UFC on Fuel TV 3 Results: Post-Fight Matchmaking for the Entire Fight Card

The UFC delivered the goods at a rare Tuesday event for UFC on Fuel TV 3, which featured a matchup between top featherweight contenders Chan-Sung Jung and Dustin Poirier. In one of the most entertaining fights of the year, Jung separated himself as one of the leading candidates for a 145-pound title shot by submitting Poirier in the fourth round.

Donald Cerrone also made a big statement in what probably should have been the card's co-main event against Jeremy Stephens. For three rounds "Cowboy" displayed superb striking and battered the face of his opponent.

With their wins Jung and Cerrone have set themselves up for big fights in the near future. Let's take a look at who Jung, Cerrone and the rest of the UFC on Fuel TV 3 competitors should meet in their next Octagon appearance.

Francisco Rivera vs. John Albert-Byron Bloodworth Winner

After fighting outside of the UFC for most of the past year, Francisco Rivera returned to the Octagon in victorious fashion on Tuesday. While it wasn't the most technical display, Rivera's heavy right hand led him to a win by rocking Alex Soto several times en route to a lopsided decision.

While the win was a big step for Rivera, the bantamweight will need another strong showing or two before he can feel a sense of job security in the world's premier MMA organization. A bout with the winner of a June fight between John Albert and Byron Bloodworth would give Rivera a good chance to pick up another win.

Rafael Dos Anjos vs. Michael Johnson

After a close loss to Gleison Tibau, Rafael dos Anjos bounced back with an impressive win over Kamal Shalorus at UFC on Fuel TV 3. The Brazilian initially rocked Shalorus with a head kick before finishing his opponent off with a rear naked choke in the opening round.

With the victory dos Anjos has earned himself a fight with another lightweight coming off of a big win. A bout between dos Anjos and Michael Johnson, who recently defeated The Ultimate Fighter winner Tony Ferguson, could set the winner up for a step up in competition against a 155-pound contender. 

T.J. Grant vs. Danny Castillo

With back-to-back victories since making the cut, T.J. Grant's move to the lightweight division is already paying dividends. Following a submission of Shane Roller, Grant's victory over Carlo Prater on Tuesday showed that the Canadian is ready for a tougher test at 155 pounds.

Having lost to Jacob Volkmann in 2011, Danny Castillo is still in the process of building his resume for a run at the lightweight contenders. A bout with Grant would give Castillo a good chance to add another tally in the win column, while the fight would give Grant an opportunity to make a big move in MMA's most competitive division.

Marcus LeVesseur vs. Carlo Prater

Were it not for a controversial disqualification victory for being punched in the back of the head by Erick Silva, Carlo Prater would probably be on his way out of the UFC after losing against T.J. Grant at UFC on Fuel TV 3. However, considering it only marked the first official loss during his UFC career, Prater will probably get one more chance inside the Octagon.

A bout between Prater and Marcus LeVesseur, a promising UFC newcomer who got himself caught in Cody McKenzie's guillotine, would possibly allow the organization to build up a talented fighter while giving them reason to cut ties with a struggling veteran.

Cody McKenzie vs. Henry Martinez-Bernardo Magalhaes Winner

Despite an awful start against Marcus LeVesseur, Cody McKenzie found a way to lock up the 11th guillotine choke of his career on Tuesday night. The win prevented McKenzie from suffering a third straight loss, which likely would have meant the end of his UFC career.

While the win was a very important one for McKenzie, he showed very little to indicate he is becoming more than a one-trick pony. Until he does, McKenzie will continue battling the lower-tier fighters in the lightweight division. Therefore, a bout with the winner of a June fight between Henry Martinez and Bernardo Magalhaes makes sense for him.

Dongi Yang vs. Mike Massenzio

With his loss against Brad Tavares at UFC on Fuel TV 3, Dongi Yang has dropped back-to-back fights and could be in danger of losing his spot on the UFC's middleweight roster. Having also lost two straight fights and five of his past seven, Mike Massenzio is in even greater danger of being released.

As it currently stands, neither fighter seems capable of becoming a contender in the 185-pound division. Thus, a bout between the two fighters, with the loser being cut from the organization, seems like a very real possibility.

Jason MacDonald vs. Alessio Sakara

After being knocked out quickly by Tom Lawlor, Jason MacDonald is probably even more sure than he already has been over recent months that his next fight will be the last of his career. Unfortunately, the knockout loss may hurt the Canadian's chances of making a homecoming at UFC 149 in July.

Instead, MacDonald will probably have to wait until later in the year for UFC 152 or UFC 154 in order to retire in his home country. For his final fight, a bout with a fellow veteran like Alessio Sakara would be interesting, as the Italian has also contemplated retirement due to recent injuries. 

Tom Lawlor vs. Brad Tavares

Despite his impressive knockout of Jason MacDonald at UFC on Fuel TV 3, which took place on his 30th birthday, Tom Lawlor remains more of a mid-tier gatekeeper than a contender in the middleweight division.

That is why Lawlor should serve as a test for Brad Tavares the next time both fighters step into the Octagon. Tavares was also a winner on Tuesday night, when he bounced back from his first official loss with a decision victory against Dongi Yang.

The 24-year-old Tavares has loads of potential, so an impressive win over a fighter like Lawlor would show he is ready for another chance at competing with a high-level middleweight.

Fabio Maldonado vs. Tom DeBlass

For his second straight fight, Fabio Maldonado suffered a controversial loss on the judges' scorecards. Despite out-landing Igor Pokrajac by a great margin, the Brazilian ended up on the wrong side of a decision that UFC president Dana White displayed disagreement about via Twitter.

While he could just as easily be undefeated for his UFC career, Maldonado will probably need a win in his next fight in order to remain on the organization's roster. Therefore, a winnable bout against an lower-tier fighter like Aaron Rosa seems like a good option for a fighter who deserves to remain in the UFC.

Igor Pokrajac vs. Stanislav Nedkov

Igor Pokrajac picked up his third straight win at UFC on Fuel TV 3. However, Pokrajac needed some help from the judges in a decision that was widely disputed by MMA fans and pundits.

Regardless of the nature of the win, Pokrajac is a fighter on the rise in the light heavyweight division and deserves an opponent who is also coming off of a win. A bout with Cyrille Diabate will force Pokrajac to continue working on his striking, an aspect of his game that was somewhat lacking against Fabio Maldonado.

Jeff Hougland vs. Jeff Curran

Though they both left UFC on Fuel TV 3 with losses, Jeff Hougland and Jeff Curran showed great toughness to endure dynamic striking displays by their respective opponents, Yves Jabouin and Johnny Eduardo.

On their feet neither fighter is completely out of their element, but both Hougland and Curran are clearly strongest on the ground. The UFC should match these competitors against one another to ensure one of them gets a chance to bounce back and display their strengths in a bout that would surely go to the canvas.

Yves Jabouin vs. Johnny Eduardo

Yves Jabouin and Johnny Eduardo used flashy striking and takedown defense to earn wins on Tuesday night. Though both fighters are over 30 years old, they continue to improve and have promising futures in the bantamweight division.

A bout between Jabouin and Eduardo would give the winner a chance to earn a big step up in competition and gain ground toward contending for the 135-pound title.

Jeremy Stephens vs. Sam Stout-Spencer Fisher Loser

Jeremy Stephens proved he is capable of going toe-to-toe with the best lightweights in the world by going the distance with both Anthony Pettis and Donald Cerrone in his past two fights.

However, with two straight losses, Stephens also needs to take a step down in competition for his next bout. A rematch with the loser of an upcoming bout between Sam Stout and Spencer Fisher could provide an entertaining slugfest.

Donald Cerrone vs. Edson Barboza-Jamie Varner Winner

Following his win over Jeremy Stephens, many are clamoring for a bout between Donald Cerrone and Anthony Pettis. However, Pettis is currently one of the top contenders in the lightweight division, whereas Cerrone is only one fight removed from a decisive loss to Nate Diaz.

Cerrone could use one more impressive win before meeting an opponent like Pettis. A bout with the winner of an Edson Barboza and Jamie Varner matchup, assuming the Brazilian picks up the victory, would result in a technical kickboxing match between two of the most exciting strikers in the 155-pound division.

Jorge Lopez vs. Jake Hecht-Sean Pierson Loser

Unable to keep Amir Sadollah on the ground, Jorge Lopez suffered his second straight loss at UFC on Fuel TV 3, but the narrow decision should earn the young fighter one more shot inside the Octagon.

A bout with the loser of a UFC on FX 3 fight between Jake Hecht and Sean Pierson would give Lopez a good chance to get back on track and solidify a spot on the UFC's welterweight roster.

Amir Sadollah vs. Seth Baczynski-Lance Benoist Winner

Amir Sadollah did not have one of his better showings against Jorge Lopez on Tuesday night, squeaking out a close decision win, but the victory did allow the former The Ultimate Fighter winner to avoid a second straight loss.

At 31 years old, it is beginning to look as though Sadollah is destined to be a gatekeeper of sorts in the 170-pound division. For his next fight, Sadollah should serve as a measuring stick for the winner of a bout between Seth Baczynski and Lance Benoist. If either fighter can defeat Sadollah decisively, they could be ready for a bout with a welterweight contender.

Dustin Poirier vs. Diego Nunes

Though heavily favored heading into the bout, Dustin Poirier fought Chan-Sung Jung's fight and got away from his game plan in the main event of UFC on Fuel TV 3, eventually succumbing to a D'Arce choke in the fourth round.

Now, Poirier will have to climb his way back up the featherweight ranking, possibly starting with a bout against Diego Nunes, who is also formerly one of the division's top contenders and is coming off of a loss against Dennis Siver.

Chan-Sung Jung vs. Jose Aldo-Erik Koch Winner

Less than two years ago, Chan-Sung Jung was coming off of a knockout loss to George Roop and was completely out of the mix for a shot at the 145-pound title. Three wins later, Jung has now separated himself as the most deserving fighter to meet the winner of an upcoming title fight between champion Jose Aldo and Erik Koch.

With Aldo running out of serious threats in the featherweight division, a bout between the Brazilian titleholder and "The Korean Zombie" would be one of the most highly anticipated fights the 145-pound division has ever seen, regardless of how mismatched the fighters are.