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On paper, UFC 291 looked like potentially one of the best shows of 2023, and in execution it almost definitely lived up to the hype.
With a number of the year’s most memorable fights and finishes, UFC 291 was a fantastic event, but where should its fighters go from here?
Thankfully, for some of the bigger names on last night’s card, the path for the future is probably quite clear.
Here are five fights to make following UFC 291: Dustin Poirier vs. Justin Gaethje 2.
#5. UFC lightweight bout: Dustin Poirier vs. Beneil Dariush
Dustin Poirier was probably UFC 291’s biggest loser, as he suffered his first knockout defeat since 2016 when he found himself left unconscious by a Justin Gaethje head kick.
‘The Diamond’ remains one of the best lightweights on the planet, but if he wants to stick around at 155lbs, the list of potential opponents for him is relatively small. This is largely because he’s already fought most of the top fighters in the division.
One man he hasn’t fought yet is Beneil Dariush, who remains ranked at No.4 in the rankings despite his recent loss to Charles Oliveira.
Granted, Dariush isn’t the biggest name in the division, which may put Poirier off a bout with him, but in reality, there aren’t many other opponents who make sense for ‘The Diamond’ right now.
A clash with Dariush could easily headline a smaller show or co-headline a major pay-per-view, and it also makes sense from a rankings perspective. Therefore, what’s not to love?
#4. UFC welterweight bout: Kevin Holland vs. Gilbert Burns
The fighter who took the biggest leap forward last night was probably Kevin Holland. He looked fantastic in dispatching Michael Chiesa via submission in the first round, and it seems likely that he’ll wind up in the top fifteen at 170lbs next week.
There has been some mention of ‘The Trailblazer’ moving back to 185lbs, but realistically, that wouldn’t make sense. He’s far better off at 170lbs and appears to be a genuine title threat there, too.
With that in mind, a good match for him could be No.5 ranked Gilbert Burns.
‘Durinho’ is coming off a loss to Belal Muhammad, but with bricks for fists and a world-class grappling game, he remains one of the most dangerous welterweights on the roster.
Could Holland’s length, striking power and unorthodox style give the Brazilian problems, though? It’d definitely be a possibility, and if ‘The Trailblazer’ could win, he’d definitely be a title contender.
Overall, this clash could easily headline a Fight Night show in the near future.
#3. UFC heavyweight bout: Derrick Lewis vs. Tom Aspinall
Derrick Lewis broke a long losing streak last night, and he didn’t need too long to do it, either. He took just 33 seconds to dispatch Marcos Rogerio de Lima, and while his win won’t elevate him back into contention, he should still be considered a dangerous opponent for anyone at heavyweight.
Given his star status with the fans, ‘The Black Beast’ should probably be positioned against a high-level foe, and so one opponent who could make sense is Tom Aspinall.
The UK-based star turned the lights out on Marcin Tybura last weekend, and looked every inch the future title contender. However, given that champ Jon Jones isn’t set to fight Stipe Miocic until later this year, Aspinall may be forced to fight again.
Lewis is a limited fighter, but he’s also highly dangerous, and he’s fought for the title twice before. Therefore, while he’s ranked below Aspinall, he’d still be a potentially valuable win for the Liverpool native.
If the UFC is to return to Europe later this year for a Fight Night event, this could be the perfect headliner.
#2. UFC light-heavyweight title: Alex Pereira vs. Jiri Prochazka
While he was unable to knock Jan Blachowicz out, Alex Pereira still made a big splash in his debut at 205lbs, claiming a split decision win over the former UFC champion after two strong final rounds.
Whether ‘Poatan’ has the overall skills to become a titleholder at 205lbs remains to be seen, but the fact is that right now, due to the injury suffered by Jamahal Hill, the title picture in the division is very uncertain.
Given the name value he has thanks to his rivalry with Israel Adesanya, then, it’s highly likely that Pereira will be part of the next fight for the now-vacant light-heavyweight title.
The only opponent who would make sense is Jiri Prochazka, who defeated Pereira’s mentor Glover Teixeira for the title before vacating due to injury in 2022.
Overall, not only would Pereira vs. Prochazka be a fantastic fight, it’d draw the interest of most UFC fans too – meaning that the bout ought to be made as soon as possible, perhaps even for later this year.
#1. UFC lightweight title: Islam Makhachev or Charles Oliveira vs. Justin Gaethje
Justin Gaethje’s head kick knockout of Dustin Poirier last night not only made him the UFC’s new BMF champion, but it was also arguably the biggest win of his career, too. He avenged his earlier loss to ‘The Diamond’, and he did it in style.
Therefore, the only fight that makes sense for him next is a fight with the UFC lightweight champion, whether that’s Islam Makhachev or Charles Oliveira.
Realistically, the better fight would be against the former. Gaethje’s brutal striking and takedown defense would make him a tricky match for Makhachev, while we’ve already seen him fight Oliveira once before.
However, that bout against ‘Do Bronx’ was fantastic, and a rematch would give Gaethje a chance to avenge another loss, making it worthwhile too.
Makhachev and Oliveira have their clash in October, but while fighting the winner would mean a long layoff for ‘The Highlight’, he’s almost certainly earned it.
Essentially, then, it should be a title shot or nothing for arguably the UFC’s most exciting fighter.
