Joe Silva's Shoes: What's next for UFC Fight Night 75's winners?

Josh Barnett

SAITAMA, Japan – The UFC made its eighth stop in Japan for UFC Fight Night 75, which took place at Saitama Super Arena. The event, which aired on FOX Sports 1, featured a six-fight main card with four notable matchups at the top of the bill.

In the main event, heavyweight Josh Barnett (34-7 MMA, 6-2 UFC) earned his first victory in more than two years when he outworked Roy Nelson (20-12 MMA, 7-8 UFC) over five rounds for a unanimous decision victory.

The co-main event saw Uriah Hall (12-5 MMA, 5-3 UFC) pull off one of the most spectacular victories of his career when he upset former Strikeforce champion Gegard Mousasi (37-6-2 MMA, 4-3 UFC) for a second-round TKO.

Prior to those fights, Kyoji Horiguchi (16-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC), Takeya Mizugaki (21-9-2 MMA, 8-4 UFC), and Diego Brandao (20-10 MMA, 6-3 UFC) were all victorious, as well.

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.

* * * *

Mizuto Hirota & Teruto Ishihara

Mizuto Hirota and Teruto Ishihara

Should fight: Each other
?Why they should fight: Mizuto Hirota (17-7-2 MMA, 0-2-1 UFC) and Teruto Ishihara (7-2-2 MMA, 0-0-1 UFC) were supposed to fight a fourth round after their “Road to UFC: Japan” featherweight finale ended in a split draw.

There was an error by UFC organizers that led to the fight being declared a draw after three rounds, but that should not have been the case, because the winner was due to earn a six-figure UFC contract. Both men ultimately were awarded deals, but the better fighter has still not been determined.

The only logical move for both of their careers is to get them in the octagon again and pick up where they left off.

Diego Brandao

Diego Brandao

Should fight: Winner of Yair Rodriguez vs. Daniel Hooker at UFC 192
?Why they should fight: Brandao and the Rodriguez (5-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) vs. Hooker (12-5 MMA, 2-1 UFC) winner would sit in roughly the same middle-of-the-pack spot in the UFC featherweight division.

Brandao showed in his win against Katsunori Kikuno that his overall game continues to round out, particularly on the feet, but Rodriguez or Hooker are dangerous on the ground and could push the Brazilian in that area.

“The Ultimate Fighter 14” has made it clear he wants to be considered one of the best in the world at 145 pounds and a victory over either Rodriguez or Hooker would help build him earn desired fights against top-10 competition.

Takeya Mizugaki

Takeya Mizugaki

Should fight: Cody Garbrandt
Why they should fight: In most weight classes there’s a separation between contenders and pretenders. At bantamweight, Mizugaki plays a big role in determining who fits into which category.

After back-to-back losses, Mizugaki rebounded with a strong showing against George Roop that ended with a unanimous decision win. The Japanese fighter has competed against the best the division has to offer for several years and seemingly only comes out on the losing end against the very best.

Mizugaki perfectly fits the description of “gatekeeper” in the 135-pound weight class and would be a suitable opponent for an undefeated up-and-comer like Garbrandt (7-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC).

“No Love” is one of the top prospects at bantamweight and a matchup with Mizugaki would reveal whether he’s ready to jump into the mix of contenders immediately or if he needs more time to develop and reach the next level.

Kyoji Horiguchi

Kyoji Horiguchi

Should fight: Dustin Ortiz
?Why they should fight: Fighters who come up short in title bouts against flyweight champ Demetrious Johnson have historically not been granted an easy rebound fight. Horiguchi was no exception as he was matched up with a tough Chico Camus, but thrived over three rounds en route to a unanimous decision win.

The Japanese fighter failed in his bid to capture UFC gold earlier this year, but there were moments in the fight with Johnson that showed he has the talent to threaten “Mighty Mouse.” After more seasoning against elite competition, Horiguchi will be far more prepared to challenge for the belt again down the line.

Ortiz (15-4 MMA, 4-2 UFC) has competed against many of the world’s top 125-pounders. He’s earned three wins in his past four bouts but has struggled to get past the top names in the weight class.

There were complaints that Horiguchi was rushed into his first UFC title fight and the 24-year-old should be given plenty of time before he’s back in that discussion. Because of that he should temporarily avoid names such as John Dodson, Joseph Benavidez and Ali Bagautinov and instead fight Ortiz.

Uriah Hall

Uriah Hall

Should fight: Roan Carneiro
?Why they should fight: Hall earned the biggest victory of his career when he stopped Mousasi by TKO in highlight-reel fashion to prove he’s a name that should be considered a threat in the UFC middleweight division.

Although he got the win, Hall showed some flaws in his game, particularly on the ground, that could be exposed by a high-level grappler such as Carneiro (20-9 MMA, 3-3 UFC).
“Primetime” accepted the matchup with Mousasi as a short-notice replacement for none other than Carneiro when the Brazilian suffered an injury that prevented him from making the date.

Carneiro called for a fight with Hall after UFC Fight Night 75, and Hall responded by showing interest in the contest. The matchup would be a classic clash of striker against grappler and both men are capable of pulling the fight into their respective strengths and ending it there.

If Hall could get past a jiu-jitsu specialist like Carneiro he would further validate his status as a top fighter in the division and potentially enter the title discussion.

Josh Barnett

Should fight: Andrei Arlovski
?Why they should fight: Barnett and Arlovski both earned unanimous decision victories in the month of September and could be on a collision course as they move toward a potential shot at the UFC heavyweight championship.

With the top of the weight class occupied while Fabricio Werdum and Cain Velasquez have their title rematch in 2016, former titleholders Barnett and Arlovski are looking to earn a chance to regain the belt.

Barnett’s successful return to competition after more than two years puts his name in the mix of top contenders. His win over Nelson paired with another quality victory could potentially fast track him to a No. 1 contender’s fight. The same can be said for “The Pitbull” after his unanimous decision win over Frank Mir at UFC 191.

For complete coverage of UFC Fight Night 75, check out the UFC Events section of the site.