UFC 161: 5 Fights for Alexis Davis to Take Next

Alexis Davis did what she needed to do at UFC 161.

The No. 6 women's bantamweight controlled Rosi Sexton and earned a decision win. It wasn't as impressive as her recent bouts in Invicta FC, but the important thing is that she collected her third straight win.

Davis is one of the best bantamweights in the world. Defeating Sexton was no easy task. With the title picture held up thanks to The Ultimate Fighter, it will be interesting to see whom she goes up against next.

Here are five options for Davis' next fight.

Winner of Sarah Kaufman vs. Sara McMann

Alexis Davis likely did not earn a title shot with her UFC 161 win. The women's bantamweight crown is not scheduled to be defended until the end of the year after The Ultimate Fighter wraps, and her performance was not that stellar.

That leaves fans with a potential No. 1 contender's bout.

The winner of Kaufman vs. McMann will be one of the top contenders in the division, and that makes her a prime candidate for Davis.

A third fight against Kaufman would not intrigue many viewers, since Kaufman is 2-0 against Davis, but it makes sense for title implication purposes. And it will be another great fight.

Should McMann be victorious, it would be an ideal matchup. The two women will test each other in the best way possible before one goes on to challenge for the title.

Winner of Liz Carmouche vs. Jessica Andrade

Liz Carmouche was slated to fight Miesha Tate in a potential contender's bout, but after Cat Zingano suffered an injury, Tate was pulled from the fight to coach TUF. Enter Jessica Andrade.

The division continues to add talent, and Andrade will seek to derail Carmouche's title hopes later in the year. However, Zingano will be the heavy favorite as the No. 5 women's bantamweight.

This is much the same scenario as mentioned in the previous slide. Davis is not going to get a title shot immediately, and neither is the winner of this fight. It makes sense to pit the winners against each another.

A potential bout between Davis and Carmouche will also be a contender's bout, as it will set up the winner for a title shot in 2014 if she is impressive enough.

Winner of Amanda Nunes vs. Sheila Gaff

This is without question the least enticing offer for Davis. However, in the landscape of the division, it may be a realistic option for her next fight.

Amanda Nunes and Sheila Gaff square off at UFC 163, and that makes the timing correct. With The Ultimate Fighter holding up the title scene and other contenders being ahead of Davis, this could be the next fight for her.

Unfortunately, a win over either Nunes or Gaff does nothing for Davis.

The bottom line is that it will keep the women of the division active. That is about all it would accomplish, and should Nunes win, it will be a meeting between two Top 10 bantamweights. That may be the redeeming factor.

Cat Zingano

Cat Zingano is currently out with an injury, and there is no timetable for her return. However, if she is able to come back to the cage in early 2014, this fight would make a lot of sense.

Zingano will need to re-establish her No. 1 ranking before challenging for the title. Coming off surgery and challenging for the belt is a tall order. Giving her one more fight is probably the best route to take.

For Davis, it is a chance to solidify herself as the top contender in the division. Knocking off Zingano would earn her a title shot.

This is an exciting matchup between two of the most athletic women in the division. They both have developing stand-up and fantastic ground games. Stylistically, this is one of the best fights in the entire division.

If the timing works out, it would be great to watch these two athletes duke it out for a shot at UFC gold.

Winner of Ronda Rousey vs. Miesha Tate

This is, of course, the best case scenario for Davis. If the chips fall just right, she could find herself challenging for the title in her next outing. If other fighters are injured or unavailable, Davis could be waiting in the wings. It is unlikely, but stranger things have happened.

Davis is one of the top fighters in the division, and she has a legitimate claim for the next title shot. The UFC would be making a credible fight for the strap and not one based on marketing or trash talk.

The winner of Rousey vs. Tate would need to come out unscathed. An injury would perhaps push the timeline back too far and force Davis to take another bout. Other contenders, like Sarah Kaufman and Sara McMann, also need to give the UFC reason to skip over them.

With the thin division still developing, a title fight is an option for Davis' next bout—unlikely as that may be.