Islam Makhachev vs Justin Gaethje – We move on from the Volkanovski and Oliveira log jam and give the shot to Justin Gaethje, who beat Rafael Fiziev and Dustin Poirier back-to-back. Oliveira, naturally, awaits the winner, while Mateusz Gamrot was also an alternative for UFC 294 (unused, though, curiously). There’s only one thing Islam’s legacy is going to need in the next few fights, and that’s variety. Beating the same guys again and again will leave with a Kamaru Usman-esque legacy, which is to say hampered by repeat matchmaking when it comes to the divisional GOAT conversation. Usman, despite his dominance, never got close to GSP. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen with Islam, and he gets the chance to run through the division’s monsters.
Alexander Volkanovski vs Ilia Topuria – Assuming Volkanovski makes the quick turnaround to fight in January, Ilia will purportedly be waiting for him at UFC 297 – or alternatively, it gets pushed back a few months. This is the fight to make, as Volk’s lightweight dream effectively ended tonight, and once again he’s tasked with bouncing back against a featherweight monster in the wake of a defeat. Does Alexander the Great get it done? Or does Ilia take the crown?
Khamzat Chimaev vs Sean Strickland – Khamzat is apparently the number one contender after beating a fellow former welterweight at 185, so there shouldn’t be much head scratching to be done. Strickland looks to have that combination of size, volume, counter-wrestling and cardio that could ultimately catch Chimaev out over 5 rounds, unless the lethal Khamzat can get it done early. We’ll see.
Kamaru Usman vs Robert Whittaker – A new fight emerges for the middleweight division’s former perennial contender, and nicely segues both fighters towards the legends circuit section of their career. Whittaker is much younger than Kamaru at 32 vs 36, but he’s had more fights and got a ton of mileage on the clock. His defeat to Dricus finally dislodged him as the long-term number 2, and one of these guys needs to get back in the win column and prove they’re still viable middleweight challengers – otherwise, it’s ‘name’ opponents for both from here on out.
Magomed Ankalaev vs Johnny Walker II – But for the bizarre performance of an inept cageside doctor, this fight might have been warming up nicely. Unfortunately for Ankalaev, that means back-to-back duff finishes, keeping him well away from a title shot at the minute, so he’s going to need to get this rescheduled ASAP and these two can sort it out once and for all.
Johnny Walker vs Magomed Ankalaev II (see above)
Ikram Aliskerov vs Nassourdine Imavov – Let’s get this rescheduled, Aliskerov’s quick TKO’s make it much more intriguing now that Ikram has had at least a couple of UFC fights, and they’re not just rushing him into the lion’s jaws as they did with Abus Magomedov. Aliskerov certainly should not be ranked yet, but with Imavov having a defeat to Strickland and then a busted finish against Curtis on his resumé, he needs a pick-me-up – or to at least defend his rankings spot which at #11 looks a little high to me.
Warlley Alves vs Phil Hawes – Aliskerov’s two victims could meet in a fight that offers someone the chance to get back on track that otherwise really isn’t a given for either fighter. I could see an argument for Alves getting cut, but after a competitive fight with Dalby and then stepping in at the last second against Ikram, I really wouldn’t be so keen to go down that route. That would be bad business by the UFC.
Said Nurmagomedov vs Chris Gutierrez – These two bantamweight beasts rebounded from tough defeats, Said to Jonathan Martinez and Gutierrez to Pedro Munhoz, and what’s more we’ve got a little bit of narrative going on with Jonathan Martinez and Chris Gutierrez being teammates – and sharing a fairly distinctive leg kick-heavy style. Martinez is the one blasting his way up the rankings, while Gutierrez realistically is playing second fiddle.
Muin Gafurov vs Saimon Oliveira – Both 0-2, both need their first UFC win, both on the verge of possibly being cut. This isn’t how either fighter will have envisioned their UFC tenure going, but here we are. Both have had very tough opponents without exception, but that’s the nature of entering the 135 shark tank with a big record. Oliveira might prefer a striker, but it is what it is when you’re hanging on for dear life.
Muhammad Mokaev vs Alex Perez – Mokaev with another finish in the third round, which is testament to his sense of incredulity when fights get competitive – the dude just has to finish, and that’s something I admire and speaks volumes about his fitness and mentality. His skills perhaps aren’t where they will be one day, but the young man continues to answer all questions posed of him. Alex Perez is a big step up in competition, but has lost his last 2 by first round submission… Mokaev will be eyeing that up and licking his lips if this fight gets made…
Tim Elliott vs Bruno Gustavo da Silva – Everyone seems to have forgotten about Bruno, the man who has finished JP Buys, Victor Rodriguez, and (far more notably) Tyson Nam in succession. If beating on veterans is Bruno’s thing, put him in there against Tim Elliott – we’ll see if the Brazilian continues to bulldoze through the competition, or if he gets outpointed for the third time in his UFC tenure. Elliott by decision will probably be the pick, but that doesn’t mean Bruno’s momentum doesn’t get him through here.
Trevor Peek vs Yanal Ashmouz – I’m probably going to keep asking for this fight, as it’s just the most fun at the bottom of the lightweight pack. Peek has had 3 straight UFC debutants and is 2-1, but I want to see him against someone who has already been through the fire a couple of times. Ashmouz fits the bill and is a similar mould in my opinion. Two tanks who throw hard, book it.
Mohammad Yahya vs Anshul Jubli – Two guys who have something, but don’t necessarily look UFC ready. I can see the UFC booking this at the Apex in what might be (logistically speaking) one of the worst value fights in UFC history, but it’s kinda still worth doing. Put them in the small cage, no crowd, no nonsense, and let’s see what they’ve got.
Javid Basharat vs Pedro Munhoz – Javid Basharat is rankings-ready and rankings-worthy, so this is a case where I’m not prepared to co-sign a rematch based on a duff finish. I don’t need to see Javid-Henry to completion to know that Javid most likely wins that fight, so let’s give him the chance to propel himself into the rankings. Javid is already 3-0 in the UFC and plenty good enough for a fight of this calibre, but whether he can beat a wily old vet like Pedro is another question entirely. Let’s see.
Victor Henry vs Taylor Lapilus – There are plenty of interesting fights out there for Victor Henry, and French favourite Taylor Lapilus is definitely one of them. As it stands, both fighters sit outside the rankings debate, but a win here for either can change that in the blink of an eye. Two veterans, well-travelled, both seasoned. Let’s see who makes the move here in what should be a fun battle of wits.
Sedriques Dumas vs Bryan Barberena – Dumas has gone from a pretty awful UFC debut against Josh Fremd to winning two straight, and while both Brundage and Azaitar look like busted flushes at this stage, Dumas continues to rise despite pretty glaring weaknesses. Bryan Barberena, a veteran on a 3-fight skid, might just be an ideal next opponent for Sedriques. Both guys should be looking at this as a must win fight, only for polar opposite reasons.
Abu Azaitar vs Brunno Ferreira – At one point there was a bit of excitement about the Moroccan Azaitar brothers, but inactivity, controversy, and subsequent losses now render them a redundant discussion at 185. There’s nothing there. Feed Azaitar to Brunno. On the plus side, both guys look like cannons, but share a similar trait in that when they’re met with resistance, they look like they might fall apart.
Mike Breeden vs Austin Hubbard – Breeden did it! He had to go halfway round the world to fight an Indian prospect, but he finally got his first UFC win. Mike dug deep and pulled out the third round finish, but he will still be seen as the kind of guy you give to someone who you wouldn’t mind getting a win. Austin Hubbard, despite being eligible for higher ranked opponents based on his experience levels, is still a dude that needs his record buffing and polishing. This might be a good place to start.
Anshul Jubli vs Mohammad Yahya (see above)
Muhammad Naimov vs Daniel Pineda – Naimov pulled off a major upset beating Nathaniel Wood, and that makes two big record fighters bumped off in a row. Mullarkey was a tremendous first victory, Wood is an even better sophomore effort, and now I’d like to see him against the dangerous kill-or-be-killed ‘Pit’ Pineda. Get through this, and who knows? Maybe a ranked opponent awaits the Tajik surprise package.
Nathaniel Wood vs Damon Jackson – Disaster for Wood! A 3-fight win streak snapped against an unfashionable (for now) opponent, and that’s his third loss against ‘decent’-ish level opposition in the UFC. Perhaps the rankings do not await ‘The Prospect’? Still, Wood is only 30, maybe he can get there, but in his way will stand someone like Damon Jackson. Jackson lost a couple recently against high level opponents in Ige and Billy Q, but n his day he’s a nightmare for even seasoned opposition. Can he put the hurt on Wood, or does Wood bounce back?
Victoria Dudakova vs Mizuki Inoue – The (slight) weight miss prevents me from looking too far up the ranks for Dudakova, and her relative inexperience is another good reason to give her a mid-range fight next. Mizuki Inoue, her 3 year absence aside, has fought at a good level in the UFC and Invicta, but has yet to record a really meaningful win. Winner here gets the chance to prove themselves at a higher level. Should be a well-matched bout…
Jinh Yu Frey – CUT! Sorry, Jinh, but this is the last stop on your UFC adventure. Wins over Yoder and de Paula don’t really do enough to overcome a compromising 2-6 record, so that’s that. I like Jinh, she’s game and competitive, but 4 defeats in a row including to a rookie in Dudakova? It’s all over.
Shara Magomedov vs Michel Pereira – Shara Magomedov showed off his striking chops and why he was considered not only a blue chip prospect, but one of the most exciting prospects coming out of Dagestan. That said, Bruno Silva exposed some flaws, most notably TDD and an unwillingness to do anything other than attack off his back, which worked well enough to get him the nod here. But he’s got some questions to answer whilst moving up the rankings. Michel Pereira is, Shara aside, perhaps the most exciting striker new to the UFC middleweight division, and is far from hopeless on the ground. This might be just the fight Shara needs next: someone who will engage on the feet, threaten him with a unique style, and show him some work on the mat (if it gets there). Put this on the main card of any PPV, and mouths will water!
Bruno Silva vs Edmen Shahbazyan – Curiously, Bruno Silva seemed to get more plaudits in defeat than he has recently, with most describing him as a monstrous challenge for anyone in their UFC debut. All right, but he’s still 1-4 in his last 5. So is Edmen. Two brutal strikers on their day who are having a rough go of it at the minute. Match them up!
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Late one as had to catch up on the fights, what do you reckon here? Best fight, worst fight, most unlikely fight to happen?
All comments and fight lists welcome as always!
Hope you all had a great weekend!
I'm glad there are a few people out there who like these threads on a weekend!
