5 important things we learned from UFC Vegas 31: Islam Makhachev vs Thiago Moises

#4 Was UFC Vegas 31 Jeremy Stephens' farewell?

UFC Vegas 31: Jeremy Stephens vs. Mateusz Gamrot

Jeremy Stephens is currently the longest tenured fighter in the UFC. Based on his UFC Vegas 31 performance, however, that could very well come to an end in the near future.

Jeremy Stephens vs. Mateusz Gamrot was a classic MMA tale of a changing of the guard moment. After witnessing the cage veteran get brutally manhandled by the younger Polish native, it's safe to assume that Stephens is no longer the threat that he once was.

🇵🇱 @Gamer_MMA improves to 1️⃣9️⃣ - 1️⃣Who's next for the surging LW?! #UFCVegas31 pic.twitter.com/UZKxVrQM2U

— UFC (@ufc) July 18, 2021

The writing on the wall is clear for Stephens; Father Time has finally caught up with him. 'Lil Heathen' has now lost five of his last six fights (with his fight against Yair Rodriguez ending in a no-contest).

Stephens has been with the UFC since 2007 and he's been an always-entertaining fighter to watch. But at the age of 35, with 16 years of wear and tear on his body, it was too much to ask for Stephens to continue churning out competitive performances against the UFC's young guns.

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#3 Marion Reneau's bitter-sweet swan song

UFC Vegas 31: Marion Reneau vs. Miesha Tate

Marion Reneau hoped that UFC Vegas 31 was to be the fairytale end to her unlikely UFC career. But more often than not in MMA, we know that things don't particularly end on a happy note.

With Reneau's husband and son in her corner, the tough-as-nails fighter from California suffered the first stoppage loss of her career. In the lead up to the finish, her family got to witness her get decimated by the returning Miesha Tate.

Congrats to the always professional @BelizeanBruiser on a great career! 👏 #UFCVegas31 pic.twitter.com/noNqzlt8Rd

— UFC (@ufc) July 18, 2021

Evidently, UFC Vegas 31 was not the last dance that Reneau had hoped for. But looking at the big picture, Reneau's accomplishments are not to be scoffed at. Making it into the octagon is an amazing feat in itself, given that Reneau was allegedly turned away by the UFC brass when she tried out for The Ultimate Fighter.

Reneau was never an elite-level fighter, but the fact she started MMA so late and went on to fight 13 times in the UFC is undeniably inspirational. Not to mention that she did it all while working as a high school teacher.