5 Talking points from UFC on FOX 18

Headlined by Anthony Johnson and Ryan Bader, the UFC on FOX 18 card played out in Newark, New JerseyIf you're a fight fan, you could have been forgiven even if you had flirted with the idea of giving the UFC Newark card a skip entirely.For one, it hardly boasted a slew of big names – and barring the distinct possibility of another highlight reel knockout courtesy of Anthony 'Rumble' Johnson – few other fight-centric attractions to go along with what was considered to be a somewhat middling card on paper.But such is the nature of the fight game that the unfolding of events, while not quite eliciting the same brouhaha as we have become accustomed to of late, did register telling implications on both the Light Heavyweight and Heavyweight divisions in the UFC.On the back of Jon Jones’ impending return to the Octagon, and the cancellation of the Heavyweight Championship bout between Fabricio Werdum and Cain Velasquez, here then are 5 salient talking points that emerged forth from what was an otherwise meek and run-of-the-mill card put out by the UFC.

#5 The Young, the Bad and the Ugly

The hype train ends and so does the gamble

The Young

As he would remind us at every press conference, wide-eyed and brimming with unbridled enthusiasm, Sage Northcutt is only 19 years old.

And if not for the advent of the "Dana White: Looking For a Fight" series, he would probably still be worried about meeting project deadlines in school and occasionally competing at some non-descript local promotion in the weekends.

Plucking him from obscurity and exposing him to the unforgiving glare of the global spotlight, while admittedly providing a marketing gold mine for the UFC, was a gamble that unfortunately lasted only for the entirety of 2 fights.

The Bad

In what was his 3rd UFC fight in just under 4 months, it became obvious that merely being blessed with Greek God-esque genetics and surreal athletic ability alone is woefully inadequate preparation for anyone who is competing in the shark-tank that is the UFC.

His panic tap, while only caught in an arm triangle from half guard by Bryan Barberena, has not only sullied his thus far unblemished MMA and UFC record, but also cut the legs from underneath all the hype that has been afforded to Sage Northcutt over the past few months.

The Ugly

If the loss in itself is probably the biggest lesson for the youngster regarding the true magnitude of the task that lays ahead of him, some of the reactions spewing forth from his fellow UFC fighters have been nothing short of spiteful and virulent.

While a smattering of truth does exist in the outpouring of criticism, it troubling to say the least that most of the ill-will directed towards Sage Northcutt has been derived off the jealousy arising from the bountifulness of his paycheck, and a deeply misplaced sense of bitterness.

#4 End of the line?

Could the pro-wrestling stunt that Josh Barnett pulled off in the open workouts be prophetic in nature?

He may be the youngest UFC Heavyweight Champion in history having won the title nearly a decade and a half ago, but at a grand age of 38 years, it may be too late for Josh Barnett to harbour aspirations of adding a second belt to his trophy cabinet.

Although perennially considered to be a fixture in the upper stratum of the heavyweight division, his loss to Ben Rothwell at UFC on FOX 18 may unhappily spell too insurmountable a roadblock to overcome for the wily veteran at this stage at his career.

With the Heavyweight division suddenly throwing up a number of possible contenders for Werdum's title, notwithstanding an eternally injured former Champion in Cain Velasquez, all signs point to an eventful year or two in the division even without Barnett's name amongst the mix.

Thankfully for the War Master, though, his pro-wrestling, coaching and movie careers have bloomed side by side with his fighting career, offering him sufficient padding ground and viable alternatives to fall back on despite the disappointing loss that he suffered.

#3 Go(Go) Ben Rothwell!

Now riding a 4 fight win streak, Ben Rothwell has to be considered as one of the legitimate contenders to the Heavyweight Crown

While we were not quite treated to the Rothwell jig, or his maniacal laughter, his quirky sense of humour did manage to make a cameo appearance in the aftermath of his fight with Josh Barnett, when Big Ben took the trouble to correct Bruce Buffer about the submission move that won him the fight.

Christened as the Go-Go choke – apparently Portuguese for Adam's Apple – the co-main event against Josh Barnett marked the second fight in a row where Ben Rothwell has effectively used it to submit an unsuspecting opponent and hasten an end to proceedings.

Both men having endured a somewhat stuttering first round that by no means captured the imagination of the audience, Barnett's attempt to engage Rothwell in the clinch proved to ultimately be his undoing as the burly heavyweight was only too eager to clasp on his patented submission move.

Now riding a 4 fight win streak, and having already scored a victory over another potential contender in Alistair Overeem, Ben Rothwell's rise to heavyweight contendership has certainly spiced up a division that was, only a few months back, dangerously teetering close to staleness.

#2 The Gatekeeper?

Eternally close to the Title picture but never in it, Ryan Bader's wait for a title shot looks set to prolong further

This concept that a fighter is generally required to string together a sequence of victories in order to be considered for a title shot, can either serve to solidify his claim on contendership or can prove to be a heart-breaking scenario if he falls at the final hurdle.

After going the distance and grinding out hard-fought decisions against 5 consecutive opponents, Ryan Bader's tediously compiled win streak came to a screeching halt at the hands of arguably the UFC's most lethal and dangerous striker in Anthony 'Rumble' Johnson.

Although the MMA world has always, and rather unkindly, been of the opinion that Ryan Bader is just not cut with championship cloth, this fight against Anthony Johnson could have gone a long way towards getting that monkey off his back had he managed to triumph.

But as it turns out, the demarcation between the top 3 fighters in the Light Heavyweight division and the remainder of the trailing pack was reaffirmed to be quite considerable, as Ryan Bader found himself severely wanting in the face of a big fight yet again.

#1 Rumble young man, Rumble!

After drubbing Ryan Bader unconscious, Anthony 'Rumble' Johnson has once again set his sights on UFC gold

It wouldn't have left such a distaste in the mouth had Ryan Bader tried his utmost best to weave clear of Anthony Johnson's debilitating striking game, before attempting to take the fight to the ground with his wrestling.

However, for all the pre-match talk that had ensued about how Rumble would apparently break in the face of constant pressure, it was Ryan Bader that seemingly lost the battle in his head, shooting for a takedown from a mile away without even bothering to set it up in the slightest.

Either way, it just took a little under a minute and a half for Johnson to stuff his unconvincing takedown attempt, take his back and bludgeon a visibly defeated Ryan Bader into oblivion, thereby pretty much ensuring another title shot for himself in the future.

Regardless of who prevails in the rematch between Jon Jones version 2.0 and current Champion Daniel Cormier now, it is almost a certainty that Anthony 'Rumble' Johnson would be waiting in the wings yet again, even more determined – if anything – to not let the opportunity pass him by.