Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
All the best, most interesting, and unquestionably coolest fights the UFC needs to book following their latest event in New York City.
The thing about booking an incredible fight card top-to-bottom, is that it leaves room for some disappointment. The UFC built their 244 PPV event to thrill, and while many fights and fighters delivered, a cut stoppage in the main event and a lackluster co-main seem like they wrapped things up on more of a down note than anyone might have expected.
Still, with a win over Gastelum, is Darren Till immediately in the ranks of middleweight contenders? Is there another claimant to the ‘BMF’ title for Jorge Masvidal to fight? And is Kevin Lee ‘back’ as a dangerous lightweight?
To answer all those questions – and many many more – I’ll be using the classic UFC fight booking methodology as laid down by Joe Silva. That means pitting winners against winners, losers against losers, and similarly tenured talent up against one another. As has been the case for a minute now, I’ll only be calling for entries to pick fights for upcoming PPV cards. So, keep an eye out for the December 7th, UFC Washington: Fights to make article for your chance to jump in on some matchmaking for UFC 245. This week’s winner is BE reader Scott Lawlor.
JORGE MASVIDAL
Scott – It’s official, Jorge Masvidal is now the BMF champion. His fight against Diaz was great while it lasted but unfortunately the ending was anticlimactic and left fans without much closure. Contrary to this, Dana has said that he’s not interested in booking the immediate rematch. So, if that’s the case, then the winner of Kamaru Usman vs Colby Covington should be next. Especially if it’s former friend turned foe Colby Covington. Masvidal has emerged as a breakout star this year and I’m sure the promotion will be interested in awarding him a UFC championship title fight sometime in 2020.
Zane – Having secured the title of “Baddest Motherfucker” in MMA, Jorge Masvidal has got to have his sights set on gaining a UFC championship belt alongside it. Fortunately for him, with Tyron Woodley still recovering from a hand injury, Leon Edwards is really the only other man at welterweight who has a claim to a title shot right now. And it’s hard to see Edwards having any of the kind of name value to compare to where Masvidal is sitting after this win. He may have given Nate an opportunity for a rematch, but that doesn’t seem super necessary. Right place, right time, and at this point in his career, a really fantastic title contender for the winner of Usman vs. Covington. Jorge Masvidal vs. the Kamaru Usman/Colby Covington winner is the the fight to book.
NATE DIAZ
Scott – It wasn’t the result Diaz hoped for, but given the controversial nature of the loss I don’t think his stock dropped much in the eyes of the fans. Dana doesn’t seem interested in booking the immediate rematch, so if that doesn’t happen I think Diaz’s options are limited. He knows his value, and he won’t sign on for fights that don’t make sense for him financially and stylistically. Therefore I think his next fight should be the Conor McGregor trilogy. McGregor has talked on numerous occasions about an interest in a third Diaz fight since their last fight over three years ago. And if he commits to his plan on fighting more often next year, the Diaz fight will certainly standout as one of his most profitable potential opponents.
Zane – A high profile loss for Diaz, and who knows what that means for his fighting future. Will he drift off for another couple years? Will he look to get right back in there and pick up a win? How much does the UFC need to sweeten the pot to get Diaz in the cage. This ‘BMF’ fight with Masvidal was cool, but it’s exactly the kind of gimmick the UFC can’t really repeat easily. If Diaz does want to dive back in, then I’d love to see him face Robbie Lawler. If he’s going to sit and wait? Then probably only something like another Conor McGregor fight will bring him around. No reason to bank on that, so I’ll say book Nate Diaz vs. Robbie Lawler. It’s a thriller with some fantastic history to it.
DARREN TILL
Scott – The fans, media members, and even Till himself knew his middleweight debut against Kelvin Gastelum was a high risk/high reward matchup. And fortunately for Till he was able to reap the benefits of his courageous foray by snapping a 2 fight losing streak and asserting himself as a legit contender in his new division. In his next fight I think it makes a ton of sense for a King Kong showdown with ‘Tha Killa Gorilla’ Jared Cannonier. Cannonier is also a new contender after dropping to 185 lbs a year ago and defeating Jack Hermansson, Anderson Silva, & David Branch. The winner of this fight would likely be on the short list for a shot at the middleweight throne.
Zane – A massive win for Till in his middleweight debut. Even as a former welterweight and relatively small fighter at 185, Gastelum has placed himself as a clearly elite fighter among his peers. It may not have been a thriller, but for Till to walk in and beat him places him in line for another immediate UFC title run. If rumors of Romero vs. Adesanya are true, then it seems like Till would absolutely have to face Jared Cannonier. If they aren’t, and if Cannonier is getting a shot at Izzy instead, then I’d be 100% down to see Till take on Robert Whittaker or Uriah Hall (just because I want to see that fight a lot). I’ll bank on Till vs. Cannonier, just assuming the ‘Killa Gorilla’ isn’t getting that next chance at the belt. Time to see who’s king of the jungle (I know, I’m sorry): ‘The Gorilla’ Darren Till vs. ‘The Killa Gorilla’ Jared Cannonier.
KELVIN GASTELUM
Scott – That was a rough loss for Gastelum. He was the favorite to win this fight, and now he’s ironically in a similar situation as Till was coming into their fight. It’s going to take awhile for Gastelum to work his way back towards title contention, but he only just turned twenty-eight. So, at least he’s got time on his side. I think his next fight should be against ‘The Joker’ Jack Hermansson. Hermansson recently had a 4 fight win streak snapped after losing to Jared Cannonier, and he’ll soon be looking to rebound with a big win in his next fight.
Zane – A surprising loss for Gastelum here, and on that really puts his title hopes on the skids for the immediate future at least. Kelvin’s wins over Bisping and Jacare may have had a certain amount of ‘context’ to them, but he was carving out a real place as an elite fighter at 185. This lackluster performance really dampens any hype from his FOTY with Adesanya. It sounds like Robert Whittaker may already have something lined up, so Gastelum probably won’t get that fight right now, but there’s no reason he can’t fight Jack Hermansson—or maybe Ian Heinisch when Heinisch returns from injury. I’ll stick with the ‘Joker,’ however. It’s a great oppotunity for the Swede to prove he’s among the best at middleweight, or for Gastelum to jump right back into the groove and try to get on track toward that Izzy rematch he has to be hunting for. Kelvin Gastelum vs. Jack Hermansson to get one man’s title hopes back on line.
STEPHEN THOMPSON
Scott – This win was crucial for Wonderboy to remain a top 10 welterweight. Now that he’s back in the win column, I think he should fight Santiago Ponzinibbio. Ponzinibbio is on a 7 fight win streak and has been long overdue for a step up in competition. Most of his wins have come by knockout, so he’ll likely stand with Wonderboy—and provide an entertaining matchup. Wonderboy’s loss to Pettis was a big step backwards, but if he can put together a few wins he might be able to earn one more shot at a UFC title.
Zane – He may have been coming off the first KO loss of his career, but Thompson is still one of welterweight’s best fighters. His combination of footwork and distance striking makes him a problem that takes more solving than just being able to hit hard and fight stay poised. Fighters have to find ways to close him down, and do so consistently. Luque couldn’t, and he lost because of it. It’s too bad Ponzinibbio is injured again, because it’d be fascinating to see if he could solve the problem ‘Wonderboy’ presents. A bout with RDA wouldn’t be a bad idea, but without a lot of power on RDA’s end of things, it doesn’t seem like it’d create a very fascinating matchup. In reality, a fight against Leon Edwards is probably the best one the UFC can make for Thompson. But will Edwards take it, or will he just wait and hope he gets the next title shot? Hopefully Edwards won’t be looking to sit and wait. If ‘Rocky’ is fighting, then Edwards vs. Thompson is a fantastic fight.
VICENTE LUQUE
Scott – This was the biggest test of Luque’s career, and unfortunately he wasn’t able to solve the elusive game of ‘Wonderboy.’ For his next bout, I’d like to see him fight Alexey Kunchenko. Kunchenko is the M-1 Global welterweight champion, who is 2-1 in the UFC. His most recent fight being the first loss of his professional career, to Gilbert Burns.
Zane – Luque has been pecking away at the edges of the top 15 for a couple years now in the welterweight division. And he finally got his chance to take a big step up and make himself one of the division’s elite action talents. And it just didn’t happen. Thompson is just too slick an out-fighter. But, a division this deep is packed with fun fights for a guy with Luque’s power and ability to counter. He could take on Li Jingliang, Alex Oliveira, or Michel Prazeres in what would all be fun battles. But, there’s one fight that just seems too perfect for Luque on a loss. That’s Elizeu Zaleski. Zaleski had a similar run of flashy violence into the edges of the rankings, before ending up on the end of Jingliang’s technical boxing. Let’s see which of these Brazilian fringe contenders can right the ship. Vicente Luque vs. Elizeu Zaleski is a wild action fight.
DERRICK LEWIS
Scott – It was a close fight, but Lewis edged it on the scorecards. I believe a fight against Curtis Blaydes makes sense for his next matchup. Blaydes is 7-2 in the UFC with his two losses coming to Francis Ngannou. Both men are ranked in the top five of the UFC’s Heavyweight division, so the bout would have possible title implications for the winner.
Zane – If you’re not the total package in the heavyweight division, you’re just not going to stop Derrick Lewis. He may barely scrape out rounds where he doesn’t get the finish, but he’s one of the few men around 265 lbs that can throw huge power shots well into the third—and who has the composure to stay out of trouble until those shots land. That puts him in an odd position of being both a man who has stoppage wins over almost everyone outside the top 5, and then not-at-all-competitive losses to the very best. Does he give Curtis Blaydes a try now? Does anyone want to see a second Ngannou fight? There’s one bout from which I think the UFC can get a perfect next match for Lewis, however, that’s a fight with Alistair Overeem. I’ve wanted to see Overeem/Lewis for years now, just for that strange mix of huge power and fragility. And with the tragic circumstances that have pulled Harris from the DC headliner, Lewis could make for a perfect substitution. Derrick Lewis vs. Alistair Overeem is a fight fans need to see.
KEVIN LEE
Scott – Lee’s return to lightweight couldn’t have gone better, after he made a massive statement to the rest of the division with his brutal headkick knockout over Gillespie. Lee is back on the path towards the title, and his next stop along the way should come against ‘The Irish Dragon’ Paul Felder. Felder wants big fights but most of the division is either booked or uninterested. However against Lee he’d have a very outspoken former title challenger who’s down to fight anyone and knows how to sell a fight.
Zane – A win over a ranked, streaking prospect is exactly what Lee needed right now. Especially a KO of the Year contender knockout to really punctuate the victory and make fans forget some of his less flashy performances of the past year. He may still have losses to Al Iaquinta and Tony Ferguson hanging over him, but this win clearly keeps him circling the edges of the top 10, and in good position to take on just about any ranked opponent in need of a fight. That could mean a bout with Paul Felder (if Felder were willing to back off his ‘top 5 only’ demands), or Daniel Hooker. But, it’s more likely to mean a fight with Alex Hernandez or Islam Makhachev. Given the highlight nature of the win, and Lee’s long history in the division (and the fact that it’s just a matchup I’d find fascinating), I’ll say book Kevin Lee vs. Dan Hooker. But Lee vs. Makhachev would absolutely do in a pinch.
COREY ANDERSON
Scott – A lot of people were looking past Corey Anderson this weekend, but he proved the doubters wrong with an emphatic performance over Johnny Walker. Walker had quite a bit of hype going into this fight, and was already being discussed as a potential title challenger to Jon Jones. But instead he was beaten senseless by Anderson who improved his win streak to four. I think his next fight should be against Anthony Smith. Smith’s last fight was a submission win over Alexander Gustafsson so if Anderson could defeat Smith it’d likely set him up for a title shot later that year.
Zane – Anderson’s UFC career didn’t start with the kind of consistency that usually marks a future title contender, but he’s finding a strong run of success lately that could see him as a the guy in a division lacking a clear no. 1. I’m still not sure the UFC is banking on that, so I doubt he’ll be the sudden no. 1 contender. But, this win will keep him treading water against other elite fighters trying to find their way to Jon Jones. If he keeps winning maybe he’ll become enough of a ‘needle mover’ to get his. That could mean a bout against Thiago Santos, whenever Santos returns, or Anthony Smith. Or the Jacare/Blachowicz & Oezdemir/Rakic winners. Of all those, the most reasonable seems like it’d be the winner of Jacare vs. Blachowicz. Two more very good, very technical fighters who just don’t seem to have pop with fans or UFC brass. Corey Anderson vs. the Jacare/Blachowicz winner for the mantle of ‘most likely to keep getting overlooked for a title shot.’
SHANE BURGOS
Scott – This was the third consecutive win for Burgos, he’s ranked in the top 15 but currently a lot of the higher ranked guys are either booked or coming off multiple losses. In his next fight I’d like to see him fight Arnold Allen. Allen is a perfect 6-0 in the promotion with a recent win over Gilbert Melendez. The winner of that match-up would likely move on to a top 10 opponent.
Zane – A hard fought loss to Calvin Kattar aside, and Burgos looks to be building himself into a fascinating contender for the featherweight division. He’s big, rangy, and can keep a fantastic pace, while hitting with power. It’s a combination of skills that should do well all the way up toward the top 5, if he can stay mindful on defense. And while Makwan Amirkhani may not have been ranked coming into this bout, I think this is the kind of win that should keep Burgos pushing toward the top ten. If he just wants a ranked opponent, Ryan Hall or Arnold Allen can provide that. But, I think a bout against Josh Emmett makes a whole lot of sense. Emmett’s combination of power and consistency make him a great benchmark for any fighter looking to make a title run. If Burgos can out-slick him, he can set himself up for bouts against the division’s top contenders. Burgos vs. Emmett to see how well ‘Hurricane’ handles an opponent with crushing power.
EDMEN SHAHBAZYAN
Scott – That was an incredible performance by Shahbazyan! Tavares has been a perennial gatekeeper in the UFC’s middleweight division for years and he fought five rounds with Adesanya just a year ago. Shahbazyan put him away in just a couple minutes. The future seems bright for Shahbazyan, and in his next fight I’d like to see him fight Derek Brunson.
Zane – Even if this win didn’t tell me a lot more about Shahbazyan’s ability to control a fight past the first round, it does prove he’s a legit top prospect at 185. Just his aggression, power and variety make him someone that anyone will have to mind their Ps and Qs against. Tavares has been known as a slick defensive neutralizer over his MMA career, and Shahbazyan just blew right by him. As this is middleweight, the next step is going to be more of a tread water move than a big change in quality of opposition. But, there are three very different options to choose from: Omari Akhmedov, Uriah Hall, and Derek Brunson. Of those, I think the Hall fight is the one to see. Hall has looked quicker on the trigger and more determined to win lately. And, aggressive opponents tend to bring the best out of him. But it still feels like a bout with a clear path to victory for a fearless fighter willing to take the bout anywhere. Uriah Hall vs. Edmen Shahbazyan, to see if the Rousey protege can continue his prodigious rise.
OTHER BOUTS: Blagoy Ivanov vs. Shamil Abdurakhimov, Gregor Gillespie vs. Mairbek Taisumov, Johnny Walker vs. Nikita Krylov, Makwan Amirkhani vs. Enrique Barzola, Brad Tavares vs. Zak Cummings, Jairzinho Rozenstruik vs. Serghei Spivac, Katlyn Chookagian vs. Valentina Shevchenko, Jennifer Maia vs. Andrea Lee, Lyman Good vs. Dheigo Lima, Chance Rencountre vs. Laureano Staropoli, Hakeem Dawodu vs. Dan Ige, Julio Arce vs. Nad Narimani