UFC
Rory MacDonald thinks title shot should be next after UFC Fight Night 54 win: "I really don't see anyone else"
Oct 5, 2014 - 11:45:37 AM Rory MacDonald thinks title shot should be next after UFC Fight Night 54 win: "I really don't see anyone else"

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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Rory MacDonald's knockout win over Tarec Saffiedine was the type of performance fans had hoped to see from him when he took that next step up the ladder.

He failed to do that against Jake Ellenberger, then lost to Robbie Lawler, and in his rebound wins over Demian Maia and Tyron Woodley, he had solid, if unspectacular, performances. The Saffiedine win saw him put it all together again, and he thinks it's the fight that solidifies him as the top contender for the UFC Welterweight Championship.

"I really don't see anyone else," MacDonald said at the post-fight press conference (via MMAJunkie.com). "I beat some really good guys this year, and I think beating a guy like Tarec, I've said in many interviews, he's one of the best in the world in the welterweight division."

"I feel like I had a good fight against him tonight, and hopefully the UFC takes notice and puts me in for that title shot so I can bring it back here to Canada... Tonight, I felt at my best. I was really flowing out there, and in training camp, all the guys that fought tonight, we all came really focused and came away with victories, and I couldn't be happier."

Penick's Analysis: MacDonald looked fantastic last night. He was sharper in his striking than he'd been in several fights, he had a higher amount of aggression that served him well, and he scored a destructive finish against a highly regarded fighter who hadn't been stopped in his career. This was a breakout type performance after some setbacks to his standing in the division, and him getting that title fight next certainly seems a reasonable option. A rematch with Lawler in a five-round fight could be great, and a fight with Hendricks would be excellent as well.