UFC on FX 3: Johnson vs. McCall Post-Fight Thoughts & Analysis

(Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

After an unentertaining preliminary card that could only be described as a disappointment, “UFC on FX 3: Johnson vs. McCall” picked up in a big way once the main card began as all four fights on FX delivered in a big, big way. Highlight reel finishes were aplenty throughout the main card as three of the four bouts ended in the opening five minutes. Demetrious Johnson picked up a unanimous decision victory over Ian McCall in the main event of the evening to move on to the final round of the UFC flyweight tournament.

Catch my post-fight thoughts and analysis for “UFC on FX 3: Johnson vs. McCall” main card below.

• The semifinal round of the UFC flyweight tournament finally saw a decisive conclusion as Demetrious Johnson defeated Ian McCall via unanimous decision in the main event of UFC on FX 3. The fight played out similar to the first bout as Johnson took the first round handily while McCall stormed back in the second frame to make the third round the deciding factor. Johnson edged out the final five minutes when he put the pressure on McCall, who looked somewhat drained by that point, perhaps due to his ghastly weight cut. It was a very close fight, but Johnson definitely earned the win. “Mighty Mouse” looked much sharper compared to the first contest between the two last March, while McCall’s performance was more sluggish than his last effort. Regardless, all six rounds fought by the two elite flyweight fighters were extremely entertaining and showed what the lighter weight classes are all about. Johnson will now face Joseph Benavidez for to determine the first flyweight champion in UFC history at an undetermined event later this year.
• Erick Silva earned the seventh first-round victory of his career when he submitted Charlie Brenneman with a rear-naked choke in the first stanza of their co-main event clash. From the opening bell, the fight was contested at a furious pace. Silva looked to put his heavy hands on the chin of Brenneman while “The Spaniard” was desperate in his effort to drag the fight to the mat. Silva’s takedown defense was on point from the start of the fight, though, and it was the Brazilian who actually managed to secure top position, take the back of the Brenneman and lock in the fight-ending choke. Although he is technically 2-1 in the UFC due to his questionable disqualification loss to Carlo Prater at UFC 142, the Brazilian cemented himself as one of the top prospects in the UFC at 170 pounds with the impressive win.
• Mike Pyle scored an absolutely vicious one-punch knockout of Josh Neer late in the first round of their welterweight tilt. The fight started with Pyle controlling Neer on the ground and it looked like he was on his way to grinding out a long, hard fight until Neer got back to his feet and started to rally back with body and head shots. Just as Pyle looked like he was in deep trouble from the strikes of Neer, the right hand one-hitter quitter on the chin of Neer came out of nowhere and abruptly halted the fight at the 4:56 mark. Neer was left face-first on the mat while Pyle has now won five of his past six bouts and is in the midst of arguably the best run of his MMA career at the prime age of 36. Incredible.
• Former WEC champion Eddie Wineland earned his first career UFC victory with a brutal second round knockout of Scott Jorgensen. Wineland found a home for his big right hand over and over throughout the course the fight until the fight-ending blow eventually landed. It was clear from the outset Wineland owned an advantage in the stand up department, and once Jorgensen decided to engage in a striking battle it was just a matter of time until the fight was over. Wineland became the first man to finish Jorgensen in the 18-fight career of “Young Guns”, and earned the biggest win of his mixed martial arts career in the process. Coming into the bout, many felt Wineland would struggle with the style of Jorgensen after losses to Urijah Faber and Joseph Benavidez. However, the Indiana native proved all those doubters wrong by never allowing Jorgensen to control the pace of the bout as he picked up a highlight reel knockout in scintillating fashion.
• As a side note, the overall performance of the Florida officials who refereed and judged the UFC on FX 3 card was abysmal. From terrible standups, separations and stoppages by the referees to the embarrassing scorecards handed in by judges throughout the card, it is not hard to see why the UFC has not held a fight in the state of Florida since 2007. Here’s hoping the organization doesn’t hold another fight in the Sunshine state anytime soon.

Mike Bohn, founder and lead writer of FightCove.com, wrote this article. You can follow Mike on Twitter at @FightCoveMike. Also, follow @FightCove on Twitter and “Like” Fight Cove on Facebook.