5 fights to make for UFC 280 winners

The UFC's return to Abu Dhabi was a resounding success as UFC 280: Oliveira vs. Makhachev delivered on all fronts. The rollercoaster pay-per-view saw some shocking finishes, back-and-forth barnburners and some truly memorable performances.

Two championship bouts were contested at the Etihad Arena on Yas Island, in addition to a stacked undercard.

The MMA landscape is ever-evolving and the victors at UFC 280 will be looking to carry their momentum forward and move on to bigger fights.

On that note, here are five fights to make for the biggest winners at UFC 280: Oliveira vs. Makhachev.

#5. Manon Fiorot vs. Alexa Grasso – winner fights for the UFC women's flyweight title

Manon Fiorot picked up a huge win this past weekend as she defeated perennial No.1 contender Katlyn Chookagian. The French prospect edged out a decision win to vault herself into the top tier of the division, moving tantalizingly close to a title shot.

Fiorot will now likely claim Chookagian's No.1 spot in the rankings. However, considering the nature of her narrow victory, it would be hard to justify an immediate title shot. Additionally, she has never featured in a five-round fight previously and needs that kind of experience if she is to contest the flyweight belt.

A fight against Alexa Grasso makes sense for 'The Beast'. Grasso is coming off a unanimous decision win over Viviane Araujo earlier this month in a Fight Night headliner. The Mexican flyweight is riding a four-fight win streak and is undefeated at 125 pounds.

At the post-fight presser following her win over Araujo, Grasso made it clear that she wants one more five-round fight before considering a title shot. Meanwhile, Fiorot also stated after her recent win that she wants more experience before fighting for the belt.

A fight between the flyweight duo, which should ideally be a Fight Night main event, will determine the next challenger for the 125-pound throne.

#4. Beneil Dariush vs. Charles Oliveira

Beneil Dariush upset the odds at UFC 280 with his hard-fought triumph over former KSW two-division champion and surging lightweight contender Mateusz Gamrot. Dariush extended his win streak to eight, and if the UFC is pure meritocrisy, he deserves the next shot at lightweight gold.

However, reigning featherweight and pound-for-pound king Alexander Volkanovski has now seemingly positioned himself for a chance at champ-champ status, hurting Dariush's championship aspirations. The 33-year-old will likely need a high-profile win against a top-ranked contender if he is to solidify his claim to a shot at gold.

Charles Oliveira, who came up short against Islam Makhachev in the UFC 280 headliner, appears to be the logical next opponent for Dariush, who is in the same boat as 'Do Bronx'. Oliveira will also need a win to return to title contention following his one-sided loss to Makhachev.

An Oliveira vs. Dariush bout would be a fantastic addition to the upcoming UFC 283 pay-per-view in Brazil. If that's too soon, this title eliminator matchup will fit in nicely on the undercard of the rumored Makhachev vs. Volkanovski superfight in Australia next year.

#3. Sean O'Malley vs. Marlon Vera 2

Sean O'Malley eked out an incredibly narrow split decision win over former champion and No.1-ranked bantamweight Petr Yan at UFC 280 to make a massive leap up the rankings. Despite being a sizable underdog heading into the bout, 'Sugar' stood toe-to-toe with Yan and proved that be belongs among the elite at 135 pounds.

While Dana White initially claimed that the winner would fight for the title next, his comments at the post-fight presser were far from encouraging. Given that many believe Yan deserved the judges' nod, White teased a potential fight between current champion Aljamain Sterling and Henry Cejudo instead of teeing up a title shot for O'Malley.

O'Malley could find himself in a No.1 contender's bout in his next outing, and the only logical opponent for the budding superstar is Marlon Vera, especially considering their history. The bantamweight duo initially squared off back in 2020, when Vera claimed a first-round TKO victory after O'Malley suffered an unfortunate and rare injury.

'Sugar' has never acknowledged the result as a loss and with their fight ending in anti-climactic fashion, there's unresolved tension between them. Additionally, both fighters have stated that they're open to a rematch down the line, making this matchup a no-brainer for the UFC brass.

O'Malley has also never fought in a five-rounder and it would be unwise to vault him immediately into a championship bout. A Fight Night headliner or a rare five-round non-title fight on a pay-per-view card makes sense for all parties involved.

#2. Aljamain Sterling vs. Henry Cejudo – UFC bantamweight championship bout

Aljamain Sterling further extended his championship reign in the co-main event of UFC 280, defeating former two-time champion T.J. Dillashaw to retain his title.

It was an odd fight for as long as it lasted as Dillashaw was fighting through a recurring shoulder injury throughout the bout, which ultimately ended via second-round TKO.

Despite having beaten two former champions in his last two bouts, 'Funk Master' doesn't seem to be getting the respect he deserves from the masses. Sterling's win over Petr Yan was a razor-thin decision, and despite his dominance against Dillashaw this past weekend, it was hardly a fight considering the challenger's injury.

As mentioned earlier, the winner of the Petr Yan vs. Sean O'Malley bout was initially tipped as the No.1 contender's matchup. However, due to the contentious nature of the judges' decision and O'Malley's unwillingness to make a callout, Dana White pivoted at the post-fight presser. The UFC president hinted at a fight between Sterling and former two-division champion Henry Cejudo instead.

Cejudo has been talking up a return to the octagon for quite some time now. It's been over two years since the former champion vacated the title, and after re-entering the USADA testing pool earlier this year, his return appears inevitable.

A potential Sterling vs. Cejudo championship bout offers both fighters exactly what they want. Sterling's standing as the best bantamweight in the world will be undeniable with a win over a fighter as credentialed as Cejudo, who has made it clear he wants nothing less than a title fight upon his return.

#1. Islam Makhachev vs. Alexander Volkanovski – UFC lightweight championship bout

Islam Makhachev's long road to UFC gold finally came to a head at UFC 280. The Dagestani standout forced a tap-out from Charles Oliveira, the record-holder for most submission wins in promotional history, kicking off his lightweight championship reign with a massive statement-making win.

Soon after his victory over Oliveira, Makhachev and teammate-turned-coach Khabib Nurmagomedov made their intentions clear. The Russians laid out their plan to claim No.1 pound-for-pound status, teeing up a superfight against featherweight kingpin Alexander Volkanovski.

The Australian 145-pound titleholder is riding an astonishing 22-fight win streak in his professional career and hasn't tasted defeat in almost a decade. 'The Great' has been dominant throughout his UFC run, establishing himself as the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet.

Volkanovski even made his way into the octagon after Makhachev's victory to accept the newly-crowned champion's proposal.

With the world's premier MMA organization set to return to Australia in February next year for UFC 284, this is the ideal main event. Volkanovski undoubtedly deserves to headline a card in his home country, and a shot at double-champ status is incredibly compelling.

For Makhachev, a win over the current pound-for-pound king in his own backyard will see his stardom reach new heights, potentially setting up even bigger fights down the line.