5 fights to make following UFC 304: Leon Edwards vs. Belal Muhammad 2
The UFC visited Manchester, England last night for its latest pay-per-view. The event turned out to be an up-and-down one, but plenty of big moments took place.
After UFC 304: Leon Edwards vs. Belal Muhammad 2, we've got a new welterweight champion. So what is next for him, and some of the night's other stars?
As always, the matchmakers have plenty of options on the table, with some more clear than others.
Here are five fights to make following UFC 304: Leon Edwards vs. Belal Muhammad 2.
#5 UFC welterweight bout: Leon Edwards vs. Ian Machado Garry
It's safe to say that UFC 304 didn't go the way that Leon Edwards had planned. In an ideal world, 'Rocky' would've knocked out Belal Muhammad to successfully defend his welterweight title for the third time.
Instead, Edwards looked oddly flat in last night's headliner, and ended up suffering a clear-cut decision loss over five rounds.
Given Dana White's statement that 'Rocky' would not be receiving an immediate rematch, who should be next for him instead? Perhaps the best option would be a fight with Ireland's Ian Machado Garry.
'The Future' is unbeaten at 15-0, has eight wins in the octagon, and is looking for that one big victory to push him into title contention. A win over a former champ like Edwards would definitely be that win.
For 'Rocky', though, snapping Garry's winning streak would be a surefire message that his time at the top isn't done just yet. It could even push him back towards a title shot.
This fight would be a risk for both men, but it'd also be one well worth taking.
#4 UFC featherweight bout: Arnold Allen vs. Yair Rodriguez
It wasn't his most exciting showing, but Arnold Allen looked strong in his win last night, edging out Giga Chikadze in his usual way, with highly efficient technique in all areas.
The win snapped a two-fight losing streak for 'Almighty', and he remains one of the UFC's most underrated featherweights.
However, it'd be nice to see the native of the UK in a real barnburner next time out, so perhaps the best option for him would be to match him with Mexican wildman Yair Rodriguez.
'El Pantera' is desperate for a win in his own right, having not picked one up since his 2023 win over Josh Emmett. However, the Mexican is still ranked two spots above Allen at No.4 and remains one of the most exciting fighters to watch in the entire UFC.
Rodriguez would be sure to bring out the best in Allen, who would almost certainly have to dial up the aggression to win. Overall, this could be the perfect headline bout for a major Fight Night event later in 2024.
#3 UFC lightweight bout: Paddy Pimblett vs. Beneil Dariush
The fighter who arguably gained the most last night was Paddy Pimblett. Often accused of having the UFC protect him with easy fights, the UK favorite shut his doubters up by making light work of veteran Bobby 'King' Green.
Green was ranked at No.15 coming in and had won three of his last four bouts, but 'The Baddy' absolutely dismantled him on the ground, submitting him with a slick triangle choke in the first round.
Pimblett is likely to climb into the top fifteen with the win, so one option for him next could be No.7 ranked Beneil Dariush.
The Iranian native is currently on the shelf rehabbing a knee injury, but has stated that he could return before the end of the year. That timeline could work for Pimblett, who probably needs a break after last night.
Could 'The Baddy' really make such a huge step up? Dariush would be the best grappler, and probably the best striker the Liverpool native would ever have faced.
However, he's also 35 years old, and hasn't won a fight since 2022. He certainly isn't invincible.
Essentially, Pimblett proved he could make one step up last night. Now it's time to see if he can make another big one.
#2 UFC heavyweight title: Tom Aspinall vs. Jon Jones
One fighter who won big last night and knows exactly what he wants next is current interim heavyweight champ Tom Aspinall.
The big man from Liverpool needed just one minute to dispatch Curtis Blaydes via KO - avenging his only career loss in the process - and wasted no time in calling out Jon Jones for a title unification bout.
Aspinall will need to wait a little while, of course. 'Bones' currently has a date with former champ Stipe Miocic in a fight that will hopefully take place at UFC 309 in November.
Given that Miocic is 41 years old and hasn't fought since 2021, though, it's hard to imagine Jones not winning that fight.
If he does so, put simply, he has to fight Aspinall, and Dana White and company need to do whatever it takes to make the fight happen.
If Jones is somehow able to ride off into the sunset without fighting the UK native, then he'd not only be cheating Aspinall and the fans, but he'd be doing his own legacy a disservice, too.
At the end of the day, Aspinall has more than earned this fight. It's time the promotion made sure he gets it.
#1 UFC welterweight title: Belal Muhammad vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov
It wasn't always that exciting, but Belal Muhammad got the job done last night. 'Remember the Name' outfought Leon Edwards for five rounds in all areas, and can now call himself the UFC welterweight champion.
With 'Rocky' not being offered an immediate rematch, then, who should Muhammad's first title defense come against?
Rather than a tired retread against someone like Kamaru Usman or Colby Covington, the promotion ought to look towards the future. That means matching the new champ with the unbeaten No.3 ranked Shavkat Rakhmonov.
'The Nomad' is a perfect 18-0 in MMA, with six of those wins coming in the octagon. More importantly, not only has he beaten tough fighters like Stephen Thompson and Geoff Neal, the native of Kazakhstan has never gone the distance.
A fight with Muhammad would essentially pit the ultimate finisher against a fighter more renowned for taking his foes into deep water and drowning them there.
Who would come out on top? In all honesty, it'd be hard to say, but if he could win, nobody could ever argue with Muhammad's credentials again. With any hope, this is a fight the UFC can make in the near future.