5 fights to make after UFC Fight Night: Brendan Allen vs. Paul Craig

Last night saw the UFC’s latest Fight Night event take place, and despite a lack of hype, the show delivered some excellent action.

With a number of fighters winning big last night, what should the UFC’s matchmakers do with them next? As always, there are plenty of options.

With that in mind, here are five fights to make following UFC Fight Night: Brendan Allen vs. Paul Craig.

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#5. UFC featherweight bout: Joanderson Brito vs. Alex Caceres

Joanderson Brito picked up his fourth win in a row last night [Image Credit: @ufc on X]

Brazilian prospect Joanderson Brito produced one of last night’s most stirring finishes as he shrugged off some mid-fight trash talk from opponent Jonathan Pearce to submit him moments later.

The win marked Brito’s fourth in a row in the UFC, and given that all four of those fights also ended in finishes, it’s time for the Brazilian to make a step up.

With that in mind, a good opponent for him could be No. 15-ranked Alex Caceres.

‘Bruce Leeroy’ has proven himself to be a dangerous gatekeeper in the division with over a decade of experience, and he holds wins over multiple other prospects such as Julian Erosa and Chase Hooper.

The TUF veteran would undoubtedly test Brito in every facet of the game, and if the Brazilian could overcome him, then it’d be fair to see him ranked in the top fifteen. With four wins in a row, it’s an opportunity ‘Tubarao’ has earned. Hopefully, the matchmakers hand it to him.

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#4. UFC lightweight bout: Chase Hooper vs. Jim Miller

Could prospect Chase Hooper face veteran Jim Miller next? [Image Credit: @choop556 on Instagram]

Lightweight prospect Chase Hooper put on an excellent show last night, submitting Jordan Leavitt in the first round of what was a fun grappling-based bout.

‘The Dream’ is still not quite a complete fighter, as his defensive skills seem to be lagging behind his offense somewhat, but there’s no denying that he’s come on leaps and bounds since his UFC debut as a teenager back in 2019.

He’s probably not ready for a shot at the top fifteen at 155lbs, but one fascinating foe for him could be longtime veteran Jim Miller.

Part of the roster since 2008, Miller is clearly slowing down at the age of 40, but he has won four of his last five bouts and remains a very dangerous fighter in all areas.

A win over Miller – who holds numerous UFC records, including the most wins in the history of the promotion – would be a huge boon for a young fighter like Hooper. If he were to fail, meanwhile, there’d be no shame in falling to a legend of sorts.

Overall, this fight would not only be fun to watch, but it’d make sense too.

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#3. UFC welterweight bout: Michael Morales vs. Kevin Holland

With four wins in a row, Michael Morales needs a step up next [Image Credit: @miichaelufc on Instagram]

While he didn’t get the finish he wanted, Michael Morales still picked up a big win in last night’s co-headliner. The native of Ecuador clearly outpointed Jake Matthews, using some nasty striking combinations to keep the Aussie fighter at bay for three rounds.

Morales is now 4-0 in the octagon and 16-0 overall, and so despite his relatively young age, it’s probably time to push him up the card to see what happens.

One opponent who might make sense for him, then, is No.12 ranked welterweight Kevin Holland. ‘The Trailblazer’ is one of the more popular fighters in the division, but the last time we saw him, he fell to defeat at the hands of Jack Della Maddalena.

However, Holland remains a very dangerous fighter in all areas, and his long reach could give Morales problems on the feet.

If the Ecuadorian could knock off ‘The Trailblazer’, then a star would be born, and if he were to fail, he’d have essentially lost nothing either due to his young age. Therefore, this would be a fight worth making.

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#2. UFC strawweight bout: Amanda Ribas vs. Jessica Andrade

Amanda Ribas is back in contention at 115lbs [Image Credit: @amandaufcribas on Instagram]

The flashiest finish on offer last night was produced by strawweight contender Amanda Ribas. She unleashed a truly brutal combination to finish off Luana Pinheiro in the third round, setting the ending up with a beautiful hook kick to the head.

Ribas is now likely to climb back into the top ten at 115lbs, so who would make a good next foe for her? One option could be former champion Jessica Andrade.

‘Bate Estaca’ snapped a lengthy losing streak last weekend by stopping Mackenzie Dern in a hugely entertaining scrap, and she remains ranked highly in the division at No.5.

More interestingly, though, Ribas is also one of the few ranked fighters at 115lbs that Andrade hasn’t faced yet, which is surprising given her lengthy tenure with the UFC.

The winner of this one would almost certainly climb into full title contention, and the bout could easily co-headline a Fight Night, particularly if it were a visit to Brazil. Therefore, it’d definitely be worth booking.

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#1. UFC middleweight bout: Brendan Allen vs. Marvin Vettori

Brendan Allen should now be considered a true contender at 185lbs [Image Credit: @ufc on X]

The biggest winner at last night’s event was definitely Brendan Allen. The middleweight contender choked out Paul Craig in the third round of a largely one-sided bout, extending his win streak in the octagon to six fights.

After the bout, ‘All In’ called for a title eliminator in his next fight, and while it’s unlikely he’ll receive that with the likes of Khamzat Chimaev sniffing around, he does deserve a step up.

Therefore, an opponent who could definitely work for him is Marvin Vettori.

‘The Italian Dream’ is ranked at No.5 in the division, and while he’s lost to the fighters ranked above him, he’s still a very tough gatekeeper who has basically dispatched everyone else he’s faced.

Vettori would be considered the better striker in a fight against Allen, meaning the big question would be whether ‘All In’ could get him to the ground and work him over there.

If Allen could beat the Italian, then that call for a title eliminator would probably be a fair one. Therefore, the promotion ought to give him the opportunity, preferably in the first part of 2024.

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