And B-shows, and mid-tier promotions. The WECs, Strikeforces, and Cage Forces of the world. Basically any set of fights that is high profile enough to filter out tomato cans (for the most part, at least), but far enough away from the big time that great fights can still be made and fighters will be at their most motivated. IFL was my favorite promotion before it’s untimely death for exactly that reason; the matchmakers booked action fights with up-and-comers who understood that they were in striving distance of the promised land of sold out arenas and big live TV audiences in PRIDE (later DREAM) or the UFC.

Also there’s the issue of jumping at the chance to say “I told you so.” MMA is great on its own, but being able to claim that you saw big things in the future of a successful fighter before anyone else is icing on the cake. What can I say? I like to act like I know things other people don’t. And UFC prelims? The last place to jump on a fighter’s bandwagon before they break through. It’s perfect.

So, explanations out of the way, let’s talk about fighting. The last Ultimate Fight Night pretty much what I look for in a night of fights, full stop, but more eloquent men than I have (probably) already commented on the televised portion, so I’ll take the rest. It’s good stuff.

The preliminary slate of fights is pleasingly filled with fighters I am familiar with and/or a fan of, so that’s a good start. Featured are Wilson Gouveia, former top-15 ranked light heavyweight competitor (According to whom? According to us.) coming off a loss to Goran Reljic that would have been completely avoidable if Gouviea had a gas tank, against journeyman fighter but world-class fill-in talent Ryan Jensen. Chinless wonder and defensive boxing inept Alessio Sakara faces an unknown. Joe Lauzon faces that one dude who Chris Lytle simultaneously reverse-triangle’d and kimura’d on the undercard of Silva vs. Marquardt (also known as Kyle Bradley), IFL standout Dan Miller (only one of 16 Millers in the late promotion) and lead fisted puncher Drew McFedries are also on the card.

So, without further ado.

Dan Miller vs. Rob Kimmons

Miller is the third and last IFL Middleweight champion, as opposed to every other IFL champion who were the first and last champions. Kimmons is more or less some guy; lots of wins, losses in almost every fight involving a name opponent. Think this is going to be the fight where he bucks the trend? Not unless he can keep it standing, certainly, Miller is dangerous on the mat.

Case in point, Miller doesn’t even need to get Kimmons down to the ground to jump on his back and sink the choke in less than a minute and a half. Miller respresents the honor of the dearly departed IFL whereas Kimmons continues to be just some guy.

Ryan Jensen vs. Wilson Gouveia

I was a fan of Wilson Gouveia from his first UFC fight, in which he clearly outstruck Keith Jardine, himself coming off a fight where he clearly outstruck Stephan Bonnar, for the first round before succumbing to what I assumed was exhaustion brought on by Octagon Jitters(tm). A year and a half and three effortless wins (over tomato cans) later, Gouveia got his chance to break through into the upper ecehlons of the light heavyweight division with a fight against at the time top 15 talent in Jason Lambert. Though he won the fight, Gouveia showed that the lack of a gas tank evident in the Jardine fight wasn’t a blip, Gouveia just didn’t like running. Regardless, he came away with the win and again seemed impressive for the first round of his fight against prospect Goran Reljic until collapsing completely in the early minutes of the second round.

Jensen is a gamer, ’nuff said. Against Gouveia he is once again stepping in on short notice, as has been his modus opperandi in the UFC (either that or having his opponents replaced) and in my heart of hearts I expect him to be savagely beaten by a barage of precise leg kicks, effective punching, and high level jiu jitsu from Wilson.

I get disappointed all the time.

Not that I’m disappointed with the result, but really Wilson? Did you have to let him beat on you like that for the whole first round? If you’re going to let Ryan Jensen do you like that, how are you going to avoid getting beat up just as bad or worse by Nate Marquardt or Thales Leites? Come on man. You’re supposed to be the most talented fighter out of ATT (at least your coach says so), show me something.

Oh well, the armbar was pretty sweet, I just wish it would have come before the 5 minute ass whooping. Also disappointing to see that Gouveia hasn’t yet solved the problem of his gas tank, though that particular problem may have had something to do with getting pummelled for a round.

Joe Vedepo vs. Alessio Sakara

Vedepo is just some guy, Sakara perhaps grew a beard because he thought it would improve his chin. Who can say? Sakara is the prototypical knockout-or-be-knocked out fighter. Effective, accurate combos, good power, no chin or defense whatsoever. Vedepo is… well he’s just some guy. And yet, he still staggers Sakara by coming over the top in the clinch with a right. Sakara, though rattled, resists the urge to hit the mat and roll up into the fetal position and maintains his composure for long enough to reset the distance and resume striking from the outside. And then he KOs Vedepo with a high kick. Knockout-or-be-knocked out.

Jason Brilz vs. Brad Morris

Brad Morris was the sacrificial lamb (He’s Australian, though, so sacrifical dingo? I don’t think you can sacrifice kangaroos. Or at least it would be very difficult. Sacrificial koala?) in Cain Velasquez’s UFC debut. He’s now in his natural weight class at 205 against a middle aged wrestling coach (with strong wins against Jason MacDonald and Alex Schoenauer) in Jason Brilz. It’s actually kind of funny to realize that this fight is a gift to Morris for being such a good sport in getting his ass kicked by Velasquez, because Morris clearly doesn’t belong in the UFC under any circumstances. Brilz easily takes the Aussie down in the first minute and has his way with him for the remainder of the round, alternating between pummelling and twisting attempts until the horn sounds. Second verse, same as the first. Mike Goldberg brings the truth: “Morris cannot do anything.” Pounding from back mount ends it midway through the round.

Kyle Bradley vs. Joe Lauzon

Oh dear. Here are two dudes who would do well do disabuse themselves of notions of striking adequacy. I shouldn’t be negative about a fight with such an awesome flying heel hook attempt, but come on guys. Come on. Lauzon’s got little speed and slow reflexes, Bradley can’t cover the distance without getting hit, both guys are rocked on multimple occasions, this is a pretty prototypical Dana White Approved Style fight. It’s not bad or anything, but Lauzon’s lack of skill standing is really put into sharp contrast when he takes the fight home in the first half of the second, swiftly changing levels on Bradley, securing the takedown, passing into mount and then delivering an utterly savage array of punches. Kinda like, why didn’t you do that to begin with, guy?

Drew McFedries vs. Mike Massenzio

McFedries is from the Alessio Sakara striking mold, which made his fight against Alessio Sakara on the undercard of Hughes/GSP II a real gas. Unfortunately he’s from the, I dunno, Brad Morris grappling mold, which puts him in a bad position against the ground specialist and only fighter to beat Dan Miller in Massenzio. More to the point, Massenzio puts him in a bad position by ducking a punch and taking him to the mat but whoah hey who taught McFedries how to triangle like that? (Evidently not anyone particularly good because McFedries doesn’t know how to finish.) Massenzio busts out and McFedries only has time to flail a little bit before Massenzio rotates the shoulder with a kimura. Oh Drew, you don’t have to have a ground game for me to love you, you can fight just the way you are. (What can I say? I have a short attention span.)