Erick Silva and Matt Brown put on an epic showcase this past Saturday at UFC Fight Night 40 in Cincinnati, Ohio. In fact, this may be one of the best cards that the promotion has put together to date. With seven finishes at the end of the night, there was a lot to take away from the event. But unfortunately, not everyone could walk out of the Octagon with wins on their ledgers. With that in mind, these are fight suggestions for the fighters who were unable to get the win at UFC Fight Night 40:
Erick Silva vs. Seth Baczynski
To say that Erik Silva’s back is against the wall would be a major understatement. The Brazilian athlete has gone from potential welterweight prospect to being close to receiving a pink slip from the UFC. Every time he goes out, he goes out on his shield, but there are only so many times that the Ultimate Fighting Championship can allow him to do so before cutting him from the roster. A fight against Seth Baczynski is the type of fight that would determine where Silva goes next.
Seth Baczynski is one of those fighters who is a stout test for the fighters not ranked within the 10 to 15 range in the welterweight division. He’s the type of fighter that continues to push forward no matter what his opponent is throwing at him. It’s clear that Silva would throw a barrage his way, but if “The Polish Pistola” could weather the early storm, there is no telling how this fight would shape up.
Erick Silva vs. Seth Baczynski should be booked for a UFC Fight Pass event in Europe.
Lorenz Larkin has truly struggled since moving over to the UFC from Strikeforce. He’s 1-3 within the Octagon, and may find himself the recipient of a pink slip in the next coming weeks. He showed a great amount of promise while in Strikeforce, and even though some feel he defeated Francis Carmont at UFC on Fox 7, the fact remains that he is still on the cusp of losing his roster spot if he loses once again.
Tim Boetsch is in the same position. A fighter that had once leapfrogged into the top five of the weight class by defeating Yushin Okami, Boetsch has dropped three of his last four as well. Like Larkin, he was a part of a controversial decision, but in that case, he was gifted a victory against CB Dollaway at UFC 166. “The Barbarian” was just finished in highlight reel fashion by Luke Rockhold at UFC 172, and hasn’t looked like the destructive force that he was built up to be in recent years.
Both Lorenz Larkin and Tim Boetsch would be fighting for their jobs if they were to meet in the Octagon. This bout should be used as a Fox Sports 1 preliminary “main event” before the opening of a UFC PPV.
Tim Elliot made his UFC debut on short notice against John Dodson at UFC on Fox 3, and has since had moderate success in the organization. Though he has consistently faltered against the biggest names in the flyweight division, he’s proven to still be a tough competitor for anyone trying to come up in the weight class. This is why he would be an interesting test for Louis Smolka.
Smolka entered the Octagon against Chris Cariaso with a lot of hype behind him in his young career. Even though he was unable to get his hand raised, he looked very effective in the split decision defeat. Keeping up with Elliot’s pacing and pressure would be a tough test for Smolka, but the fight would show where he falls within the flyweight division going forward.
Tim Elliot vs. Louis Smolka could be used as a main card opener for a UFC Fight Pass event.
Rafael Natal vs. Stanislav Nedkov
Rafael Natal looked to get back to his winning ways at UFC Fight Night 40, but was unable to do so against Ed Herman. The Brazilian was on a strong run before he ran into Tim Kennedy earlier this year at UFC Fight Night 31. Natal now needs to get some momentum back, and being featured on a foreign UFC card against Stanislav Nedkov would create a good opportunity for both fighters.
Before joining the UFC, Nedkov had put together a run of 11 straight wins to start his career. His performances in the Octagon have not been up to the same quality, with one win, one loss, and one No Contest, but he still brings an impressive record with him into the cage. The winner of this contest would get a nice boost towards another lower-tier middleweight bout at a time when the top of the 185-pound division is filled with dangerous fighters.
Rafal Natal vs. Stanislav Nedkov should be featured on a UFC Fight Pass event in either Brazil or Europe.
Eddie Wineland vs. Brian Bowles
Former WEC Bantamweight champion Eddie Wineland has found himself in a very tough position within the UFC. He has gone from a title challenger who was knocked out by Renan Barao in the main event of UFC 165, to a second knockout loss to a fighter he was highly-favored against on the preliminary card of UFC Fight Night 40. While it is unclear what has caused such a rapid drop off, it is very clear that his job is on the line. With a 3-4 UFC record, his next bout will truly be a fight for his roster spot, and it should come against a fighter in a very similar position in Brian Bowles.
Bowles is another former WEC champion who has not transitioned to the UFC in spectacular fashion. He is 2-2 since moving to the Octagon, and his failed drug test after UFC 160 has definitely put his job in jeopardy. He hasn’t competed since that night, and if he’s healthy, this would be the chance to bring him back into the fold. Stylistically, both he and Wineland are very dynamic strikers with the ability to mix up their attacks on the floor.
Eddie Wineland versus Brian Bowles should be used as a preliminary bout for an upcoming UFC on Fox event.
These fights would be vital in determining which fighters should be kept by the UFC and which should be sent to smaller promotions within the sport. As the Ultimate Fighting Championship looks to cut costs by removing some competitors from its payroll, those on this list should consider themselves in the danger zone if they are unable to win their next contests.
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UFC Fight Night 40: Brown vs. Silva took place on May 10, 2014 at U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Click the stars to rate how good you think UFC Fight Night 40 was.
