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.
Costas Philippou
In the main event of UFC Fight Night 35, Costas Philippou suffered the first knockout loss of his career when he was kicked in the liver by Luke Rockhold just minutes into their bout. It was a bad loss for Philippou, and it sets him back in the division for the foreseeable future.
Still, Rockhold was ranked in the top ten, so the loss isn’t going to end Philippou’s career. Another guy who lost to someone in the top ten in his last fight was Alan Belcher, who lost to Michael Bisping at UFC 159 last year. I think Philippou and Belcher match up pretty well on paper and the fact they are both coming off losses to highly-ranked guys makes this a perfect match for each guy his next time out.
Fight to make: Costas Philippou vs. Alan Belcher
Lorenz Larkin
In the co-main event, Lorenz Larkin was defeated by Brad Tavares via unanimous decision. It was a disappointing loss for Larkin, and it will set him back in the rankings, but he’s still young and his career isn’t over yet.
Larkin is an awesome striker, and I still think that despite the loss there are tons of fun matchups for him. One is against Uriah Hall, another devastating striker, who recently picked up a TKO win over Chris Leben. Yes, Larkin is coming off a loss and Hall a win, but this matchup would be bananas, and I think it has the potential to win Fight of the Night at any card it’s placed on.
Fight to make: Lorenz Larkin vs. Uriah Hall
Mike Easton
In a bantamweight bout, Mike Easton was thoroughly outclassed by TJ Dillashaw and ended up losing a clear-cut unanimous decision. It was Easton’s third loss in a row, and he could be at risk of being cut.
If Easton is kept around, I’d like for him to take on George Roop next. Roop lost to Francisco Rivera at the last Fight for the Troops event, and doesn’t have a good record in the UFC, so considering the style matchup and the fact both are clinging to their spots on the roster, I think this fight between Easton and Roop makes a lot of sense.
Fight to make: Mike Easton vs. George Roop
Derek Brunson
In a middleweight bout that won Fight of the Night, Derek Brunson was beating Yoel Romero for two full rounds before he started to tire in the third and got knocked out by Romero with some brutal elbows to the body. Still, it was a great fight, and it made a lot of people (including myself) respect Brunson a lot more than they did before the fight took place.
Brunson broke his jaw and will be out for a while, but when he returns, I think a fight against Andrew Craig would be fun. Two huge middleweights who are coming off of stoppage losses and who are coming off of “Fight of the Nights,” I think this would be a lot of fun, and I think it makes sense for the UFC to go this direction.
Fight to make: Derek Brunson vs. Andrew Craig
Dustin Ortiz
In a flyweight bout, Dustin Ortiz lost a very controversial split decision to John Moraga. Most observers thought Ortiz did enough to win two rounds, but the judges sided with Moraga, and now Ortiz will have to rebuild himself.
Another flyweight who recently lost a close decision was Tim Elliott, who was defeated by Ali Bagautinov at UFC 167. I think a fight between Ortiz and Elliott has “Fight of the Night” written all over it, and I hope the UFC books this next.
Fight to make: Dustin Ortiz vs. Tim Elliott
Sam Sicilia
In the opening main card bout, Sam Sicilia was submitted in the second round by Cole Miller. It was a bad loss for Sicilia, who was climbing the featherweight ladder quickly, and with a 2-3 record in the UFC, it’s possible he’ll be in a “loser leaves town match” his next time out.
Another fighter who is in the same boat as Sicilia is Daniel Pineda, who is 3-3 in the UFC. Pineda hasn’t fought since last August, but when he returns to the Octagon I’d like for him to take on Sicilia in what would be the last chance for both men to prove they belong in the UFC.
Fight to make: Sam Sicilia vs. Daniel Pineda
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UFC Fight Night 35: Rockhold vs. Philippou took place on January 15, 2014 at the Gwinnett Center in Duluth, Georgia.
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