UFC 144 Results: 5 Fights to Get Kid Yamamoto Back on Track

For a long time, Kid Yamamoto was one of the baddest dudes in MMA. The UFC excitedly snapped him up upon introducing the bantamweight division to the promotion, but he’s gone 0-3 and may well be receiving a pink slip after another loss at UFC 144.

In the event he doesn’t, here are some options for his next tilt if the UFC hopes to get him back on track.

Jeff Curran

Curran is a credible veteran with a slick submission game and serviceable standup. He gave Scott Jorgensen all he could handle at UFC 137, and he would be an interesting fight for Yamamoto.

It would be a solid striker versus grappler matchup and could be exactly what the doctor ordered to get Kid out of his funk.

Johnny Bedford

“Brutal” Johnny Bedford is a tough veteran currently booked to mix it up with Nick Denis at UFC on FOX 3. He’s well-rounded, but he's proven prone to being finished by submission in his career.

At first blush, that might not make him the ideal opponent for Kid Yamamoto, as his ability to take a punch would surely force the scrappy Krazy Bee product to put in plenty of work. That said, Kid’s striking is better and he’s fought higher-end opponents, and if Bedford tops Denis, he’d instantly become among the most recognizable faces from The Ultimate Fighter 14.

Could be a good win for Yamamoto if it happened later in the summer.

Walel Watson

"The Gazelle" is fresh off a pretty one-sided beating at the hands of TJ Dillashaw, but it was more or less a wrestling clinic. Watson can’t wrestle, Dillashaw can, and he sure showed it.

With that in mind, Watson actually deserves credit for what he does well. He’s massive for 135 pounds, has a decent submission game and pushes hard for the finish. He also showed in the Dillashaw fight that he outright cannot be broken, as he took as one-sided a beating as you could imagine without ever wilting.

Perhaps an underrated test for Kid, he’s no pushover and would be a credible win if it happened.

Jared Papazian

During the inaugural UFC on FX show, Papazian made a name for himself in a rugged loss to Mike Easton. He’s young, hungry, has never been KO’d and could test Kid where he’s at his best.

It could be an ideal "veteran versus young gun" tilt, as Papazian isn’t a huge name yet and would look to begin his legacy by beating a legend. People in the know are aware of how tough he is, though, and a win by Kid would finally give him some credibility in the UFC.

John Albert

"Prince" wasn’t that far off a career-defining win in his young MMA life at UFC on FUEL, very nearly stopping Ivan Menjivar before succumbing to a rear-naked choke. He’s 7-2 and has shown an ability to adapt to an opponent and get the win.

Having only ever been stopped by submission, he’s another guy who provides a credible threat where Yamamoto is best, but a threat that absolutely cannot be slept on if Kid hopes to capture his first UFC win.

It’s odd to think that a man as legendary as Kid Yamamoto could have his best fights against young kids fresh off of TUF, but as a man who has never tasted success in the UFC and has five losses in his last six fights, there isn’t much else to offer him in order to stabilize his career.