If wild knockouts in mixed martial arts are your thing, then the main event of UFC on Fuel TV 8 was right up your alley, as Wanderlei Silva was able to put away Brian Stann in the second round of their fight. Silva’s at a point in his career where many will wonder if he should continue fighting or walk away from the sport. Either way, he pulled out another victory in the Octagon, and going forward, these suggestions for him and other competitors on the card would keep fans excited to see them compete:
Wanderlei Silva vs. Tim Kennedy
Wanderlei Silva may not be a title contender at this point in his career but he is still an exciting fighter that will get fans in front of the television when he competes. His win over Brian Stann was ruthless, and that will buy him some more time as a marquee name if he continues fighting. Welcoming Tim Kennedy to the Octagon would put that name to good use, as well as create a good bout for both fighters.
Kennedy is the type of fighter that would either give Silva another highlight reel win or make one out of him. It is easy to see them both exchanging blows from start to finish at the center of the Octagon in a quick-paced bout. While nether fighter is expected to be a title challenger at 185, this would give them both the opportunity to create a niche within the division.
Kennedy vs. Silva would be a strong contest for any of the UFC shows on free television.
Mark Hunt vs. the winner of Travis Browne vs. Gabriel Gonzaga
Mark Hunt has continued to surprise the MMA world, as he is now 4-1 in the UFC’s heavyweight division. The cult favorite continues to gain steam in the social media world as a title challenger, but it is hard to see him doing well against the top three fighters in the weight class. However, if the UFC wants to capitalize off of his popularity, matching him against the winner of Travis Browne vs. Gabriel Gonzaga (which will take place at the TUF 17 Finale) would be the correct move.
Hunt is a heavy puncher that will stand and exchange punches with anyone willing to do the same for him. Browne is also a big puncher, who has nine knockouts on his resume. Gonzaga is generally known as a grappler, but he has shown the ability to box when he comes in well-prepared. Both individuals would be dangerous to Hunt, but either would still be a solid win this year.
Hunt vs. Brown or Gonzaga would work well on any of the free cards that the UFC will present this year.
Diego Sanchez vs. Danny Castillo
Diego Sanchez returned to the lightweight division and secured a decision victory, although controversial, over Takanori Gomi. While he didn’t look his best in the fight, his return to the lightweight division has the potential to create some wrinkles in one of the toughest divisions in the sport.
Danny Castillo has had a solid UFC career, with five wins and two losses to this point. He sits on the cusp of the top fifteen in the weight class, but hasn’t been able to break through to this point. Against Sanchez he would be providing a tough test, to show us whether this is the same Diego that made a title run years ago at 155 pounds, or if he is still a shell of that fighter, as we saw at 170 pounds.
Diego Sanchez vs. Danny Castillo would be a solid main card fight for a show on the Fox network this year.
Dong Hyun Kim vs. Rory MacDonald
Dong Hyun Kim has been in the UFC for nearly five years and has been a very consistent fighter during that time. However, he’s often overlooked as a top tier competitor due to his style, which mainstream fans have come to dislike. Even still, he should be matched against Rory MacDonald for his next fight as a test to see which individual has a better shot at making a run towards the welterweight belt.
“Stun Gun” is now 8-2-1 in the Octagon, and this includes the loss via an accidental rib injury that cost him the bout against Demian Maia in 2012. And MacDonald, since his UFC debut, has been considered by many fans and analyst to be the next man to rule the welterweight division if and when Georges St. Pierre decides to move on. Since he is out of his bout at UFC 158 with an injury, when he recovers, this could be the type of contest that would either prove he is the truth at 170 or lend additional legitimacy to Kim’s run.
MacDonald vs. Kim would be a strong main card fight for a UFC Pay-Per-View in Canada when they return later in 2013.
Any time a fighter can win in the Octagon he (or she) is given the opportunity to continue competing on the highest stage in mixed martial arts. These individuals were able to get their hands raised, and these future bookings would help improve their stock in the eyes of the MMA world.
UFC on FUEL TV 8: Silva vs. Stann took place on March 3, 2013 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. Due to time differences, it aired on March 2, 2013 in the United States.
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