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.
Fabricio Werdum
Although he was the underdog heading into UFC on FOX 11’s main event, Fabricio Werdum proved he should have been the favorite all along, as he defeated Travis Browne via five-round unanimous decision. It was by far the most impressive performance of his UFC career, and confirms his status as the #1 heavyweight contender.
For five rounds, Werdum put a striking and wrestling clinic on Browne, and he showed that he is ready to fight for the title. And now, with four straight wins in the UFC over Browne, Roy Nelson, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Mike Russow, he has truly earned a title shot against UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez. The two will meet in Mexico later this year in a huge pay-per-view fight once Velasquez returns from injury, and it should be one of the most exciting heavyweight bouts of the year when it finally goes down.
Fight to make: Werdum vs. Cain Velasquez
Miesha Tate
It wasn’t pretty, but Miesha Tate got the job done against Liz Caroumche in UFC on FOX 11’s co-main event, earning a unanimous decision victory. Although UFC president Dana White and many other observers felt that Carmouche deserved to get the win, Tate did enough for the judges, and with the win remains in the top five of the division.
Another female bantamweight who is ranked in the top five and who is coming off a win is Sarah Kaufman, who defeated Leslie Smith just last week at the TUF Nations Finale. Tate and Kaufman met in Strikeforce back in 2009, and Kaufman won a close unanimous decision. Now, five years later, it’s time for a rematch to determine who gets one step closer to securing a rematch against UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Ronda Rousey.
Fight to make: Tate vs. Sarah Kaufman
Donald Cerrone
Once again Donald Cerrone stole the show, as “Cowboy” earned a Performance of the Night bonus for his first-round submission victory over Edson Barboza on the UFC on FOX 11 main card. It was Cerrone’s third win in a row via stoppage, and right now he looks like a serious title contender in the UFC lightweight division.
Another lightweight who is coming off a series of big wins and who looks like a title contender is Myles Jury. I believe Jury deserves a step up in competition, and I think Cerrone is the right guy for him to fight next. Vice versa for Cerrone, who needs to pick off another rising contender in order to earn his rematch with UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis. Jury vs. Cerrone sounds like a really exciting fight to me, and I really hope this is what UFC matchmaker Joe Silva has in mind.
Fight to make: Cerrone vs. Myles Jury
Yoel Romero
At 36 years of age, Yoel Romero just seems to be getting better and better. Already the winner of three UFC fights by way of knockout, Romero picked up a fourth victory over a tough Brad Tavares in the opening fight of the UFC on FOX 11 main card, taking home a clear-cut unanimous decision after dominating Tavares with his wrestling and striking for 15 minutes.
Now 4-0 in his UFC middleweight career, Romero clearly needs a step up in competition, and deserves to fight someone in the top 10. Unfortunately, many of the top middleweights are already tied up, so Romero may have to wait a bit. Two of those tied-up 185ers are CB Dollaway and Francis Carmont, who battle next month at UFC Fight Night 41. The winner of that fight, I believe, would make a fine opponent for Romero in his next fight. And if he wins that one, then he’ll truly be ready for a top-five opponent.
Fight to make: Romero vs. winner of Dollaway/Carmont
Khabib Nurmagomedov
Now 22-0 in his career, Khabib Nurmagomedov continued to look like a future UFC champion with a three-round beatdown of Rafael dos Anjos. It was by far the most impressive win of Nurmagomedov’s young career to date, and the win over RDA pushes “The Eagle” into the top five or six of the UFC’s lightweight division.
A perfect 6-0 in the Octagon, I believe Nurmagomedov is just one more win away from a title shot. But first he needs to beat a former champ, and Benson Henderson is the guy he needs to beat. First, though, Henderson has to deal with Rustam Khabilov at UFC Fight Night 43. If “Smooth” wins that fight like expected, then a title eliminator with Nurmagomedov is a no brainer. And if Khabilov somehow manages to earn the upset, a bout pitting the two rising Russian stars against one another with a title shot on the line would be pretty amazing.
Fight to make: Nurmagomedov vs. winner of Henderson/Khabilov
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UFC on FOX 11: Werdum vs. Browne took place on April 19, 2014 at the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida.
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