7 Fights to Make After UFC Fight Night Sacramento | Deadspin.com

UFC Fight Night Sacramento delivered some of the entertaining playing cards of the summer time, with 10 finishes throughout 13 fights and a number of other fighters making main strikes of their respective divisions.

Gregory Rodrigues put collectively the largest win of his profession in opposition to Anthony Hernandez, Vitor Petrino continued his heavyweight resurgence, and Reinier de Ridder reminded everybody why he was as soon as thought of one in every of MMA’s fastest-rising contenders.

Now that the mud has settled, it is time to play matchmaker.

Gregory Rodrigues vs. Joe Pyfer

Gregory Rodrigues desires Dricus du Plessis. And actually, it is arduous guilty him.

“Robocop” put collectively the perfect efficiency of his UFC profession in opposition to Anthony Hernandez, repeatedly damaging Hernandez’s lead leg and displaying that his cardio and takedown protection have taken an enormous step ahead. Rodrigues received a unanimous resolution and prolonged his profitable streak to 4 fights.

But there could also be yet another struggle he wants earlier than leaping into the deepest a part of the middleweight division.

Enter Joe Pyfer. Pyfer hasn’t fought since March, when he stopped former champion Israel Adesanya. He’s already established himself as one of many division’s most harmful finishers, whereas Rodrigues simply proved he can go 25 minutes with one of many UFC’s hardest middleweights. This could be a traditional striker-versus-striker matchup with critical title implications. Rodrigues desires Dricus, however let’s give him Pyfer first.

Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez vs. Israel Adesanya

This one is a bit more formidable.

Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez simply suffered his second consecutive loss, dropping a unanimous resolution to Gregory Rodrigues within the UFC Sacramento predominant occasion. It was a brutal five-round struggle, however Hernandez confirmed loads of coronary heart after Rodrigues repeatedly broken his legs with kicks. Both males earned Fight of the Night honors.

Hernandez’s state of affairs is fascinating as a result of this wasn’t essentially a efficiency that ought to ship him tumbling down the middleweight ladder.

He fought by an damage, survived some critical injury and continued pushing ahead till the ultimate bell. But two losses in a row means he wants a rebound. Enter Israel Adesanya.

Adesanya can also be coming off a loss to Joe Pyfer, and all of the sudden some of the recognizable fighters in UFC historical past finds himself in the same place — needing a win to show he is nonetheless able to competing with the division’s finest.

This could be a captivating crossroads struggle. Hernandez brings relentless stress, wrestling and cardio.

Adesanya brings elite putting, expertise and one of many best middleweight résumés in UFC historical past. The loser takes one other critical step backward. The winner might instantly re-enter the middleweight dialog.

That’s precisely what makes it price reserving.

Vitor Petrino vs. Valter Walker

Vitor Petrino is beginning to appear to be a very totally different fighter at heavyweight.

After struggling at gentle heavyweight, Petrino moved up and has now received 4 straight fights within the division. His newest victory got here in opposition to Serghei Spivac, giving him his greatest UFC win but and placing him firmly within the heavyweight dialog. Now it is time to give him one other rising heavyweight.

Valter Walker makes an excessive amount of sense. Walker has additionally been constructing momentum and beforehand known as Petrino out after the Brazilian’s win over Steven Asplund. Petrino’s workforce accepted the problem on the time, making this matchup one which has already had some warmth behind it. Both males are knocking on the door of the heavyweight rankings. Let them settle it.

Reinier de Ridder vs. the winner of Alonzo Menifield vs. Iwo Baraniewski

Reinier de Ridder wanted this one.

After struggling consecutive losses, “The Dutch Knight” returned to gentle heavyweight and completely demolished Roman Dolidze within the first spherical. It was the right response.

De Ridder has already made it clear that he is involved in preventing a few of the division’s larger names, together with Khalil Rountree Jr. and Navajo Stirling. But leaping instantly into the Top 10 feels untimely. Instead, give him the winner of Alonzo Menifield vs. Iwo Baraniewski at UFC 331.

That struggle offers de Ridder one other alternative to show his transfer to 205 kilos was the suitable resolution whereas giving the winner of that matchup a recognizable opponent coming off a giant win. One extra victory and de Ridder might be proper again within the title dialog.

MarQuel Mederos vs. Chris Padilla 2

Sometimes the matchmaking is clear.

MarQuel Mederos simply knocked out Mason Jones within the second spherical, extending his unbeaten streak and enhancing to 4-0-1 contained in the UFC.

That one blemish? A draw in opposition to Chris Padilla.

And conveniently, Padilla additionally picked up a win at UFC Sacramento, submitting Nasrat Haqparast with simply seconds remaining within the third spherical. So why not run it again?

The first struggle ended with out a solution. Now each males are coming off victories.

A rematch would settle unfinished enterprise whereas giving the winner an opportunity to make a critical transfer up the light-weight ladder. Sometimes you needn’t overthink it. Book the rematch.

Carli Judice vs. Dione Barbosa

Carli Judice is quietly placing collectively one of many extra spectacular comeback runs within the UFC.

After dropping her promotional debut, Judice has now received 4 straight, together with a first-round TKO of Jeisla Chaves at UFC Sacramento. Now she wants one other step up. Dione Barbosa suits completely.

Barbosa is coming off her second consecutive UFC victory and can also be trying to set up herself as a legit contender at flyweight. Neither girl is kind of prepared for the division’s Top 15, however each are shut sufficient that the winner might begin making that push.

It’s a easy matchup with a transparent reward: Win, and begin trying towards the rankings. And if Judice retains preventing like she did in Sacramento, she might not be ready for much longer.

Anthony Wint vs. Kennedy Nzechukwu

Anthony Wint’s UFC debut could not have gone a lot better.

The former NFL participant submitted Terrance Chatman with an arm-triangle choke within the first spherical, simply 11 days after incomes his UFC contract on Dana White’s Contender Series. Now comes the enjoyable half.

Wint remains to be extraordinarily uncooked, however the bodily instruments are apparent. He has the athletic background, dimension and explosiveness that make him an intriguing heavyweight prospect. So why not check him in opposition to one other athletic heavyweight?

Kennedy Nzechukwu. Nzechukwu is coming off a knockout loss to Shamil Gaziev at UFC Sacramento, however he is been preventing on the highest stage of the division for years. That expertise would give Wint his first actual check in opposition to a longtime UFC heavyweight.

If Wint wins, all of the sudden the UFC has a legit prospect on its arms. If Nzechukwu wins, he will get an opportunity to halt the momentum of one of many promotion’s latest sights.