Matches to Make After UFC 299
Tyler TreeseMar 08, 2024
UFC 299 is in the books, and Sean O'Malley is still the Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight titleholder after defeating Marlon Vera. The stacked card featured plenty for fans to chew on, as it has set up some equally as exciting fights down the line. Here are five matches to make in the future featuring the pay-per-view main card winners.
Having outpointed Vera over five rounds, O'Malley (18-1, 1 NC) now has an even more intriguing challenge on the horizon in Dvalishvili, who is the clear-cut No. 1 contender for the bantamweight title. Coming off impressive decision wins over Henry Cejudo, Petr Yan and Jose Aldo, "The Machine" has become a feared fighter thanks to his incredible pace. Dvalishvili (17-4) will prove a great foil for O'Malley, as both are talented in all facets of mixed martial arts, and there is already some built-in heat after “Suga” knocked out Dvalishvili’s teammate Aljamain Sterling to win the belt.
Poirier proved he still has plenty more left in the tank by viciously knocking out Benoit St. Denis. A fitting next fight would be against Gamrot (24-2), who furthered his win streak by winning a unanimous decision over former lightweight champ Rafael dos Anjos. While "The Diamond" is just 2-2 in his last four fights, these have been at the highest level, and this would be a fresh challenge that could lead to one final title run for Poirier or cement the rise of "Gamer."
Page made an impressive Octagon debut by outpointing Kevin Holland over three rounds. At 36, there's no time to waste for Page (22-2) and another fun striking matchup against an established welterweight should be next. A fight against Thompson makes plenty of sense as "Wonderboy" (17-7-1) is a mainstay in the Top 10 and is one of the best strikers in the division. It'd be a delight on the feet for as long as it lasts.
JDM kept his winning streak going by finishing Gilbert Burns with a series of hellacious elbows. Now 7-0 inside the UFC, Maddalena (17-2) is ready for another big name next. The Australian called out the undefeated Rakhmonov, who holds a perfect 18-0 record. It’s a stellar fight testing two of the best in the welterweight division and one that could easily propel the winner to a title shot.
Former bantamweight king Yan impressed against Yadong Song in the pay-per-view opener. With the win, Yan broke a three-fight skid that included defeats to Sterling, O'Malley and Dvalishvili. While he's not ready for title contention just yet, a fight against Vera would be fitting for both men. A victory would allow Yan (17-5) to add to his impressive resume, while Vera has a chance to remain a top-level contender. Either way, it's a fresh matchup and one between two of the division's best, so it's hard to argue against.