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The UFC visited Edmonton, Alberta, Canada for a Fight Night event last night. While the show was an up-and-down one, it did feature some strong performances.
So what's next for the stars of UFC Fight Night: Brandon Moreno vs. Amir Albazi? There are definitely some fascinating fights that could come from this event, leaving plenty of work to do for the promotion's matchmakers.
Here are five fights to make following UFC Fight Night: Brandon Moreno vs. Amir Albazi.
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#5. UFC welterweight bout: Mike Malott vs. Daniel Rodriguez
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While Canada's Mike Malott won in front of his home country fans last night, it's fair to say that 'Proper' didn't shine all that brightly.
In fact, his victory over Trevin Giles was largely forgettable, opening the main card with a whimper of sorts rather than a bang. Still, the win will help to erase the memories of his first UFC loss to Neil Magny and will give Malott hope that he can still climb up to the top 15 at 170 pounds.
A decent next opponent for him, then, could be Daniel Rodriguez.
'D-Rod' arrested his own slump last month by beating Alex Morono to snap a three-fight losing streak. While he doesn't quite possess the raw athleticism needed to make it to the top, he's skilled in all areas and has only lost to proven, high-level foes.
Is Malott capable of ascending to that level? Based on last night, it still might be possible, so it's worth giving him a slight shunt up the ladder again to see how he fares.
#4. UFC flyweight bout: Jasmine Jasudavicius vs. Jessica Andrade
One fighter who really looked good last night was Jasmine Jasudavicius. She extended her winning streak in the UFC to three by submitting the dangerous and experienced Ariane Lipski with a brabo choke, claiming a $50k bonus in the process.
The Canadian is now 5-2 overall in the octagon, and given that her losses came to the highly rated Tracy Cortez and Natalia Silva, she could be considered the flyweight division's dark horse.
Given her form, then, a fair opponent for her next could be the No. 8-ranked Jessica Andrade. A one-time title challenger at 125 pounds and a former champion at 115 pounds, 'Bate Estaca' is now largely seen as a gatekeeper, and most recently fell to defeat at the hands of the aforementioned Silva.
In the fight before that one, though, she defeated Marina Rodriguez pretty impressively, showing she's still got plenty to offer.
If Jasudavicius could get past the Brazilian, then she'd definitely be ready for a run at the very top of the UFC's flyweight division. Given her current winning streak, she's definitely earned such an opportunity.
#3. UFC bantamweight bout: Aiemann Zahabi vs. Rob Font
While he didn't pick up a finish over the experienced Pedro Munhoz last night, it was hard not to be impressed by Aiemann Zahabi. Not only did he completely outclass 'The Young Punisher', but the win was also his fifth in a row in the UFC, moving him up the ladder at 135 pounds substantially.
Were it not for the fact that he turns 37 later this month, the brother of legendary trainer Firas Zahabi could well be considered a hot prospect in the bantamweight division.
Given his age, then, it's probably fair that the matchmakers give him at least a chance to crack the elite level.
Therefore, the only opponent who makes sense is the division's premier gatekeeper, Rob Font. He's coming off a win over Kyler Phillips, a similarly rated prospect, in October and remains a tricky fight for anyone at 135 pounds.
With his slick striking and strong takedown defense, though, Zahabi should probably be confident against anyone at this point. If he wants to make a run at the title scene, it's now or never, and a win over a fighter the caliber of Font could definitely move him into that kind of position.
#2. UFC flyweight bout: Erin Blanchfield vs. Alexa Grasso
While she didn't start her bout with Rose Namajunas too impressively, it's fair to say that Erin Blanchfield finished it well.
She took the final three rounds of the five-round clash away from 'Thug Rose' with her forward pressure, ground control and toughness, and now sits right at the top of the flyweight division.
Could 'Cold Blooded' be in line for a title shot next? It's possible, but then Valentina Shevchenko's next defense - likely against Manon Fiorot - isn't booked yet, meaning she might have to wait a while.
That's possibly why she named former titleholder Alexa Grasso as her preferred opponent in her post-fight interview.
So would the UFC book Blanchfield against the Mexican? It'd definitely make sense, even if they may want to avoid heading towards a fourth bout between Grasso and Shevchenko depending on how results might go.
The other potential opponent for 'Cold Blooded' could be Maycee Barber, but quite how long 'The Future' will be out with her health issues is unknown right now.
With that considered, then, Blanchfield vs. Grasso is probably the way to go, perhaps as a UFC Fight Night headliner in early 2025.
#1. UFC flyweight bout: Brandon Moreno vs. Brandon Royval
The big winner at last night's event was Brandon Moreno. 'The Assassin Baby' returned after an absence of nine months to thoroughly outclass Amir Albazi over five rounds, showing firmly that he still belongs at the top of the 125-pound division.
With current champ Alexandre Pantoja set to defend his title against newcomer Kai Asakura in December, could this win earn Moreno the next shot at the gold? It'd be possible, but the issue with that is the position of Brandon Royval in the title scene.
'Raw Dawg' might've lost in his shot against Pantoja, but he did outpoint a jaded-looking Moreno in February and most recently halted the win streak of Tatsuro Taira. In many ways, he could be salty about Asakura jumping the queue.
However, in this instance, the UFC has a simple path to follow. The promotion just needs to book a trilogy fight between Moreno and Royval - 'The Assassin Baby' beat 'Raw Dawg' in 2020 - to decide the next top contender.
With both men seemingly on top form right now, it'd be a fascinating fight to see, and there'd be absolutely no doubt that the winner would've earned a crack at the gold.
If both men are good to go by February or March, it'd be perfect.
