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The UFC's latest Fight Night event went down last night, and while the show was low on name value, there were plenty of fun scraps to enjoy.
So following the events of last night, what's next for the stars of UFC Fight Night: Amanda Ribas vs. Rose Namajunas? With former champions and high-end prospects to consider, this one might take a bit of work for the promotion's matchmakers.
Here, then, are five fights to make following UFC Fight Night: Amanda Ribas vs. Rose Namajunas.
#5. UFC featherweight bout: Julian Erosa vs. Fernando Padilla
Two of last night's big winners were featherweights Julian Erosa and Fernando Padilla.
Erosa picked up a thrilling come-from-behind submission victory over Ricardo Ramos, while Padilla was basically flawless in his win over Luis Pajuelo. His brabo choke submission was enough to earn him a $50k bonus.
Padilla clearly has a high opinion of himself, as he was quick to declare himself the "Mexican Jon Jones" after his win. He's perhaps not ready for a top-level opponent yet, but a fight with Erosa could be perfect.
'Juicy J' has too many losses in the octagon to his name to truly become a UFC title contender, but he's one of the best gatekeepers in the division. More to the point, he never fails to deliver an exciting fight.
Erosa would be certain to test Padilla and his rangy, languid style, and a fight between the two would be unlikely to go the distance. Therefore, it'd be perfect main card fare for a future Fight Night event.
#4. UFC middleweight bout: Edmen Shahbazyan vs. Rodolfo Vieira
Middleweight Edmen Shahbazyan got his UFC career back on track last night by stopping AJ Dobson in the first round.
It wasn't a perfect showing for 'The Golden Boy', who was stunned early on, but he showed poise and toughness to remain in the fight, as well as his trademark killer instinct to put Dobson away.
It's probably too early to push Shahbazyan against a ranked opponent again, but equally, there's no point in matching the 26-year-old with a pushover, either.
Therefore, a good test for him could be Rodolfo Vieira. The legendary grappler was last seen in February, submitting kickboxer Armen Petrosyan and setting a UFC record for the most arm-triangle choke submission wins in the process.
'The Black Belt Hunter' would definitely have the ability to take out Shahbazyan on the ground, but if 'The Golden Boy' could keep the fight standing, it ought to be his.
Therefore, it'd be an excellent test of Shahbazyan's overall skills, as well as a chance to pick up a win over a highly regarded veteran - making it a very worthy fight.
#3. UFC bantamweight bout: Payton Talbott vs. Brian Kelleher
Arguably the most impressive showing last night came from bantamweight prospect Payton Talbott. He showed striking skills reminiscent of current 135-pound champion Sean O'Malley in his one-sided TKO win over Cameron Saaiman.
Talbott looked so good in last night's bout that it'd be very easy - and very tempting - for the UFC to rush him and push him into a fight with a top 15 contender.
However, the bantamweight division is remarkably loaded right now, and to push a fighter with just two UFC wins so quickly would be a needless risk.
Instead, the promotion ought to let Talbott build himself up slowly - as they did with O'Malley - and so a fair opponent might be Brian Kelleher.
Sure, 'Boom' has lost his last three fights, but two of those fighters are now ranked in the top 15. When he's not been fighting high-level foes, Kelleher has tended to win.
Therefore, if Talbott could defeat a dangerous veteran like this, it would not only bode well for his future, it'd also put him in company with the likes of Umar Nurmagomedov and Cody Garbrandt, which wouldn't be a bad spot to be in.
#2. UFC flyweight bout: Amanda Ribas vs. Natalia Silva
Ranked in the top 15 of both the flyweight and strawweight divisions, Amanda Ribas came up short last night against a former UFC champion in Rose Namajunas.
It wasn't a performance for the Brazilian to be ashamed of, though. She arguably landed some of the better strikes on the feet, and realistically, 'Thug Rose' is one of the greatest female fighters in MMA history.
Therefore, Ribas remains a very viable contender at 125 pounds, assuming she's going to stay there.
If she is, one potentially good opponent for her could be Natalia Silva. Ranked one spot above Ribas at No.7, the Brazilian is unbeaten in the octagon at 7-0 and appears to have skills in all areas.
Thus far at least, though, Silva appears to be more of a striking-based fighter, meaning that her style could mesh well with that of Ribas. Regardless of the winner in this fight, a legit title threat would emerge, meaning the promotion should book it, particularly if they plan to go to Brazil later this year.
#1. UFC flyweight bout: Rose Namajunas vs. Maycee Barber
While Rose Namajunas didn't get the finish she'd have been looking for last night, she did pick up her first win since 2021 by outpointing the tough Amanda Ribas over five rounds.
It wasn't quite a vintage showing for 'Thug Rose', who ate some solid shots on the feet, but she showed off her underrated grappling game to largely ground and control the Brazilian for a clear-cut win.
As a former UFC titleholder at 115 pounds, Namajunas is probably not too far away from a title shot at 125 pounds. Therefore, she needs a high-end opponent next.
The perfect opponent, then, could be No.4 ranked Maycee Barber.
'The Future' has climbed into title contention off the back of six straight wins. She most recently defeated former title challenger Katlyn Cerminara, and even stopped Ribas violently last year.
More importantly, it seems to be a fight that interests 'Thug Rose', who labeled Barber a "savage" and said she'd gladly fight her when asked in last night's post-fight press conference.
With that in mind, the UFC ought to go for it, and have this intriguing bout headline a Fight Night in the summer.
