5 fights to make for UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Song winners

After all the chaos and drama surrounding last weekend's UFC 279 pay-per-view, the world's premier MMA promotion returned to the Apex arena in Las Vegas for UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Song and certainly delivered some memorable moments.

In the headliner, Cory Sandhagen returned to winning ways following a closely contested bout with up-and-coming bantamweight Song Yadong.

While Sandhagen was undoubtedly the biggest winner of the night and having put himself back into the title mix, other victors at the recently concluded UFC Fight Night will also be eager to carry their momentum into their next bouts.

Here are five fights to make for the biggest winners of UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Song.

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#5. Javid Basharat vs. Jack Shore

The Basharat brothers are set to take over the bantamweight division in the coming years. Farid, the younger sibling, earned his UFC contract in Dana White's Contender Series (DWCS) just last week, while his brother Javid has been in the promotion since 2021.

Javid Basharat also earned his place on the UFC roster with an impressive performance in DWCS. 'The Snow Leopard' picked up his first win in the UFC earlier this year against Trevin Jones and added another victory to his perfect record this past Saturday against Tony Gravely.

Basharat extended his record to 13-0 with the win over Gravely. Interestingly, the first 11 fights of his professional career ended in finishes and the only decisions on his record are his two UFC appearances thus far. The Afghani national will be itching to re-discover his killer instincts next time around.

There is clearly something special about the Basharat brothers, who both boast unblemished records and fight at an incredible pace. Moreover, they are still quite far from their primes and have undeniable championship potential.

A shot at a ranked opponent could be next for 'The Snow Leopard' and No.15-ranked Jack Shore would be the perfect test for Basharat next.

Jack Shore (left) and Javid Basharat (right) [Images via @jackshoremma & @javidldn on Instagram]

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#4. Joe Pyfer vs. Joaquin Buckley

Joe Pyfer couldn't have asked for a better start to his UFC career. The Philadelphia native cruised to a first-round knockout victory over Alen Amedovski at UFC Vegas 60, just eight weeks after earning a contract in the ongoing season of DWCS.

Pyfer is an exciting addition to the somewhat stale middleweight division. The 26-year-old has devastating power in his fists, which was on full display in his DWCS outing and his most recent performance. 'Bodybagz' is a serial finisher, with just one of his ten career wins coming via decision.

In his post-fight interview with Daniel Cormier, Pyfer reiterated that he isn't in a hurry to climb the ranks. He added that his focus in the near-future is to improve physically and sharpen his tools.

Considering his close relationship with Dana White, Pyfer could potentially get a favorable matchup in his next bout. A striker vs. striker pairing would be ideal for the American, and as such, a fight against the loudmouthed Joaquin Buckley makes sense.

Buckley is among the most well-known unranked middleweights currently on the roster. 'New Mensa' is also known for his fight-ending abilities, which should make for a fantastic stylistic clash against Pyfer. Another highlight reel finish, especially over a polarizing figure like Buckley, will see his stock reach new heights.

Joe Pyfer (left) and Joaquin Buckley (right) [Images via @bodybagz_pyfer and @newmensa94 on Instagram]

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#3. Andre Fili vs. Damon Jackson

Andre Fili's nearly decade-long UFC career thus far has been tumultuous to say the least. The American joined the promotion way back in 2013 and has delivered a few very memorable fights. However, his inconsistency has prevented him from really making his mark in the featherweight division.

Going into his bout against Bill Algeo on Saturday, Fili hadn't tasted victory in almost two years. 'Touchy' edged out a split-decision win against Algeo to bag a much-needed win.

For his next bout, Andre Fili could be matched up with Damon Jackson, another big winner from UFC Vegas 60. Both fighters came away with statement-making victories and are on similar timelines in terms of being fight-ready, making this pairing a no-brainer.

Jackson picked up his fifth win inside the octagon with a scorching first-round TKO win over betting favorite Pat Sabatini. He has now won four bouts in a row and a fight against a battle-tested veteran like Fili is an ideal step-up in competition for the 34-year-old.

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#2. Gregory Rodrigues vs. Chris Curtis

Gregory Rodrigues is making a habit of pulling off sensational comebacks from the jaws of defeat. The all-action Brazilian has emerged as one of the most exciting middleweights on the roster, with three out of his last four bouts earning him post-fight bonuses.

At UFC Vegas 60, he was the betting underdog against a surging Chidi Njokuani, who was coming off four consecutive knockout victories.

Gregory Rodrigues won $50k on Saturday [Image via @ufc on Instagram]

Njokuani landed a thunderous knee in the very first round of the bout, which stunned Rodrigues and sliced open a nastly cut right between his eyes. Somehow, 'Robocop' powered through adversity to make it to the second round.

In the second frame, Rodrigues came out guns ablaze and dominated his American counterpart on the feet before taking him to the ground. After a few hard ground-and-pound strikes, the referee was forced to intervene.

Rodrigues has lost just once in the UFC and it was a split-decision loss to Armen Petrosyan. The 30-year-old's recent performances warrant a shot at a ranked contender and a fight against No.15-ranked Chris Curtis suits all parties involved. Curtis also prefers to stand-and-bang with his opponents, making this 'Robocop' vs. 'Action Man' matchup all the more enticing.

Gregory Rodrigues (left) and Chris Curtis (right) [Images via @gregoryrodriguesmma & @actionman513 on Instagram]

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#1. Cory Sandhagen vs. Marlon Vera – Winner fights for the UFC bantamweight title

After back-to-back narrow decision losses to two former champions in 2021, Cory Sandhagen returned to winning ways at UFC Vegas 60. The Colorado-native delivered another violent performance inside the octagon, defeating Chinese youngster Song Yadong to put himself back into the title mix at 135 pounds.

Sandhagen showcased new layers to his game at the recently concluded UFC Fight Night, integrating more offensive wrestling into his arsenal. His striking was on-point and with every passing fight, he continues to improve the effectiveness of his elbows and knees as well.

There's an unofficial bantamweight Grand Prix going on at the moment, and Sandhagen will more than likely draw either Marlon Vera or Merab Dvalishvili next, both of whom are coming off wins over former champions Dominick Cruz and Jose Aldo respectively.

Sandhagen respectfully called out Vera and Dvalishvili soon after his win over Song Yadong. While a fight against a wrestling powerhouse like Dvalishvili will certainly be a complex puzzle to solve for 'The Sandman', stylistically, the Vera fight is undoubtedly a more favorable matchup in the eyes of matchmakers and fans alike.

Sandhagen vs. Vera is as explosive a matchup as one could put together at 135 lbs. Both bantamweights are clinical strikers with excellent gas tanks, which should make for an enthralling contest. This pairing should ideally headline a Fight Night event as it's guaranteed to produce fireworks.

It would be a high stakes matchup as well, with both fighters among the top-tier bantamweights seemingly just one win away from a shot at UFC gold.