5 Fights We Need to See After UFC on ABC 4
UFC on ABC 4 went down on Saturday in beautiful Charlotte, North Carolina, with a 12 p.m. ET start time that delighted those of us who prefer not to stay up all hours for our fighting fix.
Just like the three previous three cards the UFC has broadcasted on ABC, this one was pretty solid.
Headlining honours went to a heavyweight showdown, with rising Brazilian contender Jailton Almeida taking on kickboxing specialist Jairzinho Rozenstruik from Suriname. Almeida ultimately lived up to his own hype, effortlessly grounding and choking his foe inside a round.
In the co-main event, another Brazilian made a big statement, as Johnny Walker picked up his third straight victory at the expense of former light heavyweight title challenger Anthony Smith, whom he defeated by unanimous decision.
Earlier on the card, rising Irish contender Ian Machado Garry picked up the biggest win of his career, cutting down wily veteran Daniel Rodriguez with a head kick to earn himself a spot on the outer edge of the welterweight Top 15.
Rising light heavyweight talent Carlos Ulberg also cemented himself as a contender on the card, knocking out Ukrainian finisher Ihor Potieria in the first round, while experienced welterweights Alex Morono and Matt Brown both picked up finishes over Tim Means and Court McGee, respectively.
Keep scrolling for the fights we'd like to see when everybody is healed up.
Jailton Almeida vs. Sergey Spivak
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It was a risky move putting Jairzinho Rozenstruik in Saturday's main event. While the Surinamese kickboxer has delivered a handful of impressive knockouts in the Octagon, he is also prone to the kind of slow and lacklustre performances that really suck the life out of an arena.
Thankfully, Jailton Almeida made sure that didn't happen, dragging the No. 9-ranked heavyweight down to the mat and choking him out before the first round was over.
With that outcome, the Brazilian is now 5-0 in the Octagon—all stoppages—and due for a fight with one of the division's top contenders. As a new face in the weight class, he has plenty of options.
His choice seems to be Australian knockout artist Tai Tuivasa, who is ranked No. 6. That's a good fight, but at this point, it's hard to imagine it going much differently than Almeida's fight with Rozenstruik—takedown defense has always been an issue for Tuivasa.
So, instead, we'd like to propose a fight between Almeida and Moldova's Sergey Spivak. Spivak, like Almeida, is a grappler at his roots. Currently ranked No. 8, he is also riding a nice streak, having scored stoppages in his last three.
It makes sense from a rankings standpoint, and it would probably be fun for as long as it lasts.
Johnny Walker vs. Aleksandar Rakić
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Johnny Walker's unanimous-decision win over Anthony Smith was not as entertaining as many of his previous fights—he's known for his highlight-reel KOs—but it was his third victory in a row, and it will most likely push him into the light heavyweight Top Five, where clashes with the division's best fighters await.
Our pick for his next opponent: Aleksandar Rakić.
The Austrian knockout artist, ranked fourth in the weight class, has not fought since he suffered a leg injury in a fight with former champion Jan Blachowicz last year.
He should be ready to return soon, and Walker looks like the perfect guy to welcome him back. They're both ranked near the top of the division, and they're both devastating knockout strikers. It makes all the sense in the world.
Ian Garry vs. Geoff Neal
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Between Shavkat Rakhmonov, Jack Della Maddalena and now Ian Garry, the welterweight division is absolutely jam-packed with fresh, new talent.
Ireland's Garry was back in action on the UFC on ABC 4 main card, taking on No. 15-ranked contender Daniel Rodriguez in what was considered the toughest test of his career. He passed it with flying colours, stopping his foe with a first-round head kick and follow-up punches to improve to 12-0 as a pro.
Garry followed his win by calling out No. 11-ranked contender Neil Magny. It was an ambitious callout, and it would be an interesting matchup, but Magny is set to fight the unranked Philip Rowe at the next UFC on ABC card on June 24. If he loses that one, a fight with a streaking contender like Garry suddenly makes a lot less sense.
So let's scrap that idea and book Garry against No. 8 contender and proven knockout threat Geoff Neal. Neal is riding a submission loss to Rakhmonov, but he won two straight before that and remains a tough test for anyone in the division.
Let's see if it's a test Garry can pass. If he can, it might be time to start talking about him as a serious title contender.
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Carlos Ulberg vs. Dustin Jacoby
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Carlos Ulberg, a training partner of UFC middleweight champ Israel Adesanya, picked up one of the flashier wins of Saturday's card, knocking out Ihor Potieria with punches inside a round.
We've always known the New Zealander was talented, but after his trip to Charlotte, he looks like he could actually make some waves in the light heavyweight Top 15.
Our pick for his next fight is a fan-friendly match-up with Dustin Jacoby. As the No. 15 light heavyweight, Jacoby is a reasonable welcome to the rankings for Ulberg. He is also a former kickboxer, like the Kiwi, so this one would most likely be a fun stand-up battle. That's the real appeal of the fight.
Throw it on a pay-per-view main card—maybe one Adesanya headlines—and let the two striking specialists do the rest.
Alex Morono vs. Matt Brown
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Alex Morono kicked off the UFC on ABC 4 main card in style, tapping out tough welterweight veteran Tim Means with a guillotine choke in the second round.
Not long before that, in the final bout of the undercard, Matt Brown knocked out Court McGee to tie Derrick Lewis for the most KO wins in UFC history—a feat that's made all the more impressive by his being 42 years old.
After their wins in Charlotte, Morono and Brown are both 1-1 in their last two. They're also both hovering just a few wins away from the Top 15 and are two of the more experienced fighters in the division. You can see where we're going with this.
They're on the same schedule. Match them up on a future Fight Night card and see which man can keep their momentum alive. Just don't blink.
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