UFC 178 Results: 3 Fights to Make for Takeya Mizugaki

Takeya Mizugaki finds himself in much the same place as Dustin Poirier right now. Both men are well inside the top 10, and both were simply outclassed by superior opposition at UFC 178.

With Dominick Cruz coming back from a lengthy layoff, many expected Mizugaki to keep the fight relatively competitive. Unfortunately, Cruz didn’t fight like a man making his first competitive appearance in almost three years. He overwhelmed his Japanese foe and ended the fight in a hurry.

Where does Mizugaki go from here? Read on for some potential future opponents for the 30-year-old.

Eddie Wineland

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Eddie Wineland is coming off a surprising knockout loss to Johnny Eduardo at UFC Fight Night 40. The former WEC 135-pound champion has had a rough time of it recently and will be looking to rebound with a win over top 10 opposition.

Wineland is currently ranked No. 6, but I suspect we may have seen the best of him already. Only time will tell.

Matching him up with Mizugaki gives both men the opportunity to reassert their relevance in the bantamweight division.

Michael McDonald

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Despite suffering a couple of losses in his last three bouts, Michael McDonald remains one of the most promising fighters in the bantamweight division. It’s easy to forget that Mayday is still only 23 years old.

A fight with Mizugaki will give McDonald the opportunity to climb the rankings toward another title shot. For Mizugaki, it’s an opportunity to fend off any gatekeeper status for the time being.

Joe Soto

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I considered including Alex Caceres in this spot, but his recent loss to Masanori Kanehara was extremely disappointing.

Instead, Joe Soto would be a better option for Mizugaki. Despite being ranked slightly lower than Caceres, Soto looked outstanding in his recent loss to division champion T.J. Dillashaw, having stepped in at the last minute to replace Renan Barao.

Soto has earned a shot at someone in the division’s top 10, and Mizugaki fits the bill.