UFC 145 was the show of the young guns. We were able to watch a young champion in Jon Jones defeat yet another former champion on his quest to be considered the greatest of all time. We also saw Rory MacDonald continue to shine as a new star in the welterweight division. Both these fighters, and the other winners from the evening, can look forward to interesting bouts in the future. Here are a few suggestions as to who they should be paired against:
Jon Jones vs. Dan Henderson
This would be the ultimate example of pitting the new stars against the old guard. Consider this: when Henderson was at his highest and defeating some of the biggest names in the PRIDE ring, Jones was still in high school. Now the current champion would have a chance to solidify what has been one of the most awe-inspiring Octagon runs of all time if he can find a way to defeat the multiple-time champion. Jones would be a strong favorite against the 41-year-old fighter, but Henderson is one of those individuals who should never be counted out. In recent years he has has only been defeated by Jake Shields, Anderson Silva, and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, but in every fight he demonstrated success, and in the Shields fight, he had Shields against the wall and almost finished. However, since that last defeat, he has shown that his experience and patience to unload the big right hand are invaluable traits that he brings into the cage. Jones hasn’t had his chin tested to the extent that Henderson can. The question would be if “Hendo” can get inside the 84-inch reach that has pestered so many other fighters in the division. Jones has shown a continually evolving striking game that brings blows from many different angles and in quick fashion. Henderson has a very tough chin, but how much damage would he have to sustain before he is able to take one giant swing at the current champion? Dan Henderson versus Jon Jones would be a career-defining fight for both individuals, and would be a bout that is well worth the time of UFC matchmakers.
Rory MacDonald vs. Thiago Alves
It’s time for Rory MacDonald to face a staunch test in the form of a former title contender. Even though the UFC doesn’t believe in pitting recent winners against recent losers, I believe this is a bout that would truly test the young Canadian. His bout against Che Mills showed that MacDonald’s stand up game is still a work in progress, as Mills was able to pressure him and land some hard shots while on the feet. Alves is one of the most technical strikers in the division and would be able to do the same. The main difference is that Alves’s takedown defense has continued to improve, and he would have the power to shrug off takedown attempts from the weaker MacDonald. However, if he did find himself on his back, he would be in a very bad position, as MacDonald’s ground and pound has looked outright ruthless in past bouts. With a victory, MacDonald would be in a strong position to be considered a contender in 2013. He needs a few more victories over former contenders in the division to place a firm claim on the position, and Thiago Alves would be a great start towards a title run.
Michael McDonald vs. Brad Pickett
McDonald landed the most important uppercut of his career to this point when he dropped former 135-pound champion and pound-for-pound contender Miguel Torres at UFC 145. The former champion was completely asleep when his opponent began celebrating, and we witnessed another individual insert his name in the bantamweight division that is in need of new contenders. When younger fighters such as McDonald are placed against veterans of the sport, we get to see if these individuals should be considered contenders, or not quite ready to be placed among the elite of the division. Pickett is a fighter who would be a great test for McDonald. Pickett has been a part of mixed martial arts for nearly eight years, and his resume includes a list of tough competitors in the division. At 21-6, he is the type of opponent McDonald should face before going after a former title contender at the end of the year. Pickett can bring the fight to any opponent in a variety of locations. He strikes very well, and his ground game is undervalued, even though he has 10 submission victories to his name. McDonald has shown that he is not shy about engaging on the feet, and has earned a knockout victory nine times in his career. The exchanges in this bout would be very interesting to watch, as both individuals would be looking to land a heavy shot and end the fight. This would be a great fight to include on a free televised event as an opportunity to create a mainstream buzz for Michael McDonald.
Travis Browne vs. Ben Rothwell
Browne has slowly become an interesting prospect in the heavyweight division. Other than his controversial draw to Cheick Kongo, he has found a way to defeat every opponent that was placed before him. He submitted Chad Griggs in the first round in what may be a hint at his improving ground game. Rothwell, on the other hand, has been considered a gate-keeper of sorts for the heavyweight division. He came into the organization with a lot of buzz about his past accolades, but has since gone 2-2 in the UFC. His knockout victory over Brendan Schaub will be a strong shot in the arm for his career, and placing him against Browne would create a new contender in the heavyweight division, where the list of names ready to face the champion continues to grow short. This would be the classic heavyweight battle, as both competitors often look to use their striking to put their opponents away. With 27 knockout victories between the two, you can believe that they will not hesitate to stand in front of each other and attack. This fight would not last the full fifteen minutes, as their respective abilities to finish would surely come into play. The question is which fighter would be able to land the big shot first, and would it be enough to put his opponent away.
UFC 145 may not have ended with any truly shocking upsets, but it surely created the potential for some great matchups in the future.
