The majority of the winners at UFC 169 had to fight for 15 minutes to get their hands raised in victory. And looking ahead for these competitors, there are some fights that could be made that would create fan interest from the moment they are announced. These suggested fights should be the next moves made for the main card winners from UFC 169:
Renan Barao vs. Raphael Assuncao
It’s clear that Renan Barao is the best bantamweight in the sport today. With his quick defeat of Urijah Faber, he solidified his place on the top ten list of all fighters, regardless of weight class. But while many MMA media experts have stated that he doesn’t have any true contenders, Raphael Assuncao has put together a five-fight win streak.
The Brazilian was slated to face Francisco Rivera later this month at UFC 170, but Rivera pulled out of the fight due to a broken hand. The UFC is currently scrambling for a late replacement, and if they find one, and Assuncao wins once again, he should be the next guy to face Barao.
Renan Barao vs. Raphael Assuncao could carry a free UFC event presented from Brazil. The South American country is a major MMA market, and a main event bout featuring these two individuals would be a big one for the fans in that country.
Jose Aldo has controlled the featherweight division for nearly five years since taking the strap from Mike Thomas Brown at WEC 44. After his recent title defenses, the mumbles have begun that he is to move up to lightweight to try to put together a run there as well. That has given the UFC its best opportunity to create a superfight, as both he and 155-pound champion Anthony Pettis are without any definite contenders.
Aldo has already dispatched Frankie Edgar, Cub Swanson, and Chad Mendes during this run of greatness. If new teammate B.J. Penn defeats Edgar later this year, it’s hard to believe that they would compete against each other. Pettis, on the other hand, is currently injured, but with Josh Thomson losing to Benson Henderson and T.J. Grant still on the shelf, he doesn’t seem to have an immediate foil either. These two situations, along with the UFC in a dire need to create a superstar, make this the best point for the two athletes to be brought together in the cage.
Jose Aldo and Anthony Pettis should be placed in a superfight that would highlight the summer slate of cards that the UFC would present to its fans.
Alistair Overeem vs. Mark Hunt
In 2008, Alistair Overeem submitted Mark Hunt via key lock during the Dream 5 event in Japan. Nearly six years later, Hunt finds himself a cult favorite for the way he’s performed in the Octagon for the last three years. And now their paths may cross once again in a fight that is needed to move along the heavyweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Overeem dominated Frank Mir for 15 minutes during the only heavyweight bout featured at UFC 169. He demonstrated that he’s learning how to better pace himself, and when paired with his devastating striking, he has the opportunity to become a dangerous threat to the big men of the cage. However, the whispers about his weak chin still abound. This is why Hunt would be a dangerous opponent.
Hunt has shown that he can put anyone’s lights out in a second. And matching him against Overeem would create the perfect type of contest to show which athlete has grown the most since their first fight in 2008. Mark Hunt vs. Alistair Overeem would be a strong main card bout for an upcoming PPV event, or even work as a the main event of a Fox card.
Ali Bagautinov vs. Demetrious Johnson
The UFC flyweight division is wide open, and Ali Bagautinov may benefit from that fact. With his win over John Lineker, he’s placed himself in a position to be the next man to challenge Demetrious Johnson for the 125-pound belt.
Bagautinov displayed the ability to execute a solid game plan to stop the surging Lineker, as he avoided his power punching. And since Johnson has already beaten many of the other flyweight fighters within the division, Bagautinov is in perfect position to face the champion at some point this year.
The UFC has featured Demetrious Johnson defending his belt on Fox cards, so he and Ali Bagautinov should face each other during a free event on the main Fox platform.
Abel Trujillo vs. the winner of Melvin Guillard vs. Michael Johnson
Abel Trujillo walked out of New Jersey with $125K to go along with his win and show money for the way he knocked out Jamie Varner in their lightweight bout. The GIF has made its way around the Internet, and is one of the more disturbing knockouts of recent memory. Trujillo may not be an immediate name in the 155-pound weight class, but he’s growing into an exciting fighter. His next fight should be against one of the two other knockout artists that are due to fight at UFC Fight Night 37.
The recently-announced fight between Melvin Guillard and Michael Johnson is set to go down on March 8 in London, England. Both fighters have shown the ability to knock out opponents without warning, which would make either a perfect style matchup for Trujillo. And either combination of these fighters would be a perfect way to kick off a main card, as their styles set the tone for plenty of haymakers to be thrown.
Abel Trujillo vs. either Melvin Guillard or Michael Johnson would be a great opening card bout for a UFC PPV in the second quarter of 2014.
UFC 169 may not have been the most exciting card due to the amount of decisions that were rendered. However, it has still created the opportunity for UFC matchmakers to build some captivating bouts for the fighters that won.
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UFC 169: Barao vs. Faber II took place on February 1, 2014 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
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