It is entirely possible the main card of UFC Fight Night 25 in New Orleans yielded three new title contenders in three different divisions.
In the first main-card bout, Alan “The Talent” Belcher showed he was all the way back from a 16-month injury layoff when he pounded out veteran Jason MacDonald.
In the second fight, The Ultimate Fighter winner Jonathan Brookins stifled Erik Koch’s potent standup, but couldn’t prevent the 22-year-old from winning the judges’ affections and notching his fourth consecutive win.
Middleweight Court McGee wore down the Korean Dongi Yang to take an impressive unanimous decision win.
The main event, however, was probably the highlight of the evening. With one vicious knee directly to the incisors of perennial contender Jake Shields, welterweight Jake Ellenberger scored the most important knockout of his career.
Here’s what’s next for all of Saturday’s main-card winners.