5 Fights to Make After UFC Vegas 112 | Deadspin.com

Brendan Allen reminded everybody why he is one of many middleweight division’s hardest outs, submitting Christian Leroy Duncan within the fifth spherical of their fundamental occasion. Andre Fili delivered a nasty head-kick knockout, Jai Herbert picked up one other win, and Otari Tanzilovi introduced himself with a highlight-reel end of his personal.

Now it is that point of the week the place we work out what’s subsequent. Here are 5 fights I’d make after UFC Vegas 112.

1. Brendan Allen vs. Dricus du Plessis

Allen has been asking for this struggle for some time, and his efficiency in opposition to Duncan gave him another excuse to push for it. The middleweight prolonged his profitable streak to 4 with a fifth-round rear-naked choke, exhibiting the form of endurance and grappling that makes him a nightmare matchup for nearly anybody within the division.

After the win, Allen went proper again to calling out former champion Dricus du Plessis, accusing the South African of avoiding him. Allen has made it clear that he desires a struggle with somebody who can transfer him nearer to the title, and DDP matches that description completely.

There’s a robust argument for Allen to get a title shot, relying on how the division shakes out. But if the UFC desires another struggle earlier than placing him in entrance of Sean Strickland, that is the one. Du Plessis is a former champion with a confirmed skill to make elite opponents uncomfortable, and Allen would have an opportunity to indicate that his latest run has made him a legit title menace.

Besides, the 2 have sufficient historical past and unhealthy blood to make the build-up fascinating. Allen has accomplished his half by persevering with to win. At some level, the UFC ought to give him the struggle he is been asking for.

2. Christian Leroy Duncan vs. Roman Kopylov

Christian Leroy Duncan’s five-fight profitable streak got here to an finish in opposition to Brendan Allen, however one loss should not erase the progress he is made. Allen uncovered among the gaps in Duncan’s recreation, significantly when it got here to defending takedowns and coping with sustained grappling strain. Now Duncan wants a matchup that lets him get again to work whereas testing whether or not he is made the changes.

Roman Kopylov is smart. The Russian middleweight is a harmful striker with legit ending energy, which might give Duncan an opportunity to get again to the form of struggle the place his kickboxing can shine. It would not be a straightforward night time, however that is precisely what Duncan wants after shedding to a grappler like Allen.

Both fighters have the instruments to make this an entertaining matchup, and the winner would have argument for one more step up in competitors. Duncan would not want to start out from scratch after one defeat. He simply wants the proper struggle to get his momentum again.

3. Andre Fili vs. Felipe Lima

Fili has been round lengthy sufficient that no one must be reminded what he is able to when all the things clicks. Still, his second-round knockout of Kai Kamaka III was a reminder that the veteran featherweight has a lot left to supply.

After a aggressive opening spherical, Fili discovered his opening and completed Kamaka with a brutal head kick simply 22 seconds into the second. The win snapped a two-fight skid and gave Fili one of many largest highlights of the night time.

I’d prefer to see him face Felipe Lima subsequent. Lima is a harmful featherweight who would give Fili a contemporary problem, and the matchup would inform us whether or not Fili can construct some momentum after his newest efficiency.

Fili has spent years preventing a who’s-who of featherweight names. He would not want one other struggle in opposition to a fellow veteran simply to fill a spot on the cardboard. A matchup with a hungry opponent like Lima provides him an opportunity to make one other run whereas giving Lima a possibility so as to add a longtime UFC title to his resume.

Fili has earned the proper to have some enjoyable along with his subsequent reserving. After a knockout like that, this looks like time to offer him a struggle that would ship one other memorable end.

4. Jai Herbert vs. Rong Zhu

Herbert quietly put collectively one other stable efficiency, incomes a unanimous resolution over Matheus Camilo within the co-main occasion. It was his second consecutive victory, and the veteran light-weight is beginning to construct some momentum after a troublesome stretch.

Herbert has by no means lacked placing skill. The query has at all times been whether or not he can string collectively wins and keep constant in opposition to more and more troublesome competitors. His victory over Camilo was one other step in the proper route, however now he wants an opponent who can push him towards the following degree.

Rong Zhu would make sense right here. He’s an aggressive light-weight who likes to maintain the tempo excessive, which may make for an entertaining matchup in opposition to Herbert’s kickboxing. Both males would have one thing to realize, and neither would want to attend round for an even bigger title to turn out to be obtainable.

Herbert is 37 and would not have limitless time to make one other push. Two straight wins are encouraging, however a 3rd would put him in a a lot better place to ask for a more durable opponent. Zhu is the form of take a look at that would assist him get there.

5. Otari Tanzilovi vs. Carlos Vera

Tanzilovi made essentially the most of his alternative in opposition to Malcolm Wellmaker, knocking him out with a second-round head kick to earn his first UFC victory. After shedding his debut, the Georgian bantamweight wanted a efficiency that would change the dialog round him. He delivered.

The win was particularly spectacular as a result of Wellmaker had his moments early. Tanzilovi stayed composed, weathered the strain and located the end when the chance offered itself. That’s the form of adjustment that may make a younger fighter price maintaining a tally of.

Carlos Vera can be a smart subsequent step. Vera is an skilled bantamweight who may give Tanzilovi one other alternative to check his placing and present that the Wellmaker knockout wasn’t a one-off second.

There’s no must rush Tanzilovi right into a ranked opponent after one UFC win. He wants time to develop, however he additionally wants fights that assist him construct confidence and expertise. Vera would supply a helpful measuring stick with out forcing the UFC to maneuver too rapidly.

Tanzilovi gave the promotion a spotlight price replaying. Now he wants to indicate he can comply with it up with one other sturdy efficiency.