UFC 228 Results: Matches to Make for the Winners and Losers
Tyron Woodley pummeled and choked Darren Till to keep the UFC welterweight championship around his waist, giving the UFC 228 crowd at American Airlines Center in Dallas on Saturday a night to remember.
The co-main event was originally scheduled to a be a flyweight title fight, but Nicco Montano had to be removed from the event Friday. Two talented ladies still filled that void, and it was strawweight Jessica Andrade who landed a stunning KO over Karolina Kowalkiewicz to become the top contender at 115 pounds.
And those were just the top two bouts.
The UFC had plenty more on offer throughout the exciting evening.
But no matter who got their hand raised or who walked away disappointed, future opponents await. Whom should they be? That is what we will tackle with a look at the matches to make following UFC 228. Let's get to work.
Preliminary Fights Quick Hits
1 of 6
Jarred Brooks def. Roberto Sanchez by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
- Roberto Sanchez vs. Jose Torres
- Jarred Brooks vs. Ulka Sasaki
Irene Aldana def. Lucie Pudilova by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
- Lucie Pudilova vs. Gina Mazany
- Irene Aldana vs. Winner of Lina Lansberg vs. Yana Kunitskaya (October 6)
Jim Miller def. Alex White via submission (rear-naked choke) at 1:29 of the first round
- Alex White vs. Andrew Holbrook
- Jim Miller vs. John Makdessi
Diego Sanchez def. Craig White by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Craig White vs. Frank Camacho
- Diego Sanchez vs. Yushin Okami
Darren Stewart def. Charles Byrd by TKO at 2:17 of the second round
- Charles Byrd vs. Markus Perez
- Darren Stewart vs. Winner of Jared Cannonier vs. Alessio Di Chirico (November 17)
Geoff Neal def. Frank Camacho by KO at 1:23 of the second round
- Frank Camacho vs. Craig White
- Geoff Neal vs. Jorge Masvidal
Aljamain Sterling def. Cody Stamann via submission (kneebar) at 3:42 of the second round
- Cody Stamann vs. Thomas Almeida
- Aljamain Sterling vs. Dominick Cruz
Tatiana Suarez def. Carla Esparza by TKO at 4:33 of the third round
- Carla Esparza vs. Angela Hill
- Tatiana Suarez vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk
Niko Price vs. Abdul Razak Alhassan
2 of 6
Abdul Razak Alhassan def. Niko Price by KO at 0:43 of the first round.
This one did not last long. Abdul Razak Alhassan crushed Niko Price early.
Price is valuable and fun in this division. The first name that jumps off the page for a rebound fight is Zak Ottow, a quality fighter who would be a favorable matchup for Price. The UFC can give Price a test while also giving him a path to victory.
Alhassan is on a bit of a streak. But does that net him a top-15 opponent? Probably not. Welterweight is too deep.
A fun fight for a Fight Night event that could launch him into that area would be against Bryan Barberena. Bam Bam isn't quite on the run that Alhassan is, but he offers a good stylistic matchup that would appeal to fans. If Alhassan could win that with style, then perhaps it would be time for a ranked foe.
Jimmie Rivera vs. John Dodson
3 of 6
Jimmie Rivera def. John Dodson by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28).
It was not a fight that captured fans' imaginations, but Jimmie Rivera bested John Dodson over 15 minutes to get an important victory.
Dodson is talented, but bantamweight is going to be a constant struggle once he gets to the top end of the talent pool. Of the potential opponents available in the back end of the rankings, Rob Font is a name that presents itself.
Rivera was on the brink of a title shot and was usurped by Marlon Moraes after a KO. This win puts him back on track.
There are only two names that make sense: Dominick Cruz or Cody Garbrandt. Well, if you noticed earlier, Cruz has been picked to go up against Aljamain Sterling. Thus, Garbrandt is the pick here. Neither locks up a title bid because of Moraes, Cruz's possible return and Raphael Assuncao. However, it is a marquee bout that sets the winner up for a title eliminator.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Zabit Magomedsharipov vs. Brandon Davis
4 of 6
Zabit Magomedsharipov def. Brandon Davis via submission (kneebar) at 3:46 of the second round.
Brandon Davis was a lamb being led to slaughter, and Zabit Magomedsharipov complied to that narrative. Stepping in will earn Davis at least one more UFC bout.
How about Matt Bessette? Good? OK, moving on.
Real thought will go into Magomedsharipov's opponent. Does the UFC give him a top-tier opponent, or does it continue slowly moving him up the ranks?
Move him into the mix. Jeremy Stephens is the right choice.
Stephens is coming off a loss, but that was to Jose Aldo. And he holds the No. 6 rank in the division. That provides Magomedsharipov with the prime opportunity to become a true contender in the division. It's not a sink-or-swim moment, but it's admission into the deep end of the pool. Welcome to the show, Magomedsharipov.
Jessica Andrade vs. Karolina Kowalkiewicz
5 of 6
Jessica Andrade def. Karolina Kowalkiewicz by KO at 1:58 of the first round.
Wow. What a performance.
Earlier in the evening, Tatiana Suarez mauled Carla Esparza. It looked like she had jumped the line and made a claim as the next contender. Well, Jessica Andrade apparently had the velvet rope and bouncers waiting at the front to stop anyone else because she is firmly the next contender.
Andrade has to face Rose Namajunas next.
Karolina Kowalkiewicz held her own early, but Andrade's speed and power was too much. She will need to take a bit of time off. Awaiting her return? Let's go with Tecia Torres.
Both have suffered losses to the elite of the division, and time may be running out on their ability to get there themselves. Or in Kowalkiewicz's case, get back. As Suarez and Mackenzie Dern make their way up the ladder, it's getting crowded. Perhaps the two more veteran UFC members need to duke it out.
Tyron Woodley vs. Darren Till
6 of 6
Tyron Woodley def. Darren Till via submission (D'Arce choke) at 4:19 of the second round.
The champion had little to no issue with the rising Brit. He can work his way back up. He's young.
The UFC should not have a hard reset to his rise. There are plenty of viable contenders to put him against without forcing him to face low-level opponents or those in the back of the rankings. Rafael dos Anjos is the right call.
Dos Anjos is coming off a loss to Colby Covington, and he will test some of the areas where Till failed on Saturday. It's a good rebound fight to force Till's growth.
As for the champion, there is but one choice: Covington.
The former teammates have exchanged words quite a bit, and it was the fight we thought would have been booked for UFC 228 anyhow. It's the only welterweight title fight folks want to see, and Covington holds the interim belt to boot.
It has the potential to be massive, although it may get incredibly ugly on the promotional side given the friction between the two. We need to see this fight before the end of the year.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
