Updated Fighter Grades: Post-UFC Fight Night 107

NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012: Jimi Manuwa poses on the scales during the official weigh-in for "UFC on Fuel TV 5: Struve vs. Miocic" inside the Capital FM Arena in Newcastle, United Kingdom on Friday, September 28, 2012 © Martin McNeil

Jimi ManuwaJay gives his letter grades for each fighter on TheMMA-Analysis podcast which can be found on MMAOddsBreaker.com. Lina Lansberg vs. Lucie Pudilova Lansberg: She controlled the first two rounds with clinch work and dirty boxing along the fence but slowed down dramatically in the third round and took a lot of damage. She got the win on the scorecards but took a lot of damage late in the process. Downgraded from C- to D+ Pudilova: Her fundamentals require some work. Her footwork is slow and she’s too willing to be pushed against the cage. She put forth a strong effort in round three, but it was too late to earn the win. Grade remains D Scott Askham vs. Brad Scott Askham: He started slowly in this fight and was bothered by leg strikes from his opponent, but he came on nicely landing leg kicks of his own and working in the jab. It was a Pick’em fight at the final bell, and he lost a split decision. I wouldn’t mind seeing a rematch as the fight was quite entertaining. Grade remains D+ Scott: His power strikes stood out in this fight as it was a difference between power and volume. This was a good return fight for Scott, who was able to get his hand raised. Grade remains D+ Marc Diakiese vs. Teemu Packalen Diakiese: Breathtaking performance from Diakiese. A few spinning strikes followed up with a brilliant punch that floored Packalen. As good of a performance as one will see in the Octagon. Upgraded from C- to C Packalen: He was tasked with fighting a buzz-saw and never stood a chance. Not sure he gets another opportunity in the UFC despite the difficult matchup in this fight. Grade remains D Leon Edwards vs. Vicente Luque Edwards: He was taken down early in the fight, but he made adjustments in round two to focus on the body. He landed heavy punches and kicks to the body which really slowed down his opponent. This was a big win for Edwards over a talented fighter. Grade remains C Luque: His conditioning did not hold up in this fight as he was getting worked to the body by his opponent. He simply couldn’t strike with any volume in round three which was why he didn’t get his hand raised. There’s still plenty of time for the 25-year-old New Jersey-born welterweight to turn it around. Downgraded from C to C- Timothy Johnson vs. Daniel Omielanczuk Johnson: Struggled early on with his opponent’s speed, but was able to find a way into the bout by pushing Omielanczuk against the cage out landing him along the fence. It wasn’t a pretty win, but he got the job done. Grade remains C- Omielanczuk: He fought pretty well in this bout getting the better of Johnson from range striking and being able to move out quickly with his speed for the division. The problem for Omielanczuk is that he is undersized and the bigger fighters can control him against the cage. Upgraded from D to D+ Francimar Barroso vs. Darren Stewart Barroso: He’s one of the slowest fighters in the weight class, but he’s pretty durable and that will earn him some victories in the bottom of the division as it did at UFC Fight Night 107. Grade remains D Stewart: He started off well but slowed down significantly in round two. Without having the kind of power to finish fights quickly, he’s going to struggle in the UFC with his level of endurance. Grade remains D Joseph Duffy vs. Reza Madadi Duffy: An excellent all-around performance from the Irishman.  Once he reversed the position on the ground, he was able to generate a big cut on the head of his opponent. On the feet, he had a major speed advantage and mixed his strikes well for a comprehensive decision win. Upgraded from B- to B Madadi: He landed a few decent punches in this fight, but his inability to secure and hold takedowns made this a very tough fight for him. In the standing exchanges, he was outclassed by a superior fighter. Grade remains C- Arnold Allen vs. Makwan Amirkhani Allen: His conditioning was excellent in this bout and it was pivotal for him as he needed that energy to reverse positions throughout the fight. This was the biggest win of his career. Upgraded from C- to C Amirkhani: His grappling was good early on and he had a couple of dangerous submission attempts, but he had nothing to offer in the stand-up. As he got tired, so did his momentum and ultimately the fight. It’s hard to see him advancing much more in the UFC without developing his striking game. Grade remains C- Brad Pickett vs. Marlon Vera Pickett: In his final MMA fight, Pickett put in a solid 10 minutes of work and was likely headed to a decision win before getting hit flush with a head kick that changed the complexion of the fight. Pickett got a chance to fight for the final time in his hometown, and that is something he can cherish. Final grade is D Vera: He was in a very competitive fight that he could have lost on the scorecards. Instead, he landed a big head kick with a minute to go in the fight and was able to put away Pickett for the biggest win of his career. Upgraded from D- to D Alan Jouban vs. Gunnar Nelson Jouban: He wanted to bait Nelson into a firefight, but Nelson is just about the last guy who can be lulled into that type of situation. This was a difficult fight for Jouban, and he was soundly beaten by a better fighter. Grade remains C Nelson: A beautiful performance from Nelson. He did well to secure a takedown and kept heavy pressure on Jouban in round one. In round two, he landed a fantastic straight punch that wobbled Jouban and then snatched a guillotine to close out the fight. Grade remains B Corey Anderson vs. Jimi Manuwa Anderson: He was doing well in the first couple minutes of moving and giving Manuwa different looks, but he simply doesn’t have the chin to contend with the top fighters. Downgraded from B- to C+ Manuwa: Possesses one of the best left hooks in MMA and made Anderson pay. Outside of Anthony Johnson, he has the best fight-ending power in the division, and it may get him all the way to an opportunity to compete for the title. Grade remains B-

Written by Jay Primetown

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