UFC on Fox 7 was a highly-anticipated event, as UFC matchmakers put together a very solid card from top to bottom. And the fans were not let down, as the eight knockouts, and the action of the title fight, will give them all something to talk about for weeks to come. Looking forward, here are some suggestions for whom the winners should face next:
Joseph Benavidez vs. John Moraga
Joseph Benavidez continued to make Team Alpha Male look great over the last few events, as he finished Darren Uyenoyama with a body shot that sent the grappler crumbling to the mat. “Beefcake” has made sure that his name is on the short list of contenders for Demetrious Johnson once the champion returns from his injury. Until then he should remain active, and face John Moraga, who has been waiting for an opponent.
This fight could be booked for somewhere in the summer, depending on how much time off Benavidez would want, and would determine the number one contender to the UFC Flyweight Championship. Moraga is undefeated in the Octagon, and is a well-rounded fighter with the abilities it would take to keep pace with Benavidez in a fight. This fight could be arranged for a July or August card as a potential main card opener on one of the UFC’s platforms.
Chad Mendes vs. the winner of Jose Aldo vs. Anthony Pettis
Even though he has been defeated by Aldo in the past, Mendes is still considered the top contender to the champion in the featherweight division. With his third first-round stoppage since that title shot, Mendes wasted little time in calling out the Brazilian. However, Aldo is headed straight towards Anthony Pettis and their matchup at UFC 163.
The winner of this title fight in August should have to face Mendes, unless there is a call for an immediate rematch. Mendes is well-known as a powerful wrestler that has the ability to take down anyone standing across from him. However, the inclusion of Duane “Bang” Ludwig and his striking instruction to Team Alpha Male has shot the entire team over the top, and Mendes has implemented that coaching and solidified himself as the clear number one contender.
This bout should be placed into the main event of a Fox event.
Josh Thomson did what no other UFC fighter was able to do and stopped Nate Diaz in the second round of their lightweight tilt. With this win, “The Punk” was welcomed back to the UFC with open arms by its fans. And after stopping a former lightweight title challenger, Thomson was ready to declare himself a contender for the UFC strap as well. Still, before he can fully be considered “in the mix” for a title shot, he should have to face another fighter that has been welcomed back by Zuffa brass in Jamie Varner.
A former WEC lightweight champion, Varner has gone 2-1 since coming back to the Octagon last year, and would be a welcome opponent for Thomson to continue his comeback run against. Varner is a wrestler and striker that would be able to hang with Thomson’s similar skill set.
In what could be a show-stealing bout, Varner vs. Thomson would be an important fight that would fit nicely on the main card of a Fox or FX event.
Quietly Matt Brown has put together a string of five straight wins, and he has silenced some hyped opponents at the same time. Once considered nothing more than a brawler that would find himself quickly shipped out of the UFC, Brown has emerged into an opponent that no one can take lightly. To see if he has truly broken through, he should be placed in a matchup against Dong Hyun Kim, a rematch of their bout from 2008.
In 2008 Brown fought Kim to a split decision loss at UFC 88, a bout that many people believed he won. Since then Kim has continued his winning ways, only dropping fights to Carlos Condit and Demian Maia. If a rematch were made now, this bout would have contendership implications, as both men have placed themselves at the fringe level of contenders to the welterweight title.
Kim vs. Brown could be a featured pay-per-view preliminary bout on FX to lead into a PPV event, or a PPV opener.
Daniel Cormier vs. the winner of Fabricio Werdum vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
Daniel Cormier was able to use his wrestling to control the positioning of Frank Mir for 15 minutes en route to a unanimous decision victory. In doing so he placed himself near the top of a heavyweight division that is always looking for new contenders. With Junior dos Santos and Mark Hunt headed for a showdown to determine the number one contender, Cormier should face the winner between Werdum and Nogueira, who will face off later this year at UFC on Fuel TV 10.
Werdum and Nogueira are among the top ten of the heavyweight division, and could be the next two in line for a shot at the belt. And while Cormier possesses the ability to push them both around the cage, they both pose a threat of submitting him if the fight hits the mat.
This is the type of fight that would work as a main card bout on a UFC Pay per View event later this year.
Benson Henderson vs. the winner of TJ Grant vs. Gray Maynard
Bendo was able to squeak out a close win over Gilbert Melendez, despite the controversy over the judges’ decision. With that victory he turned back another contender in what is considered the toughest division in MMA. And though his pronouncements in this regard should always be taken with a grain of salt, according to UFC President Dana White, Henderson’s next opponent will come from the winner of the fight between TJ Grant and Gray Maynard at UFC 160.
Maynard once again finds himself in the title hunt after falling short in two previous title shots against Frankie Edgar at UFC 125 and UFC 130. Grant has quickly emerged as a new face in the division after moving down from welterweight and winning four straight bouts. Maynard-Grant is an interesting style matchup for UFC 160, and both Maynard and Grant pose interesting threats to the current champion in a future matchup.
Henderson vs. the Maynard-Grant winner could serve as a main event of a Pay per View card.
With what was considered the most stacked card that the UFC has put together in an extended amount of time, UFC on Fox 7 was a great event from start to finish. A number of finishes and a very tight title fight have left fans with a lot to look forward from each of these winners. And these fights are just a sampling of the directions they could go.
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UFC on Fox 7: Henderson vs. Melendez took place on April 20, 2013 at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California.
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