UFC 186 was the home to a big return to the company, as Quinton “Rampage” Jackson appeared on a UFC card for the first time since he left the company in 2013 for Bellator. It was a big attraction, but standing in his way was a slugger by the name of Fabio Maldonado.
Maldonado’s boxing was a big concern for Jackson, as the Brazilian is known to dissect opponents with high volume, body shots and crazy aggression. However, Jackson turned back the clock to times past, as he used good stand-up of his own and superior overall skills to batter Maldonado en route to a unanimous decision.
We have not seen this version of Rampage in a while. As for Maldonado, it was a lopsided loss that showed his typical never-die attitude but propagated the feeling that he can’t seem to break into the next level.
So what’s next for the Brazilian boxer? Here are three guys whom Maldonado could face in his next outing.
Jan Blachowicz
Known for his stand-up and power, Jan Blachowicz matches up well with Maldonado. By that, I mean their respective striking styles would make for a dogfight on the feet that would excite fans.
Blachowicz is coming off a loss in the co-main event in Poland at a UFC Fight Night in April. Jimi Manuwa outworked him in a critically panned bout, so Blachowicz obviously would be out for revenge.
With both men losing their most recent bout, they would both be desperate to get back into the win column. Given their respective styles, desperation and knack for awesome fights, this is a matchup waiting to be had.
Rafael Cavalcante
Maldonado is not the only Brazilian light heavyweight who possesses good striking and the ability to have fun fights. Rafael Cavalcante, the former Strikeforce champion, is cut from the same cloth.
Cavalcante, known for his muay thai prowess, is a power striker who constantly searches for the knockout. He is good with kicks, knees and punches and can strike from a distance or in compact spaces.
Maldonado’s boxing vs. Cavalcante‘s muay thai would be a fun contrast that has Fight of the Night written all over it. Would Cavalcante be able to break through Maldonado’s legendary chin, or would Maldonado show why he’s one of the best technical strikers at 205 pounds right now?
Let’s find out the old-fashioned way!
Tom Lawlor
We haven’t seen Tom Lawlor in a UFC cage recently. However, he is at 205 pounds now and looking for a dance partner who can give him a good fight.
Maldonado may have another suitor here.
Lawlor is a wrestler who is known for his outlandish personality, extravagant weigh-in costumes, wild walkouts and toughness in the cage. It’s a great contrast to Maldonado—the quiet, reserved, death-in-his-eyes fighter who lets his fists do the talking.
It’s striker vs. grappler, but that’s the type of matchup that can get interesting. I would love to see Lawlor back, and a Maldonado fight would be a good test for him after a long absence from the cage.
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