The UFC‘s fourth trip to Fight Island was filled with promising stars, with a handful of recognizable names sprinkled throughout. While this was undoubtedly the least anticipated card of the year, it still contained a good bit of action, and the winner of the main event couple be the next challenger for Amanda Nunes. What could be next for the all of the main card fighters? Let’s find out. Checkout Matches to Make After UFC Fight Night: Holm vs. Aldana
Dequan Townsend: Cut
Embed from Getty ImagesDequan Townsend got absolutely blasted by an undefeated fighter at Fight Island, and there is no doubt that he will be let go from the roster. He has lost four in a row, and that is one more loss than most fighters usually get before their walking papers.
Dusko Todorovic vs. Nassourdine Imavov
Dusko Todorovic demolished Townsend, keeping his undefeated record intact while putting the UFC Middleweight division on notice. Someone else that had a big win on the prelims was Nassourdine Imavov, who picked up an impressive decision win against a promising prospect. This would likely just be more experience for Todorovic to put on his record, but Imavov pulled off one upset already, so anything is possible.
Cameron Else vs. Heili Alateng
Cameron Else did not put up much offense in his UFC debut, but even the best fighters in the world can suffer from Octagon jitters. If Else is going to stay in the promotion, he has to fight people like Heili Alateng, who has good wins in the UFC despite coming off of a loss.
Kyler Phillips vs. Casey Kenney
Kyler Phillips finished his opponent with relative ease, while Casey Kenney picked up a unanimous decision earlier in the night. Despite being on the prelims, Kenney is extremely close to being a ranked fighter, so a fight between these two men could decide who gets a number next to their name. Both fighters are well rounded with bright futures, making this an important fight for the Bantamweight division.
Julianna Pena vs. Raquel Pennington
Julianna Pena is perhaps the best grappler in the Women’s Bantamweight division, and yet she got put to sleep with a guillotine choke by a striker. This is certainly a huge blemish on her record, but she can still get to the title in a couple of fights, starting with Raquel Pennington. Pennington has fought for the belt before, and she has a wide array of skills, making the winner of this fight right back in title contention.
Germaine de Randamie vs. Ketlen Vieira
Germaine de Randamie is one of the best strikers in the UFC, and now she has a submission win to call her own as well. Being only one fight removed from her title shot, it would make sense for her to fight someone further down the ladder, while also being tested in her weak areas. Ketlen Vieira is a powerful ground fighter who could submit everybody, so with Germaine testing the waters on the ground, this could be an interesting fight for the future of the division.
Yorgan De Castro vs. Ben Sosoli
Yorgan De Castro competed in an underwhelming Heavyweight bout, ultimately gassing out and losing a unanimous decision. A fighter who was once seen as the hottest prospect in the division, it looks as though De Castro is one loss away from being cut from the promotion all together. Ben Sosoli is someone who was already supposed to fight Yorgan before an eye injury, but now this barn burner of a match-up should probably be remade, and the loser will likely be granted their walking papers from the UFC.
Carlos Felipe vs. Raphael Pessoa
Carlos Felipe managed to eek out his first UFC win, even though he did not look spectacular while doing so. However, a win is a win, and after the fight Felipe called out someone he says is “running from him” in Raphael Pessoa. Fighters who actually say a name on the microphone should absolutely get the fight they ask for, and with Felipe already talking trash to Pessoa, this should have entertaining build-up at the least.
Irene Aldana vs. Lina Lansberg
Irene Aldana could have easily been the next contender for Amanda Nunes’ belt, but she came up short against a superior striker in Holly Holm. Holm refused to brawl with Aldana, choosing to beat her up with long kicks and punches while looking to tie up for a takedown from the clinch. Someone who would absolutely brawl with her is Lina Lansberg, as both women have knockouts and violence on their resumes, making this a fire fight worth booking.
Holly Holm vs. Aspen Ladd
Holly Holm isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, and she has consistently set back potential contenders throughout her entire career. This is why she should fight Aspen Ladd, as they are both very close to the title, while being extremely different in age and style. The winner of this fight should be the next Bantamweight title challenger, and it is surprising that these women have not faced each other already.
