5 fights to make for UFC Jacksonville winners

Jacksonville has emerged as a frequent destination for the UFC over the last few years, and the latest fight card at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena didn't disappoint.

Hard-hitting featherweights Josh Emmett and Ilia Topuria collided in the headliner, delivering a sensational five-rounder to cap off a memorable night of MMA action.

A main event that had us locked in from start to finish 👀🔒

@JoshEmmettUFC & @TopuriaIlia are walking home with your FOTN honors!

#UFCJacksonville | B2YB @ToyoTires https://t.co/0AvH1ubPkz

The victors at UFC Jacksonville will look to move on to bigger fights later this year as they continue their ascent in their respective divisional rankings, and we thought we'd make a few matchmaking suggestions.

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

#5. Tabatha Ricci vs. Amanda Ribas

Tabatha Ricci has quietly made her way into the strawweight top 15, and with her comfortable win over fellow grappling ace Gillian Robertson at UFC Jacksonville, she is now on a four-fight win streak. Now having beaten an unranked contender, 'Baby Shark' will be looking to climb further up the rankings next time around.

Tabatha Ricci W #UFCJacksonville https://t.co/a7lOTrhyyo

Tabatha Ricci's base is her smooth ground game, but her striking has come leaps and bounds since signing with the promotion two years ago. Her lone career loss came in her octagon debut and she has since compiled a solid win streak to break into the rankings.

The ideal next opponent for Ricci is No.11-ranked contender Amanda Ribas, who also fought at UFC Jacksonville, losing in the co-headliner to Maycee Barber at flyweight. Ribas will likely drop back down to strawweight in her next outing, so a fight against Ricci makes sense for later this year.

Both 115-pounders are strong grapplers with decent striking, which should make for a fun fight. With the promotion returning to Sao Paulo in November, this would be a solid addition to the card.

Ribas vs, Ricci [Images via @amandaufcribas & @tabatha.ricci on Instagram].

#4. Neil Magny vs. Mike Malott

Neil Magny has now won the most welterweight fights in the history of the UFC. The perennial contender remains the gatekeeper to the top 10 at 170 pounds and he defended his place in the rankings at UFC Jacksonville, edging a decision win over the unranked Phil Rowe.

Neil Magny defeated Phil Rowe via split decision #UFConABC5 #UFC https://t.co/2OvgR9JqwR

Neil Magny is in a tough spot in the welterweight division. He lost to top-ranked contenders Gilbert Burns and Shavkat Rakhmonov without putting up much of a fight, and with the rest of the 170-pounders already booked to fight over the next few months, it's unlikely Magny will get matched up with a fellow ranked contender.

'The Haitian Sensation' is no stranger to fending off surging prospects, and given the state of the division, he might have to attempt to do so again. Canada's Mike Malott has emerged as an intriguing up-and-comer, and this fight could potentially headline a Fight Night in the Great White North.

Only the cream of the crop can get past Magny, so there's a lot we can learn from this matchup.

Magny vs. Malott [Images via @neil_magny170 & @mike.malott on Instagram].

#3. Brendan Allen vs. Roman Dolidze

Since his shocking loss to Chris Curtis in 2021, Brendan Allen has turned a new leaf in his UFC journey, racking up five wins on the bounce to break into the top tier of the division. In his latest bout at UFC Jacksonville, 'All In' submitted Bruno Silva in the very first round and is now gunning for the middleweight elite.

BRENDAN ALLEN TURNS THE TABLES!!!!!! 😳😳😳

@BrendanAllenMMA | #UFCJacksonville https://t.co/AZwcKyzxDG

Still just 27 years old, Brendan Allen is showing significant improvement with every passing fight. The Louisiana native is lethal on the ground with 13 submission wins under his belt, but with his striking getting sharper, the rest of the division will be on notice.

In his post-fight interview after beating Bruno Silva, Allen warned middleweight king Israel Adesanya that he's coming for the belt and proceeded to call out top-ranked contenders. While a top-five opponent might be a tad too soon, a fight against No.9-ranked Roman Dolidze offers Allen a chance to break into the top 10.

Dolidze is a phenomenal grappler just like Allen. Both men have effective striking and are potent finishers as well, making this matchup all the more interesting.

Dolidze vs. Allen [Images via @romandolidze & @b_allen185 on Instagram].

#2. Maycee Barber vs. Jennifer Maia

The once-drab women's flyweight division has sprung to life in recent times, with the crowning of a new queen in Alexa Grasso earlier this year and the emergence of championship-caliber contenders. Maycee Barber is among these promising up-and-comers, especially after her impressive performance in Jacksonville.

STRAIGHT into the Top 10, The Future is BRIGHT! 🤩

🔮 @MayceeBarber with an absolutely sensational performance tonight! #UFCJacksonville https://t.co/BaENEg9dbo

After kicking off her UFC career with three straight TKO wins, Maycee Barber's momentum came to a crashing halt. The 25-year-old American lost back-to-back decisions to Roxanne Modafferi and current champion Alexa Grasso, before racking up four straight decision wins of her own.

Some questioned her finishing ability against the best fighters in the division and she silenced her doubters in style at UFC Jacksonville, finishing Amanda Ribas to pick up her fifth victory on the trot. 'The Future' will claim Ribas' spot in the top 10, so her next fight will have massive implications.

No.8-ranked Jennifer Maia is the ideal step-up in competition for Barber. A former title challenger and a veteran, Maia will test Barber in all aspects of the game. If she beats the Brazilian, a shot at gold can't be too far away.

Barber vs. Maia [Images via @mayceebarber & @jennifermaia on Instagram].

#1. Ilia Topuria vs. Arnold Allen – Inaugural UFC Spain main event

Ilia Topuria made a statement with his near-perfect performance against Josh Emmett in the main event of UFC Jacksonville. 'El Matador' further extended his unbeaten record and broke into the featherweight top-five with his masterclass against Emmett, and is now clearly the most promising contender in the division.

Dishing out a 50-42 smashing! 😳

What next for 🇬🇪🇪🇸 @TopuriaIlia after that #UFCJacksonville masterclass? https://t.co/Mb8zVRSIqF

Ilia Topuria's skills are far beyond his age. The 26-year-old Spaniard's UFC record now stands at 6-0 with four finishes, and perhaps more importantly, he doesn't seem to have any holes in his game. He was known as a dangerous grappler even before signing with the UFC, but his striking is now legitimately world-class.

Topuria is now surely in the title conversation. He called for a shot at gold after defeating Josh Emmett, but with Max Holloway still the clear No.2 behind featherweight king Alexander Volkanovski, a title shot seems unlikely. Another win, however, changes things entirely.

At the post-fight presser, Topuria revealed that the only other fight he would entertain other than a title shot is a Fight Night headliner against Holloway in Spain. With the Hawaiian set to fight 'The Korean Zombie' in Singapore later this year, Topuria might have to look elsewhere for his next opponent.

A fight against No.4-ranked Arnold Allen is the fight to make. Both young featherweights are truly exceptional, making for an incredible matchup. This England vs. Spain pairing is the perfect main event for the inaugural UFC event on Spanish soil.

Allen vs. Topuria [Images via @arnoldbfa & @topuria.mma on Instagram].