UFC 142 Results: Matches to Make After Jose Aldo vs. Chad Mendes

On the heels of the most successful year in company history, the UFC opened 2012 with a bang in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. An exciting night of fights ended with featherweight champ Jose Aldo knocking out Chad Mendes and subsequently sprinting out of the Octagon and into the audience.

The Brazilian titleholder was lifted onto the shoulder of his compatriots in one of the most unique scenes MMA has ever seen. After such an incredible moment, what else is left for Aldo to accomplish at 145 pounds?

In this slideshow, we'll take a look at what might be next for Aldo and the rest of UFC 142's competitors.

Antonio Carvalho vs. Dennis Bermudez

Antonio Carvalho may not have come away with a victory at UFC 142, but he did show off some ground skills in the opening round of his bout against Felipe Arantes.

For TUF runner up Dennis Bermudez, who was submitted by Diego Brandao at the TUF 14 Finale, Carvalho could serve as a test to see if the up-and-coming featherweight has improved his submission defense over recent months.

Prior to his appearance on TUF, Bermudez was submitted in two straight fights. As a former collegiate wrestler, Bermudez will be spending a good portion of his UFC career on the ground. If he plans on being successful in this sport, the 25-year-old Bermudez will have to quickly advance his jiu-jitsu game.

The best way for that to happen is for Bermudez to be matched up with opponents capable of testing his weaknesses.

Felipe Arantes vs. Daniel Pineda-Pat Schilling Winner

At UFC 142, Felipe Arantes picked up a very important win in his home country. 

Now 1-1 in his UFC career, Arantes can turn his focus to beginning a climb up the featherweight ladder instead of simply trying to remain on the UFC roster. That being said, Arantes probably isn't ready for a huge step up in competition quite yet.

A fight with another competitor coming off of their first UFC victory would make a lot of sense for Arantes, which is why he should meet the winner of a UFC on FX bout between UFC newcomers Daniel Pineda and Pat Schilling.

Mike Pyle vs. Duane Ludwig-Josh Neer Winner

As definitive as Mike Pyle's win at UFC 142 was, it was to be expected against late replacement Ricardo Funch. While the win might not have done much to advance Pyle toward the top of the welterweight division, it was a good way for him to get back on track following a first-round knockout loss to Rory MacDonald.

Prior to his loss at the hands of MacDonald, Pyle was being mentioned as a borderline Top 10 welterweight. However, that defeat has caused many to forget about Pyle as a serious contender in the 170-pound division.

Before Pyle steps into the Octagon with another fighter of MacDonald's caliber, he will need to rack up a few more wins. A main card bout with the winner of a UFC on FX fight between Duane Ludwig and Josh Neer would give Pyle the opportunity to creep back into the conversation of welterweight fighters deserving of a shot against a contender. 

Michihiro Omigawa vs. Nam Phan

With three losses in his past four fights, 36-year-old Michihiro Omigawa's second run with the UFC is turning out to be just as unsuccessful as his first. In January 2008, Omigawa was cut from the organization after back-to-back losses.

Now, it appears the Japanese fighter will be fighting for his job again in the near future. While he hasn't done very well inside the Octagon, Omigawa is a well-known fighter among hardcore fans and should be given a fight against another notable featherweight who has fallen on hard times.

A bout between Omigawa and Nam Phan would generate some interest and could allow the UFC to decide which fighter is more deserving of another shot in the world's premier MMA organization.

Yuri Alcantara vs. Jimy Hettes

He may have slowed in the third round, but Yuri Alcanatara's win over Michihiro Omigawa at UFC 142 was one that showed he has the ability to become a contender at 145 pounds. 

With 13 straight wins, it's time for Alcantara to meet another up-and-coming featherweight in a bout that could indicate whether he is ready or not for the division's elite. A bout with Jimy Hettes, who is undefeated in 10 fights and coming off of a win over Nam Phan, could make the most sense.

Ednaldo Oliveira vs. Joey Beltran-Lavar Johnson Loser

With UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos in his corner, many expected much more from Ednaldo Oliveira than he showed in his fight against Gabriel Gonzaga at UFC 142.

Though Oliveira was submitted in the first round, he should get another chance to prove himself inside the Octagon. A bout with another heavyweight near the bottom of the division's totem pole seems likely. 

Look for Oliveira to meet the loser of a UFC on FOX 2 fight between Joey Beltran and Lavar Johnson.

Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Mike Russow-John Olav Einemo Winner

Slightly over one year ago, Gabriel Gonzaga was released from the UFC and it appeared he planned on fading away into retirement. 

Then, after picking up a win outside of the UFC, Gonzaga received a call to replace the injured Rob Broughton at UFC 142. Gonzaga made the most of the opportunity by submitting Ednaldo Oliveira.

Given the lack of depth in the heavyweight division, Gonzaga may already be one more impressive victory away from finding himself in the Top 10 fighters in the division. A bout against the winner of a UFC on FOX 2 fight between Mike Russow and Jon Olav Einemo could determine whether or not Gonzaga is worthy of that distinction.

Sam Stout vs. Evan Dunham-Nik Lentz Loser

Looking for a third straight win at UFC 142, Sam Stout came out on the wrong end of a controversial decision in his opponent's home country. 

Though he suffered a loss to Thiago Tavares, Stout's position on the lightweight ladder will likely go unchanged due to the competitiveness of the fight. 

A bout with the loser of a UFC on FOX 2 lightweight contest between Evan Dunham and Nik Lentz would give Stout the chance to get back on track toward becoming a contender by beating another well-known lightweight. 

Terry Etim vs. Yves Edwards

After picking up a submission within the first minute of his past fight, there was plenty of hype surrounding Terry Etim. At UFC 142, all of that hype was smashed in the form of an Edson Barboza spinning heel kick.

Prior to being knocked out in brutal fashion, Etim was holding his own, but leg kicks were taking their toll on the Englishman. While the 26-year-old has a bright future, Etim will have to go back to the drawing board and test himself against some veterans.

A bout with Yves Edwards would make for another entertaining stand-up battle for Etim.

Edson Barboza vs. Thiago Tavares

Edson Barboza and Thiago Tavares each picked up very important victories in front of their home country fans this past Saturday. On the momentum of their wins, these two lightweights will now be looking to make a run at a lightweight title shot.

If one would beat the other in impressive fashion, they would have more than enough ammunition to campaign for a fight with one of the top fighters in the 155-pound division.

Carlo Prater vs. Ricardo Funch

Unlike Thiago Tavares and Edson Barboza, Carlo Prater and Ricardo Funch had very forgettable performances at UFC 142, though Prater was awarded a controversial victory for what referee Mario Yamasaki deemed strikes to the back of the head.

The two recent additions to the UFC roster will now have to show they're worth keeping around. Funch is in a particularly bad spot, as he was only recently released from the organization in June 2010.

Pitting the two welterweight against one another will bring the best out of both competitors and should determine which fighter may have to fight there way back into the UFC.

Erick Silva vs. Seth Baczynski

Officially, Erick Silva lost to Carlo Prater on Saturday. In reality, Silva quickly demolished his foe at UFC 142.

While Silva now has his first UFC loss on his record, he remains one of the brightest up-and-coming prospects in the welterweight division. Accordingly, he should be given a rising opponent who is coming off of a victory.

With back-to-back submission wins, Seth Baczynski is looking to earn the same recognition that Silva has recently received. A bout between these two 170-pound fighters would give the winner the right to take a big step up in competition.

Mike Massenzio vs. Chris Camozzi-Dustin Jacoby Loser

At UFC 142, Mike Massenzio became the latest victim of Rousimar Palhares' dangerous heel hook.

Assuming Massenzio avoided major knee injury, he'll probably be looking to make a quick turnaround to get himself back into the win column. A bout with the loser of a UFC on FOX 2 fight between Chris Camozzi and Dustin Jacoby could give him the opportunity to just that. 

Rousimar Palhares vs. Alan Belcher

Against Mike Massenzio, Rousimar Palhares continued his assault on the knees of UFC middleweights by earning a submission victory one minute into the opening round.

A winner of six out of his past seven appearances, it is past time for Palhares to get another shot at a 185-pound contender. 

Alan Belcher may not have earned the title of contender quite yet, but he's certainly within striking distance. The winner of a potential bout between Palhares and Belcher could provide the middleweight division with a fresh face in the mix for a title shot.

Vitor Belfort vs. Wanderlei Silva

With his win over an overweight Anthony Johnson at UFC 142, Vitor Belfort made the UFC's decision to release "Rumble" much easier.

Making my job easy, Belfort's next step toward earning another shot at the middleweight title has already been laid out. Opposing Wanderlei Silva, Belfort will introduce TUF to Brazil.

After coaching against Silva, Belfort will go toe to toe with "The Axe Murderer" in a bout that could put him a win or two away from a championship tilt.

Chad Mendes vs. Tyson Griffin

Nothing seemed to go right for Chad Mendes in his first featherweight title fight at UFC 142. The former All-American wrestler couldn't seem to keep champion Jose Aldo on the ground, and while attempting to drag the titleholder to the canvas at the end of the first round, Mendes ate a brutal knee that ended the fight.

Luckily, the 26-year-old Mendes still has plenty of time to improve and make another run at becoming champion. He'll have to do some climbing of the ladder to earn anther title fight, though.

A bout with Tyson Griffin will allow the UFC to capitalize on a marketable fight while giving one big name a chance to get back on track.

Jose Aldo vs. Hatsu Hioki-Bart Palaszewski Winner

With his impressive knockout win over Chad Mendes, UFC featherweight champ Jose Aldo is getting to the point where he is running out of true tests in the featherweight division.

While Hatsu Hioki looked less than spectacular in his UFC debut against George Roop, the Japanese fighter is widely considered the toughest test remaining for Aldo at 145 pounds.

If he can defeat Bart Palaszewski at UFC 144, look for the UFC to name Hioki as the next top featherweight contender.

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 @SeanSmithMMA.

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