UFC 215 Results: Matches to Make for the Winners and Losers
UFC 215 gave fans a night full of action. Now, what comes next?
Amanda Nunes defeated Valentina Shevchenko in Saturday's main event to retain the UFC bantamweight championship. Who gets the next shot? It's not a clear answer in the now-muddied waters at 135 pounds. And where does Shevchenko go from here?
Rafael Dos Anjos continued his impressive welterweight career by dispatching of Neil Magny in just three minutes and 43 seconds with a picture-perfect arm-triangle choke.
Is the Brazilian ready for the belt?
Nine other bouts took place at the Rogers Centre, and now we look ahead to the next fight for each of the participants, not only for the winners but those who came up short in at Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Each of the 22 athletes is matched up in this look at what comes next.
If you're playing matchmaker, let me lend my hand. These are the matches to make following UFC 215.
Preliminary Fights' Quick Hits
1 of 6
Ketlen Vieira def. Sara McMann via submission (arm triangle) at 4:16 of the second round
- Ketlen Vieira vs. Marion Reneau
- Sara McMann vs. Germaine de Randamie
Sarah Moras def. Ashlee Evans-Smith via submission (armbar) at 2:51 of the first round
- Sarah Moras vs. Alexis Davis
- Ashlee Evans-Smith vs. Cat Zingano
Rick Glenn def. Gavin Tucker by unanimous decision (30-25, 30-24, 29-27)
- Rick Glenn vs. Jared Gordon
- Gavin Tucker vs. Martin Bravo
Alex White def. Mitch Clarke by TKO at 4:36 of the second round
- Alex White vs. Nick Hein
- Mitch Clarke retired after the fight.
Arjan Bhullar def. Luis Henrique by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Arjan Bhullar vs. Junior Albini
- Luis Henrique vs. Todd Duffee
Kajan Johnson def. Adriano Martins by KO at 0:49 of the third round
- Kajan Johnson vs. Drew Dober
- Adriano Martins vs. loser of Jason Saggo vs. Gilbert Burns (September 16)
Jeremy Stephens vs. Gilbert Melendez
2 of 6
Jeremy Stephens def. Gilbert Melendez by unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-25)
Let's start with Gilbert Melendez. As much as it pains me to say, the UFC should cut him.
Melendez is on a four-fight skid, and he hasn't looked all that great in the cage since his 2016 return. Now, at 35 years of age, there isn't much upside from him in the deep, deep waters of featherweight and lightweight. Melendez carries a larger price tag as a vet as well. It'd be a smart business decision to cut Melendez.
Stephens walked into the cage as the No. 8-ranked contender. The victory isn't likely to vault him up the UFC rankings, but it does put him in a position to get a bigger fight later in 2017.
No. 3 Ricardo Lamas is the name that stands out. It'd be a high-profile featherweight tilt we have yet to see, and the winner would be set up nicely as a potential title contender in 2018 depending on how things shake out at the top.
Stephens vs. Lamas would fit as a nice main card bout on a pay-per-view or as a Fight Night headliner.
Ilir Latifi vs. Tyson Pedro
3 of 6
Ilir Latifi def. Tyson Pedro by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Tyson Pedro got a rude welcome to the top 10 of the light heavyweight division, but it was a valuable learning experience.
Pedro is still a nice prospect at 205. Setting him up with someone in the lower tier is a great way to build him back up and allow him to progress as a fighter. Josh Stansbury fits the mold.
Latifi's victory should force the UFC to pit Latifi against another ranked foe for his next outing.
Jimi Manuwa makes the most sense to pair with Latifi. It's a fight that would fit nicely on a European card. Manuwa and Latifi are now in a similar spot in the division where one win won't nab them a title bid, but a big performance will put them right on the brink due to the shallowness of the division.
The striker vs. grappler battle would have a lot at stake at 205.
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Henry Cejudo vs. Wilson Reis
4 of 6
Henry Cejudo def. Wilson Reis by TKO at 0:25 of the second round
Wilson Reis needs to regroup completely after this loss, but his ranking will keep him from getting the can. Louis Smolka may be the right choice here. Smolka made waves in 2016 but then got put off course by Brandon Moreno.
Reis vs. Smolka would be an interesting grappling contest, and it'd be a good matchup for where they are in the flyweight division.
Cejudo is in an interesting position. He's not in a position to challenge for the belt and he recently lost to the No. 1 contender Joseph Benavidez. Luckily for Cejudo and the UFC, there's another top contender he hasn't fought: Sergio Pettis.
Cejudo is open to the fight. At the post-fight press conference, Cejudo mentioned a fight with Pettis does interest him (h/t MMA Fighting's Ariel Helwani).
Let's not overthink this. Cejudo vs. Pettis should be what's next.
Neil Magny vs. Rafael Dos Anjos
5 of 6
Rafael Dos Anjos def. Neil Magny via submission (arm triangle) at 3:43 of the first round
Rafael Dos Anjos looked downright amazing at UFC 215 with his first-round submission victory.
Magny is left searching for answers, but his recent performances will give the UFC enough confidence to put him in another high-stakes bout. Why not against the other welterweight Dos Anjos defeated this year, Tarec Saffiedine?
It would be a good last-chance bout for Saffiedine and a solid rebound fight for Magny.
Dos Anjos will move into true contention now. Perhaps even as close as one win away from getting a shot at the 170-pound strap. And if you're looking for a title eliminator, then perhaps Dos Anjos vs. Carlos Condit is the fight that tickles your fancy.
Condit hasn't fought since a failed title eliminator against Demian Maia in 2016. It may seem a bit nonsensical for him to get another title eliminator, but timing is everything. RDA vs. Condit is a credible title eliminator the UFC could put on later in 2017 while Tyron Woodley defends his title.
And just on its own, RDA vs. Condit is an incredible fight to book. Give it to us, UFC.
Amanda Nunes vs. Valentina Shevchenko
6 of 6
Amanda Nunes def. Valentina Shevchenko by split decision (48-47, 47-48, 48-47)
It was a close fight, but Amanda Nunes retained her bantamweight belt. The question of what comes next in a division seeking some revitalization offers no clear answer.
Valentina Shevchenko could drop to the newly minted 125-pound flyweight division, but it'd be the wrong move. She is one of the elite at bantamweight. Why put one's body through an unnecessary weight cut? The risks don't outweigh the reward at this juncture. She's still a viable contender at 135.
As such, give Shevchenko a returning Liz Carmouche. If Shevchenko drops that bout, flyweight will still be there to welcome her. If she wins, the UFC keeps a talented, marketable contender on the books.
Holly Holm is the clear choice, but the UFC is eyeing her for a featherweight bid against Cyborg, per MMAWeekly's Damon Martin. If that falls apart, Holm should get the shot.
The only other contender ready is Raquel Pennington. It's not as enticing of a matchup right now, but it'd be a quality contest nonetheless. If the Holm vs. Cyborg bout continues to trek in a positive direction, then Rocky could be the beneficiary at bantamweight.
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