What mattered most at UFC on ESPN 63 in Tampa, Fla.? Here are a few post-fight musings …
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Give Sean Woodson a ranked opponent
Sean Woodson won again with a first-round TKO of Fernanda Padilla courtesy of a nasty finishing combo with his hands. With the result, the three longest active unbeaten streaks in the featherweight division are Woodson, Movsar Evloev and Lerone Murphy, all of whom have eight straight wins.
What’s the big difference between Woodson (13-1-1 MMA, 7-1-1 UFC) and other two names on the list? They are highly ranked at 145 pounds, and he is not. It’s crazy to think how far he’d need to push the streak to get into a title fight, but first things first, can we fill his request of getting a ranked opponent next time out?
That’s the least UFC matchmakers can do for Woodson at this point, because it’s long past time we find out if he’s worthy of higher positioning in this division.
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Sean Woodson def. Fernando Padilla at UFC Tampa: Best photos
UFC Tampa video: Sean Woodson floors Fernando Padilla with beautiful combination
Michael Jonson still has pop
Michael Johnson showed he’s still capable of delivering violent knockouts at 38 when he put Ottman Azaitar out cold in the second round of their lightweight bout.
Johnson (23-19 MMA, 15-15 UFC) delivered a late Knockout of the Year entry into the nominee list with a sick combination and follow up shots to render Azaitar unconscious in a scary fashion, and afterward said he’s nowhere close to done.
I’ll be honest: I lost faith in Johnson several years ago. He’s been one of the most maddeningly inconsistent fighters in UFC history, and his .500 record in the octagon after 30 appearances is evidence of that fact.
Johnson has shown many times that, when operating at his best, he is capable of beating the top tier at 155 pounds. When he’s not, he can lose any matchup UFC puts him in. But it’s been more than six years since “The Menace” was on a two-fight winning streak, so he’s got something going for him right now.
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Michael Johnson def. Ottman Azaitar at UFC Tampa: Best photos
UFC Tampa video: Michael Johnson starches Ottman Azaitar for one of 2024’s most violent KOs
Manel Kape makes things interesting at flyweight
After a week of conversation about how there’s nothing intriguing for UFC flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja after his title defense against Kai Asakura, the discussion changed with Manel Kape’s complete railroading of Bruno Silva.
Kape took three hard low blows before he put Silva down with a TKO in the final round, and afterward he had UFC CEO Dana White excited about a potential rematch with Pantoja, who beat him by unanimous decision in his octagon debut in February 2021.
It’s certainly an intriguing option, but will Kape get it? He doesn’t have the most worthy resume. That belongs to Brandon Royval right now. However, he has the advantage of being the most distant opponent of Pantoja’s in the upper tier of the division.
White said post-fight Kape will not be next for the belt, but did tease something that will make him “happy” next.
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Manel Kape def. Bruno Silva at UFC Tampa: Best photos
Cub Swanson should retire on a high
The entire build-up to Cub Swanson’s amazing walk-off knockout win over Billy Quarantillo made it seem like retirement was coming. Swanson held off, admitting he promised his wife he would do so, but displaying the challenge any fighter would have after such an amazing moment.
It’s clear Swanson (30-14 MMA, 15-10 UFC) can hang when given appropriate matchmaking in the featherweight division. Quarantillo was a justifiable opponent at this point in his career, and the result showed what Swanson can still give highlight-reel moments in this sport.
Should he keep going, though? He said prior to the fight his main motivation to keep fighting was to show the fighters he managed the proper way to operate in the sport. That’s fair, but there would be no better example to set for his stable of athletes then to show it’s possible to step away on a high.
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Cub Swanson def. Billy Quarantillo at UFC Tampa: Best photos
UFC Tampa results: Cub Swanson teases retirement after brutal KO of Billy Quarantillo
Joaquin Buckley gets his validating win
Joaquin Buckley has been searching for a signature win on his resume to take his career to the next level, and he got it with a strong performance against Colby Covington in the main event.
Buckley (22-6 MMA, 11-4 UFC) is now 6-0 since dropping down to welterweight from the middleweight division, and it’s hard to not be impressed with the way he battered and bloodied Covington en route to a doctor’s stoppage TKO in the third round.
Was it a flawless performance from Buckley? No. But he proved to be largely well-rounded in dangerous in the route of Covington, and there’s no denying he’s a legitimate contender at 170 pounds.
Buckley deserves his fight with Kamaru Usman, who he has called out in back-to-back fights now. That would be a perfect test for both at this stage in their respective careers, and would give the chance for Buckley to put consecutive legacy names on his record, which would be absolutely huge.
If not Usman, then Buckley needs a fight that will move him close to the belt.
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Joaquin Buckley def. Colby Covington at UFC Tampa: Best photos
UFC Tampa results: Joaquin Buckley dominates Colby Covington before doctor stoppage TKO
UFC Tampa social media reactions: Fighters rip Colby Covington after bloody loss to Joaquin Buckley
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 63.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC Tampa takeaways: Will Cub Swanson lead by example with perfect retirement?
