Joe Silva’s Shoes: What’s next for UFC Fight Night 39’s winners?

UFC Fight Night 39 may have been thin on relevant matchups, but the end result saw several fighters line themselves up for bouts of significance in the near future.

In the UFC Fight Pass-streamed main event at du Arena in Abu Dhabi, Roy Nelson rejoined the win column with a stunning first-round knockout of heavyweight Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. The remainder of the main card featured winning efforts from Clay Guida, Ryan LaFlare and Ramsey Nijem.

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’s (and Sean Shelby’s) shoes, and play UFC matchmaker.

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RAMSEY NIJEM
Should fight: Winner of Sam Stout vs. K.J. Noons at TUF Nations Finale
Why they should fight: After his upset win, Nijem made some bold claims about his plan to strike fear into the lightweight division and win the belt.

While Nijem’s knockout of Beneil Dariush was certainly the best showing of his career, it should be noted he was facing an opponent with just eight professional fights.

If Nijem (9-4 MMA, 5-3 UFC) wants to reach the top, he must defeat proven opposition. The winner of Stout (20-9-1 MMA, 9-8 UFC) vs. Noons (12-7 MMA, 1-1 UFC) at Wednesday’s TUF Nations Finale is just that.

Stout and Noons are more than capable strikers and have enough talent on the ground to hold their own against competent grapplers. That’s the perfect set of skills to test a developing fighter like Nijem.

If “The Ultimate Fighter 13” runner-up can stop either of these veterans like he did Dariush, perhaps his claims of being a future title contender won’t seem so farfetched after all.

RYAN LAFLARE
Should fight: Winner of Thiago Alves vs. Seth Baczynski at UFC on FOX 11
Why they should fight: Although his performance was somewhat overshadowed by an unfortunate second-round groin strike, LaFlare’s victory over John Howard proved he should be included in the conversation when discussing future contenders in a stacked welterweight division.

Four straight UFC victories are hard to come by, but LaFlare has managed to get the job done in convincing fashion every time he’s stepped in the octagon.

With that said, LaFlare has shown some flaws in his striking defense and must prove himself against a crafty striker before he faces the elite of the 170-pound weight class.

LaFlare’s (11-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) body of work thus far is worthy of a fight against a reputable opponent, and the winner of Alves (19-9 MMA, 11-6 UFC) vs. Baczynski (19-10 MMA, 5-3 UFC) at UFC on FOX 11 next weekend fits the bill.

Alves would be the ideal opponent with his dangerous kickboxing and stellar takedown defense, but either man would provide a stern challenge for LaFlare.

CLAY GUIDA
Should fight: Chan Sung Jung
Why they should fight: Guida has created a trend of defeating Asian fighters during his UFC career, as his decision win over Tatsuya Kawajiri added to a list of victims that includes Hatsu Hioki and Takanori Gomi.

While Guida (31-14 MMA, 11-8 UFC) obviously has no malice toward fighters from the region, it would be fun to see him attempt to continue the trend with a match against former 145-pound title challenger Jung (13-4 MMA, 3-1 UFC).

Injuries have prevented “The Korean Zombie” from fighting since his failed bid to capture the title from champ Jose Aldo this past year. If his recovery stays on track, Jung hopes see action before the summer is out.

Guida called for a bout with Conor McGregor following his victory over Kawajiri, but that fight seems unrealistic at this point. Moreover, with 13 fight-night bonuses between Jung and himself, the matchup has all the ingredients of a can’t-miss affair.

ROY NELSON
Should fight: Antonio Silva
Why they should fight: While there are a handful of options for Nelson to fight in the heavyweight division, the primary concern coming out of his UFC Fight Night 39 victory should be the condition of his right hand.

Nelson expressed concerns about a potential break to his most lethal weapon post-fight. If his fears are confirmed, that could mean an unwelcomed break from competition until later this year.

If Nelson (20-9 MMA, 7-5 UFC) is forced to sit out until the fall, the timing could work out perfectly for a bout with Silva (18-5-1 MMA, 2-2-1 UFC), who is currently serving a suspension until September for a failed drug test this past year.

“Big Country” and “Bigfoot” were scheduled to square off once before at UFC 146 in May 2012. If the stars can align, now is the time to rebook the contest.

If the damage to Nelson’s hand doesn’t keep him out of action for long and he wishes to fight before Silva’s return, matchups with Josh Barnett or Mark Hunt would be intriguing as well.

For complete coverage of UFC Fight Night 39, stay tuned to the UFC Events section of the site.