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Thiago Santos suffered a unanimous decision defeat to Magomed Ankalaev on Saturday. While he had won his most recent bout prior, he is now on a 1-4 run and will be looking to bounce back in his next fight. It will be interesting to see where the 38-year-old former title challenger goes from here.
Santos will remain a ranked fighter and proved he can still beat other top 15 fighters in his recent win over Johnny Walker. On his day, Santos can be as good as anyone in the division as we saw when he fought Jon Jones to a split decision defeat back in 2019.
With that being said, his recent performances have not been up to that level and he will likely face a lower-ranked opponent in his next bout because of that. Here are five fights for Thiago Santos after UFC Vegas 50:
#5. Thiago Santos vs. Volkan Oezdemir
Volkan Oezdemir is in many ways the forgotten man of the UFC light heavyweight division. He fought for the title back in 2018 and and has defeated the likes of Aleksandar Rakic since then, but he is now on a two-fight losing streak. He's also been fairly inactive recently, fighting just twice in the last two years.
This has put Oezdemir in somewhat of a similar position to Santos. Both are clearly incredible fighters on their day but haven't fought to their potential for a little while now. Due to this, now could be the perfect time to match these fighters up, if for no other reason but to create some room in the division.
The two fighters have occupied a top 10 spot in the rankings for years but haven't shown they are deserving of that spot for some time. This match-up would allow the UFC to see who may still have another run in them and who needs a more significant drop down in the level of competition.
#4. Thiago Santos vs. Paul Craig
Thiago Santos might be a suitable reward for Paul Craig if he is able to get by Nikita Krylov this weekend. Craig would then be on a six-fight undefeated streak and would only need a few big-name wins to break into the title picture. Santos, an established contender and former title challenger, would certainly fit that bill.
Craig looked sensational recently and earned a first-round TKO win over Jamahal Hill in his last fight, which has already aged very nicely. With that being said, he hasn't been particularly active, having fought just once since the start of 2021. It will therefore be great to see him return to action this weekend.
Craig will likely break into the division's top 10 with a win on Saturday. Santos will likely drop out of the top five following his loss and so the two could well meet somewhere in the middle. This will be a fun fight and an appropriate bout for both fighters, provided the Scot doesn't slip up before then.
#3. Thiago Santos vs. Dominick Reyes
Thiago Santos and Dominick Reyes are the last two fighters to have faced former light heavyweight champion Jon Jones. Both Santos and Reyes came very close to pulling off the upset and cemented their status as elite light heavyweights in those fights. However, neither man has looked like the same fighter since.
Santos has gone 1-3 and Reyes is 0-2 since each man took on Jon Jones. This is peculiar as you might have expected them to thrive when the former champion relinquished the belt and left the division. Instead, they have struggled and now seems to be the time to find out which fighter deserves to remain in the top 10.
This fight would give each man the opportunity to break free from their respective post Jon Jones slumps. The winner will be right back around the top five in the division. For the loser, it will be time to re-build somewhat and likely take on opponents towards the bottom of the rankings.
#2. Thiago Santos vs. Paulo Costa
Should Thiago Santos be the man to welcome Paulo Costa to the light heavyweight division? He certainly seems to be the leading candidate when everything is considered. Were Costa to win, he would instantly be a player at 205 lbs, while he would also not lose too much stock if he lost to the former title challenger.
Costa is yet to officially compete at light heavyweight but missed weight dramatically in his most recent bout with Marvin Vettori. As a result, Dana White announced that the Brazilian would have to move up a division. While this is yet to be finalized, let us take him at his word for now.
For Santos, this would give him a big-time fight and a chance to re-find his form against an inexperienced fighter in the weight class. A win would give him a lot of momentum and, given Costa's unknown status at 205 lbs, a loss for either man would not be too damaging.
#1. Thiago Santos vs. Jamahal Hill
Jamahal Hill has gone back-and-forth with Volkan Oezdemir over social media and appears somewhat set on that match-up. However, his current wave of momentum might allow him to take on an even bigger name should he desire. Santos is likely a more high-profile fight and could provide Hill with a more appealing match-up.
Both Santos and Hill have extremely heavy hands and own a track-record of knocking out their opponents. A bout between the pair could therefore be very entertaining and might be the most appropriate fight for Hill as he now enters the top 10.
Santos will have his chance to show that he isn't ready to allow the younger contender to take his spot just yet. If he were to get the win, he'd be right back up there amongst the sport's big names. A loss may also not be too damaging given Hill's current trajectory.
