The biggest winners from UFC Nashville

UFC on ESPN+ 6, otherwise known as UFC Nashville, was definitely an entertaining card even though eight fights went to the judges. Despite having names like Anthony Pettis, Stephen Thompson and Curtis Blaydes at the top of the bill, the card did lack some star power. However, there was still a number of intriguing matchups on the bill and in the end, the card delivered.

So who were the biggest winners from UFC Nashville? Let’s take a look.

Anthony Pettis

This one is a no brainier. “Showtime” is back!

Having reached the highest level of the sport at 155 pounds and even making a run in the featherweight division, Pettis took his talents to the 170-pound division. The results speak for themselves.

Pettis is the latest of a long list of fighters that have decided to move up in weight and compete at a more natural class. His knock out of “Wonderboy” was both surprising and brutal. Pettis insists he is here to stay in the welterweight division although and called for fights with Rafael dos Anjos and Conor McGregor after his victory.

Maycee Barber

“The Future” is here!

Barber, 20, continues her quest to become the youngest UFC champion in company history. Her victory over JJ Aldrich will move her closer to her ultimate goal.

The win makes it a perfect 7-0 for the young fighter who switched things up for this camp. Having called Factory X home for the last couple years, Barber moved to Milwaukee to train at Roufusport.

A top 10 opponent seems prudent.

Bryce Mitchell

Since finishing season 27 of The Ultimate Fighter, Mitchell has rolled off two quick wins inside the Octagon.

His win over Bobby Moffett improves his record to 11-0. (his loss to Brad Katona on TUF was an exhibition bout) Mitchell goes by the moniker “Thug Nasty” and he reps Arkansas every chance he gets. He is entertaining both in and out of the Octagon.

Curtis Blaydes

He said he was going to run over Justin Willis and that is exactly what “Razor” Blaydes did last weekend in Music City.

Blaydes, 28, continues to be one of the younger heavyweight prospects to keep an eye on. With the win, Blaydes improves to 11-2. Both of his losses are to former title challenger Francis N’Gannou.

Having already occupied the No. 4 position in the standings, this win should solidify Blaydes presence at the top of the division. From here, a matchup with Stipe Miocic makes sense.

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 3/25/2019.