Fight Fixin’ is a fantasy matchmaking article that comes out after every major event and features possible matchups for main card winners and/or losers from the previous event.
Ronda Rousey
Ronda Rousey proved to all her doubters that she is the #1
female fighter in the world by overcoming adversity to submit Liz Carmouche in
the main event of UFC 157. It was Rousey’s first title defence since being
crowned the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion, but it won’t be her last.
For her next challenge, Rousey should fight the winner of the
upcoming matchup between Miesha Tate and Cat Zingano, which takes place this
April at the Ultimate Fighter 17 Finale. These two women are incredible
fighters with fantastic records who deserve a chance to fight for the gold, and
since the timing matches up well, I’m pretty sure this is what the UFC’s plan
is.
Fight to make: Ronda Rousey vs. Miesha Tate/Cat Zingano winner
Lyoto Machida
Lyoto Machida used his trademark elusive style to win a decision over Dan Henderson in one of the biggest snoozers of 2013 so far. Both
men didn’t want to engage during much during the fight but ultimately Machida
was given the split decision nod.
UFC president Dana White has already said that Machida is next
in line for the UFC light heavyweight championship against whoever emerges with
his hand raised from UFC 159’s main event of Jon Jones vs. Chael Sonnen, and we
know how stubborn White can be. However, although he did say the Machida vs.
Henderson fight would be a title eliminator, the fact the fight was so boring
and uneventful means Machida shouldn’t just be gifted a title shot.
That’s why I’d like for Machida to fight the winner of UFC on FUEL TV 9’s main event between Alexander Gustafsson and Gegard Mousasi,
especially if it’s Gustafsson. To me, that fight would determine the true No. 1
contender in the division, so I hope the UFC reconsiders giving Machida the
title shot.
Fight to make: Lyoto Machida vs. Alexander Gustafsson/Gegard
Mousasi winner
Urijah Faber
Urijah Faber showed why he shouldn’t be on the chopping block
Saturday night, submitting Ivan Menjivar with a phenomenal standing rear-naked
choke to reaffirm his status as a bantamweight contender. It was Faber’s first
fight since losing to Renan Barao at UFC 149, and it couldn’t have come at a
better time for a fighter who appears to be at the crossroads of his career.
For his next fight the UFC needs to give Faber another top
opponent, and one name is Michael McDonald, who recently was finished by Barao
at UFC on FUEL TV 7. Both men suffered recent losses to the same guy, and both
are ranked in the top five in the division, so it makes all the sense in the
world to have these two fight in the co-main event of a FX or FUEL TV card.
Fight to make: Urijah Faber vs. Michael McDonald
Court McGee
Court McGee put in a workmanlike performance against veteran
Josh Neer as he walked forward the whole fight and beat Neer up, winning a
judges’ decision. It was his first welterweight bout and he passed the test
with flying colours, so he’ll get another fighter coming off a win in his next
outing.
I’d like for McGee to be matched up against Kenny Robertson,
who picked up a rare reverse kneebar submission victory over Brock Jardine on
the undercard. Both McGee and Robertson are two scrappy fighters who come to
throw down, so this would be a fun fight to put on any undercard.
Fight to make: Court McGee vs. Kenny Robertson
Robbie Lawler
Robbie Lawler turned back the clock on Saturday night, TKO’ing
Josh Koscheck as a huge underdog in the opening bout of the UFC 157 PPV. It was
a vintage performance by Lawler in his first UFC fight in a decade, and it puts
him on the verge of the top 10 in the division.
For his next bout I’d like to see him matched up against
another former Strikeforce fighter, Tarec Saffiedine. Saffiedine angered UFC
president Dana White when he recently turned down a short-notice fight against
Carlos Condit, and what better way to make him pay for it than by giving him
one of the most brutal punchers in all of MMA?
Lawler vs. Saffiedine would be a fantastic stand-up bout that
should have happened in Strikeforce long ago. It would make for a terrific
co-main event for a FX or FUEL TV card, or for one of the first two fights on a
PPV card.
Fight to make: Robbie Lawler vs. Tarec Saffiedine
UFC 157: Rousey vs. Carmouche took place on February 23, 2013 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.
Click the stars to rate how good you think UFC 157 was.
