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Another UFC pay-per-view card has passed us by and with it comes a host of possibilities moving forward for both the victors and the unfortunate fighters who were defeated.
At UFC 264, the UFC made its highly anticipated return to the T-Mobile Arena. For the first time since last March, a sold-out crowd of 20,000+ enjoyed live UFC action in Las Vegas. Despite what was perhaps an anti-climactic ending to the event, the PPV provided some memorable moments.
In the headlining fight, Dustin Poirier recorded a second victory over Conor McGregor this year after the Irishman suffered a gruesome broken leg towards the end of the opening round. Knockout wins for Tai Tuivasa and Dricus Du Plessis, along with memorable fights featuring Sean O'Malley and Michel Pereira, ensured the PPV was entertaining throughout.
So, what are the next steps we should see after some of those results? Here are three fights that should be booked following the events at UFC 264.
#3. Ilia Topuria vs. Andre Fili - UFC featherweight
What a matchup this could be...
UFC 264 gave us one big takeaway: there's a new threat to the featherweight division and his name is Ilia Topuria. Not many fighters on the UFC roster under the age of 25 are as promising as 'El Matador'. His win at last weekend's pay-per-view means he now has an unblemished 11-0 record in the sport and is unbeaten in a trio of octagon walks.
Against BJJ wizard Ryan Hall, Topuria fought the perfect fight. He never looked close to getting caught by the classic rolls and attempts to lock up a submission that Hall is known for and is often successful with. Topuria simply waited for the opportunity to catch the 36-year-old and eventually did so with devastating effect. After preventing 'The Wizard' from escaping his punches on the ground, the part-Georgian and part-Spanish featherweight prospect rendered Hall unconscious with some vicious ground and pound.
There are quite a few opponents that make sense for Topuria. Having recently been beaten by the rising Giga Chikadze, UFC veteran Cub Swanson could look to rebound in style against the young prospect. Alternatively, matchups with two other fighters in need of a win, Shane Burgos and Sodiq Yusuff, could provide some three-round wars.
But for me, Topuria's next step should be a matchup with Andre Fili. The 31-year-old was last in action at UFC Vegas 30 against Daniel Pineda. Despite looking close to his best and dominating the fight for as long as it lasted, Fili left the octagon without a win after an accidental eye poke led to the fight being declared a no contest early into the second round.
'Touchy' boasts victories over Charles Jourdain, Dennis Bermudez and Artem Lobov, and has stepped into the octagon with the likes of Yair Rodriguez, Calvin Kattar and Bryce Mitchell. A matchup with a veteran campaigner like Fili would certainly be another big step for Topuria. Equally, for Fili to rebound from a loss by becoming the first man to defeat 'El Matador' would ensure his name remains relevant in the featherweight division.
#2. Tai Tuivasa vs. Sergei Pavlovich - UFC heavyweight
How great is Tai Tuivasa? From his octagon walk at UFC 264 to his post-fight celebrations, Tuivasa showed us exactly why it's so good to have fans back in arenas.
In terms of his performance at last Saturday's PPV, 'Bam Bam' extended his winning streak to three in brutal fashion. After getting dazed by Greg Hardy's immense power, Tuivasa steadied his wobbly feet and countered hard. The result was emphatic. Hardy was sent crashing to the canvas with barely a minute on the clock.
Multiple shoeys with the crowd made this portion of the card one of the most memorable and entertaining moments of the night. Let's hope Tuivasa's next fight also takes place inside a sold-out arena. But who could it be against?
How about a returning Sergei Pavlovich? Despite remaining in the heavyweight rankings, the Russian hasn't fought in over 20 months since his victory over Maurice Greene in Singapore. A UFC debut defeat to Alistair Overeem is the 29-year-old's only loss in his 15 fight MMA career.
An injury last August forced him out of a scheduled fight with upcoming interim title challenger Ciryl Gane. Judging by the training videos on his Instagram, Pavlovich appears ready for an octagon return.
With Tuivasa and Pavlovich sharing a remarkable 22 knockouts between them in 26 wins, this matchup could be an absolute barnburner for as long as it lasts.
#1. Dustin Poirier vs. Charles Oliveira - UFC lightweight championship
This fight is almost too obvious to even need listing. If there's a matchup that's virtually set in stone following UFC 264, it's a lightweight championship bout between Dustin Poirier and current 155-pound champ Charles Oliveira.
At last weekend's PPV, Poirier secured a second victory over Conor McGregor in 2021. Although the fight ended in a doctor stoppage following a gruesome broken leg for the Irishman, 'The Diamond' was dominant throughout the round and looked close to a ground and pound stoppage. Considering he arguably won McGregor's strongest five minutes 10-8, it's hard to imagine McGregor would have found a way to have his arm raised if the fight had entered the second round. It's clear Poirier is one of the best lightweights in the world and he'll look to win UFC gold when he returns to the octagon.
But in his way will be Charles Oliveira. The Brazilian finally reached the top after over a decade of octagon walks when he finished Michael Chandler in the second round of their UFC 262 headliner. Having pulled off a comeback against the relative UFC newcomer, Oliveira is now expected to face a 26-fight promotional veteran who is the #1-ranked lightweight in the promotion for his first title defense.
Dana White has confirmed the bout is next, the fans want the fight to be next, and the fighters say they're looking forward to meeting each other inside the octagon. There's nothing left for us to do other than to wait for official confirmation of a date and eagerly await the night when the pair will finally stand face to face.
