Let’s take a look at what could be next for Allen, along with the other standout winners on the night.

Brendan Allen

“All In” Allen’s last loss was back in 2021, and you’d have to go back six fights to get there. The 27-year-old has put on an incredibly impressive streak of performances, scoring a rear-naked-choke win in four of his last four fights, tying the longest active submission record.

There is no doubt that since that loss to Chris Curtis two years ago, the Louisiana product has improved leaps and bounds, and now finds himself ranked in the top 10 at 185lbs, above the aforementioned “Action Man”.

Allen is now in a position where he is knocking on the door of the top five, in a division that has seemingly been screaming out for new title contenders for the past few years. The submission artist has already shared the cage with the current champion, Sean Strickland, in which he was finished, but that was going back to 2020. Strickland will defend his title against Dricus Du Plessis, who you could say would be a favourable matchup for Allen and his grappling upside.

With the rest of the top five already being booked into fights, there is one name that stands out more than most for me, and that is, Marvin Vettori.

The Italian is seemingly struggling to find a fight and this one makes perfect sense. He is coming off a loss to Jared Cannonier and needs to defend his ranking.

Allen’s Next Fight: Marvin Vettori 

Michael Morales

When thinking of the most impressive prospects in the UFC, Michael Morales must be a name that comes very close to the top of the list.

The 24-year-old now boasts a professional record of 16-0, with four of those coming under the UFC banner. Jake Matthews proved to be his toughest outing thus far, but the Ecuadorian showed a different side to his style, and proved to be the better fighter over a technical three rounds.

That is now back-to-back wins over fighters with 15 or more UFC fights, providing the youngster with integral experience.

Despite being just 24-years-old, it seems as though Morales is ready for the next step in his UFC tenure. There are several fighters inside the top 15 who make sense for him moving forward.

Of course, when talking about welterweight prospects who are nearing the rankings, Neil Magny’s ears must run hot. “The Haitian Sensation” is already booked to fight Canadian prospect, Mike Malott though.

The occupant of rank 15 though, is someone Morales has been slated to fight previously but due to injury, he had to withdraw from the scheduled bout. Rinat Fakhretdinov could make a lot of sense again now, being as though he sits upon a ranking that Michael Morales could be coming for.

Morales’ Next Fight: Rinat Fakhretdinov  

Chase Hooper

“The Dream” Chase Hooper marked his second lightweight outing with another extremely impressive performance. In this one, he had to face some early adversity when he was rocked with some heavy Leavitt ground-and-pound. From there though, he was able to win the grappling exchanges, subsequently getting the first round sub.

Before the fight, Hooper told Cageside Press, that he wanted to enter the unofficial ‘best grappler in the lightweight division rankings’ and with the rear-naked-choke, he may have done exactly that.

With him looking increasingly more comfortable with each 155lb outing, the 24-year-old will likely want to take a little bit of time off as he and his wife expect a baby.

With that being Hooper’s 8th UFC fight despite only being 24-years-old, there is no reason to try and rush him up the rankings of the lightweight division.

Someone who I think could be a fun next matchup for Hooper, is Lando Vannata. Despite his recent skid, the losses have come to some of the higher echelon fighters in the division.

Hooper’s Next Fight: Lando Vannata

Payton Talbott

After a highly impressive performance on the Contender Series earlier this year, Talbott came into his UFC debut with a lot of eyes on him.

The 25-year-old didn’t disappoint as he put on another emphatic performance, submitting Nick Aguirre in the final round. It is going to very interesting to see Talbott’s UFC career unfold.

Selfishly I would love to see a fight between Payton Talbott and Da’Mon Blackshear, however that’s quite farfetched for Talbott’s second UFC outing. A fight that would be more realistic would be, Dan Argueta.

Talbott’s Next Fight: Dan Argueta

Amanda Ribas

The Brazilian striker bounced back from her loss to Maycee Barber, with a great third round KO over Luana Pinheiro, in her strawweight return.

Once again Ribas showed a full arsenal of striking, and began her final finishing sequence with a picture perfect spinning wheel kick, which wobbled and subsequently dropped Pinheiro.

With Ribas hoping for a resurgence at strawweight, there is female who is on her rise up the rankings, and sits just one spot behind Ribas. That is Loopy Godinez who has continued impressing. That is a fight I could see next.

Ribas’ Next Fight: Loopy Godinez

Myktybek Oralbai

Marking his UFC debut with a second round finish was, Myktybek Oralbai. The Kirghiz native had a slow round one against the powerful, Uros Medic, but was able to capitalise with his grappling advantage in round two.

There are plenty options for the 25-year-old, but one I’m keen on is, Ange Loosa.

Oralbai’s Next Fight: Ange Loosa

The post What’s Next: UFC Vegas 82 Winners appeared first on Cageside Press.

Paul Craig

Scottish submission savant Paul Craig got utterly stymied in his first main event opportunity, and his second middleweight fight in the UFC, when he ran into Brendan Allen. Craig still is ranked at 185-lbs and should fight another ranked middleweight with his 1-1 divisional record.

The only option ranked under him currently who is not booked is Anthony ‘Fluffy’ Hernandez. ‘Fluffy’ has a similar style to Brendan Allen in some ways; he can strikes but prefers to press forward, wrestle, and hunt a finish on the ground. Craig is more than willing to engage their due to his jiu-jitsu, but has been beaten there a few times now. To stay ranked he will need to prove he can grow as a fighter and overcome this hurdle.

Craig’s Next Fight: Anthony Hernandez

Jake Matthews

Matthews continued his recent streak of trading wins and losses when he lost by decision to undefeated prospect Michael Morales in UFC Vegas 82’s co-main event. The Australian has been a mainstay of the UFC welterweight division for a long time, building an impressive 12-7 record in the promotion. He has long put on exciting fights, making him a man consistently tapped for relatively big fights given his unranked status.

He will have to rebound from this loss, but the options are endless. Fighters like Max Griffin, Santiago Ponzinibbio, and Daniel Rodriguez have all lost two of their last three fights, just like Jake. All of these fighters could make for an exciting striking battle but also have well-rounded skills. Perhaps most sensible would be Max “Pain” Griffin, who also lost to Michael Morales in his last fight, putting him and Jake on a relatively even playing field in terms of their divisional position.

Matthews’ Next Fight: Max Griffin

Jordan Leavitt

Jordan ‘The Monkey King’ Leavitt chased a leg lock against submission specialist Chase Hooper, got his back taken, and got choked out to lose. He took it in good spirits as ever, made easier by his still-winning record in the UFC of 4-3. Leavitt could fight any number of athletes in the stacked lightweight waters.

Chilean fighter Ignacio Bahamondes has a similar record in the UFC of 3-2, but brings an entirely different style to the table with his electric kickboxing. That fight would be a true clash of styles and give one man back an upward trajectory in the division after both lost their last fight.

Leavitt’s Next Fight: Ignacio Bahamondes

Nick Aguirre

Aguirre had success early but ultimately lost to prospect Payton Talbott in his second of two UFC bouts. His back is against the wall now and he will need to win his next fight in order to keep his job with the promotion. He will be matched against a fellow inexperienced fighter again, many of whom just won contracts on the newest season of Dana White’s Contender Series.

Victor Hugo was meant to debut two weeks ago against Daniel Marcos but his weight miss caused the bout to be canceled. Marcos still needs to compete in his first UFC fight, and if he can get his weight in order then perhaps Aguirre would be a good opponent.

Aguirre’s Next Fight: Victor Hugo

Luana Pinheiro

Ninth-ranked strawweight Luana Pinheiro lost for the first time in the UFC to hard-nosed veteran Amanda Ribas. After comfortably winning the first round, Pinheiro lost all momentum as Ribas’ pace, pressure, and toughness wore her down until Amanda got the finish in the third. Pinheiro still has a future at strawweight, especially since the fight before this was a win over veteran contender Michelle Waterson-Gomez, but will probably need to dip her toes into the unranked waters before coming back to fighting ranked foes.

Two unranked strawweights on two-fight UFC winning streaks are Loma Lookboonmee and Viktoria Dudakova. Lookboonmee is a Muay Thai specialist who is developing a well-rounded skillset and got her first career submission in her last fight. Dudakova is undefeated at 8-0, two fights into her UFC contract. With under ten fights, perhaps it would be better to build Viktoria up slower and give Lookboonmee the opportunity to fight for a ranked spot against Pinheiro.

Pinheiro’s Next Fight: Loma Lookboonmee

Uroš Medić

Uroš Medić’s two-fight winning streak was snapped as he lost for the first time in his new division, welterweight, against short notice debutant Myktybek Orolbai Uulu. Medić old weakness to grappling got exposed as the Kygystani fighter took him down and submitted the Serb in the second round.

Medić’s fight before this one still proved he can be a force in the division as he beat the more experienced and strongly favored Matt Semelsberger in an all-out war. Uroš has shown to be all-action, just like fellow welterweight Li Jingliang, who would make a perfect opponent for his next fight coming off of his loss to Daniel Rodriguez. No matter what card it appears on, that fight would be a surefire ‘Fight of the Night’ shortlist member.

Medić’s Next Fight: Li Jingliang

The post What’s Next: UFC Vegas 82 Losers appeared first on Cageside Press.

Will Pettis continue his reign at the top? 👊

Bantamweight champ @sergiopettis has been unstoppable under the #Bellator banner. He now faces the challenge of interim-champ @TeamMixMMA! #Bellator301 | Friday, 9pm ET / 6pm PT | @SHOsports 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/f0x9bunyza

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) November 15, 2023

Earlier this year, Sergio Pettis reminded everyone of who he was in the shark tank of the bantamweight division.  Coming off an injury that required a year long layoff that kept him out of the Grand Prix, Pettis returned to action earlier this year and was able to stave off the celebrated longtime featherweight champion Patricio “Pitbull” Freire.  It was a seminal moment; Pettis spoiled Freire’s hopes of being a three division champion and in doing so reintroduced himself to the masses who in 2023 have been spoiled by amazing performances from bantamweights worldwide.

When Pettis entered the UFC at 20 years-old in 2013 with an undefeated record of 9-0, he was a top prospect whom many had their eye on after his celebrated older brother had soared to great heights in the sport.  After knocking on the door of title contention at flyweight, Pettis moved up to bantamweight and took the more immediate opportunities in Bellator in 2020.  It is a move that has panned out well as he added Pitbull to a resume that also boasts former UFC champion Brandon Moreno, former Bellator champions Juan Archuleta and Kyoji Horiguchi, and more.  Ahead of what could be the final Bellator event (or at least the iteration as we know it,) Pettis has an opportunity to further cement himself as the top bantamweight in the world outside of the UFC and be the centerpiece of the weight class in a new home.

Mix is coming for bantamweight gold! 🔥

Will interim-champion @TeamMixMMA dethrone @sergiopettis to become #Bellator's undisputed bantamweight king?

Find out NEXT FRIDAY live on @SHOsports 👊 #Bellator301 pic.twitter.com/6oPV1btvxi

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) November 8, 2023

But as respected as Pettis is, the man who could take it all from him is Patchy Mix.  Mix is in the midst of a Fighter of the Year campaign of his own after stopping the surging champion Raufeon Stots in the finals of the Grand Prix with a first round jumping knee.  The moment was a beautiful culmination of a professional career that began back in 2016 where he began tearing through the regional scene in King of the Cage and has seen Mix taste defeat only once 19 fights.  Besides the victory over Stots, Mix had also bested Magomed Magomedov, fellow prospects James Gallagher and Ricky Bandejas, and UFC veteran Albert Morales under the Bellator banner.

Friday night could be a triumphant end to one chapter and the beginning of an epic new one for Mix.  He is the one who rides more momentum behind the fashion in which he won the Grand Prix and his level of activity beforehand.  If the PFL does indeed absorb Bellator next year, then the addition of the bantamweight division is expected to be among the first of many new changes.  Should that happen and Mix be the one who is victorious, then it would be he and not Pettis whom the promotion builds the division around.  Of course, that is even assuming things get that far.  With so much uncertainty, it’s completely possible that Mix’s (or anyone else’s for that matter) contract would be dissolved and the UFC, ONE, or any other promotion could also vie for their services in free agency.

Only ONE can be UNDISPUTED! 🙌

Bantamweight champ @sergiopettis and Grand Prix winner @TeamMixMMA collide tomorrow night at the @WintrustArena. Who you got?#Bellator301 | Friday, 9pm ET / 6pm PT | @SHOsports 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/FqzTtF1rtv

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) November 16, 2023

Exactly where anyone goes from here in Bellator is anyone’s guess and an answer is unlikely to be provided on Friday night.  However, what is certain is that Pettis and Mix are expected to fight in 2024 and the rights to their next fights will be a huge prize for the company that gets to promote their fights.

The post Bellator 301: Pettis and Mix Collide with Big Implications for the Future appeared first on Cageside Press.

Let’s take a look at what could be next for the winners on the night.

Alex Pereira

The former UFC middleweight champion, Alex Pereira, had already broken history before his win at UFC 295, as he was the first fighter to headline twice at MSG.

The performance that followed exemplified how much of a star the 36-year-old has become for the promotion. Following the impressive second round knockout of the returning Prochazka, the newly crowned champion had a short but poignant message for long time rival, Israel Adesanya.

In his Octagon interview, Pereira said: “Adesanya, come to daddy.”. If Adesanya hadn’t had recently lost his middleweight title, that fight would be all but guaranteed to happen at light heavyweight. Dana White also mentioned in the post fight press conference that he won’t say no to the idea, but would ideally want Adesanya to pick up a win in the division first.

Undoubtedly, Jamahal Hill will be next for the Brazilian. Hill feels hard done by that he is no longer the champion, and has claimed that the neither Pereira or Prochazka are on his level regardless.

Hill will return from his severe injury, and will have the Pereira puzzle to try and crack.

Pereira’s Next Fight: Jamahal Hill

Tom Aspinall

Tom Aspinall made history by becoming the first British born fighter to win a UFC title. Of course, Michael Bisping and Leon Edwards have both won gold before, but neither of which were born in the UK.

Following his remarkable first round knockout over Sergei Pavlovich, Aspinall revealed that a day after he was offered the short notice fight, he pulled his back which prevented him from training for the two weeks he did have.

That didn’t make a single bit of difference though, as the 30-year-old still looked incredibly fast and powerful.

Aspinall has made it clear on multiple occasions that his dream fight is Jon Jones, and he now finds himself one step away from that dream. However, it is still highly unlikely that Jon Jones sticks around to fight another contender after his fight with Stipe Miocic, depending on how that goes down.

The new interim heavyweight champion has also said that he doesn’t want to wait a whole year before he fights again, and will likely defend his interim title before Jones’ return. The Frenchman, Ciryl Gane has called for a fight with Aspinall, but the Englishmen shrugged that off mentioning how he called for a fight with Gane after his win in Paris, but Gane turned him down.

Realistically, if Aspinall is to take another fight in the first quarter of next year, there aren’t many contenders.

Aspinall’s Next Fight: Ciryl Gane

Jessica Andrade

“Bate Estaca” finally snapped her losing skid finishing Mackenzie Dern in round two, following an impressive striking clinic.

This fight marked Andrade’s fifth of the year, something no other female fighter has done. After an insanely active 2023, I think Andrade should take a six month hiatus to see how the strawweight division unfolds.

Depending on whether the UFC decides to give her another upcoming talent or if they give her a more favourable matchup, there are several options for the former champion.

Andrade’s Next Fight: Winner of Amanda Ribas vs Luan Pinheiro

Benoit Saint-Denis

“God of War” continues to become a European star for the UFC, and his picture perfect knockout win over Matt Frevola will only increase his star power.

The 27-year-old is now on a five fight finish streak, and since losing in his UFC debut back in 2021, has gone unbeaten. With the UFC seemingly making an annual visit to Paris, there is no doubt that the Frenchman could headline an event in the capital and blow the roof off the Accor Arena.

With Saint-Denis likely debuting in the rankings come this weeks rankings change, fans have been fantasizing over a matchup between Saint-Denis and Mateusz Gamrot. However, that matchup is unlikely considering “Gamer” weighed in as a backup for the UFC 294 lightweight title fight main event.

A more realistic next fight for Benoit, would be the winner of the upcoming fight between Dan Hooker and Bobby Green.

Saint-Denis’ Next Fight: Winner of Dan Hooker vs Bobby Green

Diego Lopes

Speaking of becoming a star, Diego Lopes once again showed why he is a future contender in the featherweight division.

After making his short notice UFC debut against the talented Movsar Evloev, Lopes went on to win his following two fights, not seeing a second round in either. Pairing his fight style with his enigmatic personality, the UFC are likely going to start pushing the Brazilian up the rankings.

There is one fight that makes a tonne of sense for him next, and it will really show where he fits in, in the featherweight picture. Bryce “ThugNasty” Mitchell should be next for the 28-year-old, in a fight that would provide everything.

Lopes’ Next Fight: Bryce Mitchell

The post What’s Next: UFC 295 Winners appeared first on Cageside Press.

Jiří Procházka

The Czech Samurai, Jiří Procházka, found some success but was ultimately knocked out by Alex Pereira at UFC 295. The former champ is still in title contention after his loss, but now has to get a win or two before earning another shot. There are a few notable fights in the division that will factor into who Jiří’s next opponent is: Blachowicz vs Rakic 2, Pereira vs Hill for the belt, and a likely re-booking of Ankalaev vs Walker after their recent no-contest.

The best option may be the winner of that Blachowicz vs Rakic fight. Both men are coming off of losses so one win will not be enough to get them a title shot again, but whoever gets back on track could face Procházka in a number one contender’s fight.

Prochazka’s Next Fight: Winner of Blachowicz/Rakic 2

Sergei Pavlovich

The heavyweight title fight between Tom Aspinall and Sergei Pavlovich ended in a first round knockout, to no one’s surprise, and this time it was Pavlovich who got separated from consciousness, ending the longest first round knockout streak in UFC history.

Pavlovich is still a top heavyweight contender and most of his peers are not currently booked, so options are plentiful. The most logical opponents would someone Sergei has not already fought, like Ciryl Gane, Jailton Almeida, or Alexander Volkov. Of those, Gane makes the most sense, as he brings elite striking to the table just like Pavlovich, but with a much different style. The slick point-kickboxer vs the brutal knockout artist would be a highly entertaining stylistic clash.

Pavlovich’s Next Fight: Ciryl Gane

Mackenzie Dern

Brazilian jiu-jitsu artist Mackenzie Dern lost by finish for the first time in her MMA career as former champion and fifth-ranked strawweight Jessica Andrade knocked her down four times before the referee called the fight. Dern has now traded wins and losses for her last five fights and will drop a bit in the rankings from her spot at number seven.

With Lupita Godinez winning her fight on UFC 295 in the same division, she is deserving of a fight against a higher-ranked opponent while Dern will have to fight down. ‘Loopy’ has won four straight fights and looks like a potential title challenger one day, but she will have to get past Dern to prove she belongs in the top ten.

Dern’s Next Fight: Lupita Godinez

Matt Frevola

Matt ‘Steamrolla’ Frevola is a fighter that lives by the sword and dies by the sword. His streak of fights ending in first round knockouts extended to five on Saturday, but unlike the last three, this time he was the one laid out on the canvas. Benoit St. Denis came into enemy territory and got the job done, stealing Frevola’s top-15 lightweight ranking in the process.

The Steamrolla remains a top-tier action fighter in a division full of fun foes, so there is a bevy of options out there for him. Another fight between contending lightweights goes down soon at UFC Austin as Bobby Green takes on Dan Hooker in a strikers’ delight. The winner of that fight will be too high-ranked for Frevola, but the loser would make perfect sense.

Frevola’s Next Fight: Loser of Green/Hooker

Pat Sabatini

The battle between grappling aces Pat Sabatini and Diego Lopes ended without a single takedown landed by either party. Instead, Diego Lopes showed his striking prowess as he dropped and finished the American wrestler with his hands. Sabatini is now 5-2 in the UFC, a respectable record, but will need a step down in competition next as he attempts to bounce back.

There are a few featherweight fights coming up between fighters with a similar status in the division currently: Joanderson Brito vs Jonathan Pearce and Charles Jourdain vs Sean Woodson. Brito vs Pearce takes place this week, putting the loser of that fight on a good timetable to fight Sabatini in early 2023, barring injury.

Sabatini’s Next Fight: Loser of Brito/Pearce

The post What’s Next: UFC 295 Losers appeared first on Cageside Press.

With the loss of Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic, the night’s originally planned co-main event had been bumped up to headliner as Jiri Prochazka looked to reclaim his old light heavyweight title. A nasty shoulder injury had forced the Czech star and modern day Samurai to vacate the belt; he was returning to action for the first time in well over a year.

Opposite the returning ex-champ was another former UFC champion, Alex Pereira. After losing his middleweight title back to Israel Adesanya, Pereira had pulled the trigger on a move to light heavyweight, and defeated Jan Blachowicz to earn a shot at gold in a second weight class.

The night’s co-main event, meanwhile, saw Sergei Pavlovich face Tom Aspinall with interim gold on the line. The winner might be waiting a while for Jones vs. Miocic to play out, but they’d essentially have a golden ticket in hand.

Our picks for UFC 295 are in! Here’s how we see the main card playing out on Saturday night!

Writer / Fight	Lopes vs. Sabatini	Frevola vs. Saint-Denis	Andrade vs. Dern	Pavlovich vs. Aspinall	Prochazka vs. Pereira
Jamie Theodosi (119-71)
Alex Behunin (122-74)
Val Dewar (120-73)
Chris Prawdzik (123-75)
Jay Anderson (111-91)
Cade Morehouse (62-49)
Dylan Rush (97-89)
Eddie Law (92-97)

Somewhat surprisingly, there wasn’t a unanimous selection in the bunch among our writers. The closest thing to a lock turned out to be Diego Lopes, with all but one writer picking him to get the win over Pat Sabatini.

That said, a number of other fights were considerably one sided in the opinion of our staff. Among them, the night’s main event, where it seems many have taken Jiri Prochazka’s long layoff and serious injury to heart. Only two writers responding selected the Czech to reclaim gold. A similar margin, perhaps even more surprisingly, picked against Sergei Pavlovich in the co-main event, instead siding with England’s Tom Aspinall.

The bulk of our staff also sided with local star Matt Frevola against Benoit Saint-Denis, while Jessica Andrade vs. Mackenzie Dern was the closest call, favoring Dern 5-3.

The post UFC 295: Prochazka vs. Pereira Main Card Staff Picks appeared first on Cageside Press.

Jon Jones will go down in history as one of the most dominant talents the sport of mixed martial arts has ever seen.  But with respect to his body of work, the man at the top of the summit in the heavyweight division is likely to be the winner of the UFC 295 co-main event this Saturday.

His hands are lethal and he's coming for the Interim Heavyweight belt this Saturday! 👊@SPavlovich13 is looking to add another knockout to his resume at #UFC295 pic.twitter.com/7WViO15RPA

— UFC (@ufc) November 8, 2023

The 31 year-old Sergei Pavlovich has given everything a fan can ask for over the past several years.  The Russian native went a perfect 12-0, winning and defending the Fight Nights Global title in his home country, before he was signed to the UFC at just 26 years-old.  The next big thing, quite literally though we didn’t know it yet, was given no gift in being assigned to face the former K1, Strikeforce, and DREAM kickboxing champion Alistair Overeem.  To date, the fight is the only loss for Pavlovich as the more established veteran was able to return to the win-column in a bout that Pavlovich admitted he did not perform up to par.

Since then, the Russian powerhouse has needed less than five minutes in his next six consecutive bouts to stop his opponents.  Reading like a murderer’s row of sluggers, Pavlovich has added names such as all-time UFC knockout leader Derrick Lewis, Tai Tuivasa, Shamil Abdurakhimov, Maurice Greene, and most recently perennial title threat Curtis Blaydes.  Along the way, Pavlovich has earned the respect and admiration of the UFC brass and fans alike.  Earlier this year, he was the backup fighter assigned to the vacant title fight between Jones and Ciryl Gane and was going to be the backup fighter again prior to both Jones and Stipe Miocic being removed from the card.  While a UFC title has not been added to his resume yet, it’s difficult to deny that Pavlovich has not established himself as the best performing heavyweight of today.

The last time he was in the Octagon he finished his opponent in just over a minute 👊@AspinallMMA is back this Saturday at #UFC295 and is looking for another show stopping finish! pic.twitter.com/cimNhAxmvz

— UFC (@ufc) November 8, 2023

Similar things could be said of the newest face of UK MMA: Tom Aspinall.  A noticeable notch more reserved than his mentor Michael Bisping, Aspinall is the latest Englishman to take the torch from “The Count” as a next generation star for the UK that the UFC believes could help anchor events overseas.  He has done just that in the past two years; the UFC’s belief in Aspinall is such that he has been the main event for three straight events at London’s O2 Arena.  It has been well earned, he has needed a little less time in the cage than Pavlovich to record victories over veterans such as Alexander Volkov, Serghei Spivac, and Jake Collier.  The 30 year-old is a highly regarded prospect who has his home country behind him, but he could cross the threshold to bonafide superstardom with a seminal victory over the vaunted Pavlovich.

While Aspinall’s star may be higher considering the fan reception to his events (his headliner last March was considered the top event of 2022), he is the one who has been dealt the more difficult hand.  The Englishman suffered a brutal knee injury last year that sidelined him nearly twelve months.  While he bounced back in superb fashion against Marcin Tybura in July, he is the one who has had the least amount of time to prepare.  While Pavlovich was training to be a potential backup, Aspinall was scheduled to simply enjoy the show when he received the call a little less than three weeks ago to fight for the interim title.  Should he leave Madison Square Garden with a victory, it would be a huge moment for not only himself but also for the sport in the UK to bring another UFC title back to the country.

Budding stars collide for the Interim HW title in our co main event 🏆@SPavlovich13 vs @AspinallMMA#UFC295 | SATURDAY | Live on ESPN+ PPV pic.twitter.com/NprRURVMaC

— UFC (@ufc) November 10, 2023

It is expected that the winner will wait to see if they can entice undisputed champion Jon Jones into a unification bout, despite Dana White’s comments that Jones will still face Stipe Miocic upon his return.  If the Jones fight doesn’t materialize for the winner, then the surging Jailton Almeida stands out as a possible opponent as does former interim champion Ciryl Gane.  While Pavlovich or Aspinall will have the word interim attached to their championship title, the body of work they have provided are more than a fair argument that the winner deserves to call themselves the best heavyweight in the UFC.  2024 will be about them putting a stranglehold on such a moniker.

The post UFC 295: Pavlovich vs Aspinall to Crown the Best Heavyweight? appeared first on Cageside Press.

Looking to regain the LHW throne Saturday night 🏆@Jiri_BJP will make the final walk of the night at #UFC295 pic.twitter.com/Av4ShOmpEU

— UFC (@ufc) November 8, 2023

The last time we saw Jiri Prochazka, he had just recorded a seminal triumph to win the light-heavyweight title.  After a back-and-forth war for the ages, Prochazka finally outlasted champion Glover Teixeira to secure a fifth round submission; a result most specifically did not expect from him.  In doing so, Prochazka completed his journey from regional shows in the Czech Republic, to claiming gold in Japan under the RIZIN banner, to finally winning the UFC title in just his third bout inside the Octagon.  If the western audience was unfamiliar with him, then he quickly became the new favorite fighter of many fans as they found his resume not only included Teixeira but also the likes of former title challengers Dominick Reyes, Volkan Oezdemir, reigning Bellator champion Vadim Nemkov, and more.

Misfortune would ruin his plans as a shoulder injury that UFC President Dana White said was the “worst (UFC) doctors had ever seen” pulled him from his first title defense, sidelined him for eleven months and lead him to vacate the belt.  While Prochazka was hopeful for a quick return, the hope of the public is that the extended layoff has allowed him to rehabilitate his injury to the point that he will be close to the version we have become familiar with over the past several years.  If he is, then he presents an even more deadly challenge for his opponent at UFC 295 on Saturday.  If he still remains a ways off that mark, then it could make the fight a much more competitive bout.

The power of Poatan is DIFFERENT 🏹@AlexPereiraUFC is fighting for the Light Heavyweight Title this Saturday at #UFC295 pic.twitter.com/5gVUAZX2Xv

— UFC (@ufc) November 8, 2023

For Alex Pereira, the move up to 205 pounds has presented a fresh landscape ripe with new opportunities.  His popularity has skyrocketed since stopping former middleweight champion Israel Adesanya last year.  Now at light-heavyweight, he is able to explore and compete without being tied to “The Last Stylebender” at every turn.  It was apparent earlier this July as he returned to the win-column with a victory over former champion Jan Blachowicz.  It was a key victory in his development as it saw the former kickboxing champion exercise his defensive grappling and test his power against a bigger and stronger opponent than he was used to in MMA.

If there was a knock on Pereira’s performance in July, it was that it appeared his vaunted power did not follow him up to his new weight class.  Following stoppages of current champion Sean Strickland and Adesanya, fans began to expect the engine of destruction every time out.  While he had moments where he pummeled Blachowicz in July, the touch of death he seemingly possessed at middleweight did not show itself.  That could prove to be an important factor; Pereira is not known for being a high volume striker who darts in and out with great speed.  If he finds himself in a firefight on Saturday, he will have less of a margin for error if he is to outgun his opponent for the victory.

Intensity at an all time high for this LHW title fight 🏆🗽@Jiri_BJP vs @AlexPereiraUFC#UFC295 | SATURDAY | Live on ESPN+ PPV pic.twitter.com/s7x7EroCXT

— UFC (@ufc) November 10, 2023

The necessities of the UFC schedule will determine what the winner does next.  While the ideal situation would be to see the winner fight Jamahal Hill upon his return, “Sweet Dreams” is expected to take as much time as necessary to return in peak form.  Should Hill not be ready and the UFC needs the light-heavyweight title to headline a card, then it’s possible the winner fights another top contender such as Magomed Ankalaev or Johnny Walker.

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As well as that, midway through the event, fans were notified of another fight cancellation as Rodolfo Vieira versus Armen Petroysan fell on the final hour.

Let’s take a look at what could be next for the winners on the night.

Jailton Almeida

Originally slated to take on Curtis Blaydes, “Malhadinho” was dealt a late change of opponent a few weeks prior to his date in the Octagon. Fortunately for him, Derrick Lewis put his name in the hat and spared the event of losing a home country as the main event billing.

Despite Almeida dominating for five rounds and winning the fight on a decision, it’s a performance that has left a lot of fans scratching their heads. The Brazilian accumulated over 21 minutes of control time, but at no point did he look to advance to finish the fight. Throughout the five rounds, the 32-year-old landed just 38 significant strikes to the submissive Lewis.

Because of his performance, I find it unlikely that the UFC is going to scramble to turn him around rapidly, and they will likely assess their options for Almeida tentatively.

Almeida called for a fight with Ciryl Gane next, but Gane went on record after his win over Spivac, saying he only wants a fight with someone ahead of him in the rankings. Of course that may be wishful thinking, but it is unlikely that he accepts a fight with a grappling specialist who is multiple ranks below him.

That brings me back to Curtis Blaydes. Originally this was set to be an extremely intriguing affair, and was a relatively big step-up for Almeida. I say rebook that fight for when Blaydes is healthy and see if “Malhadinho” can impress the masses with a performance over “Razor” Blaydes.

Almeida’s Next Fight: Curtis Blaydes

Nicolas Dalby

The Dane, Dalby, pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the year, finishing the high flying Gabriel Bonfim in the third round of their welterweight bout.

With that, the 38-year-old extended his win streak to four, taking out some solid opponents on his way. Unfortunately for “Danish Dynamite”, the turn of form in his career has likely come too late for him to emerge into the rankings. Having said that, there are still a multitude of fun fights for the energiser.

Someone who is in a similar position of sorts, is Gunnar Nelson. That to me, sounds like it could be fun.

Dalby’s Next Fight: Gunnar Nelson 

Rodrigo Nascimento

Extending his win streak to three, Rodrigo Nascimento dominated Don’Tale Mayes, picking up a unanimous decision victory. The fight came as a rematch that really didn’t need to be made, but Nascimento put a stamp on the dull ‘rivalry’.

The Brazilians prior two wins came by way of split decision, but fortunately for him and the home crowd, this time it was more cut and dry.

Next for Nascimento, I could see the UFC matching him up with someone like Alexander Romanov or Blagoy Ivanov, to see if he can push to the next stage.

Nascimento’s Next Fight: Alexander Romanov

Caio Borralho

The enigmatic, Borralho, continued his unbeaten UFC run with an impressive win over the dangerous, Abus Magomedov.

With the Brazilian chaining together impressive performances, I wouldn’t be surprised if they started edging him towards the top 15 of the middleweight division. Optimistically after the fight, the 30-year-old called for a fight with Dricus Du Plessis, who has now been confirmed as Sean Strickland’s next opponent, booked for UFC 297.

It would make far more sense for Borralho’s next fight to be against someone like Nassourdine Imavov or Chris Curtis. Take your pick on which one. I am going to go with Nassourdine Imavov.

Borralho’s Next Fight: Nassourdine Imavov

Elves Brenner

Topping off a perfect 2023, Elves Brenner scored a picture perfect left hook knockout, finishing the debuting, Kaynan Kruschewsky.

It is unlikely we see the 26-year-old before the end of the year, unless he decides to step in on late notice against another lightweight. Originally, Brenner was scheduled to take on Esteban Ribovics, but the Argentinian pulled out of the bout late notice, leaving the UFC to book this catchweight bout.

If the UFC opt against re-booking Brenner and Ribovics, I wouldn’t mind seeing Brenner against someone like Thiago Moises.

Brenner’s Next Fight: Thiago Moises

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Derrick Lewis

‘The Black Beast’ could not get anything going in the UFC Sao Paolo main event, a fight he took on short notice, as Brazilian grappling ace Jailton Almeida took him down and controlled him for the majority of every round en route to the largest control time total in UFC heavyweight history. Lewis is now 1-4 in his last five; he lost to each top ten heavyweight fighter he has faced.

Still, his win over Marcos Rogerio de Lima proved he still has some gas in the tank, but his losses show he is no longer a top contender. Lewis should be facing fighters outside the top ten or even top fifteen now. One such athlete, who shares a litany of similarities with Derrick, is Jairzinho Rozenstruik. Rozenstruik is a knockout artist with a weakness to grappling; if Lewis faced him then it would surely be a stand-up affair which would please fans.

Lewis’ Next Fight: Jairzinho Rozenstruik

Gabriel Bonfim

A budding star was brought back down to Earth in the UFC Sao Paolo co-main event as Gabriel Bonfim could not stand up to the insane pace and pressure of Nicholas Dalby, as the Dane weaponized his cardio to gas out Bonfim and win by second round knockout. Bonfim had never lost in his career until running into Dalby and had finished both of his UFC fights in the first round.

Gabriel still has potential to be a good fighter in the UFC welterweight division at only 26 years old, but the path to get to the top will now have to be more circuitous. The welterweight division is deep, so there are many options for his next fight. He could face a more inexperienced test like Adam Fugitt, which would give Bonfim a chance to prove he still has the same dynamism he showed in the past.

Bonfim’s Next Fight: Adam Fugitt

Don’Tale Mayes

Don’Tale Mayes took on Rodrigo Nascimiento in a rematch of dubious necessity at UFC Sao Paolo and once again lost, this time by decision rather than submission. Mayes is now 3-4 (1 NC) in the UFC which puts him in the middle of the pack at heavyweight and makes him eligible to face just about anyone unranked next. In the past, Don’Tale was meant to face Justin Tafa before the fight was canceled. That fight is as good as any for Mayes, as the two strikers would likely meet in the center of the cage and throw down.

Mayes’ Next Fight: Justin Tafa

Abus Magomedov

Abusipuyan Magomedov lost with a lackluster performance once again as he got slightly outpaced over three rounds by Caio Borralho at middleweight. Abus was thought of as a great talent when he came into the UFC and won his debut in a matter of seconds, but he has seen a fall from grace in his two fights since. He needs a win to put him back on track.

Another middleweight who won recently in the UFC is Sedriques Dumas, who is now 2-1 in the promotion. Their timelines for returning would seem to match up and Dumas, while talented, is not yet on the same level as Sean Strickland and Borralho, giving Abus a chance to bounce back.

Magomedov’s Next Fight: Sedriques Dumas

Kaynan Kruschewsky

SerraLongo MMA’s Kaynan Kruschewsky had a tough task when he was given Elves Brener on short notice for his UFC debut after earning a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series. Kruschewsky was put on Brener’s highlight reel when he was knocked out in the first round, which he would have liked to avoid but is no shame when one considers the high potential of Brener.

A more appropriate fight for Kruschewsky next would be a fellow DWCS veteran looking for their first UFC win, like Marquel Mederos. Mederos won his UFC contract with a first round finish on the show in season seven, just like Kruschewsky.

Kruschewsky’s Next Fight: Marquel Mederos

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