In case you are unaware, the UFC aired UFC Fight Night 53 Saturday afternoon on Fight Pass live from Sweden. In the main event, a pivotal welterweight bout took place between Gunnar Nelson and Rick Story.
After likely dropping the first round of their bout, Story got comfortable and proceeded to walk through Nelson. Using a combination of defensive wrestling and superior striking, Story was able to take a decision from the rising Icelandic star.
It was a performance that will quickly put Story back in the minds of UFC fans. He has quietly been coming back into relevance, but this win likely puts him in a great spot in a division filled with killers.
What’s next for Rick Story? Let’s take a look at three matchups that Story could take going forward.
Carlos Condit
If Story needs a step up in competition, he could find that in a returning star and top-five fighter in Carlos Condit.
We haven’t seen Condit since he hurt his knee in the Tyron Woodley fight. Prior to that, he had challenged for the UFC title, fought in a thriller against Johny Hendricks and beat Martin Kampmann.
He will need a big fight to re-establish himself with the fans. Taking on a guy like Story, who is stiff competition for anybody, could be the right remedy for a man looking to test himself post-injury.
Jordan Mein
Jordan Mein is back on the rise, and he is ready for a serious challenge. That is something Story presents.
Mein‘s only UFC loss came against Matt Brown, something he should not be ashamed of. Outside of that, he was the first man to finish Dan Miller in the UFC and is coming off a quick trumping of Mike Pyle.
Mein needs to face a wrestler. That’s exactly what Story is. Both men would be a great challenge for one another, making this a potentially solid matchup.
Ryan LaFlare
Sure, Ryan LaFlare isn’t exactly a household name yet. However, he is a top prospect in the UFC welterweight division looking for a big challenge to get him in the top end of the division.
LaFlare is undefeated in the UFC thus far. He is 4-0 with the company, earning decision wins over Ben Alloway, Santiago Ponzinibbio, Court McGee and John Howard.
He has a similar style to Story, which would make for an interesting strategical matchup. A win for Story keeps him in the top 15, while a win for LaFlare gives him the keynote win he’s been searching for.
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