(ALSO SEE: Sean Shelby’s Shoes: What’s next for UFC 237’s losing fighters?)
After every event, fans wonder whom the winners will be matched up with next.
With another night of UFC action in the rearview mirror, it’s time to look forward, put on a pair of Sean Shelby and Mick Maynard’s shoes, and play UFC matchmaker for UFC 237’s key winning fighters.
Those included Jessica Andrade (20-6 MMA, 11-4 UFC), who claimed the UFC strawweight title from Rose Namajunas (8-4 MMA, 6-3 UFC) in the pay-per-view headliner at Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro by second-round knockout, as well as Jared Cannonier (12-4 MMA, 5-4 UFC), Alexander Volkanovski (20-1 MMA, 7-0 UFC), Ryan Spann (16-5 MMA, 2-0 UFC) and Clay Guida (35-18 MMA, 15-12 UFC).
Clay Guida
Should fight: Dan Hooker
Why they should fight: After defeating UFC Hall of Famer B.J. Penn by unanimous decision, Guida called for a rematch with Nate Diaz. That ain’t going to happen, but at least “The Carpenter” isn’t afraid to think big after winning for the third time in his past four fights.
Guida’s conditioning and output were too much for Penn to deal with, and that was the story of the fight. Guida now has 15 octagon triumphs to his credit, and although he may never be champion, Guida has a list of winning performances on his record against names other fighters would be desperate to possess.
There’s no doubt Guida wants to be champion, though, and will try to look for a fight that can help him move in that direction. Hooker (17-8 MMA, 7-4 UFC) was in the top 15 before a December loss to Edson Barboza and is looking to get back to work this year. A matchup with Guida would help show his best days are still ahead.
Ryan Spann
Should fight: Nikita Krylov
Why they should fight: Spann did what he was supposed to against an aging legend like Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, scoring a brutal knockout in just over two minutes of cage time in the light heavyweight bout.
The strength and power of Spann was a huge problem for Nogueira to deal with, and that’s going to be a similar factor when he faces most of the fighters in the division. Spann got a signature win for his resume in just his second UFC fight, but now it is time to see what he can do against young, hungry competitors like himself.
Krylov (25-6 MMA, 7-4 UFC) may feel like he’s one of the more veteran names in the division, but he’s still just 27 and could be far from his prime. “The Minor” is one of the top finishers in the sport and has a tricky skillset that would create challenges for Spann, who is still unproven in a lot of areas at the UFC level.
Alexander Volkanovski
Should fight: Max Holloway
Why they should fight: Volkanovski said prior to UFC 237 that a title shot would be a “no-brainer” for him after his performance against Jose Aldo. He was right, because he tripled up on total strikes landed against the former UFC featherweight champ in a clear decision victory.
Volkanovski has now won 17 consecutive fights, including seven in a row under the UFC banner. That streak paired with the accomplishment of beating Aldo in Brazil warrants something big, and it doesn’t get bigger than a chance to fight for UFC gold.
With the UFC urging champ Holloway (20-4 MMA, 16-4 UFC) to return to 145 pounds after losing an interim lightweight title fight to Dustin Poirier in April, the stars my align for “The Great.” Holloway has been a nearly impossible puzzle to solve when fighting at featherweight, but Volkanovski has said he thinks his pace an output is the right combination to dethrone “Blessed.”
Jared Cannonier
Should fight: Ronaldo Souza
Why they should fight: Although it came in anticlimactic fashion, Cannonier picked up the most high profile win of his career when he stopped former UFC champ Anderson Silva with one vicious kick in the opening round of their middleweight fight.
Cannonier is now 2-0 since he dropped to 185 pounds in November and should be thrust into a matchup into a top name, otherwise what was the point in having him fight Silva? There are no shortage of potential foes in the weight class, but Souza (26-7 MMA, 9-4 UFC) might be the name who provides the most interesting challenge.
Thus far Cannonier has only fought opponents with the primary game plan of fighting him on the feet. His ground game at middleweight is an unknown, and there is no one more capable of providing answers in that area than “Jacare,” who could rebound from a recent loss to Jack Hermansson and into title competition with a good performance against Cannonier.
Jessica Andrade
Should fight: Winner of Tatiana Suarez vs. Nina Ansaroff
at UFC 238
Why they should fight: Watch the video above to see why Andrade should fight the winner of next month’s UFC 238 bout between Suarez (7-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) and Ansaroff (10-5 MMA, 4-2 UFC).
For complete coverage of UFC 237, check out the UFC Events section of the site.
