Fight Fixin’: Post-UFC 164 Losers Edition

By Adam Martin

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.

Benson Henderson

Benson Henderson lost the UFC lightweight championship via submission to Anthony Pettis in the main event of UFC 164. This loss drops Henderson to 0-2 against Pettis, and puts him in a bad spot in the division going forward, as he won’t be getting a title shot anytime soon while Pettis is still the champ.

There are lots of fun fights for Henderson at 155, but the fight that I think makes most sense right now is a matchup against Evan Dunham. These two fighters are very evenly matched, and with both guys coming off losses to top-10 fighters, a win by one over the other would be a good opportunity to remain relevant, while at the same time providing fans with what is guaranteed to be an exciting match.

Fight to make: Benson Henderson vs. Evan Dunham

Frank Mir

Frank Mir was TKO’d by Josh Barnett in the co-main event of UFC 164, his third loss in a row, and possibly enough of a reason for the UFC to finally let go of the longest-tenured heavyweight in the division.

Personally I feel that Mir cannot compete with the top guys in the world anymore, but it sounds like UFC president Dana White may give him one more shot since the stoppage was controversial. Thus, it makes sense to pair him against Alistair Overeem, whose back is also up against the wall after two straight losses.

The winner of Mir vs. Overeem would maintain his top-10 ranking, while the loser would be sent packing. It’s a perfect matchup, in my opinion, and I really think the UFC will book it.

Fight to make: Frank Mir vs. Alistair Overeem

Clay Guida

Clay Guida was knocked out for the first time in his career by Chad Mendes, and it’s a loss that means Guida isn’t going to be contending for the UFC featherweight title anytime soon, and probably never will, when you consider his age and the amount of wars he’s been in.

At this point it’s better to just book Guida for fun fights, and one opponent who would be a willing dance partner is Daniel Pineda, who is coming off a close loss to Diego Brandao, and who is always involved in good scraps. A fight between these two has all the makings of FOTN, so I hope the UFC books it.

Fight to make: Clay Guida vs. Daniel Pineda

Brandon Vera

Brandon Vera was TKO’d by Ben Rothwell in his return to the heavyweight division, and “The Truth” may be cut from the UFC now, as he’s lost five of his last six fights, with the only win coming over a fighter not currently in the UFC.

If the UFC keeps Vera around, the only fight that makes sense at heavyweight is against Shane Del Rosario, who is 0-2 as a UFC heavyweight. Both guys are solid kickboxers, and this fight would likely end in a KO, so if the UFC is going to give each man one more shot, it makes sense to do it against the other.

Fight to make: Brandon Vera vs. Shane Del Rosario

Erik Koch

Erik Koch lost a competitive decision to Dustin Poirier in the opening bout of the UFC 164 main card, and after starting his UFC career 2-0 he is now 2-2 and on the first two-fight losing streak of his career. Still under 25 years of age, Koch has all the potential in the world, but for whatever reason he’s taken a serious step back in 2013, and the UFC has to give him an easier fight his next time out to rebuild his confidence.

The fighter who I’d like to see Koch booked against is Nam Phan, who is one of the best brawlers in the division and is also coming off a loss. This is a winnable fight for Koch, and after losing to Ricardo Lamas and Poirier, he needs a step down in competition, and Phan is the perfect opponent at this point in time.

Fight to make: Erik Koch vs. Nam Phan

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UFC 164: Henderson vs. Pettis II took place on August 31, 2013 at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Click the stars to rate how good you think UFC 164 was.