In the minds of UFC fans all over the world, 99 essentially represented the appetizer prior to the entrée of 100. However, this notion did not stop the event from having major implications for numerous weight classes and how the UFC does business. Technically, the card featured 12 winners and 12 losers, but as is often the case with our sport, the story reaches deeper than that.

Big Winners:

Rich Franklin. "Ace" showed that he's still one of the best in the world, and with some of the "old guard" sliding down the rankings, Franklin is making a big push to enter the top 5 at 205. If he decides to stay at light heavyweight, Franklin could be pegged against Luiz Cane, Thiago Silva, or another contender.

Wanderlei Silva. While he couldn't quite pull off the win, Silva showed that he is still relevant in this sport. Yes, he has now lost 5 of 6, but of his 3 UFC losses, only one was a KO. In short, Silva is still fighting at a very technically proficient (and entertaining) level.

Cain Velasquez. Sure, the stand up needs work, but Cain drew Couture comparisons with his incredible display of wrestling and control against the bigger and stronger Kongo. With fortunes in the heavyweight division falling faster than ever, now is the time for the young and talented Velasquez to make a run at the title belt. He would likely be competitive with anyone not named Fedor.

British Fighters. The Brits went 5-1 at the event with Al-Turk, technically a Lebanese fighter born in Britain, as the only exception. The rest (Hardy, Taylor, Etim, Kelly, and Hathaway) looked magnificent in their respective wins.

John Hathaway. Prior to the event, I listed Hathaway as one of my top betting values at this event. He proved me correct by winning his 11th straight overall and 2nd straight as a UFC fighter. The best part? He's a sprightly 21 years old.

Big Losers:

Germany. The excitement surrounding Germany's third-ever event was overshadowed by misinformation being doled out by the German media, including accusations that the bouts were fought with bare fists. Once the night began, the fate was no better as unruly fans reigned and instances of theft were reported throughout the building.

Mirko Filipovic. "Cro Cop" did exactly what he wanted: he won a fight in the world's biggest promotion and then signed an even bigger deal. However, his spoils are not worth the consequences. He has made Dana White a very angry man and ensured that he will never fight in the UFC again. From the looks of the blogosphere, he has lost a ton of fan respect in the process.

UFC Fans. The Fertittas decided not to schedule a title fight for UFC 99, and as a result, fans will end up waiting nearly two months (May 23-July 11) between title fights. The UFC would be wise to stop treating these European events as a proving ground for their international fighters and start booking these events as if they are being hosted on American soil.