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Brendan Allen vs Marvin Vettori – I lost track of all the guys Brendan called out post-fight, but one name that stands out to me is Marvin Vettori. Marv isn’t get a title shot any time soon, but he’s a tough out for anyone, and with Allen rolling and showing he’s far better rounded than pure grapplers and pure strikers alike, I’m up for seeing him try to out-muscle someone who is in effect super-super Jacob Malkoun (lol) who Allen also beat. This one goes the distance, most likely, but does Allen have the skill and finesse to slay the powerhouse Italian Dream? I don’t know, but I want to fight out!
Paul Craig vs Anthony Hernandez – I love the idea that Allen’s regional opponent Anthony Hernandez basically shadows his run up the rankings, and I think he’s a really interesting opponent for Craig next. I love me some Paul Craig, but his limitations can be exploited by well-rounded opposition – Hernandez is that, but as long as he’s playing this ‘cool cat’ act who doesn’t care what his opponents do, seeing him pitted against specialists like Craig becomes super intriguing!
Michael Morales vs Rinat Fakhretdinov – The UFC tried for this fight in December 2022, but Morales was injured. Rinat has since climbed to #15 in the welterweight rankings, but hardly looked invincible in his draw with Elizeu Zaleski. That’s a similar(ish) challenge for Rinat to this one. Rinat’s gas tank will need to improve if he’s to climb the ladder any further, which I kind of doubt. This might be one for Morales to show out and take the step from ‘prospect’ to ‘legit’. It sure as hell won’t be easy, though.
Jake Matthews vs Alex Morono – Two guys with enormous UFC experience who have both managed to engineer near-identical win-loss records in their time in the top promotion in the world. Both are super reliable in terms of showing out and proving they’re mid-tier talent, and I think it would be a bit of a guilty pleasure to see them line up against each other. For the record, I have no idea who would win or how to pick this one, which is usually the sign of a good time!
Chase Hooper vs Trey Ogden – I’m treating Ogden like he won his fight with Nikolas Motta, whereas unfortunately the reality is he was robbed by an early stoppage. Ogden is a decent gatekeeper for the lower ranks, but after fighting quite a few prospects, I think it’s time for him to get a bit of a step up here and face an improving Chase Hooper. Hooper is starting to put it together, but that’s no cause to rush him up the rankings (unless, of course, a fight with Paddy Pimblett becomes available, and that’s a MUCH bigger, funner fight). Hooper likely rolls (Ogden narrowly lost to Leavitt), but Ogden is a dog.
Jordan Leavitt vs Viacheslav Borshchev – Kind of hard to know what to do with Leavitt at this point. He’s faced a string of grapplers, but not really excelled at that, losing to guys like Puelles, Pimblett, and now Hooper. Is there any point keeping him on that kind of pathway? Probably not, but he’s still a fun fighter worth pitching against other slightly well-known opponents. Viacheslav is a clean striker who isn’t particularly great in the grappling department. Hell, why not? Leavitt either gets lit up on the feet or manufactures an Aoki-esque way to embroil the Russian in his ground game, where he holds a huge advantage. Strikers vs Grapplers is what the sport was based on. Get it done between two fun but flawed young men. I do wonder if Leavitt is robust enough here, though…
Payton Talbott vs Kleydson Rodrigues – Kid gloves for Talbott? Maybe a little bit. But he should be fighting at this level, and with two weight misses under his belt, KR probably isn’t getting any favours from the booking team. 1-2 in the UFC, KR made quick work of Shannon Ross, should never have been in there with Farid Basharat, and lost a narrow decision to CJ Vergara. He’s pitched perfectly. He’s not hopeless, but neither is he too much for Talbott. Let’s see if Payton can roll on.
Nick Aguirre vs Caolan Loughran – Rough start to life in the UFC for Aguirre, who is by no means hopeless – but he might be someone who is staring down the barrel of getting cut from the roster and needing to hit the regionals for more experience. That is, unless he can beat someone like the mouthy Irishman Caolan Loughran. It’s a big ask, but Loughran himself has yet to show what he’s capable of. Both fighters need that opportunity in the worst way.
Amanda Ribas vs Mackenzie Dern II – A controversial pick, perhaps, but two things: 1, Ribas has no business as flyweight going forward, and 2, the fact that Ribas inflicted Dern’s first pro defeat over 4 years ago now must be considered something of an upset even with hindsight. Dern generally only loses to strikers, and even then, only those with a well-rounded game. Ribas doesn’t fit that mould, exactly, despite also being well-rounded, but she’s got such a force of personality that it makes her hard to beat. You kinda gotta kill her. Once more round the sun here, but can Dern show us anything else to overcome the somewhat lopsided defeat she endured last time? Or does Ribas continue to slowly climb the ranks at 115? It won’t be boring.
Luana Pinheiro vs Karolina Kowalkiewicz – Ribas was too much, too soon for Luana Pinheiro, even though she looked competent early on. Luana never had the body of work to even remotely justify a #9 ranking, which was UFC silliness at it’s finest, but that doesn’t make her a bad fighter. Put her own against resurgent veteran KK, a fighter everyone low key seems to like, and who a lot will root for here. Luana should win, but it’s not a given.
Myktybek Oralbai vs Ange Loosa – Just enter the UFC on short notice, take a fight against a slight hype train, and then derail them in awesome fashion. No problem. That’s the story of Myktybek Oralbai, an LFA prospect but moreover a killer from Kyrgyzstan who looks ready to climb the ladder. Medic may have been a bit one-dimensional, ultimately, so let’s try Ange Loosa next, a tough-as-nails prospect from DR Congo via Switzerland. If Oralbai finishes this dude, he’s getting plaudits aplenty – meanwhile, Loosa is just starting to show what he can do, too with back-to-back wins over AJ Fletcher and Rhys McKee.
Uros Medic vs Billy Goff – Medic is a striker, and hasn’t quite rounded out his game as yet, but there’s still plenty of time. Goff is that underdog that shows out and, so far, finishes opponents – but I think Medic is a real test for him. There’s plenty of raw potential in a fight like this, and whoever shows out best likely comes out smelling of roses.
Joanderson Brito vs Daniel Pineda – I’ll be honest with you, I love fighters like Brito, but if he doesn’t get the finish, the powerhouse Brazilian is liable to lose on the cards – which is exactly how his fight with JSP was trending! Pearce will be gutted to get caught in a nasty Ninja Choke, but full credit to Brito for overcoming his frustration and getting a quick, lethal finish against the run of play. Give him another vaunted finisher, the veteran Daniel Pineda – Pineda fights do not usually go the distance, and neither will this one. If Brito wins, he draws closer to the rankings, but right now I’d like him to keep fighting regularly and collecting those scalps!
Jonathan Pearce vs Julian Erosa – Tough break for Pearce, but he’s still a high quality featherweight who is more than competitive against veterans like Erosa, having beaten Amirkhani and Elkins, as well as rookie hype slayer Christian Rodriguez. Erosa just feels right here, both fighters coming off losses, but with both fighters more than game. Erosa has some nasty chokes, so JSP has to find a way to avoid that, as he’s always been a little prone to getting tapped both as a pro and an amateur. It’s the right test for him.
Jose Johnson vs Ricky Turcios – Ricky Turcios is one of those guys that’s quietly amassed a decent little record in the UFC, particularly counting his TUF wins. His most recent decision victory over Natividad was a full calendar year ago, though, so he should want to get back in as soon as he can. Like Ricky, Johnson is a decent fighter who beat undefeated Jack Cartwright on DWCS before running into Da’Mon Blackshear in his UFC debut – that was a tough one, but he was the favourite against Anheliger and showed why, winning on points and getting a late finish. Full credit to Johnson for that. I think this would be a sleeper fight, with both guys more than game at bantamweight, but with every chance it sorta slips beneath the radar!
Chad Anheliger vs Johnny Munoz – With these two fighters on the slide, losing to mediocre opposition, this one could be a loser-leaves-town type of fight and that always makes for a welcome added wrinkle! Likely an opener on an Apex show.
Christian Leroy Duncan vs Sedriques Dumas – Dumas had a poor UFC debut, but has improved since, and outpointed Abu Azaitar last time out to make it 2 wins in a row on the big stage. Like Duncan, he’s 2-1 in the UFC, and like Duncan, he’s 9-1 overall. Not only are the statistics shining on a fight like this, but the two are pretty unpredictable and Duncan in particular looks like he could pose a real problem going forward. Duncan is probably the cleaner and more technical fighter, but this could get wild!
Denis Tiuliulin – CUT! 1-4 in the UFC is a bad look, and he’s lost 3 in a row, stopped every time. Yeah, Tiuliulin is game and seems to accept tough fights, but at 11-9 I don’t really see much value left. His career, sadly, looks like it’s been poorly managed.
Mick Parkin vs Junior Tafa – Not a great night for Mick Parkin, but he keeps the 0 in a fight that could have gone either way. He’s gone to a decision twice in two heavyweight outings, too, which isn’t an appealing prospect. He’d have to be on his tippy toes against Junior Tafa, another Australasian who hits like a truck – I smell a finish this time around, and Parkin would need to really show out to get the win here in my opinion. He’d be best served mixing it up against a good quality kickboxer, but can Tafa’s game continue to evolve? After losing to Usman, he wrecked Parker Porter, so he can certainly get the job done at this level.
Caio Machado vs Jhonata Diniz – Diniz is another great kickboxer like Tafa, but this is the level you get when you lose your UFC debut. Caio Machado, honorary Canadian, draws a fellow Brazilian national and though he could certainly threaten here, the question really is: how good is Diniz, and he can he keep wrecking his opponents?
Jeka Saragih vs Dennis Buzukja – Welcome to the party Indonesia! Jeka Saragih pulled off a first round finish in this upset victory, and more power to him! These are the sort of results that show the UFC really is an international brand with a lot of opportunity for up-and-coming fighters. Give him Dennis Buzukja next. Dennis is a respected fighter with a decent following, but another who just might not be UFC standard even though he tends to tear through the regionals – he’s already 0-2. Let’s see how far Jeka can climb – I’ve no idea how far he goes, but I’m interested to find out!
Lucas Alexander vs Jack Jenkins – Jack Jenkins has a mean leg kick, and Lucas Alexander has used them to decent effect too. Alexander lost in an upset tonight, just as Jenkins did when he lost to Chepe Mariscal in Sydney, Australia. After confidence-knocking defeats for each, line them up, and let’s see who’s go the nastier kicks – and the better game overall. Jenkins likely walks in a favourite, which is fine, as he’s still one to keep an eye on.
Ailin Perez vs Melissa Dixon – Now this one I think would really be a showcase for Dixon, if she’s anything like as good as she looked in her UFC debut. I like Perez, I think she’s got a shot at beating quite a few UFC Bantamweights, but I’m really a little more interested in how high Dixon’s ceiling is. I wouldn’t want to rush an intriguing prospect with a 6-0 record, but while Ailin is 2-1 in the UFC, she’s only 8-2 overall. Decent, but beatable – and a very solid test here.
Lucie Pudilova vs Tainara Lisboa – Unfortunately Pudilova once again finds herself walking a tightrope having already been released by the UFC once. She’s too good for the regionals, but that doesn’t guarantee her a future in the octagon, so she’s going to have to turn it around. She’s competitive, but would need more than that against 2-0 Tainara Lisboa in what would be a step up for Lisboa after wins over Jessica-Rose Clark and Ravena Oliveira.
Trey Ogden vs Chase Hooper (see above)
Nikolas Motta vs Victor Martinez – With both fighters now 13-5 and having negative UFC records, it’s time for one or the other to really show they belong in the octagon. Motta got away with one tonight, but he didn’t perform, and he’ll need a win in the worst way against Martinez who himself is 0-1.
Rafael Estevam vs Ode Osbourne – 8-fight UFC veteran Ode Osbourne typically gets this kind of assignment, and that’s because he’s a good, solid test and an interesting opponent for most guys. He’s 4-4 in the UFC and won’t want to dip back into a negative record, but against the undefeated Esetvam, can he put the work in and get the W? Estevam certainly showed he’s beatable but did enough tonight to get the W against another tough and awkward opponent.
Charles Johnson vs Daniel Barez – Barez is fishing for his first UFC win but showed ability (if not stamina) in his UFC debut. He’ll need to improve that against Charles Johnson, who had a strong third round but ultimately didn’t do enough to overcome the early deficits against Estevam. Charles Johnson is 2-4 in the UFC and on a 3-fight losing streak, though, so there’s a reasonable chance they cut him... but I think he and Barez could put on a fun fight. These guys both know how hit the throttle.
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First 'Fights to Make' of the new era of Sherdog forum.
Don't forget to hit up your thoughts!
Paul Craig vs Anthony Hernandez – I love the idea that Allen’s regional opponent Anthony Hernandez basically shadows his run up the rankings, and I think he’s a really interesting opponent for Craig next. I love me some Paul Craig, but his limitations can be exploited by well-rounded opposition – Hernandez is that, but as long as he’s playing this ‘cool cat’ act who doesn’t care what his opponents do, seeing him pitted against specialists like Craig becomes super intriguing!
Michael Morales vs Rinat Fakhretdinov – The UFC tried for this fight in December 2022, but Morales was injured. Rinat has since climbed to #15 in the welterweight rankings, but hardly looked invincible in his draw with Elizeu Zaleski. That’s a similar(ish) challenge for Rinat to this one. Rinat’s gas tank will need to improve if he’s to climb the ladder any further, which I kind of doubt. This might be one for Morales to show out and take the step from ‘prospect’ to ‘legit’. It sure as hell won’t be easy, though.
Jake Matthews vs Alex Morono – Two guys with enormous UFC experience who have both managed to engineer near-identical win-loss records in their time in the top promotion in the world. Both are super reliable in terms of showing out and proving they’re mid-tier talent, and I think it would be a bit of a guilty pleasure to see them line up against each other. For the record, I have no idea who would win or how to pick this one, which is usually the sign of a good time!
Chase Hooper vs Trey Ogden – I’m treating Ogden like he won his fight with Nikolas Motta, whereas unfortunately the reality is he was robbed by an early stoppage. Ogden is a decent gatekeeper for the lower ranks, but after fighting quite a few prospects, I think it’s time for him to get a bit of a step up here and face an improving Chase Hooper. Hooper is starting to put it together, but that’s no cause to rush him up the rankings (unless, of course, a fight with Paddy Pimblett becomes available, and that’s a MUCH bigger, funner fight). Hooper likely rolls (Ogden narrowly lost to Leavitt), but Ogden is a dog.
Jordan Leavitt vs Viacheslav Borshchev – Kind of hard to know what to do with Leavitt at this point. He’s faced a string of grapplers, but not really excelled at that, losing to guys like Puelles, Pimblett, and now Hooper. Is there any point keeping him on that kind of pathway? Probably not, but he’s still a fun fighter worth pitching against other slightly well-known opponents. Viacheslav is a clean striker who isn’t particularly great in the grappling department. Hell, why not? Leavitt either gets lit up on the feet or manufactures an Aoki-esque way to embroil the Russian in his ground game, where he holds a huge advantage. Strikers vs Grapplers is what the sport was based on. Get it done between two fun but flawed young men. I do wonder if Leavitt is robust enough here, though…
Payton Talbott vs Kleydson Rodrigues – Kid gloves for Talbott? Maybe a little bit. But he should be fighting at this level, and with two weight misses under his belt, KR probably isn’t getting any favours from the booking team. 1-2 in the UFC, KR made quick work of Shannon Ross, should never have been in there with Farid Basharat, and lost a narrow decision to CJ Vergara. He’s pitched perfectly. He’s not hopeless, but neither is he too much for Talbott. Let’s see if Payton can roll on.
Nick Aguirre vs Caolan Loughran – Rough start to life in the UFC for Aguirre, who is by no means hopeless – but he might be someone who is staring down the barrel of getting cut from the roster and needing to hit the regionals for more experience. That is, unless he can beat someone like the mouthy Irishman Caolan Loughran. It’s a big ask, but Loughran himself has yet to show what he’s capable of. Both fighters need that opportunity in the worst way.
Amanda Ribas vs Mackenzie Dern II – A controversial pick, perhaps, but two things: 1, Ribas has no business as flyweight going forward, and 2, the fact that Ribas inflicted Dern’s first pro defeat over 4 years ago now must be considered something of an upset even with hindsight. Dern generally only loses to strikers, and even then, only those with a well-rounded game. Ribas doesn’t fit that mould, exactly, despite also being well-rounded, but she’s got such a force of personality that it makes her hard to beat. You kinda gotta kill her. Once more round the sun here, but can Dern show us anything else to overcome the somewhat lopsided defeat she endured last time? Or does Ribas continue to slowly climb the ranks at 115? It won’t be boring.
Luana Pinheiro vs Karolina Kowalkiewicz – Ribas was too much, too soon for Luana Pinheiro, even though she looked competent early on. Luana never had the body of work to even remotely justify a #9 ranking, which was UFC silliness at it’s finest, but that doesn’t make her a bad fighter. Put her own against resurgent veteran KK, a fighter everyone low key seems to like, and who a lot will root for here. Luana should win, but it’s not a given.
Myktybek Oralbai vs Ange Loosa – Just enter the UFC on short notice, take a fight against a slight hype train, and then derail them in awesome fashion. No problem. That’s the story of Myktybek Oralbai, an LFA prospect but moreover a killer from Kyrgyzstan who looks ready to climb the ladder. Medic may have been a bit one-dimensional, ultimately, so let’s try Ange Loosa next, a tough-as-nails prospect from DR Congo via Switzerland. If Oralbai finishes this dude, he’s getting plaudits aplenty – meanwhile, Loosa is just starting to show what he can do, too with back-to-back wins over AJ Fletcher and Rhys McKee.
Uros Medic vs Billy Goff – Medic is a striker, and hasn’t quite rounded out his game as yet, but there’s still plenty of time. Goff is that underdog that shows out and, so far, finishes opponents – but I think Medic is a real test for him. There’s plenty of raw potential in a fight like this, and whoever shows out best likely comes out smelling of roses.
Joanderson Brito vs Daniel Pineda – I’ll be honest with you, I love fighters like Brito, but if he doesn’t get the finish, the powerhouse Brazilian is liable to lose on the cards – which is exactly how his fight with JSP was trending! Pearce will be gutted to get caught in a nasty Ninja Choke, but full credit to Brito for overcoming his frustration and getting a quick, lethal finish against the run of play. Give him another vaunted finisher, the veteran Daniel Pineda – Pineda fights do not usually go the distance, and neither will this one. If Brito wins, he draws closer to the rankings, but right now I’d like him to keep fighting regularly and collecting those scalps!
Jonathan Pearce vs Julian Erosa – Tough break for Pearce, but he’s still a high quality featherweight who is more than competitive against veterans like Erosa, having beaten Amirkhani and Elkins, as well as rookie hype slayer Christian Rodriguez. Erosa just feels right here, both fighters coming off losses, but with both fighters more than game. Erosa has some nasty chokes, so JSP has to find a way to avoid that, as he’s always been a little prone to getting tapped both as a pro and an amateur. It’s the right test for him.
Jose Johnson vs Ricky Turcios – Ricky Turcios is one of those guys that’s quietly amassed a decent little record in the UFC, particularly counting his TUF wins. His most recent decision victory over Natividad was a full calendar year ago, though, so he should want to get back in as soon as he can. Like Ricky, Johnson is a decent fighter who beat undefeated Jack Cartwright on DWCS before running into Da’Mon Blackshear in his UFC debut – that was a tough one, but he was the favourite against Anheliger and showed why, winning on points and getting a late finish. Full credit to Johnson for that. I think this would be a sleeper fight, with both guys more than game at bantamweight, but with every chance it sorta slips beneath the radar!
Chad Anheliger vs Johnny Munoz – With these two fighters on the slide, losing to mediocre opposition, this one could be a loser-leaves-town type of fight and that always makes for a welcome added wrinkle! Likely an opener on an Apex show.
Christian Leroy Duncan vs Sedriques Dumas – Dumas had a poor UFC debut, but has improved since, and outpointed Abu Azaitar last time out to make it 2 wins in a row on the big stage. Like Duncan, he’s 2-1 in the UFC, and like Duncan, he’s 9-1 overall. Not only are the statistics shining on a fight like this, but the two are pretty unpredictable and Duncan in particular looks like he could pose a real problem going forward. Duncan is probably the cleaner and more technical fighter, but this could get wild!
Denis Tiuliulin – CUT! 1-4 in the UFC is a bad look, and he’s lost 3 in a row, stopped every time. Yeah, Tiuliulin is game and seems to accept tough fights, but at 11-9 I don’t really see much value left. His career, sadly, looks like it’s been poorly managed.
Mick Parkin vs Junior Tafa – Not a great night for Mick Parkin, but he keeps the 0 in a fight that could have gone either way. He’s gone to a decision twice in two heavyweight outings, too, which isn’t an appealing prospect. He’d have to be on his tippy toes against Junior Tafa, another Australasian who hits like a truck – I smell a finish this time around, and Parkin would need to really show out to get the win here in my opinion. He’d be best served mixing it up against a good quality kickboxer, but can Tafa’s game continue to evolve? After losing to Usman, he wrecked Parker Porter, so he can certainly get the job done at this level.
Caio Machado vs Jhonata Diniz – Diniz is another great kickboxer like Tafa, but this is the level you get when you lose your UFC debut. Caio Machado, honorary Canadian, draws a fellow Brazilian national and though he could certainly threaten here, the question really is: how good is Diniz, and he can he keep wrecking his opponents?
Jeka Saragih vs Dennis Buzukja – Welcome to the party Indonesia! Jeka Saragih pulled off a first round finish in this upset victory, and more power to him! These are the sort of results that show the UFC really is an international brand with a lot of opportunity for up-and-coming fighters. Give him Dennis Buzukja next. Dennis is a respected fighter with a decent following, but another who just might not be UFC standard even though he tends to tear through the regionals – he’s already 0-2. Let’s see how far Jeka can climb – I’ve no idea how far he goes, but I’m interested to find out!
Lucas Alexander vs Jack Jenkins – Jack Jenkins has a mean leg kick, and Lucas Alexander has used them to decent effect too. Alexander lost in an upset tonight, just as Jenkins did when he lost to Chepe Mariscal in Sydney, Australia. After confidence-knocking defeats for each, line them up, and let’s see who’s go the nastier kicks – and the better game overall. Jenkins likely walks in a favourite, which is fine, as he’s still one to keep an eye on.
Ailin Perez vs Melissa Dixon – Now this one I think would really be a showcase for Dixon, if she’s anything like as good as she looked in her UFC debut. I like Perez, I think she’s got a shot at beating quite a few UFC Bantamweights, but I’m really a little more interested in how high Dixon’s ceiling is. I wouldn’t want to rush an intriguing prospect with a 6-0 record, but while Ailin is 2-1 in the UFC, she’s only 8-2 overall. Decent, but beatable – and a very solid test here.
Lucie Pudilova vs Tainara Lisboa – Unfortunately Pudilova once again finds herself walking a tightrope having already been released by the UFC once. She’s too good for the regionals, but that doesn’t guarantee her a future in the octagon, so she’s going to have to turn it around. She’s competitive, but would need more than that against 2-0 Tainara Lisboa in what would be a step up for Lisboa after wins over Jessica-Rose Clark and Ravena Oliveira.
Trey Ogden vs Chase Hooper (see above)
Nikolas Motta vs Victor Martinez – With both fighters now 13-5 and having negative UFC records, it’s time for one or the other to really show they belong in the octagon. Motta got away with one tonight, but he didn’t perform, and he’ll need a win in the worst way against Martinez who himself is 0-1.
Rafael Estevam vs Ode Osbourne – 8-fight UFC veteran Ode Osbourne typically gets this kind of assignment, and that’s because he’s a good, solid test and an interesting opponent for most guys. He’s 4-4 in the UFC and won’t want to dip back into a negative record, but against the undefeated Esetvam, can he put the work in and get the W? Estevam certainly showed he’s beatable but did enough tonight to get the W against another tough and awkward opponent.
Charles Johnson vs Daniel Barez – Barez is fishing for his first UFC win but showed ability (if not stamina) in his UFC debut. He’ll need to improve that against Charles Johnson, who had a strong third round but ultimately didn’t do enough to overcome the early deficits against Estevam. Charles Johnson is 2-4 in the UFC and on a 3-fight losing streak, though, so there’s a reasonable chance they cut him... but I think he and Barez could put on a fun fight. These guys both know how hit the throttle.
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First 'Fights to Make' of the new era of Sherdog forum.
Don't forget to hit up your thoughts!
