Jay Primetown gives his thoughts on each of the fighters who competed at UFC on ESPN+ 24 in Raleigh, North Carolina. Jay gives his letter grades for each fighter on TheMMA-Analysis podcast which can be found on MMAOddsbreaker.com
Herbert Burns vs. Nate Landwehr
Burns: He had success in all facets including wrestling, submission grappling and ultimately a knockout finish. A good result for Burns. Debut grade is D+
Landwehr: His lack of takedown defense is troublesome, but even worse is his reckless abandon on the feet. If he’s unable to absorb strikes, he’s not going to last long in the UFC. Debut grade is D-
Tony Gravely vs. Brett Johns
Gravely: In his UFC debut, the American didn’t seem to have any jitters. He put in a good performance against a fringe top fifteen bantamweight. Gravely didn’t get the win, but he showed he can be competitive in this division. Debut grade is C-
Johns: In his first fight since August 2018, Johns showed his conditioning was up to par as he took over in the third round and secured a choke over a game opponent. Johns appears back to the level he fought out prior to injury. Grade remains C
Lina Lansberg vs. Sara McMann
Lansberg: She had no answers in the wrestling department as she was repeatedly taken and held down by McMann. This was a blowout. Grade remains C
McMann: Her wrestling was as dominant as ever. After a long absence away from the cage, she dominated this bout against a solid opponent. Expect a top ten opponent in her next bout. Upgraded from C to C+
Felipe Colares vs. Montel Jackson
Colares: He was beat up on the feet and on the mat. He showed a very good chin, but offensively his skill set is just not good enough for the UFC. Downgraded from D to D-
Jackson: This was a mismatch. He was able to take Colares down to the mat at ease. What was disappointing was that despite landing regularly on the feet, he didn’t show that he has the power to finish fights. This will be a problem when tasked with fighting better fighters. Grade remains C
Justine Kish vs. Lucie Pudilova
Kish: Her awkward style caused issues for her opponent. She didn’t do much on offense, but just being busy was good enough for a win here. Grade remains D+
Pudilova: She struggled in this fight as she never got going offensively. This was a disappointing performance in a fight she should have won. Downgraded from C to D+
Arnold Allen vs. Nik Lentz
Allen: He has a nice jab and cross. His boxing is very good for this weight class and he’s ready for a better opponent. Upgraded from C to C+
Lentz: His striking looked improved in this bout. He was willing to go punch for punch with a talented younger fighter despite being at a disadvantage. He lost this bout, but I think put in a good outing. Grade remains C-
Bevon Lewis vs. Dequan Townsend
Lewis: He certainly has talent, but in this weight class he needs to add power or he will not fair well against better opposition. He got the win this bout in what was a safe performance. Grade remains D+
Townsend: He just couldn’t mount any offense in this bout. He was routinely pushed against the cage with little resistance. It’s difficult seeing him sticking in the UFC. Downgraded from D+ to D
Jamahal Hill vs. Darko Stosic
Hill: He has a nice striking game and has the size to compete in the light heavyweight division. He will need to work on his grappling to move further up the division. Debut grade is D+
Stosic: He throws hard, but his endurance is a major issue. His stocky figure works against him in the light heavyweight division where there are a lot of long, rangy strikers. Grade remains D-
Hannah Cifers vs. Angela Hill
Cifers: She was unable to deal with the strength of her opponent. She had no answer once put on her back and suffered a TKO loss. This loss certainly stunts the momentum she had been building up. Grade remains D+
Hill: A very good performance from Hill. She was excellent on the mat and showed a killer instinct which had been lacking in past fights. Upgraded from D+ to C-
Jordan Espinosa vs. Alex Perez
Espinosa: This was a bad matchup for him and it showed as he was completely out classed on the mat. Grade remains D+
Perez: He’s now 5-1 in the UFC with his lone loss to Joseph Benavidez. He should move into the top ten after this victory and rightfully so. Grade remains C+
Michael Chiesa vs. Rafael dos Anjos
Chiesa: This was his best performance in the Octagon. He took down a former champion with ease and controlled him on the mat for three rounds to earn a decision victory. Chiesa looks like a top ten welterweight. Upgraded from C to B-
Dos Anjos: He seems to be undersized at welterweight and struggles to defend takedowns against top ten welterweights. He is not the same fighter he once was as his career is winding down. Downgraded from B- to C+
Curtis Blaydes vs. Junior dos Santos
Blaydes: He looked better in this bout than at any other point of his career. He was careful, powerful, and his gameplan was impactful. Blaydes appears to be a legitimate contender for the heavyweight title. Upgraded from A- to A
Dos Santos: He’s still a solid heavyweight, but he’s just not at the level of the true elite of the division anymore. He doesn’t have the speed or the durability to compete again for the championship. Grade remains B
