4 Fights We Need to See After UFC Fight Night: Evloev vs. Murphy

There's no slowing Movsar Evloev down.

On Saturday night, in the main attraction of the UFC's latest event in London, the Russian improved his MMA record to 20-0 with a decision victory over Englishman Lerone Murphy. It was a somewhat controversial verdict, but impressive all the same, and it affirmed Evloev as one of the top contenders in the featherweight division.

Whether he gets the next crack at UFC featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski is still up in the air. Despite his impressive undefeated record, and multiple wins against top flight opponents, he seems to have fallen out of favor with the UFC, which makes his future difficult to predict.

Read on for the fight we'd like to see next for Evloev, as well as matchups for three more of the biggest winners from Saturday's event in London.

Movsar Evloev vs. Alexander Volkanovski

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It's crazy that there's any debate whatsoever as to what should be next for Movsar Evloev. The man has earned a featherweight title shot.

After beating Murphy in London, the Russian is 20-0 overall. That flawless record includes wins over multiple other contenders, including Aljamain Sterling, Arnold Allen, Dan Ige, and Diego Lopes. Yes, it's unfortunate that he never seems to be able to finish his fights, and yes, he tends to have long stretches of inactivity between his fights, but his record speaks for itself. He should get the next crack at legendary featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski.

Unfortunately, that's far from a certainty. Despite all he's accomplished, Evloev has still not be guaranteed a title shot. At the same time, UFC matchmakers seem to be considering giving the opportunity to Brazil's Jean Silva instead. That's nonsense.

Silva, who is riding an impressive decision win over Allen, is an excellent fighter, and certainly more exciting to watch than Evloev. However, he is still just one win away from a knockout loss to Lopes, and has far fewer elite wins than his Russian rival. Giving him the opportunity to fight for the belt first would be a total injustice.

UFC CEO Dana White often talks about the promotion's mission to match the best fighters up against each other. It even came up again at the London card's post-fight press conference. If that's really what the UFC is all about—which is increasingly up for debate—thank Evloev vs. Volkanovski is the fight to make.

Evloev has earned the opportunity, Volkanovski has expressed total openness to the challenge, and the vast majority of fans seem to want to see it. Hopefully, the UFC doesn't blow it by giving the title shot to somebody with far less credibility.

Michael Page vs. Colby Covington

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Michael "Venom" Page is in a very weird position. Since joining the UFC several years ago, the former Bellator star has struggled greatly to get fights, to the point that he's been jumping between welterweight and middleweight to better his odds of finding willing dance partners.

On Saturday, Page returned to the welterweight division for a fight with fellow Englishman Sam Patterson. It was an utterly baffling matchup from the outset, party because the pair are former training partners, and more so because Page deserves to be fighting opponents in the top-15, not unranked prospects. Unfortunately, it also turned into a terrible fight, as Page won a decision after three rounds of almost total inaction.

It's unlikely UFC matchmakers feel like rewarding Page for his tepid win over Patterson. Still, it's time to make a serious effort to get him the kind of fights he deserves: against ranked opposition, at welterweight, the division where he competes most comfortably.

Our ideal pick for his next opponent would be Colby Covington.

Covington has been one of the UFC's top welterweights for years, but after three failed title bids, and a recent loss to Joaquin Buckley, he's clinging to his spot in the top-15, and on the cusp of irrelevance.

He was hoping to participate in the UFC's upcoming White House event, but despite his adulation for Donald Trump, didn't get an invitation. With that option off the table, it would be fun to match him up with Page on an upcoming pay-per-view main card. It makes sense, given that he and Page are the division's No. 14 and 13-ranked contenders respectively. It's also a great style clash, as Page is one of the division's best strikers, and Covington is one of it's most relentless grapplers.

Christian Leroy Duncan vs. Anthony Hernandez

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Christian Leroy Duncan is headed for the middleweight top 15. On Saturday, the fast-rising Brit picked up the biggest win of his career to date, out-hustling longtime contender Roman Dolidze to an impressive unanimous decision win.

After the win over Dolidze, who was ranked No. 11 heading into the matchup, Duncan is all but certain to crack the rankings himself. From that vantage point, only the toughest fights await.

As a new arrival to the top 15, Duncan has plenty of fresh and exciting challenges to look forward to. Our pick would be a fight with Anthony Hernandez.

Until recently, "Fluffy" Hernandez was one of the top contenders in the middleweight division, with eight-straight wins behind him. However, his momentum was totally derailed in his last fight, when he suffered a surprising stoppage loss to former champ Sean Strickland.

When his wounds are healed, Hernandez will be looking for an opportunity to get back on track against a solid opponent. At the same moment, Duncan will be looking for a big step up in competition against a big name. It's perhaps not the perfect fight for either man, but with many of the UFC's top middleweights booked for other fights, and the likes of Reinier de Ridder and Robert Whittaker both planning moves to light heavyweight, it seems like the best choice.

Mason Jones vs. Edson Barboza

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Mason Jones is quickly developing a reputation as one of the most reliably exciting fighters in the UFC lightweight division. On Saturday, the Brit thrilled fans yet again, battling a tough Axel Sola to a unanimous decision win in a Fight of the Night winning brawl.

The win pushed Jones onto a five-fight win streak, and an impressive 18-2 overall. While it would be premature to give him a ranked opponent, particularly in a division as crowded as lightweight, he has definitely earned a nice step up in competition.

How about a fight with Edson Barboza?

Barboza has been mixing it up with the best featherweights and lightweights in the UFC for years, and has developed a reputation as one of the sport's scariest knockout strikers in the process. At the moment, he's riding consecutive losses to Jalin Turner, Drakkar Klose, and Lerone Murphy, which together suggest he's in the final phases of his career. However, even if he's lost a step, he's still skilled and experienced enough to be a very tough test for a prospect like Jones, and would surely welcome a firefight with the rising prospect. It's a sensible matchup for both men at this stage of their careers, and a guaranteed thriller for the fans. Book it.