UFC 173 was considered a weak offering by the Ultimate Fighting Championship,as well as a poor card to kick off the summer. However, the event truly delivered from start to finish, culminating in the upset victory that T.J. Dillashaw took over Renan Barão. With this card complete, here are fight suggestions for the athletes that were able to get their hands raised in victory:
T.J. Dillashaw vs. Raphael Assuncao
T.J. Dillashaw shocked the MMA world when he became the man to defeat Renan Barão and stop his 33-fight unbeaten streak. Dillashaw looked as close to perfection as possible in the main event bout of UFC 173, and now has a golden belt to show off. His first defense should be against Raphael Assuncao, who has a controversial win against the Team Alpha Male standout.
When the bantamweight title fight against Barao was being booked it, was Assuncao that UFC matchmakers went to first, but his injury opened the door for T.J. to take the fight. Dillashaw should thank the Brazilian competitor by allowing him to get a crack at the title. Many felt that Assuncao got the hometown nod at UFC Fight Night 29, but the fact remains that he still holds a win over the new champion, one which Dillashaw is sure to want to avenge.
This fight should be booked as the main event of a Fox event to give the UFC a chance to showcase and build a following for its new champion.
Daniel Cormier vs. the winner of Jon Jones vs. Alexander Gustafsson 2
Daniel Cormier has been vocal about being a champion since he first stepped into the cage. He earned another notch on his belt when he defeated another Olympian in Dan Henderson. That win should be enough to convince UFC matchmakers to give him a shot against either Jon Jones or Alexander Gustafsson.
Cormier’s skill set makes him a tough opponent for anyone standing across from him in the cage. He has power to knock opponents out along with the wrestling to control where the fight occurs. While both Jones and Gustafsson would have the range advantage against Cormier, he would be considered the better wrestler.
Cormier facing the eventual UFC Light Heavyweight Champion is the next logical bout for all parties, and would be booked as a PPV main event.
The welterweight division is facing major gridlock. Champion Johny Hendricks is injured, and the list of contenders behind him continues to grow. Fighters such as Hector Lombard and Tyron Woodley stand poised to challenge for the title, while Robbie Lawler and Matt Brown chase closely behind them. Placing two of them into a matchup against one another would help open up the division while creating an exciting fight for fans.
Lawler and Brown have never put on a boring affair, and this would be the closest thing to a brawl that the UFC could create. And if Lawler vs. Brown were booked as the main event of a free Fox event, the promotion would have an opportunity to create another household name in the sport.
Takeya Mizugaki vs. Alex Caceres
Despite Dillashaw unseating the dominant champion Barão, the bantamweight division still needs some new contenders to rise to the top. Mizugaki and Caceres are two individuals who have pushed themselves towards the top of the ladder with long unbeaten streaks in the Octagon. If “Bruce Leeroy” can get past perennial contender Urijah Faber at UFC 175, this is the next fight to make for these two athletes.
Mizugaki and Caceres are waiting behind Raphael Assuncao and Renan Barão when it comes to who should get the next shot at TJ Dillashaw. This fight will keep them active, and not damage the loser too much in the divisional rankings.
UFC 173 may not have had any mainstream hype heading into May 24, but it definitely generated a lot of buzz for the promotion on May 25. With victories behind them, the event’s winners should capitalize on that buzz, and move on to even more interesting bouts as they attempt to continue their winning ways.
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UFC 173: Barão vs. Dillashaw (formerly UFC 173: Weidman vs. Machida, UFC 173: Weidman vs. Belfort) took place on May 24, 2014 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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