Five Biggest Takeaways From UFC Fight Night 98

UFC Fight Night 98 went down last night (Nov. 5, 2016) from Mexico City live on FOX Sports 1 and the card provided fans with a night of exciting fights.

The main event featured a crucial lightweight fight between former champion Rafael dos Anjos and surging contender Tony Ferguson, while the co-main event saw veteran Diego Sanchez take on ex-Bellator fighter Marcin Held, who was making his Octagon debut.

Aside from exciting fights, the card also provided us with some key takeaways. Let’s take a look at the top five:

1) Tony Ferguson Is A Legitimate Title Threat

The 155-pound strap is set to be defended next weekend (Nov. 12, 2016) when champion Eddie Alvarez takes on featherweight king Conor McGregor in the main event of UFC 205. Also on that card, No. 1-ranked Khabib Nurmagomedov will meet Michael Johsnon, and many expect “The Eagle” to receive the next title shot if he comes out victorious.

While Nurmagomedov is undoubtedly deserving of a title shot, we learned last night that No. 3-ranked Tony “El Cucuy” Ferguson is a legitimate title threat. He has proven to be an unorthodox, well-rounded fighter, and he has put together an incredible nine-fight win streak, which was capped off by a unanimous decision victory over a former champion in Rafael dos Anjos last night.

With that being said, the UFC should seriously consider giving Ferguson the next shot at gold, as it’s clearly been earned.

2) RDA Can Still Compete With The Best

Just a few short months ago, Rafael dos Anjos was the king of the lightweight division and he was fighting in a way that made fans think he would sit on top of the throne for quite some time. He then, however, was brutally knocked out by Alvarez last July, and has now suffered his second straight defeat with the loss to Ferguson.

Despite his recent skid, however, we learned last night that the Brazilian can still compete with the 155-pound elite. Early on in the bout with “El Cucuy”, RDA looked to be in control. He was landing early and and often, and he likely even won the first round. Unfortunately, dos Anjos also ate a nasty eye poke, and although it’s tough to tell for sure, that could have affected his performance for the remainder of the fight.

Nevertheless, dos Anjos proved that his skills can still be used to be successful, and he should be booked in another big fight because of it.

3) Diego Sanchez’s Experience Is Second To None

Prior to UFC Fight Night 98, longtime veteran Diego Sanchez had hit some rough times, as he had lost four of his last seven bouts. Because of this, many had picked against him against Marcin Held, a slick submission artist making his UFC debut after a successful stint in Bellator.

“The Nightmare”, however, ended up scoring a one-sided unanimous decision victory. While Held tried endlessly to lock in a submission, Sanchez’s experience and knowledge proved to be too much. The former The Ultimate Fighter winner was able to adapt and overcome in a way that only a man who has fought 23 times inside the Octagon could.

Perhaps another fight lies on the horizon for Sanchez.

4) Ricardo Lamas Deserves Another Pivotal Fight

No. 4-ranked Ricardo “The Bully” Lamas had appeared to be up and down heading into UFC Fight Night 98, as he had lost two of his last three bouts including losses to former title challenger Chad Mendes and surging contender Max Holloway. Lamas has also lost to interim champion Jose Aldo in recent years.

Because of this recent stretch, a win was necessary for “The Bully”, and he put on an impressive performance, submitting No. 8-ranked Charles Oliveira in the second round of their main card bout.

While Lamas has appeared to falter when he meets the division’s elite, he proved last night that he’s far from done, and that not only can he still win, but that he can win impressively. Because of this, Lamas should earn another pivotal fight in the somewhat stagnant 145-pound division.

5)Alex Grasso Is The Next Women’s Strawweight Star

The UFC’s 115-pound division is currently ruled by lethal striker Joanna Jedrzejczyk and she is set to once again defend her title against fellow Polish native Karolina Kowalkiewicz at next weekend’s (Nov. 12, 2016) UFC 205 from New York. While she has a tough test in front of her, many have said that Jedrzejczyk is on her way to cleaning out the fairly new strawweight division.

A new contender may be on the rise, however, as former Invicta FC fighter Alexa Grasso made her UFC debut last night, earning a dominant and bloody decision victory over Heather Jo Clark. Grasso improved her professional record to a perfect 9-0 with the win, and if she can keep this streak going, she may find herself taking on the division’s elite in the near future.

Did we miss any takeaways?