Let foray on Fox develop organically

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Fact: The official start to UFC's business on Fox rendered three drawn-out decisions (though I liked what Chael Sonnen and Michael Bisping did more than some of you did).

Fact: The outcomes, dry as they were, could not have been better for UFC's bottom line.

Due in part to the reaction to Saturday's card, I'm wondering whether UFC and Fox will let the product in the cage unfold organically, or will they attempt to manipulate matchmaking in a way that promotes exciting action?

No more wrestler-heavy lineups, perhaps?

That line of thinking would be a mistake.

The way Fox positioned the UFC is appropriate: It is a sports property. That's how UFC wants to be viewed, too. So it's not enough to have Leonard Garcia fights on repeat. UFC bouts on network TV have to be meaningful action fights, which is where it can get tricky putting UFC in front of an audience with a general sports mindset, where the scoreboard matters more than anything else.

So go ahead, dwell on the lack of action on TV all you want. I won't. It's unproductive and doesn't acknowledge the bigger picture. One night does not a deal make. There will be tremendous fights on network TV. I know this because I've covered MMA for over 12 years and the sport has far fewer failures than successes in the cage.

Rashad Evans fights Jon Jones in April. Chael Sonnen meets Anderson Silva in June. That's all that matters now. How long will you care that Evans didn't tear through Phil Davis, or that Sonnen might or might not have deserved to beat Bisping?

I cared for about as long as it took me to write grades this week.

UFC on Fox 2 grades

		Charles Oliveira Charles Oliveira, 22, served notice that he's going to be a fighter worth reckoning with at 145 pounds with a quick and unique "submission of the night" victory over Eric Wisely (19-7). The Brazilian dropped down from lightweight after a rough 2011. He showed a lack of strength against Jim Miller and Donald Cerrone, but it's worth remembering that he's just a kid. Eventually Oliveira (15-2, 1 NC) will return to 155 pounds and pose a threat, but for the time being "do Bronx" represents an exciting addition to Jose Aldo's territory.
		Evan Dunham Evan Dunham looks on form after consecutive setbacks to Sean Sherk (a fight he should have won) and Melvin Guillard (a one-sided beatdown). The 30-year-old lightweight is solid everywhere, which means there's no resting against him, because if he's not clinging to opponents like Velcro, he's probably peppering them with punches and knees. Dunham (13-2) handled Nik Lentz like a pro, setting up what should be a rewarding opportunity in his next time out.
		Chris Weidman The kid is a winner. Chris Weidman, 27, stepped up on short notice, shed 32 pounds to make weight and outworked Demian Maia, a top-10 middleweight, on national TV. There's no question that he wasn't near his best -- how could he be? -- yet Weidman (8-0) did his job. It was an ugly fight, in part because Maia wasn't very good; however, Weidman showed streaks of his talent, athleticism and competitiveness en route to a unanimous decision win.
		Rashad Evans After Rashad Evans' five-round shutout over Phil Davis, I tweeted he was just "OK" on Saturday night. The former UFC light heavyweight champion took care of a competitive, athletic, large, unbeaten light heavyweight. He was never in danger, and he exerted control of the Octagon from the opening bell. That's all better than "OK." What Evans, 32, wasn't was dominant or overtly aggressive. He didn't pursue a finish, but based on the tenor of the match it's hard to fault him for the performance. The stakes were enormous, and Evans (17-1-1) walked out unscathed. All in all, it was a very good night for him. Full steam ahead to Atlanta, where he'll meet Jon Jones for the UFC title.
		Michael Bisping Michael Bisping (22-4) won the war or words leading up to his three-rounder against Chael Sonnen, and many people, including UFC president Dana White, thought he also won the fight. I'm with White and scored the title eliminator 29-28 for the Brit, who has long been underrated by fans and media. Bisping's takedown defense was solid, as was his ability to scramble to his feet and play a long, feet-on-hips guard that stopped Sonnen from scoring much damage from the top. Bisping, 32, stood his ground, held his own in the clinch and even in "defeat" elevated his standing in the middleweight division. He'll move up in my 185-pound rankings.
		Chael Sonnen First things first: Chael Sonnen won. No matter what, it's the most important point because he's now guaranteed a mega-fight against Anderson Silva in Brazil. Having said that, the 34-year-old gangsta from West Linn, Ore., did not do so convincingly. Much of the credit there belongs to Bisping. However, Sonnen's display knocked off some of the shine from his last 2½ years (not counting 10 seconds against Silva). Sonnen (27-11-1) was typically aggressive, just not overwhelming. And that was different. If he puts on a similar effort against Silva, presuming the UFC champ is near 100 percent this time, it could be lights-out.
		Mike Russow Time to step up for the big man from Chicago. Mike Russow engulfed John Olav Einemo, taking a unanimous decision to up his record to 15-1 (1 NC). Russow's performance didn't endear him to anyone, but the win means he keeps trucking along in the heavyweight division. I keep saying it's time for him to meet a top-10-caliber opponent. Even if that doesn't happen, there are guys Joe Silva can slot in versus Russow to test him -- he hasn't faced anyone all that good since losing to Sergei Kharitonov in 2007. The last thing anyone should want to see is Russow, 35, fight Lavar Johnson or Pat Barry. I'd be fine with Russow getting the Cheick Kongo-Mark Hunt winner.
		Nik Lentz Nik Lentz (21-5-2) went toe-to-toe with Dunham in what was shaping up to be the best fight on the card, then his left eye was demolished and a cage-side doctor stopped the contest. That makes three rough performances in a row -- a no-contest and two losses -- but the hope here is he sticks around the UFC lightweight division. Lentz, 27, showed a ton of spirit against Dunham. "The Carny" is a strong grappler who's unafraid to mix it up on the feet.
		Phil Davis Taken the right way, Phil Davis' week in Chicago could manifest into one of the best learning opportunities of his athletic life. In only his 10th fight, Davis, 27, was asked to take on an in-his-prime former champion, a stylistic equal with far more experience. From the opening round on it was clear Davis was thinking instead of reacting, and he couldn't manage much offense against Rashad Evans. That didn't stop him from trying, though. He was predictable on the feet, and Evans pegged Davis' movement and rhythm by Round 2. Most troubling was Davis' grappling performance; Evans scored all the dominant positions and passed guard too easily. But Davis (9-1) should not be deterred. Judging by his effort Saturday, he won't be. All fighters lose in MMA -- that's just a fact.
		John Olav Einemo Russow is just about the worst opponent to face in the heavyweight division, unless we're talking about the killers at the top. For three rounds John Olav Einemo (6-3) was relegated to playing a nonexistent guard game. When he did attempt submissions, they were easily identified and poorly set up. This is two losses in a row for the 36-year-old Norwegian, who is a prime candidate to get cut by the UFC.
		Demian Maia Maia (15-4) no-showed against Weidman, simple as that. His cardio was lacking. He had no fire. He failed to engage where he was strongest. It was, in my estimation, the worst effort of Maia's career, one that could knock the 34-year-old Brazilian out of the middleweight top 10.

Josh Gross covers MMA for ESPN.com. Follow him on Twitter at JoshGrossESPN.

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Josh Gross

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• MMA columnist for ESPN.com
• Nearly 11 years covering MMA
• Hosts "Gross Point Blank" podcast