Joe Silva's Shoes: What's next for UFC 189's winners?

Jose Aldo

UFC 189’s main card will go down as one of the most memorable in company history. All five fights ended via stoppage and included two title fights in which one fighter claimed an interim UFC belt and another defended gold for the first time.

Conor McGregor (18-2 MMA, 6-0 UFC) stopped Chad Mendes (17-3 MMA, 8-3 UFC) with second-round strikes to win the interim featherweight championship, and Robbie Lawler (26-10 MMA, 11-4 UFC) defended his welterweight title with a victory over Rory MacDonald (18-3 MMA, 9-3 UFC).

Both title fights were memorable, as was what took place before them was. Jeremy Stephens (24-11 MMA, 11-10 UFC), Gunnar Nelson (14-1-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) and Thomas Almeida (19-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) all stopped their respective opponents in decisive fashion to earn a notch in the UFC win column.

After every event, fans wonder whom the winners will be matched up with next. And with another night of UFC action in the rearview mirror, it’s time to look forward, put on a pair of Joe Silva and Sean Shelby’s shoes, and play UFC matchmaker.

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Thomas Almeida

Bryan Caraway

Should fight: Winner of Bryan Caraway vs. Eddie Wineland at UFC on FOX 16
Why they should fight: Almeida further solidified his status as one the top bantamweight prospects on the UFC roster when he scored a highlight-reel knockout against well-traveled veteran Brad Pickett.

The Brazilian kept his undefeated record intact when he rebounded from a first round in which he was knocked down twice to finish Pickett with a picture-perfect flying knee in the second.

Almeida has a bright future in the sport. At 23, he shouldn’t be rushed into a title fight. However, he proved against Pickett that he’s prepared for the division’s most formidable competition.

Caraway (19-7 MMA, 4-2 UFC) and Wineland (21-10-1 MMA, 3-4 UFC) are veterans of the organization and have competed in key fights during the division’s young history. Caraway leans toward ground fighting while Wineland prefers to strike. While their styles differ, either would provide a solid test to Almeida, who has shown he can compete in every area.

Gunnar Nelson

Demian Maia

Should fight: Winner of Demian Maia vs. Neil Magny at UFC 190
Why they should fight: Nelson rebounded from the first loss of his career with one of his best performances to date when he stopped welterweight Brandon Thatch with a first-round submission.

Nelson rocked Thatch with a big punch and followed his knockdown with a showcase of his world-renowned grappling ability. He overwhelmed Thatch on the mat until he locked in a fight-ending rear-naked choke for his fourth submission out of five UFC victories.

There’s no doubt “Gunni” has what it takes to be a top welterweight for years to come, and there are plenty of matchups available in the division for him to prove that. One of the most anticipated possibilities, however, is a bout against fellow jiu-jitsu champion Maia (20-6 MMA, 14-6 UFC), who faces Magny (15-3 MMA, 8-2 UFC) at UFC 190 next month.

If Maia can get past Magny, a fight with Nelson could be an intriguing grappling match. If Magny emerges on top, he would have an eight-fight UFC winning streak and would be a more-than-deserving foe for Nelson.

Jeremy Stephens

Tatsuya Kawajiri

Should fight: Tatsuya Kawajiri
Why they should fight: Stephens earned one of the most impressive wins of his UFC career when he stopped featherweight Dennis Bermudez with a third-round flying knee after a back-and-forth battle. Unfortunately, the fact “Lil’ Heathen” missed weight somewhat spoiled the highlight-reel win.

Stephens blamed the weight-cutting fail on a “little mistake” in his preparation, but he made no indication he won’t try again for his next bout. If the troubles continue, he may be forced back to the lightweight division.

Bermudez tweeted after the fight that UFC President Dana White offered him an immediate rematch with Stephens, though there’s been no official word.

Kawajiri (34-8-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) earned arguably the most significant win since he dropped to the featherweight division in 2011 when he edged UFC veteran Dennis Siver by unanimous decision at UFC Fight Night 69 in June.

The 37-year-old has been in the sport since his April 2000. Conventional wisdom would suggest he’s short on time to make a final run to the top, which means Kawajiri needs important matchups, and he needs them immediately.

With the UFC set to travel to Kawajiri’s home country of Japan on Sept. 26, a fight with Stephens could be a cornerstone of the lineup.

Robbie Lawler

Johny Hendricks

Should fight: Johny Hendricks
Why they should fight: Lawler has been flawless in rematches during his career. He continued that trend when he topped MacDonald for a second time with a fifth-round knockout to retain his welterweight title.

After a resurgence to capture UFC gold, Lawler solidified his place as the world’s top 170-pounder with his first successful defense, and he did it in a “Fight of the Year” candidate.

A third Lawler-MacDonald matchup seems more than realistic for the future, but in the present moment, no one other than Hendricks (17-3 MMA, 12-3 UFC) is clearly deserving of a title shot.

Hendricks became the first fighter in UFC history to lose a championship belt via split decision when he dropped the title to Lawler in December. He put the right foot forward on the comeback trail when he defeated Matt Brown in March and has since campaigned hard for a trilogy fight with “Ruthless.”

“Bigg Rigg” is the obvious candidate to challenge the champion. After two razor-thin fights, both will look for a decisive finish.

Conor McGregor

Jose Aldo

Should fight: Jose Aldo
Why they should fight: The most obvious bit of matchmaking on the card stemmed from the main event. McGregor and Aldo (25-1 MMA, 7-0 UFC) will unify the UFC featherweight championship in Las Vegas at a major event in the coming months, likely January.

McGregor and the UFC took a substantial risk by fighting Mendes on short notice. He won, and now the payoff will be monumental because the Aldo grudge match gained even more traction.

While many would have liked to see “The Notorious” and “Scarface” settle the score at UFC 189, an Aldo rib injury forced him off the card and postponed the bout. The McGregor-Aldo matchup is the most meaningful fight the UFC can make from its entire roster. If all goes according to plan, it could be the biggest fight in the promotion’s history.

For more on UFC 189, check out the UFC Events section of the site.