UFC Fight for the Troops 3: Matches to Make for the Entire Fight Card
Tim Kennedy stole the show at UFC Fight for the Troops 3, knocking out Rafael Natal in front of his fellow U.S. Army members.
Prior to Kennedy's win, other fighters with military ties seemed to feel the pressure of fighting in front of their peers on Wednesday. U.S. Army member Colton Smith and U.S. Marine Liz Carmouche both lost on the main card at Fort Campbell in Kentucky.
In stopping Natal in the main event, Kennedy left the all-military crowd with something to cheer about. He also put himself in position to be matched up with a top middleweight for his next outing.
Here are the matchups that should be next for Kennedy and the rest of the UFC Fight for the Troops 3 competitors.
Brian Houston vs. Thiago Perpetuo-Omari Akhmedov Loser
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With only four professional MMA bouts heading into his UFC debut on Wednesday, Brian Houston may not be ready to compete inside the Octagon.
Seconds into his fight with Derek Brunson at UFC Fight for the Troops 3, Houston was dropped by a head kick and could not recover before getting caught in a rear-naked choke.
Despite Houston's poor showing, it's not often fighters are only given one shot to prove themselves under the UFC banner. Considering he was a replacement opponent in this matchup, Houston should get one more chance inside the Octagon.
If fellow UFC newcomer Omari Akhmedov loses to Thiago Perpetuo at UFC Fight Night 32 on Saturday, Houston could meet the Russian in a loser-leaves-town matchup.
Neil Magny vs. Lance Benoist
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Neil Magny's UFC future may be in jeopardy following UFC Fight for the Troops 3.
The TUF 16 competitor came on strong in the third round of his bout with Seth Baczynski. However, it wasn't enough to overcome the takedowns he allowed in the first two rounds. With his decision loss to Baczynski on Wednesday, Magny has now dropped two in a row since securing a UFC roster spot with a win over fellow TUF alumnus Jon Manley.
If Magny is given another UFC bout, it'll likely come against an opponent who has also lost two in a row. Lance Benoist fits that description and has also lost in a decision against Baczynski. He could soon meet Magny in a UFC contract eliminator.
Seth Baczynski vs. Bobby Voelker-William Macario Winner
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After losing two in a row, Baczynski may have saved his UFC roster spot on Wednesday.
The "Polish Pistola" utilized his wrestling to take the first two rounds of his bout with Magny at UFC Fight for the Troops 3. Although he faded a bit in the third stanza, Baczynski was able to hold on for his fifth career UFC win.
He's back in the win column, but Baczynski will have to work his way back up the welterweight ladder. A bout with another fighter who staved off elimination from the UFC roster could be coming, so look for Baczynski to meet the winner of a UFC 168 matchup between Bobby Voelker and William Macario.
Chris Camozzi vs. Trevor Smith
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Not long removed from a four-fight winning streak, Chris Camozzi is suddenly in danger of losing three in a row.
Despite facing one of the more talented strikers in the middleweight division, Camozzi did not attempt a single takedown on Wednesday. As a result, he was methodically picked apart and bloodied by Lorenz Larkin en route to a decision loss.
If he doesn't see a UFC newcomer, Camozzi is now likely to meet an opponent who has also lost two in a row. A bout with Trevor Smith seems like a strong possibility.
Lorenz Larkin vs. Chris Leben-Uriah Hall Winner
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Technically, Larkin is one of the more impressive strikers at 185 pounds.
Against Camozzi, Larkin showed he can put on a show against anyone willing to stand with him. Although he landed less often than Camozzi, Larkin clearly landed the more damaging blows and earned a decision victory at UFC Fight for the Troops 3.
The winner of a UFC 168 bout between Chris Leben and Uriah Hall would also be willing to stand with Larkin, making that fighter a strong possibility for the Strikeforce veteran's next matchup.
Germaine De Randamie vs. Rosi Sexton
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When faced with an opponent not willing to stand with her, Germaine de Randamie did not look like the potential contender she appeared to be in her UFC debut against Julie Kedzie.
At UFC Fight for the Troops 3, de Randamie was quickly taken down and mounted by Amanda Nunes. Unable to escape the perilous position, de Randamie was stopped with elbows and suffered her first UFC loss.
There's a good chance Rosi Sexton has seen her last fight inside the Octagon. If not, though, she may be next for de Randamie. Otherwise, a meeting with a UFC newcomer would have to be in store for de Randamie's next outing.
Amanda Nunes vs. Sara McMann
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Nunes lost two of her three fights prior to joining the UFC roster, but she's making the most of this new chapter in her UFC career.
By using her ground-and-pound to finish de Randamie, Nunes improved to 2-0 inside the Octagon. Because of the lack of attention female MMA used to receive, many are unaware of Nunes' defeats prior to her UFC career, which makes her one of the top contenders in the women's bantamweight division.
Although undefeated, Sara McMann is likely to need a couple of more wins before she earns a title shot due to her recent inactivity. For that reason, Nunes may be able to score a matchup with the No. 3 female bantamweight contender.
Steven Siler vs. Daniel Pineda
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Following a huge knockout win over former WEC champion Mike Brown, Steven Siler suffered a setback at UFC Fight for the Troops 3.
Taken down twice in each of his three rounds against Dennis Bermudez, Siler simply spent too much time on bottom and fell short on the scorecards. Despite the loss, Siler remains a promising featherweight, being only 26 years old and having beaten the likes of Brown and Cole Miller.
Like Siler, Daniel Pineda also hit a speed bump after an impressive win. After submitting Justin Lawrence, Pineda was defeated by Diego Brandao.
In order to ensure one of the talented young 145-pounders gets back on track, Siler and Pineda should meet in their next appearances.
Dennis Bermudez vs. Darren Elkins
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Bermudez is closing the gap between himself and the Top 10 UFC featherweights.
At UFC Fight for the Troops 3, Bermudez used his wrestling to effectively shut down the offense of Siler en route to a decision win. With all of his MMA losses coming via submission, Bermudez also showed improvement in his grappling defense by escaping three Siler submission attempts.
Having won five straight fights, Bermudez is nearly deserving of a shot at a 145-pound contender. A bout with Darren Elkins, who is on his way toward becoming the featherweight division's premier gatekeeper, could help determine if Bermudez is ready.
George Roop vs. Vaughan Lee
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After quickly making waves in his move to the bantamweight division, George Roop came crashing back down on Wednesday.
Roop appeared ready to make a run at title contention in the 135-pound class when he stopped former WEC champion Brian Bowles at UFC 160. However, the 31-year-old was overwhelmed by the power of Francisco Rivera at UFC Fight for the Troops 3.
Vaughan Lee was recently pulled from a UFC 167 bout with Sergio Pettis. If Lee's injury doesn't keep him out too long, he'd make sense as an opponent for Roop, as he's also coming off of a second-round stoppage loss.
Francisco Rivera vs. Takeya Mizugaki-Nam Phan Winner
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Francisco Rivera has earned three straight wins and is nearing title contention.
A fourth win that was overturned to a no-contest due to a failed drug test may be what prevents Rivera from being given a fight with a Top 10 bantamweight for now, though. Rivera has the power to stop any 135-pounder in the world, but he'll need to prove he generates that power cleanly before the UFC brass can entrust him with a title shot.
If Rivera can pass another drug test and beat bantamweight gatekeeper Takeya Mizugaki in his next outing, a shot at a Top Five opponent may be in order. That is, of course, assuming Mizugaki beats Nam Phan at UFC Fight Night 33.
Bobby Green vs. James Krause
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A bout between Bobby Green and James Krause had the potential to be very exciting.
Unfortunately, it just ended up being weird. After landing two kicks to the groin of Krause, Green had a point taken away. Seconds later, another kick landed to the midsection of Krause, but referee John McCarthy deemed it legal and ruled Green the winner.
Replays showed Green may have grazed Krause's cup a third time, so a rematch may be in order.
Colton Smith vs. Mike Rio
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Colton Smith wasn't able to deliver in front of his fellow troops on Wednesday.
Despite competing in front of a crowd full of his peers at UFC Fight for the Troops 3, U.S. Army member Smith was submitted by Michael Chiesa. Since winner The Ultimate Fighter, Smith has now lost back-to-back fights, putting his UFC roster spot in danger.
Because he's a TUF winner, Smith will likely be given a good opportunity to get back into the win column. A bout with Mike Rio, who has also lost two in a row, will allow the UFC to trim fat from its roster while allowing Smith a chance to rebound.
Michael Chiesa vs. Yancy Medeiros
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Chiesa maintained job security with a win at UFC Fight for the Troops 3.
Battling a fellow TUF winner in Smith, Chiesa survived a tight rear-naked choke attempt before locking up a submission of his own in the second round. In winning on Wednesday, Chiesa avoided a second straight loss and ensured himself a few more appearances inside the Octagon.
Yancy Medeiros also scored a much-needed win on Wednesday. After losing due to injury in his UFC debut, Medeiros picked up a knockout win over veteran Yves Edwards. While Edwards is a popular fighter and entertaining striker, his third straight loss may lead to a release from the UFC roster.
As long as they both escaped their fights without any injuries, Chiesa and Medeiros should return to the cage as opponents.
Jorge Masvidal vs. Takanori Gomi
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After winning his first two UFC bouts, Jorge Masvidal suffered his first loss inside the Octagon on Wednesday.
Masvidal engaged in two very close rounds with Rustam Khabilov before getting dropped by a spinning heel kick in the third stanza. While it could be argued Masvidal did enough to win through the first two rounds, it didn't end up mattering how he performed in the third, as two judges awarded Khabilov all three rounds on their scorecards.
Despite the loss, Masvidal remains a couple of wins from being considered a contender in the lightweight division. The same goes for Takanori Gomi, who is also coming off of a narrow loss to Diego Sanchez. A bout between Masvidal and Gomi could provide some entertaining boxing, while it should also put the winner back in position to take a shot at a Top 10 UFC lightweight.
Rustam Khabilov vs. Pat Healy-Jamie Varner Winner
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Khabilov has risen quickly in the UFC lightweight division and already appears ready for a fight with a Top 10 155-pounder.
Yes, Khabilov needed some help from the judges at UFC Fight for the Troops 3, but Masvidal gave former Strikeforce champion Gilbert Melendez a tough fight not long ago. Beating Masvidal, no matter how decisive, is an accomplishment.
While his wrestling was largely negated by the excellent takedown defense of Masvidal, it'd be interesting to see Khabilov meet a highly ranked lightweight grappler. Pat Healy and Jamie Varner are both sitting just outside the Top 10 right now, so whoever wins their bout at UFC on Fox 9 would be a logical opponent for Khabilov.
Yoel Romero vs. Derek Brunson
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Yoel Romero and Derek Brunson made strong impressions at UFC Fight for the Troops 3.
After stopping Clifford Starks with a flying knee in his UFC debut, Romero scored another knockout on Wednesday. Previously undefeated inside the Octagon, Ronny Markes was finished by Romero in the third round.
Brunson received much criticism following his first UFC outing, in which many felt he was stalling his way to a decision win over Chris Leben. The Strikeforce veteran answered his detractors on Wednesday, quickly stopping Brian Houston in the first stanza.
Two grapplers who showed knockout power at UFC Fight for the Troops 3, Romero and Brunson would be competitive opponents in a bout for a step up in competition.
Liz Carmouche vs. Sarah Kaufman
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Liz Carmouche did not thrive in front of her fellow military members at UFC Fight for the Troops 3.
The U.S. Marine surprisingly only attempted one takedown over three rounds. That led to her being outstruck by Alexis Davis, who relied on her inside leg kicks to halt the advances of Carmouche throughout their fight on Wednesday.
Since women have been added to the UFC roster, a reset button has seemingly been set on the careers of those females competing inside the Octagon. Many UFC fans may have no idea they've fought before, so a rematch between Carmouche and Sarah Kaufman would draw some interest and get one of the well-known fighters back into the win column.
Alexis Davis vs. Jessica Eye
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There's an outside chance Davis may have earned a title shot with her win on Wednesday.
Davis' striking looked excellent against former title challenger Carmouche. Because Carmouche only attempted one takedown, Davis was able to cruise to a decision win while standing.
If Cat Zingano were still fighting Rousey at UFC 168, Davis could be next in line for a shot at the women's bantamweight strap. Instead, Zingano is recovering from knee injuries and may still be ahead of Davis, who could meet Jessica Eye should she need another win before battling for the belt.
Rafael Natal vs. Ronny Markes
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Brazilians Rafael Natal and Ronny Markes both suffered knockout losses on Wednesday.
On short notice, Natal took a step up in competition to meet Kennedy. While it was a big opportunity, Natal couldn't get any offense going before being stopped with a left hook to the jaw.
Markes had a chance to showcase his skills a little more than Natal. The 25-year-old landed some good shots but consistently ate the straight left from Romero and was eventually stopped in the third round at UFC Fight for the Troops 3.
Both above-average middleweights, Natal and Markes deserve noteworthy opponents despite their losses. A bout between the Brazilians would make sense as long as they take a similar length of time to recover from their knockout defeats.
Tim Kennedy vs. Cung Le
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Kennedy made a statement in front of his fellow U.S. Army members on Wednesday.
At Fight for the Troops 3, Kennedy blasted Natal with a left hook for a first-round knockout win. It was Kennedy's first knockout win since December 2007.
While beating Natal won't push Kennedy into title shot talks, it should score him a big fight soon. A bout with fellow Strikeforce veteran Cung Le would result in both fighters being tested in their weaker areas, although Kennedy's striking looked anything but weak on Wednesday.
