UFC on Fuel 7 was the most well-developed card that the Ultimate Fighting Championship has put together since bringing their show to the smaller Fox platform. With a major title bout and bouts featuring a few other competitors looking to move their way towards tougher opponents; this was the type of card that should provide the model for cards on Fox’s free televised platforms going forward. Looking at the winners from the event, here are some bout suggestions to continue pushing their careers:
Renan Pegado vs. Eddie Wineland
The fighter known as “Barao” continued the streak that many consider to be the longest in MMA when he stopped Michael McDonald in the fourth round of their fight. The Brazilian fighter has now cemented himself at the top of the bantamweight division with Dominick Cruz on the shelf for an extended period of time. He should defend his interim itle against Eddie Wineland, who has looked stellar in his last two bouts.
This would be a bout made mostly out of the fact that the weight class has become devoid of title contenders. It would be interesting to see Wineland’s movement and improved striking against Barao, whose movement is also very good at this point in his career. Creating this bout would keep the 135-pound division active until there is a better understanding of how long Cruz will be on the sidelines.
Cub Swanson has continued surging in the featherweight division, putting together four straight wins in a little more than a year. His win against Dustin Poirier may be the most important of his current run and could help vault him into the top ten. To see if he belongs within the group, the UFC should match Swanson against the man he was originally supposed to face in Denis Siver.
Siver pulled out of the bout for undisclosed reasons, but if he is capable of fighting in the coming months, this is the fight to make. Siver has looked impressive in his move down to 145 and has been ranked among the top fighters in the weight class by many different ranking organizations. His striking skills would be a tough test for Swanson, who uses a straight forward style. Siver’s attacks come from a variety of different angles and ranges, so Swanson would have to change up his approach in order to be able to defeat the German powerhouse.
Gunnar Nelson’s arrival to the UFC has been talked about for some time, and he’s been solid since that debut. However, his win over Jorge Santiago demonstrated that it’s not the time to anoint Gunnar as a true contender in the weight class yet. Placing him in a bout against Mike Pierce would be a true measure of his abilities.
Mike Pierce has become one of the fighters on the UFC roster that people do not want to fight. He’s taken both Johny Hendricks and Josh Koscheck to the wire in bouts that some people believe he actually won. He’s a threat to get an upset victory any time he steps into the cage as the underdog, and this would be a similar situation. Nelson’s grappling against Pierce’s wrestling would be an interesting struggle of styles that may not present an exciting fight on paper, but could go a long way towards showing how well Nelson rates in the weight class.
James Te Huna vs. Forrest Griffin
Te Huna has quietly put together a four-fight win streak since losing to Alexander Gustafsson back in 2011. The heavy-handed striker has continued to improve from fight to fight, and the last two bouts pushed him to the full 15 minute time limits. While it’s a stretch to say that James is ready to face the top tier of the light heavyweight division, matching him against Forrest Griffin gives him the opportunity to showcase his skills and break into that group.
Since losing the strap to Rashad Evans in 2008, Forrest’s in-cage career has taken a downward turn. While he is 3-2 since that bout, he hasn’t had a quality win against a truly dangerous or relevant opponent. A bout against Te Huna would show whether he’s truly able to be a factor and not just a gatekeeper in the division, or if the former Ultimate Fighter winner is truly on his way out of active competition.
Perhaps the least known member of Team Alpha Male, Danny Castillo has nevertheless stayed relevant in the lightweight division by putting together a 5-2 record while fighting in the Octagon. His victory over Paul Sass has been his most relevant to date, and could be that breakthrough win which pushes him towards the 10-15 rankings in the weight class. To see if he is truly elite within the weight class, placing him in a bout against TJ Grant would be a solid move.
Grant has been stellar since moving down to 155, putting together a four-fight winning streak. His recent win against Matt Wiman at UFC on Fox 6 has him scratching the top ten in the weight class, and securing a victory against Castillo would prove that he belongs among that group. Putting these two together would truly determine who deserves a place within the top ten, and a chance to face the best that the lightweight division has to offer.
Pulling out a win in the UFC is becoming that much more important as the organization continues to grow and put together more shows in different countries and platforms. These winners from UFC on Fuel 7 should have captivating fights such as these to look forward to in 2013, as they continue to climb their respective divisional ladders.
UFC on FUEL TV 7: Barao vs. McDonald took place on February 16, 2013 at Wembley Arena in London, UK.
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