UFC Matchmaker: What's next for Ronda Rousey, Dominick Cruz and UFC 207's other losing fighters?

(ALSO SEE: UFC Matchmaker: What’s next for UFC 207’s winning fighters?)

Although five fighters came out on the losing end on Friday’s UFC 207 pay-per-view main card, no one experienced a more difficult defeat than former UFC champ Ronda Rousey, who was knocked out for the second fight in a row.

Rousey (12-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) made her long-awaited return to competition at the event and suffered a brutal 48-second knockout loss courtesy of women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes (14-4 MMA, 7-1 UFC) to raise serious questions about her future in the sport.

Dominick Cruz (22-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC) also suffered a painful defeat in a title fight. He had his UFC bantamweight championship ripped away by the undefeated Cody Garbrandt (11-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) after “No Love” put on a five-round clinic to capture the gold by unanimous decision.

The title fight losers weren’t the only ones to experience disappointment, though. John Lineker (29-8 MMA, 10-3 UFC), Tarec Saffiedine (16-6 MMA, 2-3 UFC), Louis Smolka (11-3 MMA, 5-3 UFC) also came up short by losing decisions to their opponents.

After every event, fans wonder whom the losing fighters 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 Sean Shelby and Mick Maynard’s shoes, and play UFC matchmaker for UFC 207’s losing fighters.

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Louis Smolka

Fredy Serrano

Should fight: Fredy Serrano
Why they should fight: After earning a winning streak that had some calling for him to be fast-tracked to a title shot, Smolka suffered his second loss in a row, this time dropping a unanimous decision to Ray Borg.

Smolka’s confidence appeared to take a hit when he was upset by Brandon Moreno at UFC Fight Night 96 in October, and he struggled to get going at a consist rate against Borg. That cost him the fight, and now it’s time to reset.

At only 24 there’s no reason to write Smolka off just yet. He should be given a slighter lesser-ranked opponent though to give him better odds at getting on track, and Serrano (3-2 MMA, 2-2 UFC) fits the description.

Tarec Saffiedine

Should fight: Alan Jouban
Why they should fight: It was another frustrating outing for former Strikeforce champ Saffiedine. He fell short in a split decision to Dong Hyun Kim, marking the first two-fight losing skid of his career.

Despite thriving toward the end of his Strikeforce run, Saffiedine has struggled to get his career off the ground under the UFC banner. Granted, he’s almost exclusively faced top-tier competition, so perhaps it’s time for a step back.

Jouban (15-4 MMA, 6-2 UFC) sits just on the cusp of the top 15 in the welterweight division. He has an aggressive striking-based style that would allow Saffiedine to try to display his best, and that’s what he needs at this point. For Jouban, he’s won three consecutive fights and has called for a step up. A recognized fighter like Saffiedine is the ticket he’s looking for.

Dominick Cruz & John Lineker

Dominick Cruz

Should fight: Each other
Why they should fight: Watch the video above to see why Cruz and Lineker should fight each other after their losses.

Ronda Rousey

What’s next: Watch the video above for an explanation of what should be next for Rousey after her second consecutive loss.

For complete coverage of UFC 207, check out the UFC Events section of the site.

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