UFC 192 was a show that didn’t get the same amount of hype as other pay-per-view showcases, but the main event between Daniel Cormier and Alexander Gustafsson will be remembered as one of the best fights of 2015. For 25 minutes the competitors went back and forth battling over the light heavyweight title. In the end, Cormier kept the title around his waist as the crowd praised both men. Looking forward, these are fight suggestions coming out of UFC 192, designed to move these men and women towards the next stages in their careers.
Daniel Cormier vs. Ryan Bader
Both Daniel Cormier and Ryan Bader did their parts to set up an eventual fight between the two light heavyweights. Bader has put together a nice string of wins, and his unanimous decision defeat of Rashad Evans is the biggest win of his career. Coupled with the past animosity that these two men have shown each other, it is the right move to match these two fighters against each other as the world waits for Jon Jones to return to competition.
Cormier and Bader are both wrestlers at heart. Cormier may have participated at a higher level, but Bader has more experience transitioning his wrestling over to the world of mixed martial arts. Bader will have the size advantage, but Cormier has shown the ability to overcome that problem multiple times before.
Cormier vs. Bader is best suited as a co-main event bout that is paired with another title affair, perhaps the coming bout between Fabricio Werdum and Cain Velasquez that is due to occur at some point in 2016.
Joseph Benavidez vs. Kyoji Horiguchi
Joseph Benavidez continues to rack up victories as a UFC flyweight. While he may be the top contender to the title, he is in the unfortunate position of having lost to the champion two times, which forces him out of the title picture for an extended period of time. Kyoji Horiguchi is in a somewhat similar position as he tries to fight his way back towards another title shot. Pairing these two men will keep them active while out of the way of any future contenders for Demetrious Johnson.
Benavidez vs. Horiguchi would be a fight that features two of the fastest men in the sport. They move at a rapid pace but also mix in excellent exchanges. It would be interesting to see who would be able to put together the more effective combinations while working in their grappling games.
Benavidez vs. Horiguchi should be used as a main card opener for a UFC PPV event.
Juliana Peña vs. Amanda Nunes
Juliana Peña struggled against Jessica Eye for long portions of their bout. Eye was able to land many combinations while staving off some of Peña’s takedowns and grappling attacks. However, a controversial point deduction and some late rallies were enough to secure the win for Peña. She called out the current women’s bantamweight champ, Ronda Rousey, in her post-fight interview, but Rousey has other plans and contenders in the way. In the meantime, pairing Peña and the surging Amanda Nunes is the right move to make.
Nunes has looked quite scary in recent fights. Her first-round stoppage of Sara McMann at UFC Fight Night 73 opened up many eyes that she may be a true contender for Rousey in the coming months. She has the fight-changing power and grappling to hang with most of the women in the division. Peña would certainly have her work cut out for her at this point in her young career.
Peña vs. Nunes should be used as a preliminary feature bout for an upcoming UFC event in Brazil.
Adriano Martins vs. Bobby Green
Adriano Martins is an overlooked member of the UFC lightweight division. Since moving to the big stage of MMA, he has put together a 4-1 campaign in the Octagon. In every bout other than that vicious stoppage by Donald Cerrone at UFC on Fox 10, Martins has looked in total control over his opponents. He dropped Islam Makhachev for his third stoppage under the Zuffa banner. However, he is not ranked in the division’s Top 15, and Bobby Green should be the man to welcome him to that group.
Martins is a dynamic striker that uses great angles and accuracy. Green is another fighter that enjoys exchanging with his opponents, and he does so in volume. Martins vs. Green would be an excellent match for striking enthusiasts, as both men are very entertaining anytime they step into the cage.
The pairing of Martins and Green should be used to open up a UFC event on Fox once Green recovers from the injuries that have kept him out of action for nearly a year.
UFC 192 may not have included the biggest names in the sport, but by the time the night was over, fans were left with many strong points worth discussing. As these winners look toward their next bouts, these suggestions will continue to push them up the ladder against compelling foils.
**********
UFC 192: Cormier vs. Gustafsson took place on October 3, 2015 at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.
Click the stars to rate how good you think UFC 192 was.
