The UFC’s longtime featherweight king returned, and the lightweight division welcomed an exciting new contender on Saturday. UFC 314 was a solid pay-per-view that created opportunities for very intriguing fights.
Alexander Volkanovski ushered in his second reign as UFC champion after getting the better of a game Diego Lopes. Paddy Pimblett thrust himself into the spotlight with a shockingly dominant win over Michael Chandler. There’s also Jean Silva’s rising star to address, and the failed debut of former Bellator champ-champ Patricio Pitbull.
Following Saturday’s events, let’s examine the best fights to make in the featherweight and lightweight divisions.
Featherweight
Alexander Volkanovski (c) vs. Movsar Evloev or Yair Rodriguez: Volkanovski’s return to the throne puts the featherweight division in a pickle. There aren’t many viable contenders. Evloev is the most deserving, though it seems the promotion isn’t keen on his style. Evloev recently claimed he had a fight lined up for May, and was previously tabbed to welcome UFC debutant Aaron Pico. That doesn’t sound like someone the UFC wants in the title picture. Rodriguez claimed he was promised a title shot, but the win over Pitbull only does so much for him. Rodriguez entered Saturday with consecutive losses to Brian Ortega and Volkanovski, both via stoppage. It’s possible UFC gifts Rodriguez a title fight so they can have a Mexican headliner at Noche UFC (UFC 320) in Guadalajara, Mexico.
Diego Lopes vs. Yair Rodriguez: The better fight to make is Lopes vs. Rodriguez. The featherweights had a heated verbal exchange at the pre-fight press conference, seemingly stemming from issues between their camps. It’s a solid co-main event for the Mexico pay-per-view. They are two reliable finishers, Spanish speakers and residents of Mexico. Rodriguez would be a far more believable contender if he beat Lopes.
Patricio Pitbull vs. Dan Ige: Pitbull still has value, whether or not he’s a viable title challenger. Pitbull performed competently enough on Saturday to suggest he can beat ranked opponents. Ige (No. 15) will likely hold his spot after knocking out Sean Woodson on the UFC 314 preliminary card. Ige’s status as a ranked gatekeeper makes him a perfect follow-up test. Pitbull and Ige are stocky featherweights with great punching power. It’s a solid and informative stylistic matchup.
Jean Silva vs. Brian Ortega: Silva’s win garnered more attention than normal due to the subject matter of its build. Silva is now in an interesting predicament. He’ll probably be ranked No. 13 on Monday, but his star power outweighs his placement in the division. UFC matchmakers must find the right balance of escalation and name value for his next fight. Ortega (No. 6) is the perfect choice, though I sympathize with concerns about how much damage he has taken. Arnold Allen or former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling are reasonable choices, however, they’re stylistically difficult matchups with little promotional upside.
Bryce Mitchell vs. Choi Doo-ho: Mitchell is hanging onto the featherweight top 15 by a thread. He started strong with six consecutive wins but hasn’t strung together a win streak in three years. Two sensible options for Mitchell are fighting another struggling contender or giving a rising prospect a chance. Calvin Kattar (No. 14) makes sense but I’m hesitant to give him a ranked fighter after four straight losses. Instead, Mitchell should defend his spot against “The Korean Superboy.” Choi looked very sharp finishing Bill Algeo and Nate Landwehr. It’s been a while since Choi fought ranked competition, but he deserves a second chance after his three-fight skid in the late 2010s.
Lightweight
Paddy Pimblett vs. Ilia Topuria or Charles Oliveira: You can’t properly matchmake the lightweight division until Makhachev makes a decision. The lightweight champ wants to scout the welterweight title fight between Belal Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena before deciding what’s next. Arman Tsarukyan, Justin Gaethje, Oliveira and Topuria are all circling contention. Gaethje and Tsarukyan haven’t fought each other, so pair them off. If Topuria gets an immediate title shot, Pimblett vs. Oliveira is a barnburner between dynamic strikers with elite grappling. If Oliveira gets the next title shot, UFC should capitalize on the three-year feud between Topuria and Pimblett. Their legitimate rivalry would make for a blockbuster PPV title fight, but they could hedge their bets with a title eliminator.
Michael Chandler vs. Renato Moicano: Candidly, I’d be alright if Chandler retired. Unfortunately, he spent the last of what may have been his prime years waiting for a Conor McGregor fight that never happened. If Chandler presses forward, I’d like to consider specific parameters. Chandler has been fighting hammers since arriving in the UFC, so it’s time to give his chin a break. Furthermore, we’re looking for a low-ranked contender with reasonable star power. Moicano fits the bill perfectly. Submissions are Moicano’s bread and butter, though his ground strikes are ferocious if he can get the fight there. He’s also a popular athlete who deserves a name fight after taking on Islam Makhachev on one day’s notice. It’s a solid main card fight that’s appropriate for both men.
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