5 fights to make for UFC 293 winners

The UFC's return to Sydney, Australia, ended in shocking fashion, with Sean Strickland upsetting Israel Adesanya to win the UFC middleweight title in the pay-per-view main event.

Like Strickland, who was undoubtedly the biggest winner at UFC 293, the other victors at the recently concluded pay-per-view will be looking to move on to bigger fights down the line. We thought we'd pitch a few ideas to the matchmakers!

Here are five fights to make for the biggest winners at UFC 293: Adesanya vs. Strickland.

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#5. Carlos Ulberg vs. Alonzo Menifield

Carlos Ulberg put on a clinical performance against Da Un Jung in the featured bout of the prelims, picking his South Korean opponent apart on the feet for three rounds before sinking in a submission in the dying seconds of the fight.

With his submission win in Sydney, Carlos Ulberg is on a five-fight win streak in the light heavyweight division, with four of his five wins coming via finishes. He is on the cusp of breaking into the divisional top 15, and his run so far warrants a shot at a ranked contender.

The ideal next opponent for Carlos Ulberg would be Alonzo Menifield, who occupies the No.14 spot in the rankings. Both fighters possess tremendous power, and this bout is unlikely to go the distance given the potent fight-ending ability between them.

Menifield is unbeaten in his last four fights and, like Ulberg, is gaining momentum. This fight is a car crash for the ages and would be a solid addition to any fight card.

Menifield vs. Ulberg [Images via @atomicalonzomenifield & @carlosulberg on Instagram]

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#4. Tyson Pedro vs. Dominick Reyes

Tyson Pedro returned to winning ways in style in his home city of Sydney, dispatching Anton Turkalj in under half a round. The Aussie 205-pounder made a statement with his victory and is now gunning for those above him in the divisional pecking order.

Following a four-year hiatus from 2018 to 2022, Tyson Pedro returned to action with back-to-back first-round knockouts. The Australian then suffered a defeat earlier this year in Perth, but it was later revealed that he battled severe illness going into the fight.

Pedro quickly found the mark against Anton Turkalj, putting his fast hands on display in the finishing sequence. Considering how easily he overcame his Swedish foe, a shot at a ranked contender next would be ideal. A fight against Dominick Reyes appears to make sense for all parties involved.

Reyes has endured a horrific run of form since his razor-close championship loss to Jon Jones. The former title challenger still holds a place in the rankings, sitting on the No.13 spot. This fight would be a good litmus test of Pedro's ceiling in the light heavyweight division.

Reyes vs. Pedro [Images via @domreyes24 & @tyson_pedro on Instagram]

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#3. Manel Kape vs. Kai Kara-France

Manel Kape defended his place in the rankings with his hard-fought decision win over UFC debutant Felipe dos Santos at UFC 293. 'Starboy' is gunning for flyweight gold and has already mapped out his route to the title.

Soon after his win, Manel Kape lashed out at Kai Kara-France for the second time in a matter of days. The duo were initially slated to square off in Sydney, but an injury to the latter saw him withdraw. In his post-fight interview, Kape called for the fight to get re-booked as he continues his ascent.

Kara-France, who was in attendance at the Qudos Bank Arena, sits five places ahead of Kape in the 125-pound rankings. Given the intense animosity between the two flyweights, putting this fight back together is the logical next move.

A concussion saw Kara-France pull out of the fight. Whenever 'Don't Blink' returns to action, a date with 'Starboy' awaits.

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#2. Alexander Volkov vs. winner of Curtis Blaydes vs. Jailton Almeida

Alexander Volkov pulled off an impressive submission win in the pay-per-view co-headliner, forcing the tap from Tai Tuivasa with an Ezequiel choke in the second round to extend his winning streak to three.

While his three-fight win streak is commendable, Alexander Volkov is in an awkward position in the division. The towering Russian has beaten many of the fighters ranked below him but has come up short against those in the upper echelons of the UFC heavyweight division.

Volkov's defeats to top-ranked heavyweights Ciryl Gane and Tom Aspinall weren't very competitive, and his friendships with Serghei Pavlovich and Serghei Spivac makes things further complicated. Perhaps the winner of the next big heavyweight fight will determine 'Drago's next counterpart.

Perennial contender Curtis Blaydes and surging phenom Jailton Almeida will square off in Sao Paulo in early November. Volkov has already lost to Blaydes but has improved his grappling ever since. Whoever comes out on top in November should ideally fight the Russian next in a striker vs. grappler matchup.

Alexander Volkov should take on the winner of Blaydes vs. Almeida [Images via @volkov_alex & @malhadinho_ufc on Instagram]

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#1. Sean Strickland vs. Israel Adesanya 2 – UFC middleweight title fight

Sean Strickland pulled off one of the most jaw-dropping upsets in UFC history with his masterclass against one of the greatest strikers of all time, Israel Adesanya. Despite opening as a massive betting underdog, Strickland thoroughly outclassed 'The Last Stylebender' from start to finish, turning the division on its head.

Israel Adesanya is now 1-2 in his last three fights, making the case for an immediate shot at redemption questionable. Dricus du Plessis has a case for a title shot, and next month's Paulo Costa vs. Khamzat Chimaev bout could further spice things up in the division.

At the post-fight press conference, Adesanya's coach Eugene Bareman revealed that his team is pursuing the rematch. UFC president Dana White signed off on an immediate rematch, which appears to be the path forward.

It's an exciting matchup because Strickland completely nullified 'The Last Stylebender's offense. Given the urgency to secure this rematch soon from Adesanya's camp and Sean Strickland's tendency to stay active, expect this sequel very soon.

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