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MOORE: Top Fights to Make After UFC Fight Night 51 "Bigfoot vs. Arlovski"
Sep 14, 2014 - 10:30:59 AM
MOORE: Top Fights to Make After UFC Fight Night 51 "Bigfoot vs. Arlovski"
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By: Dan Moore, MMATorch UK Columnist

Some good finishes sprinkled amongst plenty of mediocrity perfectly sums up UFC Fight Night 51 last night. Andrei Arlovski came away from the Brazilian capital as the biggest winner of the night thanks to his first round finish of Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva. Without further ado here's what I would do next if given the opportunity to be little Joe Silva for the day.

MAIN CARD WINNERS


ANDREI ARLOVSKI (23-10 1 NC, 12-4 UFC) -
That was the Andrei Arlovski we expected to see in his last fight against Brendan Schaub. He struggled in that close win back in June but there is no doubting his credentials after this win. Vintage stuff from Arlovski, and he can expect a similar bump up the rankings to what Ben Rothwell got after his win last weekend.

The same old faces present themselves as a potential next opponent for Arlovski. He could easily slot into a fight with Rothwell himself, both are riding upset wins against top 10 opponents. Stipe Miocic is another, but I'm more convinced than ever that Junior dos Santos is next for him. Then there's the winner of Mark Hunt vs. Roy Nelson.

Arlovski holds an advantage over Rothwell in terms of name value because he's a former UFC Champion. Now that the bad taste of the Schaub fight is behind him, the UFC can promote Arlovski against virtually anyone. I like the idea of the Belorussian going up against the winner of Hunt vs. Nelson. The winner of that is then potentially one fight away from a title shot.

Next Fight vs. Winner of MARK HUNT vs. ROY NELSON


GLEISON TIBAU (30-10, 15-8 UFC) -
I'm only on to the second winner of the night and it's already desperate. Nothing against Tibau, but there's no way he should be a co-main event fighter on any UFC card. Last night proved it. It was a workmanlike performance that peaked after twenty seconds.

Tibau is never going to challenge the upper echelons of the lightweight division, but he's a very tough opponent for almost everyone else. Abel Trujillo is on the fringe of bigger things, and if not for injury, he could conceivably be in the top 15 already. A win over a resilient Tibau would be a notable step toward achieving that goal.

Next Fight vs. ABEL TRUJILLO


LEONARDO SANTOS (13-3-1, 2-0-1 UFC) -
A really horrible fight to watch, and yet another fifteen minutes of my life I'll never get back. Santos started well and quickly ran out of gas. Efrain Escudero of years gone by would have sniffed blood and got the finish, but that wasn't happening with the 2014 version of him.

Santos is as one-dimensional as they come, but that shouldn't be the case. He has great size and reach for a lightweight, but it isn't backed up with a solid stand-up base. If a fight doesn't go to ground, he inevitably struggles. A fight with either Cedeno or Laprise would afford him more time to improve without throwing him into the lion's den.

Next Fight vs. Winner of YOSDENIS CEDENO vs. CHAD LAPRISE


SANTIAGO PONZINIBBIO (19-2, 1-1 UFC) -
Wendell Oliveira looked very dangerous in the early exchanges and the most likely winner. Then up stepped Ponzinibbio to unload a great combination that literally sent the Brazilian to sleep standing on his feet.

After the disappointing loss to Ryan LaFlare, it's difficult to assess what to do with Ponzinibbio next. It's safe to say he should be good to go on another Brazil card later this year. That probably adds up to another Brazil vs. Argentina match-up, so step forward Alberto Mina. Someone's getting knocked out in that one.

Next Fight vs. ALBERTO MINA


IURI ALCANTARA (31-5 1 NC, 7-2 1 NC UFC) -
Alcantara failed miserably in his last attempt against a top five opponent (Urijah Faber). After three straight wins since that loss, only now has he earned enough credibility to try again. The time has come again to match him up against someone else higher in the rankings.

It was far from his best performance on Saturday, but Russell Doane is an extremely durable fighter who's tough to finish. It wasn't a master class performance, but Alcantara deserves another big fight. Michael McDonald has the ranking and the type of style that could bring forth a thoroughly entertaining match-up.

Next Fight vs. MICHAEL McDONALD


JESSICA ANDRADE (12-3, 3-1 UFC) -
There was a lot of hype surrounding Larissa Pacheco, but the occasion clearly got to her. She looked like a rabbit caught in the headlights from the second she walked into the arena. She got this fight because of an injury to Valerie Letourneau, and it was a case of too much, too soon.

Andrade executed her game plan perfectly, and from the second it hit the ground the finish was inevitable. That's three consecutive wins, and at only 22 years old, she's only just beginning to hit her stride. I have no doubt she would beat Liz Carmouche if given a rematch, but that's not the fight to make.

Assuming Cat Zingano get the next shot, a No. 1 contender fight involving Andrade and Bethe Correira would be a great way to present at least one very credible challenger heading into 2015. If the UFC wants to preserve them both within the {limited} contender group, Lauren Murphy would be a worthy alternative.

Next Fight vs. BETHE CORREIRA


NOTABLE LOSER


ANTONIO SILVA (18-6 1 NC, 2-3 1 NC UFC) -
In the Torch roundtable last week, I picked Bigfoot to win based on how bad Andrei Arlovski was against Brendan Schaub. However, I also added that I don't rate Bigfoot at all, so at least I got something right. He's a distinctly average fighter who plodded around the Octagon last night like one of those annoying human statues you see in your local town center looking to make a quick buck.

His only two UFC wins both came about after his opponent didn't have enough in the tank to finish him off and then subsequently gassed. Velasquez destroyed him twice without breaking sweat. His fight with Mark Hunt was great, but Hunt is the perfect opponent for Bigfoot because he also lacks quick mobility on his feet.

Bigfoot's heart isn't in it either, and at 35 years old his opportunity for big fights is waning fast. He could be a useful tool if the UFC are inclined to push an up and comer. They could also match him up against someone else with fading star power. Josh Barnett is clearly in the latter category, and could do with a bounce back win after his loss to Travis Browne late last year.

Next Fight vs. JOSH BARNETT


I'm back for another 'Fights to Make' article next weekend after UFC Fight Night 52 “Hunt vs. Nelson”

Follow me on Twitter, @MMATorchDan


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