UFC 199 Results: Matches to Make for the Winners and Losers
UFC 199 in Inglewood, California, on Saturday was one of the best events in UFC history.
From the first fight to the incredible main event, fans were on the edge of their seats. And when it was all over, an unlikely champion was crowned following a stunning upset KO. Michael Bisping did what few thought he could ever do—wear UFC gold.
Now the attention turns toward the future and what's next for everyone on the fight card. The UFC has a lot of difficult decisions to make concerning prospects, challengers and champions. A bountiful slate of options are at their table.
So, what should the UFC do?
One thing is for sure: After those performances, no one should be in the bread line with a pink slip. Everyone earned another fight inside the Octagon by simply giving his or her best in one of the most entertaining nights in the sport's history.
Twenty-six men and women are awaiting their marching orders. Here are the fights to make in the wake of UFC 199.
UFC Fight Pass Prelims
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Marco Polo Reyes def. Dong Hyun Kim by KO at 1:52 of the third round
This fight began all of the UFC 199 craziness. Reyes and Kim threw down.
After Kim's exciting showing, the UFC needs to give him another shot. Yusuke Kasuya would be a good opponent for Kim to try to save his UFC career. As for Reyes, he's posted three straight W's. Adriano Martins also has three straight and is without an opponent. Book it.
Kevin Casey and Elvis Mutapcic fought to a split draw (29-28, 28-29, 28-28)
Yes, this fight went to a draw, but no one wants to see this again. It was more of the same from Casey, who showed awful cardio. Mutapcic couldn't overcome his early failings to nab the victory.
Casey should fight the loser of the Devin Clark vs. Alex Nicholson fight that takes place on July 13. Mutapcic should be treated a little better for his next fight. The loser of June 18's bout between Sam Alvey and Elias Theodorou would be a step in the right direction.
Luis Henrique da Silva def. Jonathan Wilson by TKO at 4:11 of the second round
This loss exposed Wilson. His ground game offered next to nothing against the Brazilian, who finished from top position in the second round. Daniel Jolly is also coming off a loss, and in the shallow waters of light heavyweight, he's one of the few options available.
Da Silva kept his professional record clean with the win, but how far should the UFC move him up the ladder? Patrick Cummins is a matchup that would serve him well. He is ranked No. 14 in the official UFC rankings but is one-dimensional. It's a chance for him to rebound while testing da Silva. It's a win-win for the UFC.
Sean Strickland def. Tom Breese by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Breese was supposed to be the Brit who came out smelling like roses in the wake of UFC 199, but Strickland had other ideas. He put forth a quality performance against a tough opponent.
Breese will have to take a step back, but it wasn't an awful outing that will send him to the end of the line. The UFC needs to be careful with his development, and a meeting against Pascal Krauss on an upcoming card would in Europe would suffice.
Strickland has won three straight since his first professional loss. He'll deserve another step up, and Tim Means makes the most sense. He has been out since a USADA violation, but he won't be on the sidelines too long. According to Rick Wright of the Albuquerque Journal, Means' team expects him back inside the Octagon in late summer. It's a great return fight for Means and gives them both a shot at moving into the Top 15 at 170 pounds.
Fox Sports 1 Prelims
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Alex Caceres def. Cole Miller by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Miller was set to face BJ Penn, but Penn's issues with USADA kept him off UFC 199. Miller's chance for a big win against a Hall of Famer will never come to pass now after Caceres picked him apart. Clay Guida is another veteran featherweight who lost a big bout in Inglewood, so it's best to book them opposite each other later this year.
Caceres should be Penn's opponent whenever the Hawaiian legend returns to action. His win over Miller should earn him that opportunity.
Jessica Andrade def. Jessica Penne by TKO at 2:56 of the second round
Andrade brutalized Penne from pillar to post. It calls into question if Penne can be a factor in this division after back-to-back beatings at the hands of stronger, more powerful strawweights.
Penne should meet Seohee Ham. They are both top-tier atomweights fighting in the UFC's 115-pound division. This fight at least is more relevant to fans.
Andrade's post-fight call-out of Carla Esparza makes too much sense—if Esparza did in fact turn down the fight, citing concern over Andrade making the weight. She made weight, looked fantastic and made a case for meeting Esparza.
Beneil Dariush def. James Vick by KO at 4:16 of the first round
Dariush wiped away Vick's undefeated record in brutal fashion. Vick wasn't considered to be a top lightweight, but winning tends to lead to bigger fights against better opposition. He wasn't ready for it. He should fight the winner of Gilbert Burns vs. Lukasz Sajewski on July 7.
UFC 199's prelim lightweight tilt was originally supposed to be Evan Dunham vs. Leonardo Santos, but injuries turned that into Dariush vs. Vick. Given the result, Dariush vs. Dunham should be the call.
Brian Ortega def. Clay Guida by KO at 4:40 of the third round
Guida started off the fight well and competed, but the KO still happened. He's been in the game a long time, and the miles are catching up. As mentioned above, Miller vs. Guida is probably the best plan here.
Ortega's victory should give him a ranked opponent in his next outing. How far up the ladder the UFC books him is a big question. The name that comes to mind right away is Ricardo Lamas. He lost at UFC 199 but is still one of the better fighters in the division. Ortega will face a test, and Lamas will get a good opponent instead of falling off the radar.
Dustin Poirier vs. Bobby Green
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Dustin Poirier def. Bobby Green by KO at 2:53 of the first round
Don't look now, but Poirier is a legitimate title contender at 155 pounds.
It's not just that he got the win, but that he finished Green in the first round by strikes. This feat positions him to make a title bid with another victory. The struggle is that the title picture is jam-packed. Edson Barboza, Tony Ferguson, Nate Diaz and Donald Cerrone are all currently booked.
Not booked is No. 1-ranked contender Khabib Nurmagomedov. So, that's the fight to make. No one can say for sure who is going to get the winner of Eddie Alvarez vs. Rafael dos Anjos, but Nurmagomedov vs. Poirier is a legitimate title eliminator should the UFC eye the victor for a shot at gold.
Green has battled injuries and a layoff, and now he battles returning from a loss.
Also coming off a loss is Josh Burkman. That's a solid return bout for both men. It would help send the winner back into a relevant fight at 155 pounds.
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Dan Henderson vs. Hector Lombard
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Dan Henderson def. Hector Lombard by KO at 1:27 of the second round
This fight was just about everything we wanted it to be. Henderson and Lombard threw shots laced with dynamite all the way through. In the end, Henderson would land the KO shot that nobody expected—a back elbow.
Lombard is now in a bad spot after back-to-back losses and losing his return bout at 185 pounds. The best fight for him to take, to remain even slightly relevant, would probably be Rafael Natal. He isn't an exciting opponent, but he's been a viable gatekeeper at middleweight for years. Lombard needs to prove he can get past him.
Henderson, on the other hand, may be at the end of the line. He noted in the post-fight interview this could be it for his career. If so, it is an all-time great career in MMA.
However, after the main event, he should lobby for a title shot. His UFC 100 knockout of Bisping is an iconic moment in MMA. The Brit may want to avenge that loss, and the script writes itself. If Henderson cannot get the title shot, then calling it a career is best.
Max Holloway vs. Ricardo Lamas
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Max Holloway def. Ricardo Lamas by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Holloway has been working his way up the featherweight rankings since taking McGregor to a decision in 2013. The UFC 199 victory makes it nine straight.
Lamas just lost to a better fighter. He wasn't outclassed, but he was the clear loser. He'll need to re-evaluate before moving forward. As previously mentioned, Brian Ortega is whom the UFC should book him against next.
It's a test for Ortega to move into the upper echelon and a test for Lamas to prove he is still a contender.
Holloway has done everything needed to secure a title shot. Jose Aldo and Frankie Edgar meet at UFC 200 for the interim belt, and McGregor isn't fighting until UFC 202. The chances of McGregor coming back to 145 pounds are getting slimmer by the day.
The UFC should wait to make an official announcement, but the smart money is on Holloway meeting the winner of Aldo vs. Edgar in the fall.
Dominick Cruz vs. Urijah Faber
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Dominick Cruz def. Urijah Faber by unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 49-46)
UFC 199 was the end of the line for Faber as a title contender. He will never get another chance at UFC gold. Also, it may have been the end, period. Faber discussed in the post-fight interview that he will need to re-evaluate his career following the loss.
Sacramento is getting a new arena, and that seems like a good place for one final fight for Faber. Given that it would be his final go-around, it would make sense to do it at 145 pounds. Faber should also have a favorable matchup, and the winner of Alex White vs. Ryan Hall would be just that.
Cruz shined. The greatest bantamweight of all time continued to showcase his incredible skills.
After Aljamain Sterling's loss to Bryan Caraway, the field became clearer. The winner of TJ Dillashaw vs. Raphael Assuncao should be the next contender. That's what should happen. The outside contender to watch for would be Cody Garbrandt.
Faber put over Garbrandt in the post-fight interview, and the UFC aired a highlight for him during the event. Cruz vs. Garbrandt would make a lot of sense as the UFC 203 co-main event in Cleveland. Keep an eye out on this fight, but expect Dillashaw or Assuncao to get the call first.
Luke Rockhold vs. Michael Bisping
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Michael Bisping def. Luke Rockhold by KO at 3:36 of the first round
We are now living in a world where Michael Bisping is the middleweight champion of the world.
Rockhold was supposed to be the next dominant UFC champion, and he never even got to defend the belt successfully one time before getting clocked. MMA is a fickle beast. So, what's next for the now former champion?
A rematch could be in order. There's no love lost between him and Bisping, and the series is now tied at 1-1. The rubber match makes sense especially with the middleweight title picture being murky at best. But I wouldn't expect it. An immediate rematch off a clean KO isn't usually the route the UFC takes.
Now would be the time to give Rockhold the rematch against Vitor Belfort. Rockhold has continually asked for the fight, and now they're both coming off losses. Book it.
The options for Bisping are plentiful. Rockhold, Henderson, Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza, Anderson Silva and Yoel Romero are all possibilities. The clearest thing following the fight is not who is next but where the UFC should book the fight.
It has to go to Manchester, England. He is the U.K.'s first UFC champion and a big star in his hometown. It would be an amazing atmosphere.
And that's why the next title contender should be Robert Whittaker. The Aussie is not the biggest name, but he has the resume and style to complement Bisping. Jacare is coming off an injury and is a more dangerous opponent. Give Bisping the best possible matchup for his first defense, and that's Whittaker.
It's still a tough fight and compelling matchup, but it offers England a chance to celebrate history and have Bisping headline on home soil.
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