5 fights to make after UFC Fight Night: Tai Tuivasa vs. Marcin Tybura
The UFC presented its latest Fight Night event in Las Vegas last night and while it wasn't a spectacular show, it wasn't dull either.
UFC Fight Night: Tai Tuivasa vs. Marcin Tybura featured some great performances, so what's next for last night's big winners?
As always, the matchmaking team has their hands full and there are plenty of options on the table.
Here are five fights to make following UFC Fight Night: Tai Tuivasa vs. Marcin Tybura.
#5. UFC welterweight bout: Bryan Battle vs. Ange Loosa
The most unfortunate moment at last night's UFC event came in the co-headliner. Bryan Battle appeared to be cruising to a win over Ange Loosa when he inadvertently poked his foe in the eye during the second round.
Loosa told the referee he couldn't see, and moments later, the fight was stopped and unsurprisingly declared a No Contest.
That in itself would be enough to warrant a rematch. However, ugly scenes then erupted after the fight that saw the two welterweights hurling abuse at one another, apparently because Battle thought Loosa could've carried on.
This ended in a pull-apart scene in the octagon, something nobody really needed to see.
Essentially, then, the only way to resolve this situation is to run the fight back - with the UFC probably milking last night's footage to build it up, too.
#4. UFC heavyweight bout: Tai Tuivasa vs. Marcos Rogerio de Lima
Tai Tuivasa suffered a devastating loss last night, snatching defeat from the jaws of victory against Marcin Tybura.
He cut the Polish fighter open with some vicious elbows in the early going, only for Tybura to take him down, gain a dominant position and eventually choke him out.
It was a familiar story for 'Bam Bam', whose ground game just doesn't seem to have developed in the way that it should've done for a fighter with designs on being elite.
Tuivasa has now lost four fights in a row, but does this mean his UFC career is over? It shouldn't. He may drop out of the top ten at heavyweight, but he's still a wildly entertaining fighter with plenty of fans, and that should be enough to keep him around.
One good fight for him next, then, could be Marcos Rogerio de Lima. The Brazilian is ranked at No.14, and like Tuivasa, much prefers to stand and trade rather than to grapple.
'Pezao' also isn't all that durable, meaning that he could be a good bounce-back foe for Tuivasa, meaning that if the UFC still wants to push the Aussie as a star, this would be a logical step.
#3. UFC flyweight bout: Jafel Filho vs. Matt Schnell
One fighter who definitely earned a shot at a ranked opponent last night was flyweight prospect Jafel Filho.
'Pastor' dispatched veteran Ode Osbourne with ease in the first round, submitting him with a rear naked choke to take his UFC record to 2-1.
Given that he already pushed the highly-rated Mohammed Mokaev all the way, he should definitely be considered a threat to the top fifteen.
A good foe for Filho, then, could be Matt Schnell. 'Danger' is currently ranked at No.11, and while he's coming off back-to-back losses, he has the skills to threaten any fighter at 125 pounds.
If Filho could whitewash Schnell as he did Osbourne, then he'd have to be considered a genuine title contender. Either way, this would be an exciting fight to watch, making it one well-worth booking.
#2. UFC bantamweight bout: Macy Chiasson vs. Ketlen Vieira
Bantamweight contender Macy Chiasson undoubtedly won big last night, submitting her old rival Pannie Kianzad with relative ease in the first round of their rematch.
Chiasson had not fought since a 2022 defeat at the hands of Irene Aldana, but her win over the No.6 ranked fighter in the division should propel her back into contention.
Essentially, the TUF 28 winner needs a big fight next time out, so why not match her with No.3 ranked Ketlen Vieira again?
The two women were set to do battle in January, but 'Fenomeno' was forced out with an injury, causing the fight to be scrapped.
However, it still makes plenty of sense, particularly as Vieira's last fight saw her edge out Kianzad, not whitewash her as Chiasson did.
If Chiasson could beat the Brazilian, she'd be on the cusp of a title shot, and so this fight would make a lot of sense for her.
#1. UFC heavyweight bout: Marcin Tybura vs. Jailton Almeida
The big winner at last night's UFC event was Marcin Tybura, who choked out Tai Tuivasa after surviving serious damage in a wild first round.
The Polish heavyweight is unlikely to ascend into title contention even after this win, but it keeps him afloat in a very fluid division, and at the age of 38, he's still a very valid gatekeeper.
Therefore, a great opponent for him to face next would be Jailton Almeida.
'Malhadinho' looked to be on the fast track to a heavyweight title shot, but found himself derailed by Curtis Blaydes earlier this month, putting an end to his unbeaten run.
If Almeida could rebound by beating Tybura, though, he'd be right back on track to reach the top. On the other hand, of course, vanquishing the Brazilian would be huge for Tybura, who could probably count it as his biggest career win.
With plenty to gain for both fighters, this would be an excellent Fight Night headliner for later in 2024.