5 fights to make after UFC Fight Night: Brendan Allen vs. Chris Curtis 2
Last night saw the UFC take another trip to the Las Vegas APEX, and while the event that was produced wasn't a memorable one, a handful of fighters did pick up big wins.
UFC Fight Night: Brendan Allen vs. Chris Curtis 2 saw the former extend his lengthy win streak in the headliner, while other fighters also performed impressively.
So what's next for them? That's down to matchmakers Mick Maynard and Sean Shelby.
Here are five fights to make following UFC Fight Night: Brendan Allen vs. Chris Curtis 2.
#5 UFC bantamweight bout: Norma Dumont vs. Miesha Tate
Despite her fight being buried on the preliminary card last night, Norma Dumont won out big against a former UFC champion, Germaine de Randamie.
The Brazilian bantamweight is now riding a four-fight win streak, and while she isn't that exciting to watch, she is ranked at No.11 in the division and could be a potential title threat.
Given the thin nature of the bantamweight division, Dumont ought to be matched with a fighter ranked more highly than her next, so why not put her up against another former champ, Miesha Tate?
'Cupcake' is ranked at No.7 and is coming off a big win over Julia Avila, but she's also past her prime and has already retired once.
If Dumont could get past her, it'd be hard not to take her seriously, and what's more, she'd have a win over one of the biggest names in the history of female MMA.
If she were to lose, though, then 'Cupcake' would definitely be back on track and could be pushed towards a title run in her own right. Overall, this fight would make plenty of sense to put together.
#4 UFC featherweight bout: Jose Mariscal vs. Damon Jackson
Two fighters who won big last night were featherweights Jose Mariscal and Damon Jackson.
Mariscal outpointed Morgan Charriere in a clash that was awarded the Fight of the Night bonus, despite taking the bout on late notice. Jackson, meanwhile, overcame the favored Alexander Hernandez even though 'The Great Ape' missed weight.
Neither man is quite in contention to move into the rankings at the minute, despite 'Chepe' now being 3-0 in the UFC. However, they both love to fight in an exciting manner, and are willing to go after their opponent in any area.
Therefore, a bout between them could be a lot of fun to watch. It would also be fascinating to see whether Mariscal's winning streak could continue, or whether 'The Leech' could continue a surprising resurgence.
It wouldn't turn any heads, of course, but this bout could make a lot of sense for the main card of one of these lower-end Fight Night events.
#3 UFC lightweight bout: Ignacio Bahamondes vs. Claudio Puelles
The highlight reel moment at last night's event was provided by Chilean striker Ignacio Bahamondes.
He turned the lights off on Christos Giagos with a brutal head kick in the first round after sniping him throughout the bout, and picked up a well-earned $50k bonus in the process.
What should be next for 'La Jaula'? One possible option for him could be a classic striker vs. grappler bout that would pit him against Peru's Claudio Puelles.
The leglock expert is coming off two straight losses, but on the ground, he's as dangerous as it gets, and he's also a consummate finisher.
Given the timeline, this could also be a perfect fight to book for the UFC's next 'Noche' event, which is likely to have a Latin American flavor.
With that considered, a fight between Peru and Chile could be perfect, and could be wildly exciting to watch, too.
#2 UFC middleweight bout: Chris Curtis vs. Joe Pyfer
Chris Curtis suffered a defeat in his rematch with Brendan Allen in last night's headline bout, but 'Action Man' didn't lose too much momentum in the process.
Not only did Curtis take the bout on late notice, replacing Marvin Vettori, but he also took the fight to Allen and only came away on the wrong end of a split decision.
Therefore, it's unlikely that Curtis will slip from his No.14 middleweight ranking despite his loss.
So who should the UFC put him up against next? One opponent who could make sense is Joe Pyfer.
'Bodybagz' has quickly established himself as a crowd favorite - as well as a favorite of Dana White. While the heavy hitter did lose to Jack Hermansson in his last bout, he took 'The Joker' the distance.
A fight with Curtis might be too much, too soon for Pyfer, just as his bout with Hermansson was. However, it'd undoubtedly be fun to watch, and a fighter with the punching power of 'Bodybagz' is capable of taking out anyone.
With the winner probably remaining in the lower end of the top fifteen at 185 pounds, this would be a fight well worth booking for the latter part of 2024.
#1 UFC middleweight bout: Brendan Allen vs. Marvin Vettori
The biggest winner at last night's UFC event was definitely Brendan Allen. Not only did 'All In' extend his lengthy winning streak to seven fights, but he also avenged his last defeat in the process.
Allen is undoubtedly a genuine title contender at this stage. but last night's win is unlikely to move him upward from his current ranking of No.6.
Therefore, the best path for him would be for the matchmakers to put back together the fight that fell apart for him last night, against No.5 ranked Marvin Vettori.
Not only would this fight give Allen a chance to break into the top five by beating a former title challenger, it'd also give him a shot to settle a beef that's been ongoing for some time.
Vettori took shots at 'All In' following his showing last night, and unsurprisingly, Allen bit right back afterwards.
Given the existing rivalry between the two men and the potentially high stakes, it'd be smart matchmaking for the UFC to put this bout back together - and headline a Fight Night event with it as soon as Vettori is capable.