UFC 183: 5 Future Matchups for Derek Brunson

Former Strikeforce star and current UFC middleweight Derek Brunson earned one of his most decisive victories to date by knocking out Team Quest's Ed "Short Fuse" Herman at UFC 183.

Brunson faked a kick and floored the 34-year-old veteran with a series of lefts. The victory, which was his fastest in the Octagon, improved his record to 4-1.

Brunson, a former NCAA Division II All-American wrestler, talked about fine-tuning his game plan ahead of the Herman fight.

"It was a long camp. I'm a wrestler by trade so just trying to change that mentality, you know going for the takedown real fast. Just really taking my time," Brunson told reporters after Saturday's fight.

With a few wins against established names in the sport and a strong performance in defeat against dangerous Olympic wrestler Yoel Romero, Brunson's time to enter the Top 15 of his middleweight class is now. Here are a few opponents who could stand across from the 31-year-old in 2015.

Mark Munoz

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Munoz, currently ranked No. 14 at middleweight, has some drawing power. He's also currently on a two-fight losing streak and takes on Roan Carneiro at UFC 184.

The 36-year-old standout wrestler from Oklahoma State has endured problems getting over the heap at 185 pounds. Also, nothing makes his stand out, apart from his porous 1-3 record over the last two years.

Whether Munoz wins or loses against Carneiro on February 28, his days of fighting for a title are long behind him. Still, the Reign MMA fighter, who's the owner of three Octagon knockouts, would enhance Brunson's credibility as a true contender, should he notch a victory over The Filipino Wrecking Machine.

Uriah Hall

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The Ultimate Fighter Season 17 winner Hall has reeled off three straight wins since stumbling after the show's finale. The 30-year-old karate specialist recently pummeled late replacement Ron Stallings at UFC Fight Night: Boston.

Hall has been criticized before for not flipping the switch, but if his recent wins are any indication, Prime Time is just getting comfortable in the cage. Pressure, though, is what kept him on his heels against Kelvin Gastelum and is something that Brunson has displayed throughout his time in the Octagon.

A showdown with Hall is perfect for Brunson.

Tim Boetsch

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Perennial middleweight contender Boetsch enjoyed some success early in his UFC 183 main card slot against the surging Thales Leites; however, he fell victim to the high-level jiu-jitsu game of his Brazilian counterpart.

The No. 13-ranked Boetsch is just 2-5 in his last seven bouts. His strengths are his heavy hands and wrestling pedigree. He also has a tendency to make critical mistakes, as he did against Costas Philippou at UFC 155, just as he's beginning to gather momentum.

With Boetsch seemingly on his way out of the Top 15 in the middleweight division, a matchup with Brunson makes sense and holds another potential finish for the latter.

Rafael Natal

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Natal earned his seventh UFC victory at UFC 183, dominating talented veteran Tom Watson en route to an easy decision and having a little fun in the process.

The 32-year-old middleweight has withstood difficult losses early in his Octagon career to compile a record of 5-2 in his last seven fights. Natal, a Gracie Fusion fighter and instructor, is a bit of a one-trick pony, but he does that one trick quite well.

The Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt has also smothered Chris Camozzi and Sean Spencer in the past. It's worth noting that Natal has lost to Herman, whom Brunson just defeated easily.

However, he's still one of the more talented 185-pounders in the UFC and would make fellow Renzo Gracie apprentice Brunson work for his takedowns.

Nate Marquardt

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The former UFC middleweight title challenger Marquardt has yet to establish any sort of rhythm since defeating Tyron Woodley to claim the vacant Strikeforce welterweight title in July 2012.

Marquardt has used his knockout power and decorated ground game to notch 11 Octagon victories. His return to middleweight in 2014, however, has yielded a mediocre 1-1 record.

The off-and-on again performances of Nate the Great have put his career in limbo before, and he can ill-afford a fourth loss in his latest UFC stint. A win over the 35-year-old Marquardt would usher Brunson closer toward the Top 10 of the middleweight division.