Alexander Gustafsson may have been hidden away on UFC Fight Pass for UFC Fight Night 37, but that didn’t stop him from getting the job done. Although the UFC hasn’t officially announced it yet, most fans would be shocked if he wasn’t named the number one contender. With that in mind, these are fight suggestions that would work for “The Mauler” and the other winners from the event:
Alexander Gustafsson vs. the winner of Jon Jones vs. Glover Teixeira
With his win over Jimi Manuwa in the main event, Alexander Gustafsson made the clear point that he should be considered the top contender at 205 pounds. The champion Jon Jones is scheduled to face Glover Teixeira at UFC 172, and should he come out the winner, then the rematch against Gustafsson is the fight to make.
Gustafsson pushed Jones to the limit at UFC 165 in a fight that many believed he won. While the judges scored it for Jones, hardcore MMA fans have been clamoring for the rematch, and it is almost here. Jones has a very tough challenge in the Brazilian contender, but there is no secret about which fight the mixed martial arts world wants to see at some point in 2014.
Michael Johnson vs. the winner of Donald Cerrone vs. Edson Barboza
Michael Johnson has experienced some ups and downs since his stint on The Ultimate Fighter Season 12. However, the “Blackzilians” stable member has slowly gained some momentum, as he’s racked up three straight wins over some important names at 155 pounds. But if he’s to crack the top ten of this division, he should face either Donald Cerrone or Edson Barboza in his next outing in the Octagon.
Barboza vs. Cerrone will occur on April 19 at UFC on Fox 11, and both fighters bring exciting, fast-paced styles to the cage. Johnson has shown a willingness to exchange and land big shots, creating the perfect mix of styles to excite the mainstream fan. Thus, a matchup pitting Johnson against either Cerrone or Barboza could be used as a main card kickoff for a free UFC event on Fox.
Brad Pickett vs. Zach Makovsky
Brad Pickett was successful in his flyweight debut when he pulled out a tough win over Neil Seery. While Seery wasn’t as highly-regarded as his original opponent, Ian McCall, Pickett still did a solid job of proving that he is an interesting prospective contender within the division. Pickett holds a victory over the current champion, Demetrious Johnson, but the UFC should wait before making that rematch. Instead, it should match Pickett against the surging Zach Makovsky, with the winner earning a title shot.
Pickett vs. Makovsky would best be suited as a fight to kick off a PPV main card at some point in late May or June of 2014.
Gunnar Nelson vs. the winner of Jake Ellenberger vs. Tarec Saffiedine
In a move that is unlike what they have shown with other prospects, UFC matchmakers have taken a slow and steady approach to the development of Gunnar Nelson. Nelson has held up his end of the bargain, continuing to look better with each outing. Now, the UFC should place him in a tougher fight to further the build towards Nelson becoming the star that many are expecting him to be.
Tarec Saffiedine and Jake Ellenberger are two fighters at the edge of the top ten in the UFC’s welterweight division. They are due to meet on April 26 in Baltimore at UFC 172. The winner of that bout would be an interesting challenge for Nelson. Saffiedine has the most value in this position, because as a Belgian, he could face Nelson at a European UFC card, and draw interest from fans there.
UFC Fight Night 37 was an opportunity for the Ultimate Fighting Championship to further build its brand across the pond, and many of those watching the broadcast and in attendance believe the organization achieved its goal by putting on a successful show. Now, the UFC has an opportunity to build upon the momentum that the various victors took from the O2 Arena, and these suggested fights could further those objectives, and position these fighters for even bigger fights down the line.
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UFC Fight Night 37: Gustafsson vs. Manuwa took place on March 8, 2014 at the O2 Arena in London, England.
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