UFC Fight Night 75 brought the UFC back to Japan and featured a number of stars from the other side of the ocean. As the show closed, it was clear that the organization still has designs on breaking into the Japanese MMA scene. For the individuals who had their hands raised, their futures become much brighter, with bigger fights down the line. These suggested bouts will keep them active and relevant in the near future:
Josh Barnett vs. the winner of Mark Hunt vs. Antonio Silva 2
Josh Barnett stepped away from MMA for nearly two years after he was stopped by Travis Browne at UFC 168, though he remained very active in the world of competitive grappling. Stepping back into the Octagon in Japan was the right move, however, as he earned a unanimous decision win over Roy Nelson, and that is a valuable win in the wide open heavyweight division. He should face either Mark Hunt or Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva in his next bout.
Hunt and Silva are due to face each other at UFC 193 in hopes of recapturing the magic that was their first fight at UFC Fight Night 33. The winner of that fight would give Barnett the opportunity to move into title contention, which is what many of his fans have clamored for in recent years. Barnett’s a world class grappler who is a dangerous fighter once the fight hits the mat. He has a variety of ways of getting the fight there as well. Hunt and Silva are mostly strikers, though Silva is a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
“The Warmaster” vs. either Hunt or Silva would work as a main card bout of a UFC Fight Night event from a foreign country. Hunt and Barnett are both big stars in Japan. If Hunt wins, giving them time off in order to feature them the next time the organization goes to Asia would be a positive move for them both.
Uriah Hall vs. the winner of Michael Bisping vs. Robert Whittaker
Uriah Hall earned the biggest win of his career when he stopped Gegard Mousasi in the second round of their middleweight bout. This win catapults him into the short list of men that can challenge for the title at some point in 2016. However, before he can solidify that shot, he will have to secure 1 or 2 more solid wins over big name opponents. He should wait until Michael Bisping and Robert Whittaker square off at UFC 193 to face the winner of that bout.
Bisping and Whittaker are two strikers who lean on their boxing first. Bisping, however, is much more of a veteran of MMA, which would be an important advantage against Hall. Either way, facing either man would create an interesting bout for Hall in the near future.
Hall vs. either Bisping or Whittaker should be used to open up a UFC PPV event in 2016.
Kyoji Horiguchi vs. John Dodson
Kyoji Horiguchi looked very good in his victory over Chico Camus. This was an important win for him, as it allowed him to rebound from being stopped by the current UFC Flyweight Champion, Demetrious Johnson, at UFC 186. Going forward, Horiguchi must focus on remaining relevant in the division should another opportunity to fight for the title become available.
John Dodson is in a similar position to Horiguchi in this bout, as he is also coming off of a loss to the current champion. And to make matters even worse for him, it was his second loss to “Mighty Mouse,” pushing him well outside the position to earn a third shot at the belt.
Horiguchi vs. Dodson would be an action-packed fight that would blaze around the cage. Both men move at a quick pace while staying active. The question would be whether or not Dodson can land the kind of powerful shot that has consistently changed the face of his previous fights.
Horiguchi vs. Dodson is best used as a preliminary feature bout on Fox Sports 1 leading into a PPV.
Takeya Mizugaki vs. John Lineker
Takeya Mizugaki righted his ship as he picked up a win over George Roop. He was in the midst of a two-fight losing streak but brought that to an end in Japan. Mizugaki still has work to do in order to get back into title eliminators, but that opportunity could be available to him if he found a way to stop the surging John Lineker.
Lineker made an exciting debut in the bantamweight division with a barnburner of a fight against Francisco Rivera at UFC 191. By the end of the contest the fans were standing and screaming for more, as the heavy-handed Brazilian stopped his opponent with pure violence. If he is to continue in this division, this is the right move to make at this time.
Mizugaki vs. Linker should be a fight that is featured in Brazil. They should be paired against each other as a main card opener for a UFC Fight Night on Fox Sports 1.
Diego Brandao vs. Hacran Dias
With his win over Katsunori Kikuno, Diego Brandao showed why his striking abilities create fear. When he is a composed fighter, he is a dangerous fighter. However, he has often shown a penchant for losing composure, which has cost him fights in the past. Yet he does have value to the UFC as a Brazilian fighter, so the UFC should slate him for a matchup against Hacran Dias in their home country.
Dias is a member of the famed Nova Uniao team, which has cranked out a number of stars, such as Jose Aldo, Renan Barao, and Eduardo Dantas. Featuring these two competitors on a Brazilian fight card would allow them to showcase their skills in front of their countrymen.
Brandao vs. Dias is best suited as a main card opener for a UFC event in Brazil.
UFC Fight Night 75 brought the UFC back to where martial arts started. At the end of the night, a number of important bouts helped create interesting fights in the future for the winners. These suggestions should keep those winners moving in the right direction to further their respective careers.
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UFC Fight Night 75: Nelson vs. Barnett took place on September 27, 2015 at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. Due to time zone differences, the event aired in the United States on September 26, 2015.
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