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While it didn’t draw the most fanfare, this past weekend’s UFC Fight Night was a fun show that saw a number of fighters mark themselves out with strong performances.
Following UFC Fight Night: Derrick Lewis vs. Serghei Spivac, which fights should the promotion’s matchmakers look to make next?
From fighters returning from years away, to potential title contenders and hot prospects, there are plenty of different potential fights on tap for this weekend’s stars.
Here are five fights to make following UFC Fight Night: Derrick Lewis vs. Serghei Spivac.
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#5. UFC light heavyweight bout: Devin Clark vs. Dominick Reyes
Devin Clark had his back to the wall in his bout with Da Un Jung this weekend. ‘The Brown Bear’ was on a bit of a slide, having lost three of his last four bouts. Had he suffered another defeat, he likely would’ve been cut.
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However, Clark produced an excellent showing in the end, using his takedowns, clinch work and striking to outpoint his Korean foe.
Who should be next for him, then? He isn’t a true title contender at 205 pounds, but he’s definitely a tough out for most fighters. So, one opponent that might make sense is Dominick Reyes.
The former title challenger is currently on a horrible run of four straight losses, three via knockout. He’s perhaps more desperate for a win than any other fighter on the UFC roster right now.
To match ‘The Devastator’ with another concussive puncher would not seem fair, but Clark is more of a grinder than anything else. With that, he could be a beatable foe for Reyes.
On the flip side, if ‘The Brown Bear’ could win, then he’d climb into the top 15 and could be a bit of a dark horse in the division.
Overall, this could make for a fun, logical match to make.
#4. UFC bantamweight bout: Rinya Nakamura vs. Davey Grant
This weekend’s Fight Night show featured a number of debutants, including three winners of Asia’s ‘Road to UFC’ tournaments.
The most intriguing of those winners was undoubtedly Rinya Nakamura. Once considered an Olympic hopeful in freestyle wrestling, Nakamura transitioned into MMA in 2021 and reeled off six straight wins coming into this past weekend’s bout.
However, if fans expected him to grapple with Toshiomi Kazama, they were mistaken. Instead, Nakamura produced one of the most reckless performances in recent memory, as he exchanged bombs with his foe before knocking him out in just over 30 seconds.
If this is to be his style going forward, he’s unlikely to reach title contention at bantamweight. However, he could definitely become a popular action fighter.
With that in mind, why not match him with a tough gatekeeper with a penchant for wild fights in his own right, the UK’s Davey Grant?
‘Dangerous Davey’ has won four of his last six bouts in the octagon, including a knockout of Louis Smolka in his most recent appearance. More to the point, his only recent losses came to high-level contenders Adrian Yanez and Marlon Vera.
If Nakamura were to decide to wrestle with Grant, then he could win, but if he were to fight in the way he did at the weekend, then fans could be treated to fireworks with this bout. That makes it well worthwhile for the promotion’s matchmakers.
#3. UFC featherweight bout: Dooho Choi vs. Dan Ige
This weekend saw the UFC return of Dooho Choi after over three years on the shelf,. He proved that he hadn’t really missed a beat.
He largely dominated opponent Kyle Nelson, albeit in a less reckless way than he’d once fought. He only came away without a win due to an apparent headbutt in the third round that cost him a point.
Headbutt or no headbutt, though, ‘The Korean Superboy’ clearly won the bout. So who should he fight next?
Pushing him into a clash with a high-level contender at 145 pounds might not be the right idea, but what about having him face exciting veteran Dan Ige?
The Hawaiian claimed victory earlier this year when he defeated Damon Jackson via KO. However, it was his first win since 2021 and saw him end a three-fight losing streak that had his future in jeopardy.
Like Choi, Ige is a fighter who has plenty of talent, but often lets his reckless side get the better of him. So this fight sounds like the perfect booking for both men. Regardless of the winner, it'd be likely to produce some serious fireworks and neither man would lose a lot outside of having to absorb punishment.
With a win, though, Choi could be elevated back into the top 15, making it a fight that would be worth him taking.
#2. UFC heavyweight bout: Derrick Lewis vs. Jailton Almeida
The biggest star in action this weekend was former UFC heavyweight title challenger Derrick Lewis. Unfortunately for ‘The Black Beast’, he was whitewashed by Serghei Spivac, who submitted him with an arm-triangle choke.
The loss puts Lewis on a three-fight skid, but Dana White has already stated that he loves him as a fighter and isn’t willing to cut him. So who should he face next?
‘The Black Beast’ should essentially be seen as a high-end gatekeeper at this point. With that, he ought to be matched with a prospect, so perhaps Jailton Almeida is the best potential foe for him.
‘Malhadinho’ looked excellent in his most recent win over Shamil Abdurakhimov and hasn’t really been tested yet. However, the Brazilian is small for a heavyweight and hasn’t fought someone who packs the power of Lewis.
If Almeida could beat ‘The Black Beast’, then he’d be a genuine contender. If he were to be knocked out, Lewis could climb the ladder again while ‘Malhadinho’ might consider a move back to 205 pounds.
Overall, it’s a clash that makes sense from all perspectives, really.
#1. UFC heavyweight bout: Serghei Spivac vs. Sergei Pavlovich
The biggest winner at this weekend’s UFC event was undoubtedly Serghei Spivac. The Moldovan heavyweight picked up the best win of his career when he easily submitted Derrick Lewis in the first round of their headline bout.
While Spivac doesn’t possess the athleticism and explosive power of the division’s top fighters like Ciryl Gane and Curtis Blaydes, he’s clearly more dangerous than he’s given credit for. After all, this was his third straight win and he’s already beaten Tai Tuivasa.
Therefore, given that this win should move him into the top 10, why not match him with No.3-ranked Sergei Pavlovich next? He’s already beaten Tuivasa, Tom Aspinall is out with a knee injury, and a fight with Blaydes would likely be less explosive than a meeting with the Russian.
The fight would be hugely dangerous for ‘The Polar Bear’, given Pavlovich has incredible power in his hands and isn’t likely to wilt under a few takedowns as Lewis did this weekend.
However, with Pavlovich probably having to wait a while for a potential title shot, then a fight with the Moldovan could work for him.
It’d be a huge opportunity for Spivac, albeit a risky one, and so it’d be worth booking.
