UFC 244 was a night that was littered with knockouts, exactly as advertised. Having the main event contested for the first-ever “BMF” title does not insinuate a dull fight card, and the UFC delivered from top to bottom. However, with the Baddest Motherfu**ers in the game all making the walk tonight, they will all need new faces to combat in the Octagon.
Gregor Gillespie vs. Alexander Hernandez
Gregor Gillespie found himself on the wrong end of both a huge upset and a powerful head kick at Madison Square Garden, losing his undefeated record in the process. However, this was only his first setback, and he will still be a ranked fighter come Monday morning. Fighting someone like Alexander Hernandez would give Gillespie the chance to get back on his horse, but it could also result in another setback, making this a true crossroads bout.
Kevin Lee vs. Dan Hooker
Kevin Lee had gone through a rough patch in his career leading into UFC 244, but he managed to turn things around with a stunning knockout of Gregor Gillespie. With that kind of performance, he deserves to fight someone ranked above him, and the highest-ranked opponent he has not already faced is Dan Hooker. While Hooker is likely being groomed for a title shot, beating Kevin Lee would put another huge notch on his belt, and Lee could establish himself as a top contender again with a victory.
Blagoy Ivanov vs. Shamil Abdurakhimov
Blagoy Ivanov lost a razor-thin split decision against the heavy-handed Derrick Lewis, but he thoroughly held his own all throughout the fight, even winning on one judge’s scorecard. Fighting Shamil Abdurakhimov would be a battle of two similar styles, with both men coming from a Russian Sambo background, and they may make this bout an interesting one to be had. They have both had their fair share of ups and downs in the UFC so far, so this could be a fight between two durable journeymen who desperately want to break into the upper-echelon of the division.
Derrick Lewis vs. Curtis Blaydes
Derrick Lewis has proved once again why he is one of the best fighters in the Heavyweight division, as he put on an absolute war against Blagoy Ivanov. Someone that Lewis has surprisingly never faced is Curtis Blaydes, who has also stayed at the top of the division for years, and could easily get a title shot with another win. This would be a classic striker versus grappler match for the ages, and it would truly come down to which man can impose their will sooner.
Vicente Luque vs. Lyman Good
While Vicente Luque seemed to be the future of the Welterweight division, he effectively got the brakes beat off of him by Stephen Thompson, proving that he is at least one of the most durable fighters in the division. After this loss, Luque may not be ranked anymore, and could use a fight against someone who is less established in this weight class. Lyman Good had a spectacular knockout on the prelims, so it is not out of the question for him to deserve a fight against someone like Luque.
Stephen Thompson vs. Demian Maia
Stephen Thompson was able to return to form with a vintage performance against one of his toughest opponents yet, and managed to get himself back on a winning streak. With so many top contenders in the Welterweight division, there is certainly enough competition to go around, and someone who Thompson could be extremely competitive against is Demian Maia. How these men have never met before is baffling, but they are both at points where they are trying to get a second Welterweight title shot, and this may be the fight that leads to that.
Kelvin Gastelum vs. Jared Cannonier
Kelvin Gastelum lost a split decision in what was probably one of the most boring fights of his career, and definitely the most boring fight on the card. While he could have easily won his fight on the judge’s scorecards, he dropped two decisions in a row, and now has to climb even further towards a second shot at Israel Adesanya. Jared Cannonier is someone who has been starching people ever since moving down in weight, so this could easily be an all-out brawl to decide who will get their desperately wanted title shot.
Darren Till vs. Yoel Romero
It is almost ceremonial for Middleweights to have to fight Yoel Romero in order to get a title shot, and that is currently where Darren Till is. He beat the number four ranked contender in the division, Yoel is ranked slightly higher than he is, and now is the perfect time to make that fight. Both men are capable of knocking out anyone on the planet, and one of them will undoubtedly hit the canvas in this match-up.
Nate Diaz vs. Ben Askren
While Nate Diaz’s fight against Jorge Masvidal was stopped early by the doctor, he was getting thoroughly starched up until the finish, and showed almost no offense against Masvidal. Being set back in such a manner, Nate should fight someone who is ranked towards the bottom of the division, and Ben Askren could prove to be up to the task. The trash talk leading up to this fight should be enough to get anyone excited for the match, and both men have an equal chance of winning, as they both are strong in certain areas while also possessing obvious weaknesses.
Jorge Masvidal vs. Leon Edwards
This has been the fight to make ever since these two men had an altercation backstage after Masvidal knocked out Till, and now is the perfect time to make it happen. Kamaru Usman is scheduled to fight Colby Covington for the title, Masvidal just headlined a successful Pay-Per-View, and the Edwards has beaten nearly everyone ranked below him in order to get to this bout. The winner of this fight would not only be the BMF of the UFC, but they would also fight for the title next, making the Welterweight belt one and the same with the BMF belt.