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.
Gilbert Melendez
I almost wrote Benson Henderson here, but then realized that Gilbert Melendez was on the wrong end of the judges’ decision in the main event of UFC on FOX 7. Although many fans and media members thought Melendez won the fight, they’re not the ones who score fights, so it goes down in the record books as another win for Henderson, and thus Melendez will have to work his way back up the ladder.
For his next fight, I’d like to see Melendez take on the loser of the UFC 160 bout between Gray Maynard and TJ Grant. UFC president Dana White already said the winner of that bout is facing Henderson next, so naturally it makes sense for Melendez to fight the loser of the fight. So don’t be surprised if this is indeed a fight that happens down the road, because it’s easy matchmaking for the UFC, and it’s something they’ll likely take advantage of.
Fight to make: Gilbert Melendez vs. the loser of Maynard-Grant
Frank Mir
Frank Mir was completely neutralized by Daniel Cormier in the co-main event of UFC on FOX 7, and now Mir has two losses in a row on his record. Provided that he doesn’t hang his gloves up, the former UFC heavyweight champion needs to work his way back up the ladder.
Although he doesn’t have the name that Mir does, Gabriel Gonzaga has been fighting in the UFC for nearly just as long. He would be an intriguing opponent for Mir as far as styles go, since it’d be a matchup between two of the best heavyweight grapplers of all time, as well as two big boys with underrated power. So if Mir and the UFC don’t view Gonzaga as too much of a step down, I say match them up.
Fight to make: Frank Mir vs. Gabriel Gonzaga
Nate Diaz
Nate Diaz lost his second-straight fight and was defeated for the first time via strikes when he was the recipient of a brutal head kick and punches by Josh Thomson on the UFC on FOX 7 main card, a loss that could have Diaz contemplating a change of weight classes.
Provided he stays at 155, though, I’d like to see Diaz matched up with Diego Sanchez. I’m actually surprised these two have never fought before, but they haven’t, although Sanchez has fought and defeated Nate’s brother Nick, so there’d be that natural revenge factor built in. Oh, and don’t forget Diaz and Sanchez are both among the fighters who have won the most bonus awards in UFC history, making a possible fight between the two an automatic “Fight of the Year” contender on paper alone.
Fight to make: Nate Diaz vs. Diego Sanchez
Jordan Mein
Jordan Mein’s hype train was derailed by Matt Brown in the opening fight of the UFC on FOX 7 main card, as the young Canadian was absolutely destroyed by the veteran fighter in his debut fight on national television.
Brown was obviously too big a step up for Mein, but he’s still a super-talented fighter and can’t drop too far down with the loss. So I’d like to see him fight Thiago Alves, who hasn’t fought since a submission loss to Martin Kampmann at UFC on FX 2. It’d be a fun fight between two lethal strikers, and with both fighters coming off losses, the timing has never made more sense.
Fight to make: Jordan Mein vs. Thiago Alves
Darren Elkins
Darren Elkins lost via knockout to Chad Mendes at UFC on FOX 7, but it wasn’t like it was a surprise. After all, Elkins was the biggest underdog on the whole card; not many people thought he had a chance to beat Mendes, and that’s because he honestly didn’t.
Still, Elkins took a fight that not many others wanted, and he did it on short notice. Even though his win streak before Mendes was overrated, Elkins is still a very good fighter, and he deserves to continue fighting top 15 talent.
For his next fight I’d like to see Elkins take on Hatsu Hioki, who lost a close split decision to Clay Guida at UFC on FOX 6. Both Elkins and Hioki are great grapplers as well as competent strikers, and the fight makes sense as far as the rankings go, so I say match them up.
Fight to make: Darren Elkins vs. Hatsu Hioki
**********
UFC on Fox 7: Henderson vs. Melendez took place on April 20, 2013 at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California.
Click the stars to rate how good you think UFC on Fox 7 was.
