Post-Fight Stock Report: UFC 244

The ordering process for Ultimate Fighting Championship pay-per-views has changed: UFC 244 is only available on ESPN+ in the U.S.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship on Saturday pitched its tent at Madison Square Garden in New York, where UFC 244 featured the long-awaited clash between Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz. Some stocks rose, and others took a dive.

STOCK UP

Jorge Masvidal: Despite an anticlimactic doctor’s stoppage, Masvidal was virtually flawless in a three-round beatdown of Diaz that brought him the symbolic BMF title. Masvidal’s last three wins rank as some of the most impressive of his long and winding career, and the American Top Team-trained welterweight has certainly put himself in the running for a title shot. His career resurgence has been a treat to watch, and his newfound ability to flatline opponents with one shot has added an element to his game that moves him into the upper echelon at 170 pounds. Big things are ahead for Masvidal, as he figures to be watching the UFC 245 main event with much anticipation.

Kevin Lee: Following an unsuccessful welterweight debut, Lee sought out Firas Zahabi and the Tristar Gym in an attempt to reinvent himself and blaze a new path to the top of the lightweight division. The move paid immediate dividends, as Lee knocked out undefeated prospect Gregor Gillespie with a head kick in the first round. The win marked a new beginning for Lee while he attempts to regain his position among the lightweight division’s elite. After his callout of Islam Makhachev for a fight in early 2020, no one can say Lee wants to shy away from difficult matchups. Going forward, it will be interesting to see the sort of improvements Lee can make under the tutelage of his new gym.

Corey Anderson: Going into UFC 244, Anderson had a chip on his shoulder, and it proved to be just the motivation he needed to stop the Johnny Walker hype train in its tracks. In the leadup to the fight, Anderson was adamant that the UFC wanted him to falter in order to give his opponent a stronger promotional push. He believed that, win or lose, he would have a difficult time seeing the UFC putting him in a title fight, but after a sensational first-round finish, the promotion may be hard-pressed to justify any other fight for “The Ultimate Fighter” winner. Anderson has rattled off four straight victories against ranked opposition, and outside of a showdown with current champion Jon Jones, few fights make sense for him.

STOCK DOWN

Kelvin Gastelum: Despite coming out on the losing end of a spectacular title bout with Israel Adesanya in April, Gastelum’s stock did not drop due to the closely contested nature of the match. However, in his follow-up bout against Darren Till, Gastelum was gunshy and hesitant to engage, resulting in a lackluster fight and a second straight loss for “The Ultimate Fighter 17” winner, likely knocking him out of the middleweight division’s Top 5. Gastelum has some work to do if he hopes to return to contention and will likely be targeting a fight a few pegs down the ladder as he tries to work his way out of a losing streak. More importantly, Gastelum will have to take a long look in the mirror and contemplate his diet moving forward. The former welterweight has not had an easy time on the scales, even at a bigger weight class.

Vicente Luque: In a setback that snapped a six-fight winning streak, Luque failed to capitalize on his hard-earned momentum and knocked himself back out of contention after a short-lived stay among the division’s elite. Luque opted to exchange blow for blow with Stephen Thompson for three rounds, and it did the Hard Knocks 365 representatives no favors. Thompson was too quick to the punch and did a wonderful job at keeping Luque on the end of his punches for the majority of the contest. The loss was Luque’s first since March 2017, and after slowly building his way into a marquee fight, will likely have to earn his way back once more in a division where a single setback can render you irrelevant. The fact remains that Luque is an all-action competitor -- a trait the UFC covets dearly. Look for Luque to land another barnburner match to open the first quarter of 2020.

Johnny Walker: The Brazilian was his typical confident self while walking to the Octagon for what was his first bout against Top 10 competition, but his relaxed demeanor proved to be his undoing, as he was caught with his hands down and his chin high, making him an easy target for Anderson’s overhand right. From there, Anderson never let Walker off the hook, and before the Dana White’s Contender Series alum even had a chance to get going, the fight was over. The loss was Walker’s first inside the UFC and for now silences the talk of a future bout with Jones. The opportunity may have been too much too soon for Walker, and with just four UFC fights to his name, he will have to go back to the drawing board to pick up the pieces as he looks onward toward 2020.