5 fights that could be next for Josh Emmett

Josh Emmett scored the biggest win of his career last weekend when he defeated Calvin Kattar via split decision at UFC Austin. In his post-fight interview, he called for a title shot, and while he may not get that opportunity right away, he will definitely receive a big-time fight for his next bout.

Emmett has beaten the likes of Shane Burgos and Dan Ige, but Calvin Kattar is definitely the biggest name he's defeated. The result was incredibly close, with the judges scoring opposite each other in multiple rounds. While some of the MMA community have disagreed with the decision, ultimately Emmett's forward pressure earned him the victory.

Emmett is now in the top five in the division, having moved up to number four in the rankings on the back of his victory. The four men above him are all scheduled to face each other in the coming weeks, making it difficult to predict who he will fight in his next bout.

Here are five fights that could be next for Josh Emmett:

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#5. Josh Emmett vs. Alexander Volkanovski

Alexander Volkanovski has a record of 24-1

As mentioned above, Josh Emmett called for a title shot after his win last weekend. The current champion is Alexander Volkanovski, so it may come as a surprise that this fight does not rank higher on this list. In truth, there is likely not enough demand to see this fight for the UFC to make it next.

Volkanovski will defend his title against Max Holloway on July 2. If he wins that fight, he will further his argument as one of the most dominant champions in the UFC. Were this the case, he would likely be more interested in taking on a bigger name like Yair Rodriguez, or perhaps even moving up to lightweight, rather than facing Emmett.

So the more likely path to this match-up is a Volkanovski loss leading to an interim title fight, or Emmett stepping in for an injured Holloway on July 2. Given that neither of these seem particularly likely, don't expect Emmett's next opponent to be the current champion.

#4. Josh Emmett vs. Yair Rodríguez

Yair Rodríguez has a record of 13-3 (1 NC)

Josh Emmett is now just one spot below Yair Rodríguez in the UFC featherweight rankings. With both men vying for a championship opportunity, you might think these men squaring off would be a logical next step. However, it still feels a little unlikely at the moment.

Rodríguez will face Brian Ortega on July 16 in a big-time, top-five clash in the division. Should Rodriguez win and Volkanovski defend against Holloway, the Mexican fighter would likely secure the next title shot. However, if Volkanovski were to move up to 155 pounds, a fight with Emmett would then make sense.

With Volkanovski increasingly vocal about wanting to test himself at lightweight, that could very well be the scenario the weight class ends up in. However, given that Rodríguez would have to win and all the other factors that would have to fall into place, it's not very likely that he will be Emmett's next opponent.

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#3. Josh Emmett vs. Brian Ortega

Brian Ortega has a record of 15-2 (1 NC)

Next up is the man who will face Yair Rodríguez in Long Island. Brian Ortega is in a largely similar position in the featherweight division to Rodríguez, although the former is currently the favorite to win. That factor alone explains why it seems slightly more likely that Ortega could be Emmett's next opponent.

On top of that reasoning, Ortega recently took on Volkanvoski in a fight of the year contender at UFC 266. He also suffered a fairly one-sided loss to Max Holloway somewhat recently, meaning he may not be in line for a title shot with a win. This significantly increases his chances of facing Emmett following an Ortega victory.

Obviously there are still a number of variables at play here, and a loss for Ortega on July 16 would ensure the Emmett fight would likely not be next. With a number of things needing to fall in place for this match-up to happen, it again seems somewhat unlikely that Emmett will fight Ortega next.

#2. Josh Emmett vs. Max Holloway

Max Holloway has a record of 23-6

If Josh Emmett is to get a featherweight title opportunity in his next bout, it would likely be against Max Holloway. While Holloway is an underdog going into his third fight with Volkanovski, should he win, Emmett would make plenty of sense as his next opponent.

For one, at present Emmett vs. Holloway seems like a more intriguing match-up than an Emmett vs. Volkanovski contest. Holloway is also such a superstar that the UFC can afford to pit him against a smaller name like Emmett. There is even the potential for these two to square off, should 'Blessed' lose his upcoming title fight.

This fight is still not the most likely match-up for Emmett in his next bout; however, there are a number of scenarios that could get us to this point. While it's tough to predict how the featherweight division will look in a few weeks' time, it could play out that this bout will end up being the one to make.

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#1. Josh Emmett vs. Arnold Allen

Arnold Allen has a record of 18-1

Arnold Allen is the only man on this list not scheduled to compete in the next few weeks. That is one reason why this fight seems likely, as you can guarantee it will be a logical option regardless of how the next few 145 lb fights play out. The No.7-ranked Allen has won 11 in a row, six more than the No.4-ranked Emmett.

With both men on incredible runs and neither being the biggest name, this could be the perfect match-up to book. The UFC would potentially create a number one contender fight with the two fighters, which would elevate the winner to the point where a title fight made sense.

Emmett and Allen are both right on the cusp of a championship opportunity, so having the two men face off seems like the best option. It is a fight that would benefit both men, and it doesn't depend on future outcomes in the division. For those reasons, Emmett vs. Allen could very well be next.