The UFC took another trip to São Paulo tonight, and while the card was fairly shallow, there was still some appreciable action on this card. The main event came together on six days notice, yet when you put two knockout artists together, there can only be one result. After so many fighters taking huge steps forward, everyone needs fresh opponents, and I think I have a few matches to make.
Randa Markos vs. Angela Hill
Randa Markos fought to a hard-earned draw against Marina Rodriguez tonight, and she showed that she still has a lot of heart at this point in her career. Someone else that shows a lot of heart every time they compete is Angela Hill. They are both two pioneers of the Strawweight division, and they surprisingly have never shared the cage together. I would love to see how their classic striker vs. grappler styles match-up, and I think this could be an interesting fight to put on a main card.
Marina Rodriguez vs. Mackenzie Dern
Marina Rodriguez may not have been victorious in her UFC debut, but she still walks away undefeated. Someone who could hand her a hard loss is jiu-jitsu master Mackenzie Dern. I believe that Rodriguez has earned another ranked opponent, and Dern could be the perfect person for her to test her skills against.
Renan Barao vs. Michael Johnson
Renan Barao was on the wrong end of a split decision tonight, but his performance was still good. However, he missed weight yet again, so I think that moving up a division would make sense. Fighting Michael Johnson at Featherweight could be a fun slugfest, and both men need to give their careers a little boost.
Andre Ewell vs. Brad Katona
Andre Ewell picked up the biggest win of his career by beating former champ Renan Barao, and I think he should fight another top prospect. TUF 27 winner Brad Katona has mentioned that he wants to move down to Bantamweight, and I think Ewell should welcome him. Both of these men could challenge for the title in the future, so I would like to see how their skills match up right now.
Sam Alvey vs. Ryan Spann
Sam Alvey suffered his first knockout loss at Light Heavyweight tonight, and it’s heart-wrenching to have to watch such a fan favorite fighter lose in devastating fashion. However, Alvey will be back, and I think Ryan Spann could make sense for his next bout. Spann had success on the prelims tonight, and I think a match against Sam Alvey could be a fun battle between two boxing heavy fighters.
Rogerio Nogueira vs. Gian Villante
Rogério Nogueira is no spring chicken, but that didn’t stop him from thoroughly cleaning Sam Alvey’s clock tonight. Little Nog pulled off a spectacular knockout, and I think he should fight someone else with dynamite in their hands. Villante has a style similar to that of Alvey’s, and I think an all stand-up affair with Nogueira would be something the fans want to see.
Carlo Pedersoli vs. Allan Zuniga
Carlo Pedersoli stepped in on short notice to fight Alex Oliveira, and it turned out to be a poor decision. While he got knocked out in under a minute, that doesn’t mean he can’t still win fights in the UFC, and I think he needs to be matched up with someone who is more on his level. Allan Zuniga is known for being one of the worst prospects to come out of TUF 27, and while people may not take him seriously, a fight against Pedersoli could be a way for him to change everyone’s minds.
Alex Oliveira vs. Leon Edwards
Alex Oliveira proved tonight that he belongs in the elite of the division, and an interesting match-up for him could be against Leon Edwards. Edwards is seen as a possible title challenger right now, so a spot against someone as tough as Oliveira could really prove that. This is sure to be a true firefight, and I know that it would be fun for the fans to watch.
Eryk Anders vs. Julian Marquez
Eryk Anders had to go through three rounds of absolute hell against Thiago Santos tonight, and the poor guy just couldn’t make it back to his stool at the end of the third round. While his lone trip up to 205 pounds may not have went how he expected, Anders could still contend for the title at 185. A fight against another top prospect and dangerous striker like Julian Marquez could grant him a spot in the UFC rankings, and I know that it could only end in one man being unconscious.
Thiago Santos vs. Nikita Krylov
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Thiago Santos may be a ranked Middleweight, but his Light Heavyweight debut certainly worked out for him, and I think he should stay at this weight until he reaches a setback. Someone that could make for a fun fight is Nikita Krylov, a true Light Heavyweight fighter, and this could prove who the true prospect in the division is.