Matches to Make After UFC Fight Night 228

The Ultimate Fighting Championship's latest fight night offering featured a clash of skilled contenders in the lightweight division. On one end was fearsome striker Rafael Fiziev. After being knocked out in his UFC debut back in 2019, he had rattled off six impressive victories in a row, including highlight-reel knockouts of Renato Carneiro, Brad Riddell and former champion Rafael dos Anjos. He was even the big favorite in a showdown against former interim champion Justin Gaethje, but Gaethje showed he had plenty left in the tank, winning a majority decision. Still, at 30 years old, Fiziev's days of being a contender are far from over.

His opponent was the superlatively technical and well-rounded Mateusz Gamrot. After also losing his UFC debut via split decision to Guram Kutateladze, Gamrot reeled off four huge wins, including stoppages of Jeremy Stephens and Diego Ferreira, and a huge upset against Arman Tsarukyan by decision. Gamrot was then upset himself by Beneil Dariush via judges' verdict, but he bounced back to beat the incredibly dangerous 6' 3” walking mismatch Jalin Turner through a split decision.

After a thrilling first round won by Fiziev, matters ended very suddenly in the second. Fiziev went for a vicious front kick to the body that Gamrot blocked hard, and Fiziev crumpled to the canvas in pain. At first, it appeared that he had injured the foot he was kicking with, but it appeared to be the knee of his other, planted foot. Regardless, Gamrot won by a TKO due to an injury at 2:03 of the second round.

In the UFC Fight Night 228 co-main, Bryce Mitchell sought to get back on track against Dan Ige. After beginning his career an awesome 14-0, including 6-0 in the UFC, Mitchell was brutally crushed by fellow undefeated prospect Ilia Topuria late last year, who capped the beating with a second-round submission. Ige was also on the comeback trail. After having lost three fights in a row in one-sided fashion to Chan Sun Jung, Josh Emmett and Movsar Evloev, Ige bounced back with a knockout of Damon Jackson and a thrilling decision win over Nate Landwehr. It ended up being a very close affair, with Ige working his far superior striking and Mitchell his much better grappling. Ige clearly won the opening round, Mitchell dominated the final frame, and the second could feasibly go to either man. That wasn't reflected in the scoring, as Mitchell took the unanimous decision by 29-28, 29-28, and a bizarre 30-27 tally that should probably be investigated.

Elsewhere, we saw a battle of veteran strawweight contenders as vicious striker Marina Rodriguez faced the well-rounded Michelle Waterson-Gomez. The 36 year-old Brazilian beat her 37 year-old opponent from pillar to post across the entire fight, nearly knocking her out in the opening frame before the punishment was mercifully halted midway through the second stanza. This snaps a two-fight skid for Rodriguez.

Here are several exciting bouts that suggest themselves in the future:

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Mateusz Gamrot vs. Dustin Poirier

The No. 7 ranked Gamrot just decisively defeated No. 6 Fiziev. Of the Top 5 contenders that are available, the most intriguing foe is Dustin Poirier. How will the highly technical and skilled Gamrot stack up with the more dynamic, powerful Poirier in the striking, or for that matter, the grappling? I love battles pitting technique versus power, and this one is especially good, as it's not confined to just the standup, but will likely see clinch-work, wrestling and grappling on the ground. If Gamrot wins, he may be in line for a title shot soon, while a victory would revitalize Poirier, who needs a big win after being knocked out by Gaethje. This could also be a worthy co-main on a pay-per-view or headline any fight night card it's on.

Bryce Mitchell vs. Giga Chikadze

No. 10 Mitchell won a very close victory over No. 12 Ige, but it's clear that his striking is still very lacking. With that in mind, why not book an exciting contrast in styles against No. 8 Giga Chikadze? Chikadze will obviously want to keep the fight standing at all costs while Mitchell will desperately want to take matters to the ground. Regardless of who triumphs, we will see fireworks and there is a high chance of a finish. It will also tell us a lot about the 35 year-old Chikadze's defensive grappling and whether he merits another shot at an elite contender. Additionally, it's a winnable match-up for Mitchell as he continues to improve as a mixed martial artist.

Marina Rodriguez vs. Tabatha Ricci

Most of the contenders ranked ahead of No. 8 ranked Rodriguez are either recent matchups for her or else already scheduled to face other opponents. This is even true of several fighters ranked below her, as both an entertaining bout against No. 9 Luana Pinhiero or a fun rematch against No. 10 Amanda Ribas isn't possible, as they're scheduled to face one another. However, No. 11 Ricci would be a good opponent. For one, this will tell us a lot about the 28 year-old Ricci, who is a perfect 4-0 at strawweight since being knocked out by Manon Fiorot at flyweight in her UFC debut. Can Ricci defeat an elite gatekeeper like Rodriguez and challenge for the divisional championship? If she can't, this will be a solid win for Rodriguez and possibly get her one last crack at a Top 5 opponent. Furthermore, this will be an exciting striker versus grappler match-up, as neither Brazilian is remotely tentative, and both will be working hard for a finish. There is also an amusing height disparity, rare at female strawweight, as the powerfully built, 5’1” Ricci will tangle with the wiry 5’6” Rodriguez.