Post-Fight Stock Report: UFC Fight Night 162

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The Ultimate Fighting Championship on Saturday touched down in Kallang, Singapore, with UFC Fight Night 162 -- an event headlined by a welterweight showdown between Demian Maia and Ben Askren. Some stocks rose, and others took a tumble.

STOCK UP

Demian Maia: At 41 years old, Maia secured his position as the best grappler in the welterweight division with his third consecutive win, as he put away Askren with a rear-naked choke in the third round. The victory puts Maia in prime position for a top-ranked opponent, and although the end of the road is likely near for his fighting career, he can go out with a bang against some of the most dangerous competitors at 170 pounds. Maia is a tough out on the ground for anyone, and while he cannot turn back the clock forever, he is still currently fighting well enough to be considered one of the best welterweights in the world.

Beneil Dariush: After picking up his third straight win with a submission of Frank Camacho, Dariush is re-establishing himself as a major player in the lightweight division and has possibly done enough to warrant another chance at a Top 15 opponent. Dariush’s bread and butter is grappling, and it did not take long for the decorated jiu-jitsu black belt to take his opponent’s back and secure the choke. While Dariush’s standup remains a work in progress, he can compete with most lightweights on the ground. As he continues to build momentum and separate himself from a tough string of losses suffered a year ago, it will be interesting to monitor how he fares when re-introduced to elite competition.

Ciryl Gane: Two fights into his UFC career, Gane has passed each test with flying colors. His impressive kickboxing skills were on full display against Don’Tale Mayes -- he had his opponent in serious trouble on multiple occasions -- but it was his grappling chops that continued to surprise. In two UFC appearances, he has taken home back-to-back submission wins. Slowly but surely, Gane is establishing himself as a prospect to watch in the heavyweight division. He still has just five professional fights on his resume, so hopefully he will be brought along cautiously. It seems the sky is the limit for “Bon Gamin.”

STOCK DOWN

Ben Askren: Much was made of the UFC’s acquisition of Askren, and after three appearances inside the Octagon, it seems safe to say that the trade experiment has been underwhelming at best. Following a controversial win in his debut, Askren has been put to sleep in back-to-back outings, knocking him clear out of contention. On the outside looking in at 170 pounds, Askren will have to work his way back into title talks, as he figures to be relegated to a step down in competition. While Askren is still one of the best grapplers the welterweight division has to offer, his refusal to round out his game has become a detriment. After a long look in the mirror, it will be interesting to see what improvements he makes to his game going forward.

Michael Johnson: Back up at the lightweight division, Johnson looked sharp early but failed to put it all together late and came up short on the scorecards, as he was saddled with a second consecutive loss and brought dangerously close to pink-slip territory. Defensive grappling and overall consistency have been major problems for Johnson for the entirety of his UFC career, and while he is a nightmare on the feet for the division’s elite on his best days, he has proven once again that he will likely never put it all together and develop into the title contender many thought he would become. If Johnson is not cut following this loss, then it becomes gut-check time, as he will undoubtedly be fighting for his job his next time out.

Maurice Greene: This was Greene’s shot to break out as a potential contender in the heavyweight division, but he failed to put together a fourth consecutive win. Instead, he suffered a quick knockout loss to Sergei Pavlovich, halting the momentum he had worked so hard to build before entering the cage. From mentality to his improved physique, Greene looked better than he ever has in the leadup to the fight, but he never got the opportunity to get going and was quickly swarmed with punches in route to his first UFC loss. Greene will have some work to do if he wants to get back to consideration for ranked competition.