UFC 182 was a solid event to kick off the UFC’s 2015 campaign. Now that the dust has settled, Jon Jones has solidified himself as the organization’s most dominant champion. A number of other individuals had strong efforts in building some momentum for this year as well. However, there were others who were unable to get the job done in the Octagon. With that in mind, these are fight suggestions for the individuals who did not get their hands raised at UFC 182:
Daniel Cormier vs. the loser of Anthony Johnson vs. Alexander Gustafsson
In the main event of UFC 182, Daniel Cormier became the latest fighter to have his name added to the list of scalps that Jon Jones has taken. This defeat is even more important because it takes Cormier out of the title picture for as long as Jones has the belt, or at least an extended period of time. Cormier’s next fight should come against the loser of the upcoming fight between Anthony Johnson and Alexander Gustafsson at UFC on Fox 14.
Both Johnson and Gustafsson are top contenders within the light heavyweight division. Whoever takes a loss at UFC on Fox 14 should not be matched against other prospects in the division, but should be used in matchups against other men that Jones have already defeated. Style-wise, this fight would also be interesting for fans who want to see how Cormier would deal with Gustafsson’s boxing or Johnson’s wrestling/power combination.
Daniel Cormier against either Alexander Gustafsson or Anthony Johnson would work as a co-main event for a UFC PPV during the second quarter of 2015.
Myles Jury vs. Bobby Green
Myles Jury walked into the co-main event with a lot of expectations. Many fighters and MMA experts were predicting him to surprise Donald Cerrone. But by the end of the night the surprise was on Jury, as he was handled by Cerrone for 15 minutes. Now that he has suffered the first official defeat in his MMA career, Jury will have to rebound with a big win to return to the form he showed before this fight.
Bobby Green is another fighter that had a lot of momentum before taking a loss, falling to Edson Barboza at UFC Fight Night 57. If he’s going to remain relevant as a lightweight he will need to get a win over a fighter such as Jury. Booking this fight would give both men a chance to gain some followers and fans in the sport.
Myles Jury vs. Bobby Green should be used as a PPV preliminary card “main event” on Fox Sports 1.
Danny Castillo vs. Nate Diaz
Danny Castillo is one of the workhorses of the UFC roster. Since moving over from WEC he has put together a 7-5 record and has shown promise at times. Yet his current two-fight skid has to be troublesome as the division continues to grow. Nate Diaz should be his next opponent to further gauge which man will eventually lose his spot within the promotion.
This would be a fight that places Castillo’s aggressive wrestling and scrambling against Diaz’s volume striking and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. It’s an important fight for both men, because Diaz needs a strong performance to get back in the UFC’s good graces, while Castillo needs a win to keep his position on the roster. Both men could find themselves fighting for smaller promotions if they cannot turn things around soon.
Castillo vs. Diaz could be used as a Fox Sports 1 preliminary “main event” for a UFC on Fox or UFC PPV card at some point in 2015.
Josh Burkman vs. Dong Hyun Kim
Some may feel that Josh Burkman was given the short end of the stick with his welcome back to the UFC. Burkman went from facing Tyler Stinson in World Series of Fighting to facing off against one of the most dynamic welterweight competitors available in Hector Lombard. While Burkman did have a strong start to the fight, he was eventually overwhelmed by the Judoka’s power and grappling abilities. It will be interesting to see how long Burkman sticks around in the promotion this time, but he still has some value for fight fans. Matching him against Dong Hyun Kim would prove that point.
Kim is a wildly exciting and aggressive fighter. At times it seems as if he comes forward attacking without any concern for his own health. This has cost him recently, but Kim is still a top 15 fighter in the division. Placing him into a matchup against Burkman would give both men a chance to make a small move towards the top ten.
Burkman vs. Kim would work best as a main card opener for a UFC Fight Night event on Fox or Fox Sports 1.
With UFC 182 gone, these fighters and others will have to look to get positive vibes back in their future Octagon endeavors. These suggestions are fights that are worth making that will help fans get interested about the next time these competitors step into the cage.
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UFC 182: Jones vs. Cormier took place on January 3, 2015 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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