UFC 150: 5 Fights for Yushin Okami to Take Next

After suffering back-to-back losses to Anderson Silva and Tim Boetsch, Yushin Okami was able to get back in the win column last night at UFC 150.

Okami defeated up-and-comer Buddy Roberts by TKO in the second round of their fight.

With the win, Okami is now 4-2 in his last six fights. 

Since the middleweight division is more stacked than ever, Okami will need to put together a few more wins in order to get back into title contention.

Here's a look at the fights he should take next.  

Jake Shields

Like Okami, Jake Shields fought at UFC 150 and won. 

Unlike Okami, Shields' fight did not end with a finish, and it was his first fight at middleweight in the UFC. 

Despite the fight not being exciting, the win is Shields' second straight, and he looked a lot better at 185 than he had at welterweight. 

Although Shields holds a 2006 win over Okami, both men have become different fighters since then. 

This may not be the most exciting fight to book, but it could be the perfect time for the two former title contenders to face each other again. 

Hector Lombard

Former Bellator middleweight champ Hector Lombard lost his first fight since 2006 in his UFC debut against Tim Boetsch. 

While UFC jitters could have been the reason why Lombard didn't look like himself, the stocky middleweight claimed he was fighting with a few injuries. 

What ever the case may be, Lombard is still a big-name middleweight and deserves at least another chance against a household name. 

For Okami, a win over Lombard would give him a win over a former champion, and should get him another step closer to a title shot. 

Chris Leben

Another big-name fight for Okami could be against the returning Chris Leben. 

Leben should be back by December, following his year-long suspension. Like Okami, Leben is a big-name fighter who is looking to climb to the top of the division. 

A fight with Leben could be a tough task for Okami, but may be an exciting fight.

Constantinos Philippou

Winner of four straight fights, Constantinos Philippou should be looking to step up in competition for his next fight. Philippou holds wins over former UFC vet Jorge Rivera and former TUF winner Court McGee. 

A win over Philippou will put Okami in a good spot in the middleweight division. In addition, defeating Philippou will give Okami a win over a tough fighter with a good winning streak. 

Rousimar Palhares

Okami was originally scheduled to meet Rousimar Palhares at UFC 150, but a leg injury forced the Brazilian out of the bout. 

Depending on the severity of the injury, Palhares could be out for an extended period of time. If he can get back before the end of the year, why not have him face off against Okami? 

Palhares is coming off of a loss against Alan Belcher. Despite that, he still remains one of the toughest fights for anybody, thanks to his great submission game. 

Okami likes to take guys to the ground, but it would be interesting to see how he keeps the fight standing against Palhares.