5 possible fights for Casey O'Neill following her UFC 271 win
Casey O'Neill is one of the most promising prospects in the UFC. She has climbed the women’s flyweight division ranks and has looked better in each fight. The 24-year-old has an unbeaten 9-0 MMA record and could be in the title picture by the end of the year.
O'Neill most recently defeated former title-challenger Roxanne Modafferi by split-decision to remain unbeaten. It was a significant bout as ‘The Happy Warrior’ announced that she'd be retiring following the fight. It was a high-profile win considering Modafferi is a pioneer of the sport, so there was a lot to gain for O'Neill.
There are now plenty of exciting options for ‘King’ Casey going forward. Now that she’s the No.12-ranked flyweight, it’ll be interesting to see who the promotion matches her up with next. This list will look at five possible opponents for Casey O’Neill following her latest win.
#5. No.10-ranked UFC flyweight Cynthia Calvillo
O’Neill vs. Cynthia Calvillo would be a logical fight to book next based on the women's flyweight rankings. Following a win against a veteran like Modafferi, the promotion could match up against another veteran like Calvillo.
Calvillo is in an interesting situation in the flyweight division. She returned to the flyweight division in 2020, where she earned a unanimous decision win over former title-challenger Jessica Eye. However, she has since lost three straight fights to Kaitlyn Chookagian, Jessica Andrade, and Andrea Lee. Prior to her losing streak, she had an MMA record of 9-1-1, so this has been a setback.
Perhaps the UFC could give Calvillo another chance and match her up with the young prospect. It would only provide her with an opportunity to remain in the top 10. It could also lead to her getting back to the title picture because of the attention ‘King’ Casey is receiving.