If grappling and Jiu Jitsu are your flavors of choice in mixed martial arts, then UFC on Fuel TV 10 was right up your alley from start to finish. Eight of the 12 bouts ended in some form of submission. More than a few were submissions we have seen before, but there were others that were brand new for MMA fans to enjoy. Either way, the Brazilian card did not disappoint, and by the time the night was over, there were new paths laid out for the victorious fighters. Here are a few:
Fabricio Werdum vs. the winner of Alistair Overeem vs. Travis Browne
Looking back over Fabricio Werdum’s career, it is clear that he has improved since his 2008 fight against Junior dos Santos. His 6-1 record since then includes wins over former champions and eventual Hall of Famers. However, Werdum should not be considered the number one contender for the UFC heavyweight title quite yet.
Alistair Overeem and Travis Browne are due to meet in August at UFC on FoxSports1 1, and the winner of that bout should be the next person to face Werdum. A victory in this contest would solidify Werdum’s place at the top of the heavyweight division and give the UFC another high-profile fighter to push as the next contender to face Cain Velasquez.
Werdum vs. the winner of Overeem-Browne can be featured on any UFC card, whether on Pay per View or Fox.
Raphael Assuncao vs. the winner of Michael McDonald vs. Brad Pickett
Raphael Assuncao has looked great since dropping down in weight, as he’s put together a 4-0 record as a bantamweight. The division is currently in a state of flux, as Dominick Cruz has been allowed to hold the title for an extended period of time while injured. Making the situation much worse is the fact that interim champion Renan Barao was recently injured, and his title fight with Eddie Wineland has been canceled as well. Instead of facing Wineland, Assuncao should wait for the winner of McDonald vs. Pickett, which is expected to take place at UFC on FoxSports1 1, even though that would keep him waiting until the October – November time frame.
However, if one of these individuals were to get injured, the UFC should immediately ask Assuncao to step in and make this bout a number one contender’s matchup. That way the UFC will have a list of established contenders waiting for Barao and Cruz when they return from their injuries.
Thiago Silva’s experience in the Octagon was a major advantage when he defeated the former Strikeforce champion Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante. The first round knockout was Silva’s first win in the Octagon since 2009, and a much needed one as well, because the loss would have likely sent Silva packing from the organization. If Silva is going to climb back up the ranks as he once did years ago, he’s going to have to continue the output against heavy hitters in the weight class.
Ryan Bader is trying to climb towards the top contender status that has eluded him a few times in the past. To do so he will need 3 or 4 quality wins, and starting with Silva would be a move in the right direction. Placing Bader into a matchup with Silva on a Brazilian card would not only give the UFC an opportunity to rebrand Silva in a positive light; it would also give Bader the opportunity to continue his winning streak on free television.
After his “Submission of the Night” win against Jason High on Saturday night, Erick Silva probably has the most hype following him of any athlete on the UFC roster. And due in part to the UFC ignoring the fact that he was defeated by Jon Fitch earlier this year, Silva still has the potential to be a breakthrough star at some point in the near future. His next fight should be against a very tough “gatekeeper” type fighter whose name carries weight. Enter Dong Hyun Kim.
Kim is consistently forgotten in discussions about the elite of the welterweight division. However, he’s put together an impressive 8-2 record (with 1 No Contest) during 5 years of UFC service. Silva struggled against the first real test of his career, so it would be interesting to see how well he would do against another fighter that has a grinding style of fighting. Also, this fight should occur outside of Brazilian soil, to truly test the rising star.
Erick Silva vs. Dong Hyun Kim should be a featured bout on a free UFC event.
UFC on Fuel TV 10 was a strong card that, while not featuring many big names for mainstream coverage, provided fans with a number of highlight reel finishes. Going forward, these bouts will help push each of the winners into the next phases of their respective careers.
**********
UFC on FUEL TV 10: Nogueira vs. Werdum took place on June 8, 2013 at Ginásio Paulo Sarasate in Fortaleza, Ceara, Brazil.
Click the stars to rate how good you think UFC on FUEL TV 10 was.
Agree with Fabricio/Overeem rematch and Silva/Stun gun sounds good.
I dont really know those other dudes.
The Fabricio/Overeen match is a particularly good idea because :
1. He should have beat Overeem the first time and he needs to prove that he can stay focused enough to reliably use his abilities and not lay eggs like that before he really deserves a title shot.
And,
2. He is not well known enough with 13 year old rasslin fans on twitter to "deserve" a title shot.
😉
Beating Overeem will do that for him.
They'll probably hate him for that,
but that works to.
Although on the other hand,
ufc might not want Fabricio to beat Overeem.
Becasue Overeem is a superstar.