5 Fights to make after UFC 269
The UFC concluded their 2021 pay-per-view schedule with an entertaining night at UFC 269. The main event was a spectacular back-and-forth bout and the co-main event saw one of the biggest upsets in UFC history. The event was stacked from the prelims to the main card and each fight lived up to the hype.
With the 2021 pay-per-view schedule concluding, the promotion’s attention will now shift to 2022.
There are big fights on the horizon and there are many appealing options after last night’s pay-per-view. UFC President Dana White was thrilled with the event and for ending the 2021 pay-per-view schedule on a high-note. White was also in a giving mood as he gave out plenty of bonuses post-fight.
UFC 269 bonuses: Dana White feeling generous, 8 fighters get $50,000 checks mmafighting.com/2021/12/12/228… https://t.co/8u8WE7FTQX
There were 6 Performance of the Night bonuses given out, which is a record for the promotion. Charles Oliveira, Julianna Pena, Kai Kara-France, Sean O’Malley, Tai Tuivasa, and Bruno Silva were each awarded $50,000. Dominick Cruz and Pedro Munhoz were also awarded $50,000 for Fight of the Night. This list will look at 5 fights to make after UFC 269.
#5. Former UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz vs. Cory Sandhagen
Kicking off this list of 5 fights to make after UFC 269 is Dominick Cruz and Cory Sandhagen.
The former UFC bantamweight champion had a very entertaining bout with Pedro Munhoz at UFC 269. Cruz was in vintage form and managed to regroup after almost being dropped in the first-round and took over the fight. Cruz overcame adversity in the opening round and found success with the volume of his strikes. The judges all scored the bout 29-28 for Cruz, earning him a unanimous decision win.
Munhoz and Cruz brought the pain, but it’s Dominick Cruz that gets the win by decision over Pedro Munhoz 💰 #UFC269 https://t.co/NaLfHrMhha
With the win, Cruz now gets his name back into the title picture. Based on his performance and the UFC bantamweight rankings, a bout with Sandhagen makes a lot of sense. Cruz is on a two-fight winning streak with wins over Casey Kenney and now Munhoz. Meanwhile, Sandhagen is on a two-fight losing streak, with both losses against former UFC bantamweight champions T.J. Dillashaw and Petr Yan.
Sandhagen went the distance against both Dillashaw and Yan. His loss to Dillashaw was by split-decision, while the loss to Yan came via unanimous decision. Despite losing the decision, Sandhagen proved he could hold his own with the top fighters in the division. With Cruz and Sandhagen having similar fighting styles, it could make for another Fight of the Night.