UFC 131 Results: Three Fights Mark Munoz Should Take Next

After his win over Demian Maia at UFC 131, Mark Munoz has to be considered a serious contender in the middleweight division.

Since moving to 185 pounds, Munoz has gone 6-1, with his only loss coming in a split decision against Yushin Okami.

Now solidified as a contender, it is time for Munoz to get a shot at another fighter on the verge of fighting for the title. Let's take a look at some possible matchups that could take Munoz to the next level.

Winner of Vitor Belfort vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama

At UFC 133, Vitor Belfort will look to get back on track against Yoshihiro Akiyama after losing to UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva in his last fight.

Particularly if Belfort is victorious, the winner of this fight could give Munoz a good test to see if he is ready for a shot at the title.

Munoz's weakness is on his feet, and both of these fighters have the ability to stagger Munoz's takedowns and force him to prove himself on his feet for much of the fight. 

Winner of Wanderlei Silva vs. Chris Leben

Wanderlei Silva and Chris Leben will return to the Octagon at UFC 132 in July. While both fighters are probably below Munoz in the middleweight rankings at this point, either could test Munoz in all aspects of fighting.

Munoz trains with Silva frequently, so that might be a sticking point in putting that fight together. A fight with Leben would be equally intriguing, though.

Very rarely are fighters able to finish Leben, so Munoz could make a statement if he is able to knock out or submit "The Crippler" in a potential fight between the two.

Brian Stann

Coming off of a win over Jorge Santiago, Brian Stann is looking for a fight with an opponent who could catapult him to a shot at the middleweight title.

A fight between Stann and Munoz would definitely provide excitement and the winner would be more than worthy of a title shot.

Stann and Munoz are two of the most likable personalities in the sport, so there wouldn't be any trash talking heading into this one.

But these fighters have both built up fan followings large enough to sell the fight as a title shot eliminator.

Sean Smith is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report MMA. For the latest insight and updates on everything MMA, you can follow Sean on Twitter here.