UFC 147 Results: Matches to Make

UFC 147 delivered last night, despite the fact that many fans were unwilling to give the card a chance. From the first fight to the last, the fighters fought with the warrior spirit for which Brazil is known.

In the aftermath UFC 147, what is next for each fighter? Let's take a look at the matchups that need to be made.

Cuts

Wagner Campos, Leonardo Mafra, John Teixeira, Delson Heleno and Anistavio Medeiros will likely be cut after losing their post-TUF debuts.

This is usually the case with The Ultimate Fighter.

Milton Vieira vs. Felipe Arantes

Last night's fight between Milton Vieira and Felipe Arantes ended in a draw, so the two will need to meet again to settle the score.

Their fight last night definitely kicked off the main card with a great amount of excitement, so I am excited to watch them meet again.

Marcos Vinicius vs. Javier Vazquez

Marcos Vinicius pulled off a great upset last night, utilizing devastating striking in the final round to knock out Wagner Campos.

Vinicius has great skills and composure, especially for his first UFC fight.

Javier Vazquez has not fought or been scheduled for a while, but a return fight versus Vinicius would be an interesting matchup. 

It would be a good return fight for Vazquez, as well as a good test for Vinicius. 

Thiago Perpetuo vs. Buddy Roberts

Thiago Perpetuo showed great heart and striking last night, defeating the wild and powerful Leonardo Mafra by knockout.

Perpetuo definitely has great ability in the Octagon.

He is definitely a fighter to keep your eye on in the future. 

Buddy Roberts is coming off a win recently and is at the same spot in the division as Perpetuo.

Put these two in the cage together and see who moves up the ladder and who moves down.

Hugo Viana vs. Joey Gambino

Hugo Viana won a close decision last night.

He is still young in his MMA career, so he will need to continue to build his resume against fellow prospects.

Joey Gambino lost this weekend, but he could serve as a nice test for Viana.

Both men could use the experience and would put on a hell of a fight.

Francisco Trinaldo vs. Daron Cruickshank

Francisco Trinaldo, for a guy who isn't a middleweight, absolutely blitzed a much larger man in Delson Heleno last night.

Trinaldo has the skills and power to compete in his normal weight class (lightweight) with success.

Another Ultimate Fighter veteran who is a large lightweight and could provide a nice challenge to Trinaldo is Daron Cruickshank.

Both are power strikers with a solid ground game, which could make a nice matchup.

Rodrigo Damm vs. Matt Grice

The only man to earn a submission last night, Rodrigo Damm, proved that his big-show experience would be advantageous.

The crafty veteran will already be somewhat high in the UFC featherweight ranks, as he has the resume to back him up.

Matt Grice is another recent winner who is looking for an opponent.

Both men have similar skill sets, except that Grice is a wrestler and Damm is a jiu-jitsu guy. 

Styles make fights, and this fight sounds good to me.

Yuri Alcantara vs. Diego Brandao

Yuri Alcantara showed spots of classic Yuri last night, but he was ultimately defeated by newcomer Hacran Dias.

Alcantara may have been a victim of a yet-to-be-discovered star rather than an off-night.

Alcantara is still relevant in the division, but he will need to pick up the pieces.

Diego Brandao is another recent loser who would make a great opponent for Alcantara. Make it happen, Sean Shelby!

Hacran Dias vs. Steven Siler

Hacran Dias looks to be another Brazilian star that was uncovered last night.

Dias looks like he can be a contender in the division, so a fight versus another hot up-and-comer would be warranted.

Steven Siler has been untouchable since his jump to the UFC.

A fight between Dias and Siler would move one of these men closer to the top of the division.

Mike Russow vs. Dave Herman

Mike Russow was finally stopped last night, falling victim to a barrage of Fabricio Werdum's power strikes.

Russow is still a rough, rugged, talented individual, but he needs to get back on his feet.

Another recent loser, Dave Herman, is currently without an opponent.

The two were set to meet at UFC 136, but it never materialized. Now is a good time to put that fight on.

Fabricio Werdum vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira

Fabricio Werdum looks to be on the fast track to the heavyweight title picture, as he has dominated both fights in his return.

His improved striking has definitely made him one of the top fighters in the division.

A loss that Werdum would probably like to avenge his loss to Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.

When Nogueira returns from injury, these two should hook up to see if Werdum can get back at Nogueira from the Pride days. 

If Werdum could win, he should be in line for a title.

Godofredo Pepey vs. Tiequan Zhang

Godofredo Pepey may have lost last night, but he has the potential to be great.

He must first get back on his feet, which could be done with a fight against Tiequan Zhang.

Rony Jason vs. Mike Brown

Rony Jason may be the next certified star in the UFC featherweight division.

He has the all-around game that rivals many fighters in the division.

From here, a bout versus an experienced veteran like Mike Brown would be a great test for Jason.

His wrestling would test Jason's takedown defense, which was not necessarily seen on this season of the reality show.

Sergio Moraes vs. TJ Waldburger

Sergio Moraes is normally a welterweight, so I applaud the effort he put in last night against a pretty big middleweight in Cezar Ferreira. 

I expect Moraes to move down to his natural weight class following UFC 147 last night.

A match with another loser from the weekend, TJ Waldburger, could be a nice debut at 170 pounds.

Cezar Ferreira vs. Daniel Sarafian

The original TUF finale in the middleweight division was supposed to be Cezar Ferreira and Daniel Sarafian.

This should be the next fight that Ferreira takes.

Wanderlei Silva vs. Vitor Belfort

Wanderlei Silva put on a spirited performance last night, despite falling to another unanimous decision loss to Rich Franklin.

I think Silva still has a fight or two left in him, so his original rematch against Belfort should be put on next.

Rich Franklin vs. Michael Bisping

Rich Franklin did the UFC another solid last night by stepping up on late notice to save UFC 147's main event.

This favor needs to be repaid in the form of a top middleweight opponent, so he could possibly make one last run at the title.

A bout against Michael Bisping, when he returns from injury, would be a nice reward for Franklin. If he wins, it would show he could be a top contender.