UFC 183 Results: 3 Fights for John Lineker to Take Next

This article would have looked very different had John Lineker managed to make the flyweight limit for his UFC 183 bout with Ian McCall. The Brazilian didn’t just cost himself a shot at Demetrious Johnson’s 125-pound title, but he now finds himself with an entire division’s worth of new opponents, per Steven Marrocco and John Morgan of MMA Junkie.

Despite looking impressive in his win over McCall, one cannot help but feel that Lineker won’t be celebrating too hard. He’s a natural flyweight, so it’s unclear why he is having issues with the weight.

Lineker has enough power to carry up to bantamweight, but he’ll be at a distinct size disadvantage. His best bet is to reel off a few wins at 135 and then hope he can convince the UFC to give him another crack at flyweight.

In the meantime, let's look at some potential opponents for the Brazilian.

Joe Soto

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It will be interesting to see where the UFC views Lineker’s place at 135 pounds, given that he’s new to the division. A top-10 opponent is a good bet for the Brazilian’s first fight, but the interminably underrated Joe Soto would be an excellent stylistic matchup.

The former Bellator featherweight champion left a terrific impression on his UFC debut, giving bantamweight champ T.J. Dillashaw a pretty decent run for his money on short notice.

A fight between Soto and Lineker would make for a compelling contest on the feet and should give the Brazilian a chance to get his feet wet before jumping into the division’s top five.

Johnny Eduardo

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Fellow Brazilian Johnny Eduardo made everyone in the division sit up and take notice when he starched Eddie Wineland in the middle of 2014.

Eduardo hasn’t fought since and must be itching to get back in the cage, having lost so much momentum with his relatively lengthy absence.

Again, a fight with Eduardo would be an intriguing stylistic matchup for Lineker, and a win would probably do more for his standing in the division than a win over Soto.

Michael McDonald

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This is the contest I would most like to see. Michael McDonald is in the division’s top five and is aiming for a return to the cage in the spring, having undergone wrist surgery last year.

The 24-year-old is coming off a late-2013 loss to Urijah Faber, but that shouldn’t stop the UFC from putting the bout together.

With the kind of firepower the pair boast, Lineker vs. McDonald should produce fireworks and could potentially boost the winner into the title picture.