5 fights to make after UFC Fight Night: Marvin Vettori vs. Roman Dolidze 2

The UFC's latest event is in the books. Despite last night's show taking place at the Las Vegas APEX, it was a memorable one with a lot of fun finishes.

UFC Fight Night: Marvin Vettori vs. Roman Dolidze 2 featured some great showings, so what will come next for those fighters?

With one in particular calling out a big name for his next fight, it'll be interesting to see which way the matchmakers go.

Here are five fights to make after UFC Fight Night: Marvin Vettori vs. Roman Dolidze 2.

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#5. UFC heavyweight bout: Waldo Cortes-Acosta vs. Tai Tuivasa

One of the few ranked fighters to compete last night, heavyweight contender Waldo Cortes-Acosta took his UFC record to 6-1 with a TKO of Ryan Spann.

'Salsa Boy' showed good hand speed for a big man and some solid power to dispatch the former light-heavyweight contender, but he likely won't move up from his No.12 spot with the win.

It's only fair, therefore, that he gets a step up the ladder next time out. If that's the case, the only opponent that makes sense for him is No. 10-ranked Tai Tuivasa.

How 'Bam Bam' has remained afloat in the rankings is a mystery, given he has lost five in a row and hasn't won since 2022. However, the Aussie has been losing to highly rated foes at least.

Whether Cortes-Acosta could beat him, then, would be a fair question, even considering his current slump. In that sense, there would be a lot to gain for both men here. Tuivasa could save his UFC career, while 'Salsa Boy' could pick up a win over a big name. Overall, then, this fight would make perfect sense.

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#4. UFC featherweight bout: Kevin Vallejos vs. Gavin Tucker

Argentine featherweight prospect Kevin Vallejos looked truly excellent in his UFC debut last night. He dispatched Seung Woo Choi with poise and serious violence in the first round.

'El Chino' looked so good that it'd be tempting to match him with someone like Nate Landwehr or Andre Fili next time out. However, given his overall lack of experience, such matchmaking might be both risky and unfair.

A better foe for the Argentine could be Gavin Tucker. 'Guvnor' doesn't have that much more MMA experience, and has also been out of action since the summer of 2023.

Given his last win came in December 2020, in fact, it's surprising in some ways that he's still on the roster at all.

Tucker holds wins over the likes of Choi and Billy Quarantillo, but he's also lost handily to the stronger opponents he's faced. Therefore, he'd make a fine step up for a prospect like Vallejos, but he also wouldn't feel like a step too far, either.

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#3. UFC bantamweight bout: Da'Mon Blackshear vs. Ricky Simon

One fighter who was impossible to ignore last night was Da'Mon Blackshear. The bantamweight contender submitted opponent Cody Gibson with a slick kimura, taking his UFC record to 4-3-1 in the process.

Taking into account how good he looked last night, as well as the fact that his last two losses came to top fifteen ranked foes, it'd be tempting to shunt him up the ladder again.

However, the last man to beat 'Da Monster' - Montel Jackson - is only ranked at No.15, and it seems risky to push Blackshear higher right now.

Therefore, a good opponent for him could be Ricky Simon. The mulleted wrestler was ranked in the top fifteen as recently as last year, and returned to his winning ways in February following three straight defeats.

Simon's takedown-heavy style could definitely give Blackshear some issues, but he'd also represent a beatable opponent - making him a fine next step for a fighter who could be a dark horse at 135 pounds.

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#2. UFC welterweight bout: Chidi Njokuani vs. Punahele Soriano

Last night's co-headliner saw some serious violence from Chidi Njokuani. He destroyed opponent Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos in the second round with a knee and a salvo of follow-up strikes.

At the age of 36, time is not on the side of 'Chidi Bang Bang'. With that considered, it'd be tempting to throw him in against an elite opponent in a sink-or-swim test.

However, Njokuani missed weight for his bout, coming in at 172.25 pounds rather than hitting the 170-pound welterweight mark.

Until he can reliably make the correct weight, then, putting him in with a ranked opponent would not be a good idea. Instead, he could be matched with Punahele Soriano.

Like Njokuani, 'Story Time' is riding a win streak and is coming off a highlight reel KO, in his case over Uros Medic. He's also a heavy hitter who tends to put on exciting, wild fights.

Matching Soriano with 'Chidi Bang Bang' would not only be likely to produce a thriller, but it'd also produce a winner worthy of a crack at a ranked foe, making it a fight worth putting together.

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#1. UFC middleweight bout: Roman Dolidze vs. Robert Whittaker

There's something to be said for a UFC fighter who calls their own shots after a big win, and that's exactly what Roman Dolidze did last night.

'The Caucasian' produced the best showing of his career to avenge an earlier loss to Marvin Vettori, clearly outpointing 'The Italian Dream' over five rounds.

The win should move Dolidze into the top ten next week, and he was quick to call out a pair of former champions - Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker - for his next fight.

Either would make sense for the Georgian, as both are coming off major losses, and owe it to the division to allow lesser-known up-and-comers a shot at making a name for themselves.

However, right now, Whittaker would probably be the better choice.

Adesanya - who has lost three in a row - probably needs an extended absence from the octagon to recharge himself.

Whittaker, on the other hand, will hopefully be ready to go in a few months after having his jaw dislocated by Khamzat Chimaev last October.

'The Reaper' is now 3-3 in his last six, but he still had enough in him to outpoint Paulo Costa and smash Ikram Aliskerov last year.

So could the Aussie turn back the challenge of Dolidze? He'd probably be the favorite in such a fight, but 'The Caucasian' has earned a big opportunity, and if he could win, then a title shot could be in his future.

Overall, then, this would be a perfect Fight Night headliner later in the year.