UFC 156 saw some surprises unfold. | Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Getty Images
A slew of Top 10 talent was in action at UFC 156, and though some bouts went down exactly as expected, the event came with more than a few twists.
Also stunning was Demian Maia’s near-flawless display of grappling against Jon Fitch, as the Brazilian dominated the former Purdue University wrestler for 15 minutes and moved to a perfect 3-0 at welterweight. No less surprising -- but considerably less exciting -- was Antonio Rogerio Nogueira’s three-round win over Rashad Evans in a lackluster bout in which “Minotoro” repeatedly beat Evans to the punch.
Finally, Joseph Benavidez moves into the No. 2 slot at flyweight after outpointing onetime divisional ruler Ian McCall. Considering the relatively shallow talent pool in the nascent division, Benavidez could soon be looking at a rematch with flyweight boss Demetrious Johnson, who earned a split nod in their September meeting.
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