At UFC 250, the bantamweight division took center stage. Former champion Cody Garbrandt returned from a 15-month layoff to knock out Raphael Assuncao in dramatic fashion; Aljamain Sterling shined with an early submission win over fellow top contender Cory Sandhagen; and Sean O’Malley earned his biggest win to date with a one-punch knockout of veteran Eddie Wineland.
So, with that in mind, what should be next for those three winners? Nolan King, Farah Hannou and Danny Segura sound off in this edition of Triple Take.
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Nolan King: Aljamain Sterling should fight Petr Yan
Yes, I’m fully aware I’m beating a dead horse – but that doesn’t change the fact that Aljamain Sterling vs. Petr Yan should be the next UFC bantamweight title fight.
Yan vs. Jose Aldo is a fight that never should’ve been booked – at least not right now. Before he was matched up with Sandhagen, Sterling did more than enough to warrant a title shot. Instead, the UFC is going with Aldo – the money choice – coming off back-to-back losses.
It’s funny. I’m actually old enough to remember when the UFC awarded title shots to people coming off wins. No disrespect to Dominick Cruz and Aldo, of course. They’re legends of the sport, and they’re not the ones making these decisions.
I’ve become obnoxiously preachy with this sentiment, but that doesn’t make it any less true. Putting money fights ahead of legitimate title contenders in one of the most stacked divisions does damage to long-term divisional success.
Instead of letting the division flourish at the pinnacle of a contender-rebuild stage, contenders end up knocking each other off. Just look at Sandhagen. He’s already been a casualty of an unnecessary logjam.
Sure, Yan vs. Aldo is set. And sure, the UFC is not going back on its decision. But that doesn’t change the fact that Sterling has beaten five solid names en route to where he is now.
A title shot? He’s earned it.
Will he get it? No.
Next page – Farah Hannoun: Cody Garbrandt should fight Marlon Moraes
Farah Hannoun: Cody Garbrandt should fight Marlon Moraes
Despite snapping a three-fight losing streak, Cody Garbrandt is back in the title picture.
The former UFC bantamweight champion scored an emphatic knockout over bantamweight staple Raphael Assuncao at UFC 250, making as big of a statement as he possibly could have. Things may not have gone Garbrandt’s way in his previous three fights, but his exciting style and masterclass to dethrone Dominick Cruz have made him one of the most popular fighters on the roster.
Just based on name value, it was expected that Garbrandt could climb back to contention quickly, which is why he should fight former bantamweight title challenger Marlon Moraes next.
Moraes was scheduled to headline UFC Kazakhstan vs. Petr Yan, but after Henry Cejudo announced his retirement and relinquished his belt, the UFC decided to book Yan against Jose Aldo for the vacant 135-pound title.
So with Moraes coming off a win over Aldo and originally scheduled to headline an event, why not book him against Garbrandt to determine the next title challenger – after Aljamain Sterling gets his shot, of course.
Next page – Danny Segura: Sean O’Malley vs. John Dodson is the fight to make
Danny Segura: Sean O’Malley vs. John Dodson is the fight to make
Sean O'Malley proved on Saturday night that he’s a force to be reckoned with at 135 pounds. O’Malley’s walk-off knockout against former WEC champion Eddie Wineland, plus the moments leading up to it, were nothing but world-class fighting.
Yet, despite how good “Suga” Sean looked at UFC 250, he’s still just 25 years old with four UFC fights under his belt.
It’s understandable to feel an urge to rush O’Malley to the top given his skills, fun fighting style and popular personality. But if pushed too quickly and overmatched with the higher-tier fighters, this can often be a detriment to a fighter’s career and take them down a bad path that many take years to recover from.
Matchmaking is key during a fighter’s developmental process, so the UFC needs to be careful O’Malley’s star power doesn’t put him in fights he shouldn’t be in. O’Malley needs a fighter who’s respected in the division, that will test him, and that will elevate his status, while still being a manageable task.
A bout with former UFC title challenger John Dodson is the way to go. Dodson has been a staple of the lower weight classes for many years, and he currently sits at No. 13 in the UFC’s official bantamweight rankings. It’s a good career opportunity for O’Malley, plus a weird but fun stylistic matchup given O’Malley is 5-foot-11 and Dodson 5-3.
