5 Fights To Make After UFC Fight Night Gamrot vs. Salkilld
UFC Fight Night: Gamrot vs. Salkilld delivered several performances that could shake up the lightweight division and create new opportunities across the card.
Quillan Salkilld made the biggest statement of the night, submitting Mateusz Gamrot in the first round and immediately calling for a matchup with Benoît Saint Denis. Here are the fights to make after UFC Vegas 120.
Quillan Salkilld vs. Benoît Saint Denis
When a fighter dominates a ranked opponent and calls his shot afterward, there is little reason not to listen.
Salkilld submitted Gamrot in the first round, extending his UFC winning streak to six fights and establishing himself as a legitimate contender at 155 pounds. Saint Denis would be a significant test for the Australian, especially after the Frenchman recently faced Paddy Pimblett.
The matchup also gives the UFC a chance to see whether Salkilld is ready for the division's elite.
Diego Ferreira vs. Jim Miller
Ferreira picked up one of the biggest wins of his recent UFC run by defeating Billy Quarantillo via unanimous decision.
The veteran lightweight called for either King Green or Jim Miller afterward, but Miller feels like the more realistic option. Miller is coming off a win over Jared Gordon and remains one of the division's most recognizable veterans.
Ferreira vs. Miller would be a fun fight between two experienced lightweights who still have plenty left to prove.
Yadier del Valle vs. Bogdan Grad
Yadier del Valle needed just 35 seconds to stop Darren Elkins in what became one of the night's most impressive performances.
The Cuban is now 3-1 inside the UFC and appears ready for a step up in competition. Bogdan Grad makes sense as the next opponent after his recent submission victory over Dennis Buzukja.
Both fighters are trying to establish themselves as legitimate names in the featherweight division, making this an easy fight to book.
Alexia Thainara vs. Mizuki Inoue
Thainara continued her remarkable winning streak by defeating Amanda Lemos, pushing her run to 13 consecutive victories.
A matchup with Mizuki Inoue would give Thainara another experienced opponent while allowing the UFC to determine just how close she is to the top of the women's strawweight division.
Ty Miller vs. Sam Patterson
Miller remained undefeated with another knockout victory, stopping Billy Ray Goff and adding his second UFC finish.
The welterweight prospect needs a tougher test next, and Sam Patterson could provide exactly that. Both fighters are dangerous on the feet, making this a matchup that could produce fireworks while giving Miller another opportunity to prove he belongs among the division's rising contenders.
Steven Asplund vs. Mick Parkin
Steven Asplund continues to look like one of the more intriguing heavyweight prospects on the UFC roster.
Asplund defeated Guilherme Pat at UFC Vegas 120, following up on his knockout victory over Sean Sharaf in his UFC debut. The win gives Asplund back-to-back victories inside the Octagon and puts him in position for a meaningful step up in competition.
The heavyweight division doesn't always move quickly, but Asplund has the size, power and momentum to warrant a tougher test next.
Mick Parkin would be an interesting matchup. The British heavyweight has established himself as a legitimate UFC contender and would provide Asplund with a much clearer measuring stick against someone closer to the division's upper echelon.
If Asplund can get past a fighter like Parkin, the UFC would have a legitimate new heavyweight prospect on its hands.
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