Joe Silva’s Shoes: What next for UFC 179’s winners?

UFC 179 is in the books, and despite being one of the most criticized pay-per-view cards of 2014, fans saw one of the year’s best fights unfold in the main event.

Jose Aldo (25-1 MMA, 7-0 UFC) held on to his UFC featherweight title in a “Fight of the Year” candidate against Chad Mendes (16-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) in Saturday’s headliner at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracanazinho Gymnasium.

The reigning 145-pound champion was one of just two Brazilian fighters to emerge victorious on the main card; Fabio Maldonado (22-7 MMA, 5-4 UFC) also had his hand raised with a second-round finish.

Other than Aldo and Maldonado, the main-card wins belonged to foreigners with Phil Davis (13-2 MMA, 9-2 UFC), Darren Elkins (18-4 MMA, 8-3 UFC) and Beneil Dariush (9-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) taking home convincing decision victories over their respective opposition.

No matter the nature of each man’s victory, they all accomplished the ultimate goal of the sport: being declared the winner at the conclusion of the fight.

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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Beneil Dariush

Should fight: Francisco Trinaldo
Why they should fight: Dariush brought an end to Diego Ferreira’s momentum when he handed the Brazilian his first loss in by way of decision.

It wasn’t the prettiest showing, but Dariush managed to outwork Ferreira for a clear-cut decision victory after three rounds of action. There’s not much positive to say about the contest, but at just 25, Dariush has plenty of upside and time to sharpen his skills.

Dariush has the potential to make some noise at 155 pounds, but he’ll need to produce more excitement if he hopes to be matched against bigger names in the lightweight division.

A matchup with Trinaldo (15-4 MMA, 5-3 UFC) would be a true challenge. Dariush would likely have much more difficulty controlling the pace of the fight than he did against Ferreira. Trinaldo has a number of UFC wins under his belt, and a victory for either man would propel him forward at 155 pounds.

Darren Elkins

Should fight: Nik Lentz
Why they should fight: Elkins clearly wasn’t a “Fight of the Night” candidate with his split-decision win over Lucas Martins, but in the end, he picked up the victory.

Elkins is known for his wrestling-heavy, grinding style, and it was clearly in display against Martins. Elkins was relentless in his attempt to take the fight to the ground, and while he ultimately found little success in that area, he stifled Martins’ offensive enough to get the win.

Even though he’s flirting with the top of the featherweight division’s all-time wins list, Elkins won’t be rewarded with a big fight after such a lackluster contest on PPV.

Elkins has proven capable of wearing down his opponents in the octagon time and time again. However, Lentz (25-6-2 MMA, 9-3-1 UFC) has made a career out of doing the exact same thing. It may not be the most aesthetically pleasing affair, but if this matchup becomes reality, one man could finally be in for a taste of his own medicine.

Fabio Maldonado

Should fight: Winner of Patrick Cummins vs. Antonio Carlos Jr. at UFC Fight Night 58
Why they should fight: Even though Maldonado is on a four-fight winning streak in the light heavyweight division, he hasn’t defeated anyone during that stretch who would indicate he’s ready for a step up in competition.

Maldonado rallied from an ugly first round to stop Hans Stringer in the second frame of their bout. Despite the fact he won the fight, Maldonado once again showed he’s got a sizable hole in his ground game.

It’s clear the Brazilian prefers to slug it out on his feet, but Maldonado should focus diligently on his takedown defense and grappling ahead of his next contest. If he does that, a matchup with the winner UFC Fight Night 58’s showdown between Cummins (6-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) and Carlos Jr. (4-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) would answer many questions.

Cummins and Carlos Jr. have both won the majority of their fights on the ground. If Maldonado could defeat either man, especially in a bout in which he was tested on the ground, he would instantly become a name fighters would want to avoid at light heavyweight.

Phil Davis

Should fight: Ryan Bader
Why they should fight: Davis called out former UFC champion Anderson Silva after his dominant showing against Glover Teixeira, but it’s clear for a number of reasons that the fight isn’t logical for “The Spider” at this point in his career.

“Mr. Wonderful” should remain focused on fighters in his own weight class, and while there aren’t a ton of available matchups within the top 10, one name that stands out is Bader (18-4 MMA, 11-4 UFC).

Davis and Bader entered the UFC around the same time and were pegged as the future of the 205-pound weight class. They have similar wrestling-based styles and continue to develop solid striking to back it up. While forecasts of their career trajectories have partially come to fruition, both men have struggled to fully live up to lofty expectations.

There have been a number of road blocks on the way to the top, but neither Davis nor Bader have given up on the dream of becoming a UFC champion. Whether or not they have what it takes to dethrone 205-pound king Jon Jones remains to be seen, but there’s no doubt they both want the opportunity.

A matchup between Davis and Bader feels long overdue, and a win for either side would place him that much closer to the elusive title bout.

Jose Aldo

Should fight: Conor McGregor or the winner of Cub Swanson vs. Frankie Edgar at UFC Fight Night 57
Why they should fight: It’s quite clear at this point the next fight to make for the UFC featherweight championship is Aldo vs. McGregor (16-2 MMA, 4-0 UFC). The matchup is far from guaranteed, though, as a number of stars must first align.

The largest and most important hurdle preventing the matchup is McGregor’s scheduled bout against Dennis Siver at UFC Fight Night 59. If he can defeat the German striker in January, it’s simply a matter of when, not if, he’ll challenge Aldo for the title.

“Scarface” defended his championship for the seventh time in an incredible display of heart, determination and skill against Mendes. It’s obvious Aldo is among the most talented fighters in the world; he just needs the correct matchups to draw interest so fans can see the true extent of his talents.

McGregor, whether his push from the organization is justified or not, can be the one to draw that interest. The Irishman has garnered a considerable following since he joined the UFC roster, and in a budding division such as featherweight, those types of fighters don’t come around often.

Aldo vs. McGregor is arguably one of the biggest bouts the UFC can put together at this time. Of course, Siver could throw a wrench into the plan if he defeats “The Notorious.” If it does, the winner of Swanson (21-5 MMA, 6-1 UFC) and Edgar (17-4-1 MMA, 11-4-1 UFC) at UFC Fight Night 57 would be more than worthy.

For complete coverage of UFC 179, check out the UFC Events section of the site.