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#4. Bryce Mitchell closing in on a UFC featherweight title shot
Bryce Mitchell was undoubtedly one of the bright spots at UFC 272. He defeated Edson Barboza in dominant fashion to remain unbeaten in his MMA career. It was a one-sided fight, which was evident in the judges’ scorecards. They scored it 30-25, 20-26, and 20-27 in favor of Mitchell, who will definitely ascend the featherweight rankings.
‘Thug Nasty’ improved to 15-0 and could be closing in on a title shot. Looking at the featherweight division, current champion Alexander Volkanovski already has two wins over top contender Max Holloway. He followed that up with a successful title defense against former title challenger Brian Ortega.
Volkanovski is scheduled to defend against Chan Sung Jung next, so Mitchell could benefit from the timing of the bout. Depending on what transpires, ‘Thug Nasty’ getting the next title shot shouldn’t be ruled out.
#3. Kevin Holland is a great fit in the UFC’s welterweight division
Kevin Holland’s performance against Alex Oliveira proved he’s a great fit in the UFC’s welterweight division. It was a statement win as he finished ‘Cowboy’ by second-round TKO and earned a Performance of the Night bonus.
Although it was his first welterweight bout in the promotion, he has competed at 170lbs in the past. In fact, he split time competing at middleweight and welterweight from 2015 to 2017. Holland joining the ranks at welterweight opens the possibility for many intriguing fights. He's very charismatic and an entertaining fighter to watch inside the octagon.
‘Trailblazer’ bounced back after a difficult 2021, which saw him go 0-2-1 at middleweight after winning five straight fights in 2020. Perhaps with his track record, the promotion could fast track him up the ranks and match him up with top-10 welterweights.
