M-1 Challenge 26 – Garner vs. Bennett 2
July 8, 2011
The Hangar at the O.C. Fair and Events Center,
Costa Mesa, California, United States

Main Card (Aired on Showtime)

Heavyweight (265 lbs)

Kenny Garner (7 – 3 – 0) defeated Patrick Bennett (4 – 3 – 0) by KO due to a punch at 1:15 of round 2.  Garner, who has back to back KO wins (5-1 in his last 6), jets 54 spots up the ranks from [#152] to [#98].   Bennett, who is 1-2 in his last 3 (both losses to Kenny Garner), plummets 67 spots down the ranks from [#147] to [#214].

Middleweight (185 lbs)

Arthur Guseinov (8 – 2 – 0) defeated Tyson Jeffries (8 – 6 – 0) by KO due to a spinning back fist at 1:32 of round 1.  Guseinov, who rebounds from back to back losses with this win, enters the middleweight “Top 350” at [#280].  Previously ranked [#287] Jeffries, who has back to back losses (preceded by a 3 fight win streak), falls off the rankings.

Lightweight (155 lbs)

Mairbek Taisumov (15 – 3 – 0) defeated Josh Bacallao  (6 – 3 – 0) by KO due to a punch at 2:01 of round 1.  Taisumov, who is on a 3 fight win streak (10-1 in his last 11), moves 1 spot down the ranks from [#65] to [#66].   Bacallao, who has back to back losses, remains unranked.
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UFC 132 – Cruz vs. Faber 2
July 2, 2011
Mandalay Bay Events Center,
Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

UFC Bantamweight Championship

Bantamweight (135 lbs)

Dominick Cruz (18 – 1 – 0) defeated Urijah Faber (25 – 5 – 0) by unanimous decision.  Cruz, who has not lost in over 4 years, remains ranked at [#1] and jumps 3 spots up the Division Dominance list from [#7DD] to [#4DD].  The fight that makes most sense now for Cruz is a rematch with [#5] Brian Bowles, after Bowles’ unfortunate hand injury cut the first bout short.  A possible rubber match with Faber may be in the cards as well.  Faber, who is 3-2 in his last 5 (1-1 in the UFC), drops 1 spots from [#3] to [#4].  Now might be a good time to pull the trigger on a Faber vs. [#12] Miguel Torres bout, if they do not decide on the immediate Cruz/Faber rubber match.

Middleweight (185 lbs)

Chris Leben (26 – 7 – 0) defeated Wanderlei Silva (33 – 11 – 1) by KO due to punches at 0:27 of round 1.  Leben, who is 4-1 in his last 5 (12-6 in the UFC), moves 13 spots up the ranks from [#23] to [#10].  A bout with fellow rising star [#8] Mark Munoz would most likely dazzle the crowd with wild stand up exchanges and good scrambles.  Silva, who is 1-3 in his last 4 (2-4 in the UFC), after falling off the rankings due to inactivity enters the middleweight “Top 350” at [#21].  There has been retirement talk abound in regards to Wanderlei, and his next fight will most likely be one of his last.  A bout against someone like [#12] Jorge Santiago would help shed light on how far gone Silva’s abilities are.  He could also wait to face the loser of the [#9] Vitor Belfort vs. [#42] Yoshihiro Akiyama bout taking place at UFC 133 in August, provided Akiyama is not cut following a loss.

Lightweight (155 lbs)

Dennis Siver (19 – 7 – 0) defeated Matt Wiman (13 – 6 – 0) in a hotly contentious unanimous decision.  Siver, who is 8-1 in his last 9 (8-4 in the UFC), remains ranked at [#8].  Bouts against [#6] Clay Guida or [#14] Sam Stout would help usher a new name into the title discussion.  Wiman, who was on a 3 fight win streak prior to this loss (7-4 in the UFC), moves 5 spots down the ranks from [#32] to [#37].  Many people believe Wiman deserved the nod, but the records still show he lost.  He should face fellow loser on the card [#40] Shane Roller in his next fight in an Oklahoma native battle.

Light Heavyweight (205 lbs)

Tito Ortiz (17 – 8 – 1) defeated Ryan Bader (12 – 2 – 0) by submission due to a guillotine choke at 1:56 of round 1.  Ortiz, who was 0-4-1 in his last 5 prior to this victory (and had not won since 10/10/2006), jumps 15 spots up the ranks from [#27] to [#12].  Ortiz should look to face either the winner of [#9] Rich Franklin vs. [#21] Antonio Rogerio Nogueira or a rematch with [#22] Vladimir Matyushenko (should he beat [#25] Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 133).  Bader, who now has back to back losses (5-2 in the UFC), drops 9 spots down the ranks from [#9] to [#18].  Conversely, Bader could face the loser of the Matyushenko vs. Gustafsson scrap.

Welterweight (170 lbs)

Carlos Condit (27 – 5 – 0) defeated Dong Hyun Kim  (14 – 1 – 1) by TKO via flying knee and punches at 2:58 of round 1.  Condit, who is on a 4 fight win streak (3 by (T)KO), moves 1 spot up the ranks from [#7] to [#6].  With 4 wins (3 stoppages) in a row over difficult UFC talent, Condit is the logical next contender for the welterweight title.  He should face the winner of [#1] Georges St. Pierre vs. [#4] Nick Diaz coming up at UFC 137 in October.  If he wants to stay busy before then, he could take a fight with [#17] Charlie Brenneman, though the risk vs. reward of the bout is not very tantalizing for Condit.  Kim, who was on a 3 fight win streak prior to this loss (5-1-0  1 NC in the UFC), drops 10 spots down the ranks from [#18] to [#28].  He should look to rebound from his first loss by facing either the loser of [#9] Mike Pyle vs. [#30] Rory MacDonald taking place at UFC 133 or [#19] Rick Story next.
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