UFC on Fox 8 is in the books, and it was a solid card from start to finish. Zuffa matchmakers will have their hands full, with winners seeking career-moving bouts, and losers wanting to rebound quickly before the year is out. Looking at the complete fight card, here are some fight suggestions for those who could not get their hand raised:
The UFC built John Moraga up in a way that had many people expecting him to be a real threat to UFC Flyweight Champion Demetrious Johnson, even he didn’t take the title. However, “Mighty Mouse” would quickly bring that noise to a close, and push away another contender. Even still, the UFC introduced an interesting name to casual fans in Moraga, and should keep matching him with some of the tougher fighters in the division, so he can continue to be showcased within the weight class. John Dodson would be the correct opponent to select for him next.
Dodson-Moraga, a rematch of a 2010 bout, would keep one of these combatants in the top five, and in the pipeline for squaring off against Johnson again sometime down the line. This is also a style matchup that would lend itself to a stoppage, which many complain — albeit incorrectly — is lacking in the flyweight division. Moraga vs. Dodson could be a featured preliminary bout on Fox Sports 1 to lead into a Pay-Per-View card.
Jake Ellenberger vs. Nick Diaz
Jake Ellenberger considers himself to be a top contender for the welterweight title; however, he can never get past the last hurdle that would ensure him a title shot. He’s been defeated by Rory MacDonald and Martin Kampmann at the cusp of title shots, and this latest setback pushes him back down the ladder. A match against a returning Nick Diaz would either keep him in the conversation or force him to become a gatekeeper to the stars within the 170-pound weight class.
Rumors have begun to circulate that Nick Diaz is looking to return after his second career retirement. The UFC enjoys keeping the Stockton native “in the mix,” so having him face Ellenberger creates the opportunity to keep Diaz relevant if he wins, or, in defeat, finally send him away for good. Either way, this is bound to be a bout that captures the attention of fight fans, and could be featured on a Fox main card.
Michael Chiesa vs. Evan Dunham
Michael Chiesa was the fan favorite in his fight with Jorge Masvidal, and he started out very strong. Yet “Gamebred’s” experience would take over, and he finished off the Ultimate Fighter Live season champion, sending him from the cage distraught.
Chiesa has been described as one-dimensional, but very good in that one area. However, if he is to become a complete fighter, he is going to have to work on other areas of his game. Pitting him against Evan Dunham would be a test to see how far he is willing to develop to stay competitive in this division. Dunham is a tough gatekeeper to the upper echelon of the weight class, and if Chiesa can get by him, only tougher challenges would await. Michael Chiesa vs. Evan Dunham should occur on a preliminary portion of an upcoming Fox or Pay-Per-View event.
Jessica Andrade vs. Julie Kedzie
Jessica Andrade took on the formidable task of making her UFC debut against the most recent woman to challenge for Ronda Rousey’s bantamweight title. This resulted in her getting pummeled, but making fans in the process because she showed fight the entire way through. Giving the 21 year old a fight against longtime veteran Julie Kedzie will truly test how far she is capable of going in the sport of mixed martial arts.
Kedzie was unable to show her true abilities in her preliminary bout, but she should not have to worry about losing her job. She would hold a size and experience advantage against Andrade, in a fight that would continue to shape the only women’s division in the UFC. This bout could be a preliminary fight on Facebook or Fox Sports 1 for a card later in the year.
In a fight that would feature two of the tallest lightweights in the UFC, Nate Diaz vs. Tim Means is an interesting matchup. Means has 13 knockout victories on his resume, so he would not shy away from the high activity exchanges that Diaz is known to employ. It would be captivating to see how Diaz and Means would play their styles off of each other in a bout that could be featured on the preliminary card of a free televised event sometime before the end of 2013.
Now that the UFC on Fox 8 card is over, matchmakers have a lot of potential fights to work with. Not only will the winners be placed in fights worth watching, but the losers have more than enough to look forward to as well, if they are kept on the UFC roster.
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UFC on Fox 8 took place on July 27, 2013 at the KeyArena in Seattle, Washington.
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