UFC Vegas 53 is in the books. Marlon Vera made a statement with a dominant five-round performance, vaulting him into the top 5 of the bantamweight division. Andrei Arlovski continued his age-defying win streak (albeit in controversial fashion, but more on that later). And a number of future contenders revealed themselves.

Through the 11 fights on the UFC Vegas 53 card, the Cage Calculus forecast favorites went 6-5, bringing the forecast’s overall record since its inception to 206-122-2. All forecast projections are based on a fighter’s CC rating. You can find out how those ratings are generated HERE. You can view the projections for last week’s fights HERE and HERE. The CC Editor’s Picks were 8-3 and the odds-on favorites according to Vegas were 7-4.

2022 Overall Standings

• Cage Calculus Forecast: 103-67
• Cage Calculus Editor Picks: 108-62
• Las Vegas Oddsmakers: 116-54

Without further ado, here’s what we learned from UFC Vegas 53:

Marlon Vera Will Fight for a Title Soon

Vera (#5 CC, #5 UFC) came in as a betting underdog. Now, he seems like he’s on a glide path to a title shot at some point next year. Despite being out-struck in terms of significant strikes, there were no doubts when the scorecards were read in Vera’s favor. When all was said and done, Rob Font (#8 CC, #7 UFC) looked like something out of a horror film. Vera is now rocketing his way up the bantamweight rankings. His only loss in his last five, came against Jose Aldo (#2 CC, #3 UFC), which is now looking much more redeemable given Aldo’s recent run of dominance in the division. It even seems like a success for Vera considering how close that bout was. At just 29, Vera has plenty of time to get better and assault the top of this division for years. He’ll no doubt be in line for a top 5 matchup very soon.

Andrei Arlovski Is Not Slowing Down… Kind Of

It was certainly nice to see the veteran and former champion Arlovski (#13 CC, NR UFC) get his fourth straight win. The CC editor’s pick was Jake Collier and took the loss on that one. But, it was a very controversial decision, with 14 of 14 MMA media outlets having scored the bout for Collier. Nevertheless, Arlovski gets the win in the eyes of the record books and the UFC. He’s now won six of his last seven and it is getting more difficult to find suitable competition for him outside the top 15. Some have suggested a journeyman showdown between Arlovski and Aleksei Oleinik (#14 CC, NR UFC). That would be a bout with unreal history behind it. Either way, it’s time for Arlovski to go from a feel good story to a serious player in this division.

Grant Dawson Is a Contender

Dawson (#10 CC, NR UFC) is now 6-0-1 since joining the UFC. He faced down his toughest opponent yet and got a finish in the process. He is racking up submissions on his way to the rankings and most MMA fans are starting to realize this guy will have a number next to his name sooner rather than later. The CC rankings and the style Dawson employs suggest a bout with Gregor Gillespie (#9 CC, #8 UFC) would be one worth watching. Either way, Grant Dawson is a name to keep on your radar at 155.

Alexandr Romanov Takes Care of Business

Romanov (#8 CC, #13 UFC) did what contenders do. He took on a subpar opponent on short notice and made quick work of it. He demonstrated he’s clearly a cut above competition like Sherman. He impressed enough to earn a spot in the UFC rankings and stretch his unbeaten record to 16-0. He called out Augusto Sakai (NR CC, #14 UFC), but that would be a step down, even according to the UFC’s rankings. Maybe, if he’s inclined to be bold, the CC Rankings suggest Marcin Tybura (#9 CC, #10 UFC) would be an excellent matchup and provide an opportunity to move up.

New Weight Class a Good Move for the Shanimal

Shanna Young made her UFC flyweight debut with great success, scoring a second round TKO over Gina Mazany, who was subsequently cut. Young struggled, losing two in a row at bantamweight upon joining the UFC. Young is 8-4 for her career, but 3-0 when fighting at flyweight. It’s a very crowded weight class, but this might be something to pay attention to if Young can get another win or two in the near future.

Photo Credit: MARCA