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#4. Gonzalez vs. Aviv Gozali
Based on Chris Gonzalez’s record, Aviv Gozali would be a logical choice of opponent. He’s an exciting prospect who made his professional debut at Bellator 209. Even during his first professional loss against Bobby King, he was dangerous throughout. Whenever Gozali was dropped, he constantly stayed active and attempted submissions. This resulted in King being more cautious when committing to offense on the ground.
‘The King’ has an MMA record of 6-1, with all his wins coming via submission. His submission skills make him a threat in the lightweight division and could see him ascend the rankings quicker than others. He hasn’t been one to waste any time either. Gozali is yet to fight past the first round. His longest bout was his most recent loss, which ended following the conclusion of the first round.
‘CG’ would have a striking advantage. However, his wrestling and 'The King's' grappling ability could lead to the fight being contested on the ground. Since Gozali is the No.10-ranked lightweight, a win would help Gonzalez get into the top-10.
#3. Gonzalez vs. Islam Mamedov
After his recent loss to former UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson, a bout between Islam Mamedov and Gonzalez could be realistic.
The loss was significant as it was the 33-year-old Russian’s first since 2009. Before the loss, he was viewed as a rising contender and could’ve earned a title shot had he won. A bout between the two would be very intriguing as they share similarities in their training camps. Both have UFC Hall of Famers playing a pivotal role in their development as fighters.
Mamedov has evolved under the tutelage of former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. He has imposed his will on his opponents and is part of a camp that includes Usman Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhatchev. A win would allow Mamedov to maintain his ranking or possibly move up depending on how impressive his performance is.
