7 Ups And 1 Down From UFC 245
5. Up - Technique Over Aggression
If being good at MMA was solely based on how hard and aggressive you are, then Mike Perry would probably be a champion by now. The tough-talking welterweight always seems to be on edge and ready to throw down at any second. This approach has certainly helped him early on in his UFC run, but he found out tonight that that simply isn't enough at the highest level of the sport.
Just look at his opponent, Geoff Neal. As he trotted down to the Octagon, he was cool, calm and collected, whereas Perry was like a caged beast waiting to be unleashed. Despite trying to take the fight to Neal early, Perry was picked apart with absolute ease until Neal took him out of his misery and folded him with a devastating head kick within 90 seconds of the first round.
We're now looking at two fighters on two very different career paths. While Neal will be hoping for a top-10 opponent in his next match-up, Perry will probably face an uphill battle to actually keep his spot in the UFC.