Another season of The Ultimate Fighter has come to an end, and tonight two more tournament champions have been crowned. There were several TUF alumni on the card, and with a strong main event, the whole card seemed to be a success. However, there are a lot of high level fighters in need of another match-up, and I think I have a few suggestions.
Ji Yeon Kim vs. Aspen Ladd
Ji Yeon Kim didn’t just lose a dominant decision to Antonina Shevchenko tonight, but she missed weight by five pounds, and that is unacceptable. For Kim to have a future with the UFC, she has to do it at Bantamweight. Aspen Ladd is an undefeated monster of a woman, and I would love to see how Kim steps up to that challenge.
Antonina Shevchenko vs. Andrea Lee
Antonina Shevchenko shined in her highly anticipated UFC debut, and I think that she deserves a ranked opponent right away. Because of her family ties, the UFC will likely push her as the next big star, so giving her a top fifteen opponent is just the first step in her journey. Andrea Lee is also an entertaining striker, and I think that these two women could put on a stand-up war for the fans.
Darren Stewart vs. Marvin Vettori
Darren Stewart has an iron will and hands made of stone, but that wasn’t enough to get him the win tonight. However, I think he still has a future in the UFC, and a fight against someone similar to him would be fun. Marvin Vettori has a strong chin and some heavy hands, so you could almost guarantee a stand-up war between these two men.
Edmen Shahbazyan vs. Ryan Janes
Edmen Shahbazyan’s win over Darren Stewart was boring to say the least, but he got the job done. However, that style isn’t going to earn you a big fight. I think that he should fight another boring fighter like Ryan Janes, and the loser should probably not be with the UFC anymore.
Bryan Caraway vs. Douglas Silva de Andrade
Bryan Caraway put up a good fight tonight, but it just wasn’t enough against Pedro Munhoz’s heavy hands. However, he is still a ranked Bantamweight, and he deserves another chance to establish himself among the elite. Douglas Silva de Andrade is ranked just one spot below Caraway, and I think this is the fight that makes the most sense.
Pedro Munhoz vs. Cody Garbrandt
Pedro Munhoz proved that he deserves a huge fight next with his knockout win against Bryan Caraway, but almost everyone ranked above him already has a fight. Cody Garbrandt is the only person ranked above Munhoz who doesn’t have a dance partner, so it seems like that is the fight to make. Both guys are known for their unnatural punching power, and I would be surprised to see this fight get out of the first round.
Pannie Kianzad vs. Leah Letson
Pannie Kianzad had a huge experience advantage in the finale tonight, but that didn’t help her as much as she thought it would. Although she lost, the Featherweight division is in desperate need of fighters, so she should stay and take another fight in the division. Leah Letson picked up a win on the prelims tonight, and with the division being so shallow, this is one of the only possible matches that could be made.
Macy Chiasson vs. Holly Holm
Cris Cyborg has made it clear that she wants to fight the winner of this season of The Ultimate Fighter, but Macy Chiasson just simply doesn’t have enough experience for a title shot yet. However, a win over Holly Holm would change everything. Holm is one of the most prestigious female fighters to ever compete in MMA, and this fight would be a title eliminator for both women.
Justin Frazier vs. Maurice Greene
Justin Frazier lost pretty decisively here tonight, and really didn’t get a chance to put up any offense. However, when he’s going against someone who isn’t a wrestler, it’s going to be a different story. Although Frazier and Maurice Greene became friends in the house, I think that this is the most logical fight to make, and it could truly go either way.
Juan Espino vs. Andrei Arlovski
Juan Espino is now The Ultimate Fighter, and he made it look easy. While he is just now reaching fame as a mixed martial artist, he is one of the oldest fighters on the roster, and I think that he should fight someone else with the same kind of mileage. Andrei Arlovski has fought everyone in the division, so a fight against Espino will give him a chance to taste some new blood.
Rafael dos Anjos vs. Leon Edwards
Rafael dos Anjos got dominated through every round of this main event, but he will still likely be a top five fighter come Wednesday. With that being said, he needs to fight someone ranked way down in order to get his bearings, and I think Leon Edwards could be that fight. Edwards is a possible title contender, so taking out a legend like dos Anjos would undoubtedly put him closer to that goal.
Kamaru Usman vs. Stephen Thompson
Kamaru Usman proved yet again why he deserves a title shot, but he’s not going to get one. Colby Covington and Tyron Woodley have been on a collision course for a long time, so with that being the fight to make, Usman needs to keep climbing the ladder. With Darren Till moving up to Middleweight, “Wonderboy” is the only other fighter ranked above Usman, and I would love to see which style prevails.
