MMA FEATURE: UFC Rio: The Aftershock

The Ultimate Fighting Championships put forth another awe inspiring event recently as the promotion headed back to Brazil to showcase the world’s finest product to the South American audience. It was an evening of Brazilian dominance, as nine natives exited the cage victorious; only one non-Brazilian snagged a win. For Brazilians, January 14th, 2012 will be a day to remember.

Not only did Jose Aldo defend his crown in destructive fashion, fellow countryman Rousimar Palhares executed his patented heel hook with perfection, and hometown hero Vitor Belfort proffered a frenetic pace en route to a first round stoppage over the highly touted Anthony Johnson. So what’s next for some of these stars?

Jose Aldo:

Jose Aldo left Chad Melendes an unconscious heap on the canvas after finalizing the fight in what must be considered his most impressive showing in years. A Beautiful knee set the end in motion, while a few follow up punches provided the exclamation point. What’s interesting now is, finding a worthy opponent for Aldo. By all accounts, Mendes looked to be the only remaining featherweight with a strong chance of dethroning the champion. Such was not the case, and now Aldo will find himself sitting in a bit of limbo. The only reasonable fights on the horizon for this dominant title holder could come in collisions with Hatsu Hioki or Pat Curran, should he find his way into the UFC fold. Not many other bouts of intrigue loom…

Chad Mendes:

Mendes suffered a very serious blow to not only his career, but his ego tonight. Previously unbeaten, Mendes was absolutely throttled by the champ. A quality middle-of-the pack fighter should be served up as Chad’s next test: allow the Team Alpha Male the chance to rediscover his confidence. A fight with Diego Nunes or Mike Brown could prove interesting tests.

Vitor Belfort:

This one is a no-brainer: next up for Belfort is a rematch with Wanderlei Silva. While Silva looks to be on the slow career decline, Vitor has continued to look sharp; his skills certainly don’t seem to be diminishing. This one could be bad for “The Axe Murderer”, though he’ll have the drive of revenge on his side.

Rousimar Palhares:

Rousimar has looked the true beast as of late, and it’s time to see him competing in the deep end of the division. Pundits continue to compare Palhares and Demian Maia: why not have them meet inside the cage to determine, once and for all, who owns the better MMA Jiu-Jitsu.

Erick Silva:

By no means did Silva lose his bout with Carlo Prater tonight. Old Maz made a major refereeing mistake, and I think in hindsight he realized that. Two errant punches met the back of Prater’s head, while the rest of the onslaught caught Carlo in legal regions of the cranium. Terrible call, although this “loss” does absolutely nothing to Erick Silva’s blossoming career. This kid could well be the future. Speaking of the future, maybe an appeal is in order?

Edson Barboza:

Barboza looks like a genius camp managed to sneak a terminator into the octagon, on numerous occasions. This kid is lightning fast, effectively flashy, and he’s about as powerful as any man competing in the lightweight division today. The sky is certainly the ceiling for this young star, but right now, it’s probably best to aim a tad lower. I’d love to see how Edson handles a truly powerful wrestling attack. How about a match with Clay Guida, or Jim Miller, should he past his next test?

Mike Pyle:

As the lone American to claim victory tonight, I’ve got to make a little noise for mike Pyle. Not only did he pick up a convincing stoppage victory over Ricardo Funch, he’s also won four of his last five fights. Pile is a quiet dark horse in the division, and while he’s sometimes stumbled when paired with elite competition, I think he deserves another big chance. I’d love to see the bout with Paulo Thiago come to fruition, but I’d actually favor seeing Pile toe the line with Rick Story or Martin Kampmann: two completely different styles that would like provide a slew of fireworks either way you travel.