It’s fair to say the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s ABC network debut was a success. There were fun fights, a couple of knockouts, and a legendary performance from one of the best featherweights of all time. The winners on Saturday will now look to add further momentum to their victories. Booking these fights next could be beneficial to those fighters and their hypothetical opponents.
Max Holloway vs Zabit Magomedsharipov
Max Holloway’s utter dominance of Calvin Kattar Saturday was otherworldly. Eleven years, 28-fights, and several wars into his career, Blessed continues to show he is not slowing down at all. Landing 445 significant strikes on a fighter the caliber of Kattar usually lands a championship opportunity. However, with two losses (agree with them or not) already in the bag to featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski, a trilogy fight isn’t likely. Plus, coming off his impressive return win in October, and with never being moved down in the rankings after two years of inactivity, Brian Ortega is getting the title shot next.
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With that in mind, if Holloway chooses to continue on at featherweight, he needs to test the elite status of another rising star. That being Zabit Magomedsharipov. The Russian has not lost in seven-years and has been outstanding in his six-fight UFC run. He’s earned some strong wins in route to his No. 3 ranking, but it’s time to move up to a final level boss. Let’s stop trying to make a cursed fight with Yair Rodriguez. We’re over it. If Magomedsharipov is for real, and deserving of a title shot in 2021, then prove it against one of the best ever. For the Hawaiian, derailing the run of another young stud, after his learning tree session with Kattar, makes a trilogy fight with Volkanovski undeniable.
Carlos Condit vs Donald Cerrone
Despite some recent rough seas in their careers, Carlos Condit and Donald Cerrone continue to have a great deal of value to the UFC. With both well passed their title contention days, and no longer ranked, a fun senior circuit fight next makes a lot of sense.
Condit was victorious on Saturday in his first foray into the senior circuit fair. Securing his first winning streak in nine years with his unanimous decision win over a 40-year-old Matt Brown. Plus, it was a damn good fight. Cowboy has not won a fight since 2019, is unranked, and falling out of relevancy quickly. Let’s pander to long-time fans and give them a bout between not only to aging UFC greats, but two of the best talents to ever come out of World Extreme Cagefighting?
Jingliang Li vs Robbie Lawler
On Saturday, Jingliang Li scored the biggest win of his career over a previously top-10 ranked welterweight talent in Santiago Ponzinibbio. The Argentinian was a notable favorite, despite returning from a 26-month layoff. And many expected a performance that would quickly return him to the rankings. The Leech had other plans. Blasting his way to a first-round knockout, and an important bounce-back win following his March loss to Neil Magny. A defeat that ended a three-fight winning streak.
With the promotion always looking to heighten brand awareness in China, it would do them well to put their most accomplished male talent, from the world’s second-largest economy, in fan-friendly affair with a name opponent. If you wrecked house on a fighter removed from a top-ten spot because of inactivity, then an actual ranked talent is deserved.
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Robbie Lawler is in the longest losing skid of his 20-year career. If he is not a part of the planned 60-fighter roster purge than he would be useful as a big name litmus test for LI. Defeating a former welterweight champion would make Li that much more of a star in his homeland. For Ruthless, it offers the chance to prove he is still a viable competitor at 170-pounds in beating a legitimate top-20 talent.
Punahele Soriano vs Alessio Di Chirico
The UFC on ABC 1 main card opened up with two impressive performances from the middleweight division. As Hawaiian hard-hitter Punahele Soriano stayed unbeaten when he opened the ABC broadcast with a thumping of Duško Todorović. Scoring his seventh first-round finish in eight wins.
In the following bout, Alessio Di Chirico stunned many when he put shin to temple on knockout artist Joaquin Buckley. The Italian not only upended the man who won damn near every MMA site’s knockout of the year award for 2020, but he also averted a fourth straight loss and likely a pink-slip.
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Why not put these two middleweights against each other following their highlight reel moments? Di Chirico would offer another solid veteran test in Story Time’s development. On the flip side, Manzo can prove his win was no fluke, and he is finally getting some traction in his UFC career.
