Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) was back at it again, as the world’s leading mixed martial arts (MMA) organization invaded Sao Paulo, Brazil to stage UFC Fight Night 137, which aired on FOX Sports 1 last Saturday (Sept. 22, 2018). In the main event of the evening, Thiago Santos picked up a huge win by stopping Eryk Anders in a thrilling headlining bout. In the co-main event, Alex Oliviera knocked out Carlo Pedersoli in just 39 seconds of action.
Winner: Thiago Santos
Who He should Fight Next: Jimi Manuwa
They were previously set to collide this past weekend before an injury forced “Posterboy” out of the event. And while Manuwa and Glover Teixeira were set to clash prior, I still prefer a 205-pound showdown with Santos. Both men like to crack, as evidenced by Thiago’s ferocious beating he put on Anders (highlights). The Brazilian bomber has been competing for the promotion for quite some time now, and a fight against Jimi — one of the most seasoned veterans in the game — will be a good measuring stick to let us know where he’s really at. Because as impressive as his win over “Ya Boy” was, he was taking on a man who usually fights at Middleweight and took the bout on a few weeks’ notice.
Winner: Alex Oliviera
Who He Should Fight Next: Gunnar Nelson
Sure, Nelson is coming off a loss to Santiago Ponzinibbio, but that was over a year ago and he should be ready to mount a comeback fairly soon. Meanwhile, Oliveira is riding a two-fight win streak and is overdue for a big-name opponent after his fight against Neil Mangy was yanked from underneath him. And since he barely broke a sweat against Pedersoli, he should be ready to get back on the horse rather quickly.
As good as the Brazilian is on the feet, he is no slouch on the ground, so it will be an interesting stylistic matchup against “Gunni,” one of the best submission specialists in the land.
Winner: Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
Who He Should Fight Next: Nikita Krylov
Antonio’s return to the Octagon after a near two-year absence was a victorious one after he knocked out Sam Alvey in front of the hometown crowd (see it). Krylov’s return to the Octagon was the polar opposite, as he was submitted by Jan Blachowicz last week in Russia in his first fight inside the eight-sided cage in two years. We know Nogueira is a legend in the game, but we can’t deny the fact that his best days are behind him. That’s why a matchup against Krylov makes sense, as it lets fans know whether or not he can still bang with the young bucks. As for Krylov, this matchup will let us know if he is a (possible) contender or just a pretender when it comes to fighting for UFC.
Winner: Andre Ewell
Who He Should Face Next: Douglas Silva de Andrade
Defeating a former UFC bantamweight champion in your UFC debut is the best impression one can make. Ewell looked good out there for a UFC first-timer, but the challenges will only get tougher. Up next for Ewell, a fight against Andrade feels right. Douglas is coming off a win over Marlon Vera earlier this year, and recently cracked the top 15. While Douglas isn’t a bigger name the Barao, he has been doing better inside the Octagon than his fellow countryman. A win for Andre sets him up for bigger and better things moving forward, but there is no sense in rushing his progression and matching him up with a higher-ranked opponent.
For complete UFC Sao Paulo results and coverage click here.