UFC 132 Results: 3 Fights Chris Leben Should Take Next

Although both fighters had their chins exposed in recent fights, many—including "The Crippler" himself—expected a three-round war between Chris Leben and Wanderlei Silva at UFC 132.

However, the fight ended quickly and violently, as Leben finished his favorite fighter and MMA legend Silva in under 30 seconds.

The win puts Leben right back on track after suffering a disappointing loss to Brian Stann in his last fight. Here are three opponents Leben could meet next.

Demian Maia

Coming off a narrow loss to Mark Munoz, Demian Maia will be looking to get back in the win column against a big name in his next fight. Leben fits that role as a well-known, yet beatable opponent for Maia.

This fight could be equally beneficial for Leben, though. If "The Crippler" could keep a fight with Maia standing, he might be able to produce another devastating knockout, which could put him a fight or two away from a title shot.

Rousimar Palhares

Chris Leben has served the role of a gatekeeper for much of his career, and it hasn't been long since he was quickly disposed of by Brian Stann. Therefore, the UFC might be content to continue using Leben in that capacity for now.

If that is the case, he might serve as a test for Rousimar Palhares in his next fight.

Palhares lost to Nate Marquardt in his most recent attempt to jump into a contender role in the middleweight division, but that fight ended awkwardly, as Palhares got caught while he was arguing that Marquardt had greased his legs to avoid submission attempts.

If Palhares defeats Alexandre Ferreira at UFC 134 in August, he may be ready for another shot at jumping toward the top of the division. A fight against Leben would be an excellent way to see if Palhares is ready for the elite fighters at 185 pounds.

Vitor Belfort

Much like Chris Leben was before his fight at UFC 132, Vitor Belfort will be looking to bounce back from a deflating knockout loss in his next fight, which will be against Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 133 in August.

If Belfort defeats Akiyama, he could meet Leben to decide which fighter is ready to step into the mix as a serious contender. Not to mention, this fight would have the potential for more stand-up fireworks from either fighter.

Sean Smith is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report MMA. For the latest insight and updates on everything MMA, you can follow Sean on Twitter.