There were a few take-aways from the UFC Fight Night on Saturday.
After spending the majority of their summer on the road, the Premier promotion returned to the crowd-unless UFC Apex for back-to-back weeks of explosive knockouts and 'Fight of the year' opportunities.
Stoppages have littered the UFC Vegas 109 card, from the prelims to the breakout version of Anthony Hernandez against #9-ranged competition Roman Dolidze in the headliner.
Before the main map started, Elia Smith scored one of the scariest slam knockouts in UFC history when he bombarded Power Toshiomi Kazama in a bantam weight fight.
This is what we have learned from UFC Vegas 109.
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
Anthony Hernandez finally gets the honor he deserves
'Fluffy' Hernandez showed the world that it is much better than the #10 ranking in addition to his name.
After submitting Dolidze in a crooked main event, Hernandez now has the second longest active win reak on 185 pounds (8), only behind the middleweight champion Dric Du Plessis (11), who ensured that Hernandez gave his flowers for the performance.
The caliber of opponents who Hernandez has defeated, in the violent way he has defeated them, people talked about him in the title interview, convinced that he could be a world champion with the way he performed on Saturday.
“I think we look at the best middleweight on the planet,” said UFC analyst Din Thomas about Hernandez after his dominant victory over Dolidze.
“Who gave the best middleweight performance that we have seen in the past three years …”
Don't go for Triangle -Entries on Elia Smith
Son of former UFC hunter Gilbert Smith, Elia Smith was already considered a decent prospect that came to UFC Vegas 109 with an 8-1 record.
Smith's last two fights were decisions and 'Swift' assured his first UFC finish from the triangle of his opponent.
That's right, Smith grabbed and hit Kazama on his head after trying to subdue him with a triangle stick, so Kazama stayed unconscious.
Smith landed two devastating follow-up recordings on his Ko'ed opponent, who should serve as a warning for other hunters not to make the same mistake against him.
Name value is not everything
UFC Vegas 109 went down without having a full crowd or too many remarkable names.
Initially considered a 'sleeper' card on paper from the fans, the Fight Night event certainly delivered with five violent finishes and more fun fights.
The Prelims saw most of the action, with hunters such as Joselyne Edwards, Uros Medic and the 22-year-old Elijah Smith who added their highlights with stopping.