A night focused on The Ultimate Fighter 18 was stolen by Nate Diaz, who picked up an impressive win over Gray Maynard on Saturday.
Having lost back-to-back fights, Diaz came into the weekend with desperation. Now, following a first-round knockout victory over Maynard, he’s back in the hunt for another crack at the lightweight championship.
Now, Maynard is the one on a skid, having been knocked out in the opening round of his past two outings. Despite being one of the more notable fighters in the 155-pound class, Maynard’s UFC roster spot could be in jeopardy the next time he enters the Octagon.
After their pivotal meeting on Saturday, Diaz and Maynard are headed in very different directions. Here are the matchups that should be next for the Top 10 lightweights and all the other TUF 18 finale competitors.