Sean Brady, UFC London ceremonial weigh-in Credit score: Patrick McCorry/Cageside Press
UFC London was a card that gave us solutions to some vital questions. We had two former champions preventing to maintain their spot on the high of their respective divisions in Leon Edwards and Jan Blachowicz. We additionally had Kevin Holland making a comeback to the welterweight division after two uninspiring performances at middleweight. Let’s have a look at what ought to be subsequent for the fighters that bought their arms raised on the O2.
Sean Brady
UFC London was by far Brady’s most spectacular efficiency to date. He, for essentially the most half, fully shutout the primary ranked Edwards and have become the primary fighter to complete him. This was his popping out celebration.
As spectacular as this exhibiting was, I doubt it was sufficient for Brady to safe a title shot given the lay of the land at welterweight. Belal Muhammad is about to face Jack Della Maddalena in Could with Shavkat Rakhmonov being subsequent in line. And may Muhammad lose, Islam Makhachev might enter the image as effectively. There are just too many shifting elements forward of Brady to really feel assured slotting him as the following title challenger.
Kamaru Usman and Ian Machado Garry can be advantageous choices, however I like the concept of these two preventing one another. For that motive, I’d have Brady preventing Joaquin Buckley in a title eliminator.
Brady’s subsequent battle: Joaquin Buckley
Carlos Ulberg
The 34-year-old Ulberg stored his successful streak alive at UFC London, pushing it to eight. He’s now tied for the second-longest lively win streak amongst non-champions with Khamzat Chimaev, solely behind Movsar Evloev (#9).
Not in contrast to Brady, this was one of the best scalp of Ulberg’s profession, however it merely received’t be sufficient to safe a title shot. With Magomed Ankalaev and Alex Pereira clearly on a path in the direction of a rematch within the second half of the 12 months, there’s no query that Ulberg must battle once more, if just for exercise’s sake.
At this stage, a battle with Jiri Prochazka virtually books itself. Certain, there’s a battle between Jamahal Hill and Khalil Rountree Jr. that might produce a possible opponent, however each Hill and Rountree look like behind Prochazka within the choosing order.
Ulberg’s subsequent battle: Jiri Prochazka
Kevin Holland
Not that he needed to fear about job safety, however this was in all probability as near a should win situation as Holland has been in since initially dropping to welterweight in 2022. He had all the time seemed like an improved model of himself when making the minimize to 170 kilos that it was unusual to see him transfer again as much as middleweight and settle for fights in opposition to stronger grapplers.
This time round, Holland seemed much less fascinated by placing on a present and having amusing along with his opponent and extra targeted on leaving London with a W. He was preventing a grappler as soon as once more, however he’s evidently harder to take care of at welterweight than on the weight class above.
Holland mentioned that for a battle at welterweight, he’d need to come again in July, however he wouldn’t be against preventing a striker at middleweight anytime. Earlier than accepting Roman Dolidze as a substitute final October, Holland was initially booked in opposition to Chris Curtis. After shedding his final battle in January, Curtis hinted at probably making the minimize to 170 kilos himself. Curtis is a small middleweight who has by no means tried a single takedown within the UFC. He completely matches the fashion of opponent that Holland is looking for. At 170 or at 185, Kevin Holland vs Chris Curtis ought to be re-booked.
Holland’s subsequent battle: Chris Curtis
Alexia Thainara
After incomes her UFC contract on the final season of the Contender Collection, Alexia Thainara accepted her battle at UFC London on quick discover, making her debut abroad. She bought the first-round submission win in opposition to the group favorite Molly McCann, retiring her within the course of.
Hopefully for Thainara, her second battle will probably be underneath extra typical circumstances. Any unranked identify at strawweight can be a advantageous choice. I finally landed on Ariane Carnelossi, a veteran who ought to provide a little bit extra resistance.
Thainara’s subsequent battle: Ariane Carnelossi
Chris Duncan
Regardless of solely closing because the betting favorite as soon as, the Scot moved to 4-1 within the promotion at UFC London after getting his second consecutive guillotine end. This was the third straight bout the place Duncan got here in because the underdog in opposition to a youthful prospect. After passing his final two exams, he deserves a battle in opposition to somebody on an analogous trajectory as he’s.
Light-weight is such a deep division that there is no such thing as a scarcity of enjoyable choices for Duncan, however I picked somebody who not solely shares his first identify, but in addition bought his hand raised on Saturday. Chris “Taco” Padilla joined the UFC final 12 months and has received all three of his fights since. Let’s e-book them in opposition to one another and see which Chris can maintain climbing the light-weight ladder.
Duncan’s subsequent battle: Chris Padilla
Nathaniel Wooden
Nathaniel Wooden took an almost two-year hiatus after shedding to Casey Kenney in 2020. He got here again as a featherweight and has gone 5-1 since, with the only loss not with out controversy. He completely defeated one other extremely regarded participant at 145 in Morgan Charrière. With this win, I feel Wooden has earned the possibility at somebody who’s each identified by the followers and nearer to the rankings.
After a tough 2024, Billy Quarantillo must show he nonetheless deserves to be within the combine in that tier of fighters hovering simply exterior the rankings. He bought knocked out viciously by Cub Swanson in mid-December, so accounting for some much-needed break day, his timeline ought to theoretically align with Wooden’s for a return within the second half of the summer time.
Wooden’s subsequent battle: Billy Quarantillo
