5 fights to make for UFC Charlotte winners

The UFC returned to Charlotte, North Carolina, with a bang, putting on one of the most memorable and eventful fight cards of the year so far.

UFC Fight Night: Rozenstruik vs. Almeida delivered on all fronts, with a total of seven finishes and no shortage of jaw-dropping moments. The victors at the recently concluded event will be looking to move on to bigger fights down the line.

On that note, here are five fights to make for the biggest winners at UFC Charlotte.

#5. Matt Brown vs. Santiago Ponzinibbio – UFC welterweight bout

Matt Brown made history at UFC Charlotte. The UFC veteran made quick work of Court McGee in the final bout of the preliminary card, knocking out 'The Crusher' in the very first round.

With his latest victory, the 42-year-old notably tied heavyweight finisher Derrick Lewis for most knockouts in UFC history.

Matt Brown ties Derrick Lewis for the most KO wins in UFC history!

#UFCharlotte https://t.co/W6JucZh6Cd

Matt Brown is truly an inspiration. Aptly nicknamed 'The Immortal', Brown has shown that age is just a number, and while he's far from his athletic prime, his experience and durability continues to shine through.

Brown is out to become the sole owner of the aforementioned record. Pitting him against young hungry up-and-comers isn't something fans want to see, so fights against fellow MMA veterans make sense at this stage of his career.

Perennial welterweight contender Santiago Ponzinibbio is the ideal next opponent for Brown. Once touted as a real threat to the 170-pound throne, 'The Argentine Dagger' is now 36 years old and is nowhere near title contention. Ponzinibbio is coming off a loss to Kevin Holland, which likely ended his championship aspirations.

Everyone loves a good old fashioned veteran vs. veteran fight. Both Brown and Ponzinibbio love to stand and bang, so this should make for an entertaining bout. Another knockout victory for 'The Immortal' could potentially seal a place in the UFC Hall of Fame.

Ponzinibbio vs. Brown [Images via @sponzinibbiomma & @iamtheimmortal on Instagram]

#4. Carlos Ulberg vs. Dominick Reyes – UFC light heavyweight bout

Carlos Ulberg continues to shine in the UFC, and with his latest knockout victory, the Kiwi has emerged as a force to be reckoned with in the light heavyweight division.

Ulberg needed just over two minutes to dispatch Ihor Potieria at UFC Charlotte, picking up his fourth win inside the octagon.

Make that FOUR STRAIGHT WINS for @UlbergCarlos 👏👏👏

#UFCCharlotte | LIVE on @ABCNetwork https://t.co/w50kChBbRk

Carlos Ulberg's last three fights have ended in first-round knockouts and he's likely on the cusp of breaking into the top 15 at 205 pounds. 'Black Jag' didn't take any damage against Ihor Potieria, so a quick turnaround could be on the cards.

Ulberg hails from arguably the most succesful MMA gym in the world presently, City Kickboxing, and has the team around him to take him to the top. Training with middleweight king Israel Adesanya has undoubtedly elevated his game, and if he's rounded out his skillset, the rest of the light heavyweights will have a real problem on their hands.

A shot at a ranked contender is warranted, so the logical next opponent for Ulberg would be No.12-ranked Dominick Reyes. A win over a former title challenger like Reyes will further grow the New Zealander's popularity among the casual fanbase, and if he gets another quick finish, expect him to be fast-tracked up the ladder.

While the top-end of the light heavyweight division is certainly exciting, there aren't too many surging contenders on the rise at 205 pounds. Ulberg clearly has the tools to put away any fighter in the world, so it remains to be seen how far he can go.

Reyes vs. Ulberg [Images via @domreyes24 & @carlosulberg on Instagram]

#3. Ian Machado Garry vs. Michel Pereira – UFC welterweight bout

Ian Machado Garry stole the show at UFC Charlotte, keeping his unblemished record intact as he comfortably finished the always-game Daniel Rodriguez. The boisterous Irishman is certainly polarizing, but his in-cage ability undoubtedly speaks for itself.

Picture Perfect! 💥

@IanGarryMMA 🇮🇪 moves to 12-0 at #UFCCharlotte! https://t.co/ZRkLGlecY7

With his sublime TKO victory over Daniel Rodriguez, Ian Machado Garry will enter the welterweight top 15. Still just 25 years old, the former Cage Warriors champion is in no hurry to ascend the ranks, so there's no need to fast-track him.

Garry is primarily a counter-striker, and we're yet to see him against a strong grappler. Matchups against submission specialists like Michael Chiesa and Sean Brady could prove to be problematic for 'The Future', and where his grappling ranks relative to his peers remains to be seen.

Moreover, Garry trains with top welterweights Gilbert Burns and Shavkat Rakhmonov, which likely rules out fights against either 170-pounder. He did call out divisional gatekeeper Neil Magny after beating Rodriguez, but with Magny already booked, this pairing is unlikely.

Pitting the Irish prospect against a fellow striker makes sense at this stage of his career, so Michel Pereira makes for the perfect next opponent.

One of the most watchable fighters on the roster, Pereira guarantees action every time he steps into the cage. His fight against Stephen Thompson has seemingly fallen through, so if that matchup isn't happening, putting the explosive Brazilian in with Garry appears to be a no-brainer from the matchmakers' point of view.

There's absolutely no way this fight disappoints.

Garry vs. Pereira [Images via @iangarry & @michelpereiraufc on Instagram]

#2. Johnny Walker vs. Jan Blachowicz – UFC light heavyweight bout

Watching Johnny Walker's evolution as a fighter has been truly incredible. When he broke onto the scene back in 2018 with three straight first-round knockouts, many believed he was the biggest threat to then-champion Jon Jones. Inconsistency has followed, but he's now finally found his feet.

At UFC Charlotte, Walker showed tremendous defensive improvements en route to a decision win over MMA veteran and former title challenger Anthony Smith to earn his place in the divisional top five.

The biggest win of his career to date!!! 👏

@JohnnyWalker earns the UD tonight!!! #UFCCharlotte https://t.co/TKmpBGtrS6

When he's firing on all cylinders, Johnny Walker is a real handful for any light heavyweight on the planet. Under the tutelage of SBG Ireland's John Kavanagh, Walker's composure, shot selection and game-planning has improved tenfold, which is a scary prospect for the rest of the division.

With his fan-friendly style of fighting, the 31-year-old is now just one or two big wins away from his maiden shot at UFC gold. He will likely be targeting those ranked above him, so a fight against former champion and No.3-ranked contender Jan Blachowicz should be next.

Blachowicz is coming off his failed title bid against Magomed Ankalaev last year. The Polish 205-pounder is also looking to re-enter the title picture, so a fight against Walker would effectively be a title eliminator.

Walker vs. Blachowicz [Images via @johnnywalker & @janblachowicz on Instagram]

#1. Jailton Almeida vs. Curtis Blaydes – UFC heavyweight bout

Jailton Almeida made the most of his first UFC main event spot, quickly submitting heavyweight knockout artist Jairzinho Rozenstruik to make his way into the top 10. The formidable Brazilian seems destined for the upper echelons of the division and it feels as though only a select few heavyweights can halt his onslaught.

𝑴𝑨𝑳𝑯𝑨𝑫𝑰𝑵𝑯𝑶 𝑰𝑺 𝑯𝑬𝑹𝑬 𝑻𝑶 𝑺𝑻𝑨𝒀.

@Malhadinho_UFC | #UFCCharlotte https://t.co/rLu5sEk5yN

Jailton Almeida has finished his last 13 opponents. The 31-year-old boasts a 100% finish rate, with 12 submissions and 7 knockouts under his belt. While Brazilians are more known for their jiu-jitsu rather than their offensive wrestling, this heavyweight knows how to mix it up very well.

In a division brimming with strikers, Almeida has now emerged as the dark horse. Purely down to the stylistic matchups, 'Malhadinho' will likely be a heavy betting favorite against Derrick Lewis, Alexander Volkov, Tai Tuivasa, and even former interim champion Ciryl Gane.

The matchmakers could opt to give Almeida another favorable matchup, or could put him in against the likes of Tom Aspinall, Serghei Spivac and Curtis Blaydes to test his potential and challenge his ground game. With Aspinall booked and Spivac not being a big name, a fight against Blaydes could turn out to be Almeida's coming out party.

The most credentialled wrestler in the heavyweight division, Blaydes was on the cusp of a title shot until he ran into Sergei Pavlovich earlier this year. A fight between the perennial heavyweight contender and an up-and-coming phenom like Almeida has fireworks written all over it.

Jon Jones' future atop the heavyweight division is finite. While money is a key factor, the emergence of surging contenders and intriguing matchups could also prompt 'Bones' to continue fighting beyond his next title defense. A stoppage win over Blaydes could serve as a real statement of intent for Almeida.

Blaydes vs. Almeida [Images via @malhadinho & @razorblaydes265 on Instagram]