny Florian.  At 6'11 there is no reason to strike anywhere near Paul's reach.  His jab was nonexistent and his head did not move.  There is a reason his "flying knee" landed him on his back.  I am still not sold on Struve and if he does not shore up his striking then he is going be on the back end of a highlight reel in the near future.

Mike Pierce's Corner: I hope they got paid mega bucks for that sunglasses sponsorship because they looked ridiculous.  Listen, I got my sunglasses too and I think I look good when I got them on, but please do not be the person that wears them indoors, when it is dark, and you know you can barely see.  You look obnoxious.  Add that to the fact you are supposed to be watching a fight and provide your fighter with advice between rounds.  Why do you have anything that remotely impairs your vision?  I hope that sponsorship money was enough.  In addition, I think I saw one of them on their cell phone between rounds.  Mike, it is nice to have love for your boys, but they do not need to be in your corner.

Wilson Gouveia: He weighed in at 189 against Jason McDonald and I heard he was the one who asked for the catchweight to be 190.  Belcher weighed more than that, but was still able to get to 185 if he had to.  This was not his first Middleweight fight, baring an injury I am unaware of he needs to come ready to go at the designated weight.  I also include Belcher on this.  First the tattoo, now the shorts and the hair.  Dude, I'm a big fan of you, but you look outrageous.