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The UFC’s second show on Fight Island is in the books. And while UFC on ESPN: Kattar vs. Ige wasn’t the greatest event of all time, a handful of fighters were still able to perform extremely well and move up the ladder. So what’s next for some of last night’s biggest stars? Here are some suggestions.
#1 Calvin Kattar
It wasn’t as entertaining as his previous UFC victory over Jeremy Stephens, but Calvin Kattar picked up another big win in last night’s main event. ‘The Boston Finisher’ outpointed Dan Ige in a closer fight than was initially anticipated. In the end, though, Kattar’s boxing skills took him through.
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With six wins in eight UFC appearances, including victories over the likes of Ricardo Lamas, Jeremy Stephens, and Shane Burgos, Kattar is clearly a genuine contender at 145lbs. So who’s next for him?
Two opponents immediately spring to mind for me. One would be Josh Emmett, who defeated Burgos in an instant classic in June. The issue with that? ‘The Grim Reaper’ came out of that fight with some serious injuries, meaning he’ll likely be on the shelf until way into 2021.
With that in mind, why not match Kattar with Brian Ortega? ‘T-City’ is currently ranked #3 in the division, but hasn’t fought since December 2018.
With his superb boxing skills and knockout power, Kattar would make the perfect return opponent for Ortega. If ‘T-City’ could defeat him, then there’d be no question around his spot at the top of the division. If Kattar were to win though, he’d be in line for a title elimination bout for sure.
#2 Dan Ige
Dan Ige might’ve come up short last night in his quest for the biggest win of his career, but he still pushed Calvin Kattar to the limit. Ranked at #10 in the UFC Featherweight division going in, there can now be no questions around his spot at the elite level at 145lbs.
With that in mind, a great opponent for him to face next would be Shane Burgos. ‘The Hurricane’ is also coming off a loss that saw him impress too, as he put on a Fight of the Year contender alongside Josh Emmett.
Burgos is ranked below Ige – he’s currently at #12 – but he definitely has the skills to break into the upper echelon. His striking power, pressure game, and incredible chin would make him a brilliant opponent for the aggressive Hawaiian.
If Ige could defeat Burgos, then he’d be well suited to continue his climb up the Featherweight ladder. But if Burgos could be the first man to stop Ige, then he’d gain a major feather in his cap, too. It’s a fight that makes a lot of sense to book.
#3 Jimmie Rivera
After a sticky patch that saw him go 1-3 since the beginning of 2018, Jimmie Rivera got back on track last night with an impressive win over the tough Cody Stamann. Stamann is one of the most underrated fighters in the UFC Bantamweight division and yet Rivera defeated him comfortably in all areas.
‘El Terror’ is a genuine contender at 135lbs, but his losses to current champ Petr Yan, as well as top contenders Aljamain Sterling and Marlon Moraes make him a tricky question for the UFC’s matchmakers.
With that in mind, I wouldn’t mind seeing him fight former champ Cody Garbrandt next. ‘No Love’ picked up his first win since 2016 in June by KO’ing Raphael Assuncao in unbelievable fashion. And while that KO shouldn’t net him a title shot, a fight with Rivera would definitely provide that kind of path.
If Rivera could beat Garbrandt, he’d not only have the biggest win of his career, but he’d also have a win over a major UFC star. Plus, with both men’s striking skills, the fight would probably be fantastic to watch too.
With Yan likely to defend against Sterling next, the winner of a Rivera/Garbrandt clash could easily be next in line for a shot at the crown.
#4 Mounir Lazzez
Tunisian striker Mounir Lazzez picked up his first UFC win last night by outpointing Abdul Razak Alhassan. Lazzez looked impressive, as he absorbed some power shots early on before taking over on the tired Alhassan, using his striking skills to pick him apart across three rounds.
At 10-1, ‘The Sniper’ is definitely a man worth watching, even if he isn’t ready for the top fighters in the UFC’s Welterweight division just yet. Thankfully, 170lbs has plenty of talent and so there are a number of potential opponents for him.
A fight that could make sense for him would be with Australia’s Jake Matthews. ‘The Celtic Kid’ most recently defeated Emil Weber Meek back in February but hasn’t been booked since – probably due to COVID-19.
But Matthews would provide Lazzez with an interesting test, as he’s well-rounded and can chain his grappling together well with his striking. There’s no way he would provide ‘The Sniper’ with a static target as Alhassan did last night.
If the UFC can move back to Australia later in 2020 – or if they return to Abu Dhabi’s Fight Island – this would be a fun mid-card fight to book.
#5 Khamzat Chimaev
One of the most impressive performers on last night’s show, Khamzat Chimaev absolutely smashed John Phillips inside two rounds. He ragdolled the Welshman on the ground, beat him up, and then used a D’Arce to submit him without really breaking a sweat.
The Swedish-based fighter is clearly dangerous, and to make things more interesting, he’s reportedly planning to drop to 170lbs for his next UFC outing. So which Welterweight could he face in his second Octagon appearance?
At 7-0, Chimaev isn’t that experienced, and so it’s important that the UFC don’t push this prospect too far up the ladder too early. However, his potential is clearly huge – so there’s no point in handing him a softball.
With that in mind, a fight with Michel Pereira might make sense. ‘Demolidor’ is far more experienced at 23-11, but he doesn’t exactly fight like a grizzled veteran.
The Brazilian prefers to use a wild assault of leaping and spinning kicks and elbows, and is incredibly dangerous – but if an opponent can survive his early rush, then he’s definitely beatable.
Given Pereira’s penchant for throwing wild offense early on, we’d find out a lot about how good Chimaev is. If he’s the real deal, then he ought to be able to avoid the attacks of ‘Demolidor’ and break him down on the ground in the later rounds. It’d make for a hugely fun fight, too.
