UFC Fight Night 65 was live from Australia this past Saturday night and produced a night of exciting fights and finishes. With the event now in our rear-view, let’s take a look a few potential match-ups featuring some of the competitors from the evening… Robert Whittaker vs Lyoto Machida At first thought, this pairing probably doesn’t make much sense, but if you really think about it, then you will likely get as excited about this potential match-up as I do. I think these middleweights would produce a very entertaining match-up on the feet; a chess-match that could result in a knockout by either party. Whittaker just scored his second consecutive knockout finish since moving up to the 185-pound division and taking on “The Dragon” next would mean a big step up in competition and undoubtedly the toughest test of his professional mixed martial arts career. Machida is coming off his devastating second round submission loss to Luke Rockhold, and I think this would be a good match-up for him to return to. I think this potential scrap would be a great fit for the main card of August’s UFC 190 in Rio de Janeiro, which will be headlined by a Women’s Bantamweight title bout between Brazilian challenger Bethe “Pitbull” Correia and defending Champion, “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey. Jake Matthews vs Bryan Barbarena I think this would be an excellent match-up in the UFC’s lightweight division, with both fighters coming off recent defeats and looking to return to the win column. Considering both of their fighting styles, I feel like these two will really put on a show when pitted against each other inside the Octagon. This is a battle I would like to see on the prelims of any upcoming fight card, but if they’re both ready to get back to it, then July’s UFC Fight Night 71 in San Diego will work for me. The main event for that card will be a five round heavyweight contest between former UFC Heavyweight Champion Frank Mir and Todd Duffee. Daniel Hooker vs Edimilson ‘Kevin’ Souza This potential featherweight scrap is one I would love to see kick off the main card for the aforementioned UFC 190 this August, which would be in Souza’s backyard of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. When I say I would love to see this match-up, man, I really would love to see this match-up! I think they are the two tallest and longest fighters in their division, and I think watching them go to war inside the Octagon would be nothing short of firework-filled excitement. Both fighters stand at six feet tall, with Souza’s reach being 74-inches and Hooker having a one-inch advantage at 75-inches. This would be a very entertaining striking battle that could end in a finish by either 145-pounder, and if booked on a future fight card, I’ll start counting down the days. James Vick vs Rashid Magomedov I think this potential 155-pound match-up between these two fighters who are undefeated inside the Octagon makes plenty of sense and is certainly a fight I would not miss, if booked on a future fight card. I am a fan of both of these lightweights and enjoy watching both of them perform inside the Octagon. Perhaps Magomedov deserves a higher ranked opponent, but if he can’t get one, I think this would be a fun fight to put together. I think it would be a nice fit for the main card of August’s UFC Fight Night 74 in Nashville.
