5 Fights to Make After UFC Vegas 30
written by: Cam Bennett
Shavkat Rakhmonov vs Tim Means
If you don’t know, you better start paying attention! Shavkat Rakhmonov is an absolute killer and that was shown in his 14thwin and finish of his career against Michel Prazeres. Rakhmonov has all the makings of a future title challenger in the welterweight division. I feel like he is a hot prospect, but the UFC has rushed prospects in the past, so I would like to see him have one more fight before he gets a crack at the top 15 of the division. Enter in Tim Means name; Means bested Nicolas Dalby in a unanimous decision on this card as well. Tim is now on a three-fight win streak and would be a nice challenge for Rakhmonov with his veteran status. This would be a great fight with the winner getting a shot at a number next to their name.
Kennedy Nzechukwu vs Jim Crute
Talk about heart and grit, then go ahead and picture Kennedy Nzechukwu. Nzechukwu was faced with early adversity against Danilo Marques and came back with a heavy pace on the feet and finished Marques with a third round tko. Nzechukwu has now improved to 9-1 with his only loss coming to Paul Craig who is #12 in the light-heavyweight rankings. He is now on a three-fight winning streak since that loss to Craig. I feel like Nzechukwu should get another shot at the top 15 and get a matchup with #14 Jim Crute.
Renato Moicano vs Bobby Green
Renato Moicano was able to bounce back this past Saturday night against Jai Herbert with a nice RNC submission to wrap up his night. Moicano is back in the win column after a tough loss to the stud striker in Rafael Fiziev. Moicano is trying to climb back into the groove that he once had down in the featherweight division, and I think a match up with Bobby Green next would be a good one. Green is tough as nails and has a killer striking game, so it would be a very nice matchup between the two who are trying to fight their way into the rankings at 155.
Andre Fili vs Daniel Pineda 2
What was looking like the possible fight of the night ended on a sour note when Pineda could not continue after an Andre Fili eye poke. Fili looked to be closing in on a finish against the tough as nails Pineda before the eye poke early in the second round. It is a very similar situation to the Leon Edwards/BelalMuhammad fight, and we see how that has gone back on forth in the war of words between those two. I feel like it would be best to just reschedule the fight and put a stamp on the outcome with the fight of Fili and Pineda.
Ciryl Gane vs Stipe Miocic
Big, strong, fast, tactical, and a title contender. Ciryl Ganefought his way to a dominant victory over another stud in Alexander Volkov. Gane is a terrifying heavyweight that has a high-level fight IQ, size, beautiful striking, and moves like a middleweight. The heavyweight division has a few people that are chomping at the bit for a shot at the title. It looks like Derrick Lewis will be fighting Francis Ngannou next. Outside of that, Jon Jones is waiting in the wings for his heavyweight debut and a shot at Ngannou as well; then Stipe Miocic, the former king of the division would like another shot and to complete the trilogy with “the Predator.” With that many title contenders, the pack needs to be weeded out, so I propose a title eliminator between Gane & Miocic.
