“UFC on FX 1” was a great event for television, with a majority of its fights (on both the preliminary and main cards) ending in finishes. Now once again, it’s time to ask: what’s next? What does the future hold after another stacked night of UFC fights?
Here’s my answer to just that: a new edition of my “What’s Next for the Winners and Losers” series of articles, now featuring “UFC on FX 1: Guillard vs. Miller.”
Next for Christian Morecraft: It takes two to tango, and Pat Barry’s win against Morecraft was so entertaining because Morecraft was also willing to stand and trade. Morecraft will continue to bounce between the lower and mid-level echelons of the UFC’s Heavyweight division, and I honestly don’t see him getting enough of a losing streak to get the boot. Morecraft is entertaining and can finish opponents, so his fate may lie in becoming the UFC’s premiere lower-to-mid-level gatekeeper.
Next for Pat Barry: Once again, Pat Barry will be given a mid-level opponent to see if he could possibly become a legitimate star. Me, personally? I’m all for a rematch with Cheick Kongo. I think it makes sense at this time, and Barry deserves a chance to see if he can even the score to 1-1.
Next for Mike Easton: I still think Mike Easton can be a star…I guess I’ll just have to shift my timeline a bit. Easton needs a good mid-level gatekeeper to truly test his skills out, and maybe even give him a tough loss that he could learn a lot from. If Easton starts finishing people again, I still think he’ll be rocketed to the top relatively quickly, but if he keeps getting into these hard-fought, three-round wars with relative unknowns, the UFC is going to be hesitant to build him up to main event status.
Next for Josh Neer: Neer has now won six straight, so I think the time is right to give him a legitimate name-value opponent in the UFC. In all honesty, I think Jon Fitch would be a good opponent for Neer at this point in time. Fitch is coming off a supremely humbling loss, and the UFC always seems to put him in a gatekeeper role no matter what Fitch fans like me say. So, this time I’ll face facts and put Fitch into the gatekeeper role myself. Fitch/Neer would be a real proving point for both men since Neer is coming off a big win and Fitch is coming off a big loss.
Next for Melvin Guillard: Guillard needs a rebuilding fight, which means he needs a gatekeeper fight. With two straight losses against Top 10 competition, I think the time is right to move Guillard down a bit and put him against someone rising in the ranks.
Next for Jim Miller: I think Clay Guida would be a perfect opponent for Jim Miller right now. Beating Clay Guida gave Benson Henderson the final push he needed to be both worthy of a title shot and accepted as a legitimate challenger. If Jim Miller beats Clay Guida, it would be a big step forward in giving him the recognition and respect I know he deserves. And of course, if Guida wins, it’d immediately set him right back on the title path. It’s a win-win for everybody and it would probably result in a “Fight of the Year” contender, so I hope it happens.
And that’s what I think, fans and friends.
Oliver Saenz, also known as PdW2kX, is a freelance journalist, opinion columnist, hardcore MMA fan, and lifelong video game nerd. For more news, views, previews and reviews on all things Mixed Martial Arts as well as video games, be sure to visit FightGamesBlog.net.
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