Fights To Make After UFC On Fox 4

By Raphael Garcia

UFC on Fox 4 was the kind of card that the Ultimate Fighting Championship had been waiting for since their partnership with the network was first announced. As with many UFC cards in the past, where the events that are normally less anticipated deliver big moments and exciting fights, this event may have been overlooked by hardcore fans and online media, but with multiple knockouts and submissions on both the main and preliminary cards, the show still gave us something to cheer about. Going forward it will be interesting to see what the UFC does with these athletes in future fights, but here are a few suggestions.

Lyoto Machida vs. Mauricio Rua 

Last week UFC President Dana White announced that the winners of the co-main event and main event matchups on this card would both be in consideration for being named the next contender for the light heavyweight crown, but that the title shot would be awarded to whomever was “most impressive.” While both Rua and Machida finished off their opponents in spectacular fashion, that shouldn’t be enough to place either of them at the top of the ladder, with a chance to face a champion who finished them both. Although Dana White announced that Machida was to be granted the title shot, they should instead be matched up against each other as the co-main or main event for another Fox event. This would be a great way for the UFC to continue pushing its brand while putting together an exciting fight for free television.

Machida and Rua still have the storyline of their 2010 – 2011 rivalry, which saw both fighters take a victories over the other. That buildup writes itself as a way to promote this fight to the fans. Both of their previous bouts were exciting, as one was 25 minutes of action and drama, and the other ended by vicious knockout. Though both fighters seem to be in different periods of their respective careers, this is the type of match that could be just as beneficial for business purposes as it is to determining true contendership status.

Joe Lauzon vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov 

Joe Lauzon impressed a number of people with his ability to hang in the later rounds of a back and forth contest. His cardio issues have hindered him in the past, but now it seems that he is past those woes at this point in his career. He was able to stop Jamie Varner with a third round triangle choke, and add another notch on his impressive submission resume. However, before he is brought back into the conversation as a lightweight contender, he should face off against a relative newcomer to the UFC’s lightweight division, in Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Khabib showed an impressive gas tank and a willingness to push his opponent when he faced Gleison Tibau back at UFC 148. That pace is what brought him his second victory in the Octagon. Lauzon would be a great test for Khabib because he has the experience in the cage to attack in a variety of ways. Lauzon is a very underrated striker who can land a lot of strong strikes before finishing his opponents on the ground, and we are all very aware of his grappling abilities. This is the type of matchup that should be created to either add an impressive win to a surging Lauzon or push the undefeated Nurmagomedov from newcomer to top 15 status.

Mike Swick vs. Thiago Alves

It’s rare that we see fighters overcome “Octagon Rust,” but after a 2-year hiatus from competition, not only did Swick do so, he blew it away. In the second round he showed that while he has been away from the cage, he has still been working on his hands. The knockout win over DeMarques Johnson brought a sigh of relief to the AKA fighter, who can now move forward. A matchup with another welterweight striker in Thiago Alves is the type of fight that both guys need.

Alves-Swick would be another type of contest that would benefit both of the fighters, as well as the UFC as a whole, if it were placed on free television. With two high level strikers who do not run from the idea of exchanging in the pocket, this is the type of contest that could create a highlight reel finish. Careerwise, Swick and Alves are both in need of solid victories to prove that they are not afterthoughts at 170. The level of technical striking that both of these competitors would bring to the cage would make this contest truly intriguing, and the outcome of this fight would determine whether either one of them is ready to return to the upper echelon of the division.

UFC matchmakers walked away from UFC on Fox 4 with some idea of which fights to place these individuals into. However, as the fighters work to continue to build their resumes and build towards potential title shots, these suggestions should be taken into consideration as well.