Josh Thomson accomplished a remarkable feat in his ceremonious return to the UFC on Saturday.
Gracing the Octagon for the first time in nearly nine years, the 34-year-old Thomson outclassed perennial lightweight contender Nate Diaz, ultimately finishing the 28-year-old Californian with a brutal head kick and follow-up punches at UFC on Fox 7.
An emphatic win over the fourth-ranked Diaz will instantly catapult Thomson, a former Strikeforce title challenger, into the UFC’s Top 10 rankings.
Here are five fights for “The Punk” to take next.