Ground and Pound - Fightnews

UFC 142 from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil was, on paper, thought to be an average card that would be lucky to pull in 250,000 pay-per-view buys. While the official numbers haven't be tallied and made public, it's safe to assume the event was a rousing success even if it did go into the late, Cimmerian hours of the night in Brazil.

From Mike Pyle taunting the crowd in Rio to Jose Aldo embracing it by storming out of the cage and into the arms of awaiting fans, UFC 142 will leave lasting memories through 2012 and beyond. With that, I give you an all-Brazilian version of "High Fives" - the five most promising and positive storylines to take away from what turned out to be a sensational fight card in Rio.

5. Yuri Alcantara's ascension up the featherweight ranks.

It's not all that shocking that Yuri Alcantara (27-3) beat the durable Michihiro Omigawa in their featherweight battle on Saturday night. It was, however, a little surprising to see him put away a big 145-pounder like Omigawa with relative ease. The unanimous decision victory was full of suspense and intrigue with Alcantara fading late and Omigawa looking to unwind vicious power punches minutes after having been caught in a nasty looking armbar. Both fighters came out of the fight showing distinct traits that will make or break them during the rest of their UFC tenure.

For Alcantara, cardio seems to be the only thing holding him back from potentially being the only ectype of current champion Jose Aldo still lingering at featherweight in the UFC. At 27-3, with his big frame, solid striking and sneaky submission skills, it's time to see Alcantara tested against some of the division's very best. If the gas tank issue clears itself up, Alcantara will be a Brazilian wrecking ball for years to come.

4. Welcome back to the UFC, Gabriel Gonzaga.

In the landscape of heavyweight fighters in mixed martial arts, Gabe Gonzaga (13-6) was always one of the most talented, fearsome combatants that seemed to be held back by his own physique and lack of conditioning. Against the gangrel Ednaldo Oliveira in Rio, Gonzaga looked relatively spectacular in avoiding damage, getting the fight to the ground and using his jiu-jitsu to bring the fight to an end with a rear naked choke in the first round.

It's worth noting that Gonzaga's six career losses have come to Fabricio Werdum (twice), Randy Couture, Shane Carwin, Junior dos Santos and Brendan Schaub. The combined career record of that group is 67-21-1 with four separate reigns as UFC heavyweight champion. Needless to say, "Napao" is a great contribution to a division in need of talent after the departure of former champion Brock Lesnar. After being released by Zuffa following his loss to Schaub in 2010 (a release that in hindsight seems silly), Gonzaga contemplated stepping away from the sport. With his jiu-jitsu game above the level of most and his menacing glare on display, it's probably to the UFC's benefit that he didn't.

3. Jose Aldo's lethality once again on display.

There was a small group of people in the MMA community out there advocating that featherweight champion Jose Aldo (21-1) had become "GSP boring." They argued that somehow, in taking Kenny Florian and Mark Hominick to decisions, Aldo was no longer the fighter he used to be. No longer was he the man that wrecked Urijah Faber's leg, Cub Swanson's face or Manny Gamburyan's chin.

In defeating challenger Chad Mendes with one second remaining in the first round of Saturday's main event, Aldo not only silenced his doubters, but the brutal knee he landed to stop an undefeated opponent fighting for this title may be a signal of disinence for Aldo in a division he's owned since 2008.

If Aldo opts to stay at 145 instead of considering alternatives, few worthy foes will await him in the coming year. Outside of Hatsu Hioki (which the UFC employs) and Tatsuya Kawajiri (which it doesn't), the division is lacking in superstar competition that can, on paper, compete legitimately for Aldo's belt. Sure, the UFC could try and sell fans on a fight with "The Korean Zombie" Chan Sung Jung or a few others but the juice might just not be worth the squeeze for the 25-year old Brazilian.

It says a lot about a man that in a span of two years, Aldo roughed up members of Team Alpha Male (Faber and Mendes) so badly they looked more like Team Beta Male. Yet, such is life in the featherweight division in 2012. For now, Aldo's rise to greater prominence probably rests in his ability to pick off foes in a new weight class; the deepest waters in MMA - lightweight. A challenge that only someone of his caliber could ever undertake.

2. Vitor Belfort looks "Phenom-inal" against Johnson.

Whatever solatium Vitor Belfort (21-9) was given prior to his fight with bloated middleweight (and former welterweight) Anthony Johnson didn't squelch his need to put on a sublime performance in front the tens of thousands of Brazilians that filled the HSBC Arena. One might argue that Belfort put together one of his finest displays inside the Octagon when he choked out his opponent in the first round on Saturday night.

Next up for Belfort will be Wanderlei Silva who will oppose him as a coach on the Brazilian "Ultimate Fighter" and the two will lock horns and throw down later in the summer. Should Belfort win, it would put him on a three-fight winning streak since his vicious loss to Anderson Silva in early 2011. At 34 years of age and boasting one of the finest MMA resumes ever assembled, "The Phenom" might have enough gas in the tank to get himself another title shot. The profligacy of power in his hands and his solid submission game (like the one on display against Johnson) certainly move him closer towards that goal.

1. Barboza's jaw dropping display of striking.

Years from now, undefeated or not, the anamnesis of Edson Barboza (10-0) will inevitably include the spinning wheel kick seen around the world. It wasn't just that the kick landed, it was the fashion in which it landed, the style in which opponent Terry Etim's body went limp and fell slowly back towards earth. It was one of the single greatest displays of kickboxing ever seen inside the UFC and no matter how many times you watch the replay, the kick never gets old.

At 25 years old, Barboza's lethal kicks, crisp striking and flawless record will vault him up the ranks of a deep lightweight division full of sharks. Ask Anthony Pettis how far a memorable kick can take you and the answer depends on the quality of your next opponent. If Barboza styling on Etim gets him thrown to the lions, it's entirely possible he finds himself back in the middle of the pack after his next few fights. But if the UFC treats him with the same handling and care they show other valuable strikers (like Amir Sadollah) and they don't rush him too fast, Barboza's long-term upside might just have championship gold around his waste.

2012 will be full of many great knockouts across the globe as the UFC continues it's international expansion. Some of those knockouts will be lost in the mix and forgotten. But the canticle of that wheel kick will live on. If not on youtube, most certainly in the eyes of the men that saw it first hand in Brazil the night Edson Barboza became a star.