UFC 200 Results: Matches to Make for the Winners and Losers
UFC 200 was the most stacked card in UFC history, and it came through with plenty to digest following the 12 scheduled bouts.
The fight-week drama stole the thunder of what was a fun event. There were still two title fights, the return of Brock Lesnar and a plethora of other exciting fighters rounding out the action.
Amanda Nunes ran through Miesha Tate to collect the UFC Women's Bantamweight Championship, while Jose Aldo put together a vintage performance against Frankie Edgar for the interim UFC featherweight crown. Both title tilts were exciting while being different contests.
UFC 200 left us with a big job of figuring out what comes next, but it's an exciting problem to tackle, given the names who competed at the event. Who will Nunes face in her first title defense? Will Lesnar return? What about Aldo, Gegard Mousasi and Joe Lauzon?
UFC matchmakers Joe Silva and Sean Shelby are sitting at a game board, ready to use some of the most fascinating pieces in an extraordinary way.
We attempt to guide them to the best options, as Bleacher Report determines the matches to make for each winner and loser after the fallout of UFC 200.
Fight Pass Prelims
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Jim Miller def. Takanori Gomi by TKO at 2:18 of the first round
Miller won at both UFC 100 and UFC 200, and his performance at the 2016 event was far more impressive. He had no trouble with the former Pride lightweight champion. He got into position and pounded Gomi out. It was a much-needed win after he had back-to-back losses.
Gomi suffered his third straight loss, and while that normally puts a fighter on the cut line, he still has much to offer as a viable name. He doesn't have the skill set to hang with anyone in the top half of the division anymore. The sport has passed him by, and given that, a youngster is the best opponent for him. Jake Matthews, who also lost at UFC 200, needs a rebound fight that will continue to push him. It's a fight the UFC can book for Japan or Australia.
I'm not trying to pit UFC 200 competitors against each other moving forward, but it works out in this case. Miller is right back in the thick of things, and with Madison Square Garden off in the distance, he makes sense for that card. As does Kevin Lee, who won at UFC 200. That's the fight to mark down.
Gegard Mousasi def. Thiago Santos by TKO at 4:32 of the first round
Mousasi looked fantastic in Las Vegas, performing like a title contender. His only losses since joining the UFC have been to Lyoto Machida, Jacare Souza and Uriah Hall.
Mousasi should get a rematch against Hall. The latter won with a stunning display of striking, but up until that point, Mousasi was handling him. It's time to see if lightning can strike twice or if it was just a fluke. The winner will likely earn a top contender's bout.
Santos is still a fine prospect at 185 pounds. The UFC shouldn't throw him back in the deep end just yet. Dan Kelly has won two straight, but he's older (38) and less mobile. He's a great opponent for the rebuilding Santos.
Joe Lauzon def. Diego Sanchez by TKO at 1:26 of the first round
What a performance from Lauzon. He became the first man to stop Sanchez with strikes—and in just 86 seconds.
Sanchez should walk away from this sport. He has taken some brutal beatings, and UFC 200 did not go well for his health. But that is his call, and if Sanchez is anything, he's a true warrior of MMA. Joe Proctor would be a good opponent if Sanchez comes back. They could make for a fun preliminary bout.
Lauzon's performance puts him back in the title hunt. He also holds a recent stoppage win over rising talent Michael Chiesa. There are a lot of options at lightweight, but a name that sticks out is Abel Trujillo. The Blackzilians fighter throws bombs and will engage with Lauzon. It's a solid matchup that will give the winner strong momentum.
Fox Sports 1 Prelims
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Sage Northcutt def. Enrique Marin by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
It was near disaster for the UFC's newest golden child against Marin, but Northcutt pulled out the win. He is still a developing fighter with extraordinary physical gifts.
Marin is 0-2 in the UFC, but his game performance should earn him one more shot. Horacio Gutierrez would suit the situation just fine.
Northcutt will draw criticism for his performance at UFC 200. One thing that should earn him points is his submission defense. In his first loss against Bryan Barberena, he tapped without the choke being fully locked in. At UFC 200, Northcutt gutted out a deep armbar.
He still has a lot of deficiencies as a fighter, though. The UFC has to be careful when choosing his next opponent. No one on the active roster fits the mold, and as such the company should find another newcomer to put opposite Northcutt on a Fight Pass event.
T.J. Dillashaw def. Raphael Assuncao by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Dillashaw fell to Assuncao in 2013 by split decision, but in 2016 he took every single round on all three of the judges' scorecards. It was a workmanlike performance, as Assuncao is one of the elite of the division. Dillashaw did what he needed to do to secure the victory.
Should Cody Garbrandt defeat Takeya Mizugaki at UFC 202, Assuncao should get him. Garbrandt has a case for a title shot with his undeniable skills, but Cruz has other business to attend to first.
And that business is Dillashaw. They put on a spectacular fight in early 2016, and it will be a spectacular rematch in late 2016. Cruz vs. Dillashaw II is the only choice.
Kelvin Gastelum def. Johny Hendricks by unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
Hendricks missed weight again, so this fight was officially at a catchweight. It wasn't a good fight. Gastelum edged it on the cards, and Hendricks looks like he is getting worse in each outing.
Hendricks is undersized for the middleweight division, so he needs to find out what is going wrong and fix it to return to the welterweight class. Or the UFC should cut him.
In one final welterweight attempt, Hendricks needs to fight someone in the mid-level of the division. Nordine Taleb makes a lot of sense for Hendricks' final try.
Gastelum got the W. That's what counts. If you look at the top end of the division, things look cut and dried. Stephen Thompson will get the winner of UFC 202's title fight between Robbie Lawler and Tyron Woodley. The winner of Demian Maia vs. Carlos Condit will get the shot after that.
Who does that leave hanging around for Gastelum? Rory MacDonald.
MacDonald is still an elite welterweight, and he'll have to fight a ranked opponent next despite his recent losses. Gastelum can put himself in title contention with a win, which makes MacDonald a prime choice for his next opponent.
Julianna Pena def. Cat Zingano by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
After the first round, it appeared that Zingano was going to dominate the fight. She even started Round 2 in much of the same fashion, but Pena swept her from bottom and changed the momentum of the fight. She won the final two rounds to pick up another victory.
Zingano was so close to becoming the prime choice for Amanda Nunes' first title shot. She holds a stoppage win over the newly minted champion. Now she goes to the back of the field after suffering her second straight loss. Lauren Murphy looks to be the top option for Zingano's next outing.
Pena wants a title shot. Badly. She made her case at the post-fight press conference (h/t MMAJunkie.com). In order to get that shot, she needs Holly Holm to lose to Valentina Shevchenko and for Ronda Rousey to remain on the sidelines.
Don't expect the UFC to announce Pena's next fight until after Holm's scrap. If she loses, Pena is the contender.
If Holm wins, Pena has few options in the division. Liz Carmouche seems to be the only available name opponent. It's not a fight that does much for Pena other than to keep her active and put her title shot at risk. But if Holm wins and then Rousey returns after that to get her title shot, Pena would be on the shelf for a long time. Taking a fight with Carmouche may be her only option, unless the UFC comes to terms with Invicta FC champion Tonya Evinger.
Cain Velasquez vs. Travis Browne
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Cain Velasquez def. Travis Browne by TKO at 4:57 of the first round
That was a vintage Velasquez performance. He torched Browne.
A healthy Velasquez is one of the most dangerous and remarkable specimens on the planet. Browne was never able to get any offense going, and Velasquez just put it to him without regard. Browne didn't even look like he belonged in the cage with the former champion.
The UFC would do a disservice to the division to put Browne in the cage with another ranked opponent. The organization needs to rebuild him in order to have another interesting heavyweight waiting in the wings. Browne's next opponent needs to come from the lower tier.
Walt Harris could get the call.
Velasquez showed everything he needed to show to get the winner of UFC 203's heavyweight title tilt—Stipe Miocic vs. Alistair Overeem.
If Fabricio Werdum beats Ben Rothwell at UFC 203, he'll have a case for a title shot since he beat Velasquez. Velasquez is still the better option for the UFC even if Werdum wins. There's every reason to bring him to Cleveland to scope out the UFC heavyweight champion who will be next opponent.
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Interim UFC Featherweight Championship: Jose Aldo vs. Frankie Edgar
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Jose Aldo def. Frankie Edgar by unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 48-47)
Aldo and Edgar put on another technical clinic, and the result was the same as their first meeting. Aldo was able to win a bit more clearly in this go around with the former lightweight champion, and he did so with style.
The loss will sting for Edgar, but it isn't completely damaging. He is still one of the cream of the crop. The difficult part in selecting his next bout is finding a suitable opponent. The logical choices are either booked or have recently lost. That is why Jeremy Stephens may be the selection.
Stephens is a hard-throwing featherweight who needs a big opportunity. Here it is. Edgar gets a chance to oust another ranked opponent, and Stephens gets his opportunity to come into the deep end of the swimming pool.
There'll be some hoopla about the photo above, but that man standing watch over Aldo and Edgar is interested for a reason. While it is still too early to say if Conor McGregor will return to the featherweight division, it is clear that if he does after UFC 202, then he'll be fighting Aldo.
That's the money fight. That's the fight everyone wants to see. And everyone wants to see it go longer than 13 seconds.
On the off chance it doesn't occur, Max Holloway should be the rightful choice for Aldo's defense.
Daniel Cormier vs. Anderson Silva
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Daniel Cormier def. Anderson Silva by unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-26)
The scores may have read 30-26 across the board, but this was the best-case scenario for Silva. He didn't get knocked out, didn't take flight on a Cormier takedown and survived against the light heavyweight champion.
That's all good news.
The bad news? It's still another loss on his record. He hasn't won a fight since 2012. Silva was scheduled to fight Uriah Hall in Brazil before an injury forced him off the early summer fight card, and that fight should no longer be in play. It's difficult to choose Silva's next fight because he shouldn't face anyone of note.
The best option is not enticing. C.B. Dollaway is on a three-fight skid and may be the best fighter Silva could realistically beat. The ugly truth is that Silva isn't an elite fighter anymore and doesn't deserve an elite opponent.
Cormier's next fight is easier to identify.
Jon Jones is facing suspension from USADA after his B sample confirmed the initial findings. If Jones is not suspended by USADA, he will meet Cormier. If Jones is suspended? Cormier will face the winner of Anthony Johnson vs. Glover Teixeira. It's that simple.
Brock Lesnar vs. Mark Hunt
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Brock Lesnar def. Mark Hunt by unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27)
We can all see Lesnar now, and he looks like a million bucks.
Lesnar went in against a heavy-handed striker, ate a couple of punches and scored repeated takedowns. He showed off what he can do, how he has improved and that he is still a top heavyweight.
Hunt couldn't deal with the athleticism of Lesnar. He was searching for his openings, but Lesnar's speed and agility kept him out of danger time and again.
Hunt is still fascinating and fun. There is another fascinating and fun heavyweight who would be the best choice for Hunt's next fight—Derrick Lewis.
Everyone would love to watch those two throw haymakers.
Now we come to Brock. Here's the deal: We don't know if he'll ever fight again. He's not a UFC fighter. He's under contract with the WWE.
Even still, let's fantasy-book Lesnar's UFC return should a deal be reached. It could be against anyone because Lesnar is the draw. Folks will tune in to see him against any heavyweight. But that's not Lesnar's style. He's a competitor. If he returns, it will be for glory.
Lesnar's UFC return should be for the UFC Heavyweight Championship. Period. Let the cash flow because that would do huge business for everyone involved.
Is he the top-ranked contender? No. Does it matter? No.
He is a star, and stars call their shots. No one would complain come fight time if Lesnar got another crack at the gold.
UFC Bantamweight Championship: Miesha Tate vs. Amanda Nunes
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Amanda Nunes def. Miesha Tate by TKO at 3:16 of the first round
Nunes silenced the doubters and ripped through Tate quickly. She was calm before the fight. The stage of UFC 200 was not too big for her, and she became the new bantamweight champion without much trouble.
We'll start with the champion.
Nunes' first defense will come against one of three people in this order: Ronda Rousey, Holly Holm and Julianna Pena.
If Rousey decides to return, then she will get the title shot. There is no doubt about it. If Rousey stays away, Holm just has to beat Valentina Shevchenko. Then the shot is hers. Lastly, if Rousey is yet to return and Holm loses (or is injured and unable to take the fight), the next woman up is Pena.
It's a basic scenario for Nunes. She just has to wait to see how the chips fall.
Tate will be a little more difficult to place. She is a notable name in the company and a fantastic fighter. She may want to avenge the loss to Cat Zingano, but with Zingano losing at UFC 200, it doesn't make for a smart fight for the UFC.
Tate needs a rebound fight, and Raquel "Rocky" Pennington should step up. Rocky welcomed Holm to the UFC and nearly upset the incoming star. Pennington has the ability to make things difficult for Tate. The possible adversity is something Tate would thrive under, and that's why this is the best fight to make for the former champion.
The bantamweight division has been in flux since Rousey dropped the title last November, which may have been the best thing for it. It is more exciting with a slate full of possible contenders.
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