Five Matchups to Make After UFC 142

Donald Cerrone vs. Edson Barbosa:

Both of these surgical stand up fighters are exciting to watch. Edson Barbosa has been knocking off some great opponents, but after his Bruce Lee esque kick that turned Terry Etim into stone, it is time for a step up in competition. After being stunned by the overwhelming volume and accurate offense of Nate Diaz, Donald Cerrone is looking to step back into the title picture, and Barbosa would be a great test. Should these two kickboxers be put in the same octagon, an exciting and high paced striking chess match would be in store with a real shot at some bonus money.

Anthony Johnson vs. Hector Lombard:

After a disappointing (for so many reasons) end to Rumble’s UFC career, the “middleweight” knockout artist is still in his prime. Hiring Mike Dolce would be a great first step, but after that, Johnson could very well end up fighting in Bellator, and waiting for him will be a seriously underrated beast of a fighter. One of the games most explosive and physically imposing strikers is the Cuban-Australian Hector Lombard. Putting these two physical prototypes in the cage together would make for some serious firepower. It could end quickly and violently, and seems like too good of a matchup to be possible for the recently cut Johnson, yet it is now very possible. If Lombard can put Johnson down, he may start being recognized on the level that his talent calls for, and should Rumble take care of this heavy handed champion, a return to the UFC may just be in sight.

Chan Sung Jung vs. Chad Mendes:

Putting Mark Hominick down in less than 20 seconds is something Jose Aldo couldn’t do with twenty-five minutes to work with, and in doing so, the Korean Zombie is back on the map. Jung’s knockout of the Machine showed how explosive his striking really is, and along with his hands is a serious jiu jitsu game (ask Leonard Garcia). Chad Mendes is coming off a frustrating knockout loss to the Champion, but is looking to get right back on the horse. This matchup would be a great indicator of what Jose Aldo has to look forward to in the near future.

Eric Silva vs. Brian Ebersole:

After two trips to the HBC Arena in Rio de Janiero, Eric Silva has racked up some pretty sweet highlights. The young Brazilian loves fighting at home, but more importantly is becoming a serious force at 170 pounds. He is swift on his feet, and has a surprising amount of power in his hands. Brian Ebersole has a ton of experience for his age, yet is still able to rack up wins against the best. Ebersole’s fight with Rory MacDonald was called off due to injury, but this matchup is similar to that fight because Silva resembles MacDonald in many ways. This fight has serious potential for fight of the night on any card, and carries weight in the stacked welterweight division. Silva also may be surprised at how well Brian Ebersole can take a punch.

Loser of Nelson v. Werdum vs. Gabriel Gonzaga:

After a bit of a layoff, the Brazilian UFC veteran put on a show, making quick work of Ednaldo Olivera. As the heavyweight division continues to grow in talent, a fight between either Nelson or Werdum and Gonzaga would make sense. As UFC 143 will catapult one of these heavyweights higher up the ladder, the loser would have a match that makes for a battle of true veterans. Nelson would strike with Gonzaga, and is no easy task on the mat, while Fabricio Werdum has proven skillsets in all areas of the game.