UFC 142 Results: What's Next for the Main Card Winners

The UFC's third trip to Brazil was headlined by UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo, who successfully defended his title for the third time by knocking out previously unbeaten opponent Chad Mendes at 4:59 of the first round.

In the co-main event, former UFC light heavyweight champion Vitor Belfort got his first win in Brazil since 1998 by submitting Anthony Johnson with a rear-naked choke.

Many MMA fans are calling Edson Barboza's spinning wheel kick knockout of Terry Etim the best knockout of the year. Some are calling it one of the best knockouts in the history of the sport.

Other main card winners include Rousimar Palhares and Carlo Prater. This is what's next for them.

Barboza Defeated Etim via KO (Wheel Kick) at 2:02 of Round 3

Edson Barboza was on his way to extending his record to 10-0 with an easy decision victory over Terry Etim when he landed a beautiful spinning wheel kick that knocked Etim out cold in the third round.

With the win, Barboza improves to 4-0 in the UFC, with victories over Ross Pearson and Anthony Njokuani as well.

This win may have been just what he needed to boost himself into the best prospects in the sport, and as stacked as the lightweight division is, he moves in front of most with the highlight reel KO.

If Barboza is looking for a different test, it could come in the form of an elite wrestler like Sean Sherk, who is looking to fight in the spring. If not Sherk, a fight versus Nate Diaz would be a fan-friendly bout that everybody could get behind.

Prater Defeated Silva via Disqualification (Illegal Blows to Back of Head)

Even though Erick Silva (13-2-1) lost via disqualification versus Carlo Prater, the welterweight standout is one of the better up-and-comers in the division and another fighter to look forward to coming out of Brazil.

Silva made quick work of his opponent, knocking him down with a knee 25 seconds into the opening round. He added a few follow-up punches, which referee Mario Yamasaki deemed were to the back of the head.

This should go down as a win for Silva, and because of that, it's worth focusing on what's next for him. A fight versus Mike Pyle, who defeated Ricardo Funch on the undercard, is the proper test for the 27-year-old.

Palhares Defeated Massenzio via Submission (Heel Hook) at 1:03 of Round 1

Rousimar Palhares (13-3) has been called the best leg-lock submission specialist in MMA, and he proved it once again by submitting Mike Massenzio with a heel hook one minute into their middleweight bout.

Palhares gets his third victory in a row and his seventh overall in the UFC. It was his third heel-hook submission in the Octagon.

For his next fight, he can take on the winner of the upcoming Michael Bisping and Demian Maia bout. Either way, it makes for a great contender's bout, and the winner would be worthy of a title shot.

Belfort Defeated Johnson via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 4:49 of round 1

Anthony Johnson came into his fight with Vitor Belfort way overweight, but the former UFC light heavyweight champion accepted the fight anyway and put on a show in front of his Brazilian fans.

Belfort had to face some adversity early in the fight, and Johnson even managed to get him down twice during the first round. Belfort was able to get the back of Johnson late in the round and submitted him with a rear-naked choke with less than 20 seconds left.

He is now set to face Wanderlei Silva in the summer, and it will be a rematch of a fight from 1998. Belfort won after knocking Silva out just 44 seconds into the bout.

Aldo Defeated Mendes via KO (Knee and Punches) at 4:59 of Round 1

UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo (21-1) was at his best in the main event, and finished off a previously unbeaten opponent in Chad Mendes with one second left in the first round.

Aldo knew he would have to deal with the takedown attempts of Mendes, a former NCAA Division I wrestler, and he managed to avoid all of them.

Mendes did make it competitive and had Aldo's back for a while, but the Brazilian picked his shots and landed a knee to knock down his opponent. A follow-up punch was all that was needed to finish the job.

If a move to lightweight isn't next for Aldo, he will have a hard time finding any solid contenders at the moment in the 145-pound division. The closest fighters to contention include Hatsu Hioki and Bart Palaszewski, who will be fighting on the preliminary card at UFC 144.

For more MMA news, fighter interviews and opinions, follow Blake Dreisbach: @BlakeDreisbach