Rafael Suanes-USA Today Sports
Tonight, UFC Fight Night 32 featured a great featherweight bout between TUF Brazil winner, Rony Jason, and Jeremy Stephens. Both were looking for a chance to impress at featherweight, and boy, did Stephens end the fight in brutal fashion. Stephens landed a brilliantly timed head kick to Jason, which sent him to the canvas.
He was already out, but Stephens followed it up with a diving punch. It was one of Stephens’ most impressive fights inside the UFC, and the win makes him an instant contender, where Jose Aldo is the current champ. Now, Stephens brings his overall record to 22-9, and is 1-0 in the featherweight division.
This is a huge setback for Jason, who was looking to get an impressive win in his home country of Brazil. Stephens timed his kick perfectly, and it just goes to show you the type of power Stephens has, especially at featherweight. Whoever decides to stand with Stephens, they are going to have to keep their guard up. Stephens is going to have the power and strength advantage over many opponents in this division, so he’s going to be an interesting fighter to keep an eye on.
For Jason, he will have to revamp his defensive techniques, particularly when he leans in to throw a power punch. Stephens saw this immediately, which led to the brutal finish early in the first. For Stephens, if he can keep his weight down and improve his technique, he’s going to be a force to be reckoned with.
Jeremy Green is a MMA and NFL contributor at RantSports. You can follow him on Facebook, Twitter, or Google Plus.
