Post-Fight Stock Report: UFC Fight Night 159

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The Ultimate Fighting Championship paid a visit to Mexico City with UFC Fight Night 159 -- an event headlined by a featherweight showdown between Yair Rodriguez and Jeremy Stephens. Some stocks rose and others fell.

STOCK UP

Carla Esparza: By leaning on her relentless wrestling attack, Esparza gained momentum and solidified her position as a top-ranked strawweight in the co-main event. There, she posted her second consecutive win, this time over Alexa Grasso in a bout where Esparza’s grit and determination shone through more than anything else. Esparza’s game plan was evident from the opening bell: Close the distance and plant her opponent on her back, at which point she could exploit her advantage on the ground. “Cookie Monster” was largely successful across three rounds, save for a Hail Mary armbar thrown up by Grasso that had Esparza in serious danger.

Brandon Moreno: Despite leaving the arena with a split draw, Moreno impressed in his return to the UFC following a short stint on the regional scene. On the feet, Moreno proved to be the more effective striker, as he landed clean and powerful right hands on Askar Askarov and prompted his opponent to shoot for takedowns that were not there. Moreno used his size and length to his advantage, keeping the promotional newcomer on the end of his punches and forcing him to fight defensively over the majority of three rounds. While the judges deemed the fight a split draw, Moreno’s performance was encouraging, and it looks like his second run -- he figures to benefit from additional experience -- in the UFC could be more successful than his first.

Steven Peterson: Coming into the event on a two-fight losing streak and with his back against the wall, Peterson met Martin Bravo to open the main card. After a difficult first round, Peterson made adjustments and authored a rare spinning backfist knockout -- a kill shot that whipped the audience into an absolute uproar. Peterson showed impressive grit and determination, stormed out for Round 2 as a man possessed and began to land with more and more regularity as his opponent started to tire. He capitalized on an errant spinning backfist from Bravo, spun in return and landed a devastating blow that put the Entram Gym representative out cold before he hit the floor.

STOCK DOWN

Yair Rodriguez: Despite the main event lasting just 15 seconds, Rodriguez did more than enough to leave a lasting negative impression on those watching once it was announced that Jeremy Stephens could not continue due to an accidental eye poke. Between jumping on the cage in celebration, shrugging off and cursing at cageside analyst Michael Bisping and his post-fight comments questioning the legitimacy of Stephens’ injury, Rodriguez painted himself in less-than-flattering light. He showed a surprising level of immaturity he hopefully can keep in check should the short-lived match be remade for a UFC event in the coming months.

Alexa Grasso: Much was made of Grasso’s addition to the UFC’s strawweight division, but thus far, the return on investment has proved to be minimal. Grasso has yet to find her rhythm inside of the Octagon and has been unable to put together back-to-back wins inside of the UFC. Her striking remains exceptional, but if she wants to grow into a contender, she will need to work at becoming more well-rounded in her approach to fighting. Following this loss, Grasso will likely maintain her place in the Top 15, but she should be cautious regarding matchmaking going forward. A second consecutive loss could see her fall out of contention entirely.

Marco Polo Reyes: It has been tough sledding of late for Reyes. The Mexican lightweight began his UFC tenure with three consecutive wins, but since then, he has amassed a disappointing record of 1-4. Reyes could find himself on the chopping block following a third straight stoppage loss, but his one saving grace may be his willingness to put it all on the line to give fans a show when he steps into the cage. However, he will need to make massive strides defensively if he wants to remain with the UFC on a long-term basis.