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In front of the largest crowd in UFC history at Melbourne, Australia, the Nigerian-born Kiwi superstar Israel Adesanya successfully unified the UFC Middleweight Championship of the world, defeating The Reaper Robert Whittaker decisively with a second-round knockout.
With The Last Stylebender now being the king of the 185-pound division, it opens up many different possible match-ups. The division hasn't been this exciting since Chris Weidman and Luke Rockhold were at their best, but with many Middleweights moving up to Light Heavyweight, it's clear that the division has been injected with fresh blood and many new potential exciting match-ups.
From rising superstars to emerging contenders and former UFC champions, the entire mix in the division makes it one of the most exciting in the UFC today and as we know, the organization doesn't hold back when it comes to giving the best possible match-ups. Here are the five-best match-ups that they can make in the 185-lb weight division right now.
#5 Jack Hermansson vs Yoel Romero
Yoel Romero and Jack Hemansson are both coming off huge defeats. Hermansson would have surely secured a title shot had he beaten Jared Cannonier at Cophenhagen, but the dark horse of the division, Cannonier ended up knocking him out in the second-round.
Romero's defeat wasn't as brutal, but it was clear that he was outpointed by rising contender Paulo Costa. Nothing wrong with that since both of the victorious men were simply on top of their game, but as of now, with Romero's jump to Light Heavyweight still uncertain, a fight against Hermansson would be good for a comeback.
One would think that Romero would be the easy favorite in this one, but Hermansson is a tough cookie and can likely stand toe-to-toe with The Soldier of God Yoel Romero.
#4 Darren Till vs Derk Brunson
It's a bit surprising that UFC decided to throw Darren Till to the wolves right away. He's currently on a two-fight losing streak and is set to face the man who took Israel Adesanya to his very limit - Kelvin Gastelum.
For many, Gastelum is a stylistic nightmare and in all likeliness, could walk out with the win. If that is the case, the Till should have a step down in competition and face the likes of Derek Brunson. Either way, it'll be an interesting stylistic match-up and Till could likely knock Brunson out. Even for 185-lbs, Till is a big Middleweight. This may play in his favor against Gastelum.
#3 Jared Cannonier vs Yoel Romero
As mentioned, Jared Cannonier is the true dark horse of the Middleweight division. Having fought in two divisions higher, he possesses the power and skill to be a legitimate title challenger.
The best possible challenge would be to put him up against the scariest gatekeeper in the world, Yoel Romero. It's clear that Cannonier is on a roll and he could be the man to knock Romero out cold. If he does, there's nothing but a title shot that awaits him.
#2 Robert Whittaker vs Jared Cannonier
The best possible match-up for Robert Whittaker following his loss is probably Jared Cannonier. Whittaker is ranked #1 right now and is coming off a devastating loss. He stated on his podcast Grange TV that he is planning to get back to the Octagon around February or March next year.
When he does return, Cannonier is the perfect match-up for him. Stylistically, it's going to be quite a challenge for Whittaker, but the Australian former champion is no stranger to adversity. It will be the perfect fight for him to refine his striking skills and come up with a great gameplan.
For Cannonier, it's the perfect opportunity to get one over the former champion and raise his stock.
#1 Israel Adesanya vs Paulo Costa
This is a fight that looks to virtually guarantee a knockout. Israel Adesanya and Paulo Costa hate each other's guts and have consistently been that way for the last year or so. Their animosity was only fueled when Adesanya called Costa out following his title victory and this is the fight that we're going to get.
It's an exciting match-up and one that we can't wait to see. It's going to be about the brains of Israel Adesanya vs the Brauns and toughness of Paulo Costa. While people will expect Adesanya to tire Costa out and pick him apart, all it takes is one punch from Borrachinha to put The Last Stylebender out.
