UFC Fight Night 32 from Goiania, Goias, Brazil was a night full of knockout finishes, as multiple fighters went down in ways that will adorn highlight reels for a long time to come. Those individuals on the bad side of the finishes will be looking for much needed wins during their next outings, and these are suggestions for whom they should face next:
Dan Henderson vs. the loser of Mauricio Rua vs. James Te Huna
After being knocked out for the first time in his career, Dan Henderson swore to the MMA world that he is not done with the sport. At 43 years of age, Henderson will still be considered one of the best fighters of all time, but his career may be on the downturn. After three straight losses, he should be paired up against the loser of the fight between Mauricio Rua and James Te Huna that is scheduled for UFC Fight Night 33.
Being matched against Rua would immediately create excitement for the rematch of their 2011 bout which was considered the Fight of the Year by many sport enthusiasts. Pairing these two individuals would also give them the opportunity to walk away from the sport on a high note, especially since they both have been struggling as of late.
Te Huna has shown flashes of being a solid fighter at 205, but still needs a win over a marquee opponent. If he is unable to defeat Rua, then a fight against Henderson would give him an additional opportunity to show his true worth to the UFC when it comes to his place in the light heavyweight division.
Dan Henderson vs. either Mauricio Rua or James Te Huna should be featured in the co-main event slot of a UFC card on Fox Sports 1 or Fox Sports 2.
Daniel Sarafin vs. Thiago Perpetuo
Daniel Sarafin and Thiago Perpetuo both walked out of UFC Fight Night 32 having suffered losses in their native country. Neither of these individuals are considered top talent within the middleweight division, nor is either that well known outside of his native country. Therefore, the UFC could match them against each other on another Brazilian card to give the winner an opportunity to build his name within his native country before pushing beyond those borders.
Daniel Sarafin vs. Thiago Perpetuo would work as a preliminary bout for the UFC’s next trip to Brazil.
Paulo Thiago was once an interesting welterweight who was a tough out for any opponent on the other side of the cage. However, he’s only put together a 2-5 record in his last 7 bouts. If the UFC doesn’t cut him after his last performance against Brandon Thatch, then the organization should create MMA’s version of a “Loser Leaves Town” fight against fellow Brazilian Thiago Alves.
Alves has also struggled as of late, as he is 3-4 in his last 7 bouts, but he hasn’t completed since May of 2012. If the UFC is looking to continue the roster cuts that have sent numerous fighters to smaller organizations, this bout can help that process along.
Alves vs. Thiago should be booked as a preliminary bout for a UFC card on Fox Sports 1 or 2.
Daron Cruickshank vs. Takanori Gomi
Daron Cruickshank is an interesting fighter in the lightweight division. He’s shown the ability to put together striking exchanges and create the highlight reel knockouts that have become popular in mainstream mixed martial arts. However, he has traded wins for losses in his UFC career, which can lead to him fighting in smaller promotions if he’s not careful. If the UFC continues to book him as they have, then a fight against Takanori Gomi makes sense.
Since the UFC is planning on traveling back to Asia in 2014, this would give the promotion an opportunity to feature one of the biggest MMA stars from the East in a style matchup that fits his MO. Cruickshank-Gomi would be a standup affair that would give both fighters the opportunity to showcase their skill sets, and could potentially end in a stoppage of some fashion.
Gomi vs. Cruickshank should be booked as a preliminary card bout for a Fox Sports 1 event.
After UFC Fight Night 32, these bouts should be put together for the fighters who did not get their hands raised at the end of the night. Many ended up on the wrong side of highlights, but these suggested matchups would offer them opportunities to add to their own respective highlight reels.
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UFC Fight Night 32: Belfort vs. Henderson 2 took place on November 9, 2013 at Goiania Arena in Goiania, Goias, Brazil.
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