5 fights to make for UFC Nashville winners

The recently concluded UFC Fight Night in Nashville, Tennessee, featured numerous explosive matchups and highlight reel finishes, with every fighter who secured a stoppage victory at the Bridgestone Center earning a post-fight bonus for their efforts.

The victors at the recent Fight Night will be looking to move on to bigger fights down the line and edge closer to the title in their respective divisions. As such, we thought we'd pitch a few suggestions to the matchmakers.

Here are five fights to make for the biggest winners at UFC Nashville.

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#5. Billy Quarantillo vs. Nathaniel Wood

Billy Quarantillo was on the cusp of breaking into the featherweight top 15 when he ran into Edson Barboza's knee earlier this year. 'Billy Q' bounced back emphatically, showing his toughness in an all-out war with Damon Jackson at UFC Nashville.

At 34, Billy Quarantillo's inability to string together a win streak has slowed down his ascent up the rankings. He is 3-3 in his last six fights, alternating between wins and losses. Considering he's already had two shots at ranked contenders and come up short, he'll have to take on another unranked fighter next.

The ideal next fight for Quarantillo is Nathaniel Wood, who is also knocking on the door of the divisional top 15. The Englishman's featherweight record is 3-0 since moving up from the bantamweight division, and recently edged a decision win over Andre Fili at UFC London.

Wood is among the brightest prospects at 145 pounds, and Quarantillo is one of the most durable. This matchup would be a solid addition to any card and will surely be a frontrunner for Fight of the Night.

Wood vs. Quarantillo [Images via @mma_orbit @ @billyqmma on Instagram]

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#4. Diego Lopes vs. Ryan Hall

After a commendable performance on short notice against undefeated phenom Movsar Evloev last year, Diego Lopes showed what he can do with a full camp behind him as he cruised to a stunning first-round submission victory over top Canadian prospect Gavin Tucker.

Diego Lopes' submission game is very potent, as was evident in his UFC debut against ranked 145-pounder Movsar Evloev in May, wherein he came close to submitting the Russian on multiple occasions. He looked on point in his latest outing against Gavin Tucker, flying to a triangle choke before locking in an armbar.

Lopes clearly belongs among the top featherweights, but it'll be interesting to see how he fares against a grappler just as dangerous as he is. Who better to test the budding 29-year-old than jiu-jitsu maestro Ryan Hall?

Injuries have derailed Hall's momentum in recent years, but he has revealed that he's looking to return to action before the end of the year. 'The Wizard' just needs willing opponents, as most fighters tend to avoid the submission ace, and Lopes clearly isn't the type to turn down the fight.

This bout is all but guaranteed to hit the mat at some stage, and when it does, fans are in for a treat.

Lopes vs. Hall [Images via @espnmma on Instagram]

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#3. Dustin Jacoby vs. Dominick Reyes

Dustin Jacoby broke onto the scene on Dana White's Contender Series in 2020 and went unbeaten in his next seven outings inside the octagon. 'The Hanyak' then ran into back-to-back decision losses and finally returned to the win column at UFC Nashville, putting away Kennedy Nzechukwu in the very first round.

A highly credentialled kickboxer, Dustin Jacoby showcased his pinpoint striking against Kennedy Nzechukwu, catching his counterpart with a slick counter before finishing the fight with vicious ground-and-pound. Jacoby successfully defended his No.15 spot in the rankings with his latest result.

Pitting Jacoby against strikers always makes for fun fights, and the perfect next matchup for him would be former title challenger Dominick Reyes, who sits three places ahead of him in the rankings. Reyes is also a devastating stand-up fighter, so this matchup is guaranteed to deliver the goods.

Reyes has looked a shadow of his former self ever since his razor-close decision loss to Jon Jones in 2020, making this bout a chance to bounce back. For Jacoby, this is an opportunity to continue his ascent up the light heavyweight ladder.

Jacoby vs. Reyes [Images via @thehanyakdj & @domreyes24 on Instagram]

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#2. Tatiana Suarez vs. Yan Xiaonan – Winner fights for the UFC strawweight title

Tatiana Suarez has looked nothing short of sensational since her lengthy stint on the sidelines. The wrestling phenom returned to action earlier this year, effortlessly submitting Montana De La Rosa with a guillotine in the second round, and did so yet again at UFC Nashville against former champion Jessica Andrade.

Tatiana Suarez's nearly four-year layoff due to injuries is truly a shame, but on the bright side, she's now fighting with a point to prove. She is arguably the best wrestler across women's MMA and holds wins over former champion Carla Esparza, current flyweight queen Alexa Grasso and now another former titleholder, Jessica Andrade.

Suarez has her sights set on becoming a two-division champion, with a shot at the strawweight title on the horizon. With Rose Namajunas moving up the flyweight, Esparza pregnant, and champion Zhang Weili defending her title against Amanda Lemos later this month, there aren't many options for the unbeaten divisional dark horse.

The likeliest scenario is a No.1-contender's bout against No.3-ranked Yan Xiaonan, who is also coming off a stoppage victory over Andrade. The victor could challenge for undisputed gold early next year.

Suarez vs. Yan [Images via @ufc & @xiaonan_yan on Instagram]

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#1. Cory Sandhagen vs. Merab Dvalishvili – Winner fights for the UFC bantamweight title / vacant championship

Cory Sandhagen continues to evolve with every passing fight. The cerebral featherweight, known for his all-action striking-heavy style, has seemingly rounded out his arsenal as he put on a wrestling clinic against perennial contender Rob Font in the UFC Nashville main event.

The crowd in attendance at the Bridgestone Arena certainly wasn't enthralled by Cory Sandhagen's performance, as he accrued over 19 minutes of control time over 25 minutes. Notably, Sandhagen revealed in his post-fight interview that he injured his tricep in the opening round, prompting him to pivot to a risk-free game-plan.

'The Sandman' called for a title shot after his five-round shutout against Rob Font, but the fans' reception to the fight might affect his immediate championship aspirations. Moreover, the division is in an awkward position, with current champion Aljamain Sterling likely set to leave the division after his next title defense.

Sterling has reiterated that he's leaving the division to teammate Merab Dvalishvili after his upcoming pay-per-view heading bout against Sean O'Malley at UFC 292 in Boston, irrespective of the result. If he retains and vacates the belt, as many predict, a Dvalishvili vs. Sandhagen matchup for the vacant title makes sense.

If O'Malley and top-ranked bantamweight Marlon Vera emerge victorious at UFC 292, the promotion could book the two bitter rivals in a rematch, considering their history. In that case, a No.1 contender's bout between Sandhagen and Dvalishvili is very likely. Either way, this is the fight to make.