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.
Michael Bisping
In the main event of the TUF Nations Finale, Michael Bisping lost a unanimous decision to Tim Kennedy. It wasn’t a good showing by Bisping, and at 35 years old (and the loser of two of his last three bouts) it’s very likely his time as a top contender for the middleweight belt is over.
Still, he’s a solid middleweight and is ranked in the top 10. Two more fighters in the same boat are Mark Munoz and Gegard Mousasi, who take on one another next month at UFC Fight Night 41. I think Bisping vs. the loser of that matchup makes a lot of sense based on the rankings and styles, and I think UFC matchmaker Joe Silva would agree.
Fight to make: Bisping vs. loser of Mark Munoz vs. Gegard Mousasi
Kyle Noke
In the co-main event of the card, Kyle Noke was outwrestled by Patrick Cote en route to a unanimous decision loss. Noke showed some nice striking in the fight, but it’s clear he needs to work on his wrestling if he wants to stick around the UFC for the long haul.
Noke will keep his spot on the roster, and for his next fight I’d like for him to fight Robert Whittaker, another Aussie who is coming off a loss. I think this would be a fun fight between two good strikers and I believe it makes for a perfect matchup on the New Zealand card this June.
Fight to make: Noke vs. Robert Whittaker
Sheldon Westcott
In the TUF Nations middleweight tournament finale, Sheldon Westcott lost via second-round TKO to Elias Theodorou. Despite looking terrific in the TUF house, Westcott ‘s performance in the finale wasn’t a good outing for him at all, and he will be lucky to get a contract offer from the UFC.
Assuming he does get a deal with Zuffa, I expect Wescott to drop down to his natural weight class of 170, and if he does that, I’d like to see him take on Takenori Sato, who was demolished by Erick Silva in his UFC debut. This is a fair fight in my opinion, and I’d like to see it booked for an upcoming card in Canada or Brazil.
Fight to make: Westcott vs. Takenori Sato
Olivier Aubin-Mercier
In the finals of the TUF Nations welterweight tournament, Olivier Aubin-Mercier lost a competitive split decision to Chad Laprise. It was a solid showing overall for the young Canadian, but he didn’t get the win and now goes back to the drawing board.
I believe the UFC will offer him a contract anyways, and for his next fight in the Octagon, I’d like to see him take on Wang Sai, who lost in the finale of TUF China. I think this fight between TUF finalists makes a lot of sense based on where both of them are in their careers, and don’t be surprised if Joe Silva books it.
Fight to make: Aubin-Mercier vs. Wang Sai
Akira Corassani
In the opening fight of the main card, Akira Corassani was knocked out by Dustin Poirier in what was the “Fight of the Night.” Although Corassani was TKO’d, he looked a lot better than most gave him credit for, and he’ll keep his spot on the UFC roster because he gave Poirier everything he could handle up until the knockout.
For his next fight, I’d like to see Corassani matched up with Daniel Pineda, another inconsistent featherweight who is usually involved in exciting fights. I think this would be a solid matchup between two guys ranked lower in the division, and I’d like to see it happen on the Texas card in June.
Fight to make: Corassani vs. Daniel Pineda
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The Ultimate Fighter Nations Finale: Canada vs. Australia took place on April 16, 2014 at Colisee Pepsi in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.
Click the stars to rate how good you think the TUF Nations Finale was.
Noke vs. Whittaker seems weird cuz both are Aussies