The UFC returned to TD Garden Arena in Boston, Massachuchets Friday night, and they brought with them one of the most interesting main events of the year. Former champion and worldwide superstar Chris Weidman took on the young, hungry contender Dominick Reyes up a weight class, and a main event with that much intrigue can only be backed by a phenomenal main card. This card was stacked to the gills with talent, and with the best fighters in the UFC making their latest appearances, they are all going to need fresh opponents in the near future.
Deron Winn vs. Kennedy Nzechukwu
Deron Winn lost a razor-thin decision to Darren Stewart that both Daniel Cormier and Dominick Cruz thought he won, but it is hard to argue that Winn dominated the contest. He looked mediocre against another mediocre opponent, and he lost because of it. Not only did Winn lose, but he missed weight for this bout, so going up to Light Heavyweight and fighting another opponent who is 1-1 in the UFC could make a lot of sense for his career.
Darren Stewart vs. Brendan Allen
Darren Stewart managed to edge out the formerly undefeated Deron Winn despite being controlled on the ground for a bulk of the fight. Brendan Allen, however, finished his fight in spectacular fashion, putting in one of the most exciting performances of the night. Both of these Middleweights are consummate finishers, so putting them into the Octagon together is a sure way to see another spectacular knockout or submission.
Gillian Robertson vs. Shana Dobson
Gillian Robertson got finished in the first round against Maycee Barber but managed to have success in the grappling aspect of the fight. Robertson has been one of the breakout stars of her season of The Ultimate Fighter, from which Shana Dobson also got a contract. It is pretty clear which one of these women would win this particular fight, but Robertson needs to get back into the win column, and Dobson needs to be shown the door from the UFC.
Maycee Barber vs. Lauren Murphy
Maycee Barber is steadily rising in the ranks with her knockouts and excellent striking, and she will likely realize a title shot with at least two more wins. Ahead of her in the rankings is Lauren Murphy, who is a gritty veteran coming off of a win, and will undoubtedly make her fight very hard for a win. This could be Barber’s path to the title, and if Murphy manages to pull off the upset, she could steal her thunder.
Jonathan Pearce vs. Jamie Mullarkey
Jonathan Pearce expected to retire Jou Lauzon in his own hometown, but that certainly was not the case. He was absolutely demolished, and he did nothing offensively to the Boston native. Jamie Mullarkey is also 0-1 in the UFC, with both of these men favoring a firefight, so this would be a fun scrap between two men who have similar skills.
Ben Sosoli vs. Daniel Spitz
Ben Sosoli debuted against the controversial Greg Hardy, and Greg Hardy controversially won. It was a boring technical fight, and with Hardy illegally using an inhaler between rounds, it may be turned over to a no contest or disqualification. Daniel Spitz also lost an extremely technical battle on the prelims, so putting these two in the Octagon together could either lead to a technical war or a flush knockout victory.
Greg Hardy vs. Tanner Boser
The UFC is constantly looking for beatable Heavyweights to feed to Greg Hardy, and Tanner Boser could be one of those men. While he won his fight on the prelims handily against Spitz, he looked overall extremely beatable, and it is likely for the UFC to give him to Hardy as a stepping stone. Both fighters have similar styles, but Boser is all-around more conditioned and polished, so it will be intriguing to see if this will be the man to finally put Hardy’s lights out.
Jeremy Stephens vs. Mirsad Bektic
Jeremy Stephens has fought almost everyone in the Featherweight division and has knocked out most of them. Although he fell short in his rematch against Yair Rodriguez, he put in a performance that could be considered for Fight of the Year, and will still be ranked in the top 10 after tonight. One of the few competitors he has not faced is Mirsad Bektic, who is a talented wrestler that may nullify Stephens’ striking, making for an interesting style match-up.
Yair Rodriguez vs. Jose Aldo
Yair Rodriguez has proved to be one of the most dangerous men in the UFC Featherweight division, and his current win streak seems like a run that may take him to the title. There is no better fight to get the rest of the way there other than Jose Aldo, who held the belt longer than any other man ever has. This would be a battle between two of the best kickers in the world, and it would be a strong main event for any card based in Brazil or Mexico.
Chris Weidman vs. Luke Rockhold II
Chris Weidman and Luke Rockhold have been scheduled to fight each other several times ever since Rockhold beat Weidman for the Middleweight title, and now may be the best time for it to happen again. Both fighters moved up a division in hopes to fight Jon Jones, but instead were knocked out by top 5 fighters, and it seems as though both men have obtained glass jaws in the latter part of their careers. This is a bout that could truly go either way, and with both fighters having a grappling base, this may be the fairest contest for them to compete in.
Dominick Reyes vs. Jon Jones
Dominick Reyes has absolutely destroyed every opponent he has faced in the UFC, and with him being the highest-ranked fighter to never fight Jon Jones, it seems as though this is his time for a title shot. Reyes wasted no time calling out Jones in his post-fight speech, and with no other contenders emerging just yet, it is a no-brainer to make this fight. The only question now is whether or not Reyes has what it takes to beat Jon Jones.