UFC Vegas 29: Matchmaking for Losers on the Main Card

Dhiego Lima

Matt “The Immortal” Brown stayed true to his nickname at UFC Vegas 29, flat-lining Dhiego Lima three minutes into round two. Lima had been piecing Brown up with his lead leg largely compromised due to calf kicks. However, Brown was able to finish the fight with one shot. Now coming off of back-to-back losses, Lima is not set to fight a ranked opponent when he next steps into the octagon. 

One possible opponent for Lima is John Makdessi. Similar to Lima, Makdessi is a veteran of the sport who is coming off of a win against Ignacio Bahamondes back in April. However, the fight to make for Lima is Jake Matthews. Matthews had been riding a three-fight winning streak before getting stopped by Sean Brady in March. Lima vs Matthews presents an intriguing matchup of veterans looking to get closer to the top 15.  

Wellington Turman

Despite having Bruno Silva’s back for much of the first round, Wellington Turman was stopped at UFC Vegas 29 due to some devastating ground and pound from his opponent. Turman is now 1-3 since joining the UFC but will likely get at least one more shot before the promotion cuts him. 

One possible matchup for Turman is Dusko Todorovic. Todorovic came into the UFC as a highly-touted prospect but is 0-2 in 2021. However, the fight to make for Turman is a matchup against Jack Marshman. Marshman has one-punch power but has been struggling as of late, going 1-4 in his previous five fights. Wellington Turman and Jack Marshman could produce a fight of the night.  

Julian Erosa

Seungwoo Choi continued his momentum against Julian Erosa, knocking out his opponent in under two minutes at UFC Vegas 29. Erosa had been coming off back-to-back wins, but a loss against Choi sets him back in terms of his career trajectory. 

The fight to make for Erosa is Youssef Zalal. Zalal started his UFC tenure off great, defeating Austin Lingo, Jordan Griffin, and Peter Barrett in his first three fights. However, Zalal has since gone cold, losing three straight decisions since October. Not to mention, Zalal and Erosa have common opponents of Sean Woodson and Seungwoo Choi. Both fighters are finishers, and this one would be fun to watch. 

Davey Grant

In a bout that earned fight of the night, Davey Grant and Marlon Vera put on a show that resulted in a unanimous decision victory for Vera. Grant had been coming off back-to-back knockout wins but will now have to string together at least one more win to get closer to the top 15 once again. 

The fight to make for Davey Grant should be against Jack Shore. Shore is a 14-0 prospect on the rise at 135 and most recently beat Hunter Azure in April. The UFC is hoping to host an event in England this September, and it would be cool if Grant battled it out with the Welshman Shore on that card. The winner of that entertaining fight would get a step closer to the top 15.

Aleksei Oleinik

Serghei Spivac defeated the veteran Aleksei Oleinik by unanimous decision at UFC Vegas 29, earning a spot in the top 15. The 44-year-old Oleinik has now lost three straight and is outside of the Heavyweight rankings for the first time in over three years. It is possible that Oleinik could either retire or get cut but let’s ponder who he could fight next. 

Andrei Arlovski has been around the sport forever and fought a ton of relevant heavyweight contenders. Considering the amount of experience that each has, it’s crazy that Oleinik and Arlovski have never fought each other. In a bout between a former champion and one of the greatest submission artists of all time, Oleinik and Arlovski would be fun to watch.  

Dan Ige

Following his loss to Brian Ortega last October, Chan Sung Jung largely dominated the fight at UFC Vegas 29. While Dan Ige was able to win the fourth and arguably the first round, the Korean Zombie earned a clear unanimous decision victory. Now, it’s back to the drawing board for Ige, who came in as the number eight ranked featherweight. 

One possible fight for Ige is Bryce Mitchell. Since coming into the UFC, Mitchell has produced several highlight performances, most notably defeating Matt Sayles with a Twister. As the twelfth-ranked Featherweight, this fight would make a ton of sense and possibly even a main event.

However, the fight that makes the most sense for Ige is Giga Chikadze. Since coming into the UFC, Chikadze has beaten everyone in his way, en route to a 6-0 UFC record. After defeating Cub Swanson with a devastating liver kick in May, Chikadze is due for a top ten opponent. Rankings-wise and styles-wise, this fight makes a ton of sense for both sides and should be fun to watch.

What do you think should be next for the UFC Vegas 29 losers? Let us know in the comments below!

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