UFC 229 Results: Matches to Make for the Winners and Losers
UFC 229 was a banner night for the UFC—until a victorious Khabib Nurmagomedov left the cage and incited a full-on donnybrook between the fight camps.
It almost makes projecting future fights secondary, but that is what we are here to do because there are still winners and losers who will need to return for their next paychecks. Saturday's event still had a full fight card with top-notch fighters. The brawl after the main event cannot change that.
So how do we examine the main event with all the questions that have arisen following the unfortunate post-fight fisticuffs? Where does this leave Tony Ferguson? Where did Derrick Lewis and Dominick Reyes put themselves after their huge wins in their respective divisions?
Those are the questions we need to examine in the aftermath of UFC 229. The ramifications for the nonsensical brawl will be coming down the line, but let's focus on what went on in the Octagon. The other combatants earned that much.
Here are the matches to make following UFC 229 in Las Vegas.
Preliminary Fights Quick Hits
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Tony Martin def. Ryan LaFlare by KO at 1:00 of the third round.
- Ryan LaFlare vs. Warlley Alves
- Tony Martin vs. Jordan Mein
Nik Lentz def. Gray Maynard by TKO at 1:19 of the second round.
- Gray Maynard should be cut from the roster
- Nik Lentz vs. Gregor Gillespie
Yana Kunitskaya def. Lina Lansberg by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).
- Lina Lansberg vs. Tonya Evinger
- Yana Kunitskaya vs. Lucie Pudilova
Scott Holtzman def. Alan Patrick by KO at 3:42 of the third round.
- Alan Patrick vs. Christos Giagos
- Scott Holtzman vs. Dong Hyun Kim
Aspen Ladd def. Tonya Evinger by TKO at 3:26 of the first round.
- Tonya Evinger vs. Lina Lansberg
- Aspen Ladd vs. Cat Zingano
Vicente Luque def. Jalin Turner by KO at 3:52 of the first round.
- Jalin Turner vs. Felipe Silva
- Vicente Luque vs. Demian Maia
Jussier Formiga def. Sergio Pettis by unanimous decision (30-26, 29-28, 29-28).
- Sergio Pettis vs. loser of Joseph Benavidez vs. Ray Borg (November 10)
- Jussier Formiga vs. Deiveson Figueiredo
Michelle Waterson vs. Felice Herrig
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Michelle Waterson def. Felice Herrig by unanimous decision (30-26, 29-28, 30-27).
Michelle Waterson is almost always undersized inside the Octagon. A former atomweight champion has to fight true strawweights every time out, but more often than not, she comes out on top—as she did at UFC 229.
Felice Herrig put together a quality run, but Waterson's technique and speed proved too much to handle.
Herrig should stand across the cage from Randa Markos next. The Canadian is coming off of a majority draw performance, and she is still in the rankings. It's a good test to see whether Herrig can right the ship, as well as a strong test for Markos.
Waterson is a tough ask. Her ranking means pitting her against another top fighter. Karolina Kowalkiewicz, even coming off a loss, seems to be the right choice.
Kowalkiewicz was knocked clean out by Jessica Andrade, but she remains a top-five caliber opponent. Waterson earned that kind of fight with her win Saturday.
Derrick Lewis vs. Alexander Volkov
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Derrick Lewis def. Alexander Volkov by KO at 4:49 of the third round.
For nearly the full 15 minutes, Alexander Volkov looked the better man. Then Derrick Lewis connected on one monster punch, which gave him the win.
Volkov's performance should give him another marquee opponent regardless of the loss. The best name available without a fight booked is Alistair Overeem. The size of the two makes for good optics, as both men stand tall and swing hard.
Lewis, on the other hand, put himself in position for a title shot.
The problem? The belt is on hiatus as Daniel Cormier awaits Brock Lesnar in 2019.
The obvious choice is Stipe Miocic. But frankly, that fight should not be made. It would hurt the heavyweight title picture for 2019. One would have to lose, and the UFC needs at least two credible contenders.
The right man for the job is Junior dos Santos. It is a notable name with a style that is perfect for a clash with Lewis.
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Ovince Saint Preux vs. Dominick Reyes
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Dominick Reyes def. Ovince Saint Preux by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).
We have a fresh face at 205.
Dominick Reyes is just what this division needs, and he finally got to put in 15-minutes of quality Octagon time. Ovince Saint Preux was a quality opponent to test his mettle, and he passed with flying colors.
OSP will still likely get a decent matchup for the division because of how shallow it is. A recognizable face also coming off a loss? Glover Teixeira. It is a quality matchup that puts the winner back into position for a top-five-level fight based upon their past performances in the division.
No one quite knows what will happen to the light heavyweight title, but Cormier doesn't look to be defending it. Reyes should not challenge for a vacant title, but he should be put in a bout that could be a title eliminator.
Jan Blachowicz is the right choice.
Blachowicz is in a similar position and riding a four-fight win streak. A meeting with Reyes would give the UFC a new title contender with an impressive resume for whomever the champion may be in 2019. Reyes has earned this level of fight and could become the face of the division.
Tony Ferguson vs. Anthony Pettis
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Tony Ferguson def. Anthony Pettis by corner stoppage at the end of the second round.
What a fight. Tony Ferguson and Anthony Pettis gave fans 10 minutes of blood and guts. A broken hand stymied the contest, but the result saw the right man get his hand raised. It is still a fight fans would love to see a rematch of, but that should not be in the cards just yet.
Ferguson is a former interim champion who never got a chance to unify the belts and never lost it inside the cage. He deserves a title shot next, but more on that when we get to the main event.
Let's focus on Pettis.
He will probably be out for a bit because of his injury, but when he returns, he should still be put into a top-tier fight. He has the pedigree, the name and the performance to warrant such a fight.
Timing will play the largest role in determining his next opponent because we don't know how long Pettis will be out of action. The best guess? How about James Vick?
He, too, is ranked. He, too, needs time off after his last fight (a one-punch KO loss to Justin Gaethje). It's a rebound fight for both that would help fill out a card with a quality lightweight tilt. The winner could then take on a foe ranked in the top five.
Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Conor McGregor
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Khabib Nurmagomedov def. Conor McGregor via submission (neck crank) at 3:03 of the fourth round.
This was such a simple fight to examine in terms of what comes next. Conor McGregor fights Nate Diaz, and Khabib Nurmagomedov fights Ferguson. Done. Clean and simple.
But after the chaos that ensued at the end of the fight, it's not simple anymore.
McGregor vs. Diaz is still the fight to make. That trilogy needs to be finished, and it doesn't matter whether Diaz wins or loses his upcoming fight against Dustin Poirier. The heat between McGregor and Nurmagomedov does put a massive rematch on the table. However, given how the fight between the cage doors played out, the UFC should pump the brakes on booking it.
McGregor-Diaz III is the best option.
Nurmagomedov vs. Ferguson is also still the fight to make for the champion. But how long will Nurmagomedov be suspended for?
It's clear repercussions are coming. A fighter cannot leave the Octagon and start a melee in the crowd. Major punishments must be levied. The Nevada Athletic Commission will come down hard. Does that mean he will be out for a full year? It is possible.
If he gets a nine-month suspension or less, book the Ferguson fight. If it is more than a year, the UFC needs to book Ferguson in an interim title tilt. This puts the McGregor rematch back on the table for Nurmagomedov's return before a title fight.
A mistake that marred his stellar performance muddies the waters of what to do next. But with the amount of press his actions garnered, Nurmagomedov made his next fight a can't-miss attraction.
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