Matches to Make After UFC 188

This was no accident. Fabricio Werdum was the better man.

Werdum submitted Cain Velasquez with a third-round guillotine choke to become the undisputed Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight titleholder in the UFC 188 “Velasquez vs. Werdum” main event on Saturday at Mexico City Arena in Mexico City. In his first appearance since October 2013, the oft-injured Velasquez tapped 2:13 into round three.

What started well quickly unraveled for the American Kickboxing Academy ace. Werdum withstood his clinches, punches and takedowns throughout the first round and went to work on chopping down the two-time NCAA All-American wrestler in the second. “Vai Cavalo” battered Velasquez with clean, accurate punching combinations, a punishing jab and the occasional knee strike from the clinch.

By the start of round three, Velasquez was a spent force; he was bleeding from cuts above both eyes and breathing heavily. The 32-year-old Salinas, Calif., native wandered into Werdum’s lethal clutches during a desperate takedown attempt, and with the guillotine in place, he had no choice but to call it a night. Velasquez’s second reign atop the UFC’s heavyweight division lasted 896 days.

In wake of UFC 188 “Velasquez vs. Werdum,” here are six matchups that ought to be considered:

Related » UFC 188: By The Numbers

Fabricio Werdum vs. Junior dos Santos: Werdum, 37, has never looked better. Having been shaped into a complete martial artist by Kings MMA frontman Rafael Cordeiro, the two-time Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission Wrestling World Championships gold medalist has become so much more than an elite grappler. Werdum carved up Velasquez on the feet before forcing him into an ill-advised takedown attempt and snagging a fight-ending guillotine in the third round. The Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt has rattled off six consecutive victories, four of them finishes. Dos Santos remains the only man to have stopped Werdum, having done so at UFC 90 in 2008. “Cigano” last appeared at UFC on Fox 13 on Dec. 13, when he escaped his five-round encounter with Stipe Miocic with a unanimous decision.

Cain Velasquez vs. Stipe Miocic: One can only wonder how much injuries and extended layoffs have taken out of Velasquez. He ran out of steam in the second round against Werdum, as the Brazilian exacted a serious toll with accurate punching combinations. Velasquez had never before been so thoroughly dominated: According to preliminary FightMetric figures, Werdum out-landed him 75-53 in significant strikes and 79-59 in total strikes across the second and third rounds. More importantly, his blows inflicted heavy damage, leaving Velasquez with cuts above both eyes. Miocic staked his claim as a top contender on May 10, when he routed Mark Hunt at a UFC Fight Night event in Australia.

Eddie Alvarez vs. Benson Henderson: Toughness has never been an issue for Alvarez, and it carried him right past Gilbert Melendez in their long-awaited showdown. The Blackzilians representative fought through a left eye that was nearly swollen shut to claim a split decision over Melendez, securing his first victory inside the UFC’s hallowed Octagon. Alvarez employed clinches and takedowns against the Californian over the final two rounds, interrupting his rhythm and draining his reserves. The former Bellator MMA champion has posted 11 wins in his last 13 outings and remains one of the best fighters the world at 155 pounds. Perhaps Alvarez can lure Henderson back to the division he once ruled.

Gilbert Melendez vs. Edson Barboza: Frustration has to be boiling over for Melendez, who wound up on the wrong side of a contentious split decision for the second time in four UFC appearances. The 33-year-old former Strikeforce and World Extreme Cagefighting champion now owns a 1-3 mark inside the Octagon and faces some uncertainty regarding his immediate future in such a crowded division; Melendez has already fought for the title twice. Barboza would provide “El Nino” with a suitable dance partner, provided he can get past the undefeated Paul Felder at UFC on Fox 16 in July.

Henry Cejudo vs. Jussier da Silva: Some see Cejudo as a future title contender at 125 pounds, but he has yet to give any indication he is ready to take on flyweight champion and pound-for-pound mainstay Demetrious Johnson. The Olympic gold medalist cleared another hurdle at UFC 188, as he took a unanimous decision from Roufusport’s Chico Camus in a three-round clash on the undercard. Cejudo’s last five fights have reached the judges. Da Silva finds himself on a three-fight winning streak, having last fought at a UFC Fight Night event on May 30, when he captured a unanimous verdict over onetime EliteXC champion Wilson Reis.

Kelvin Gastelum vs. Dong Hyun Kim: Gastelum did as most anticipated, as he made a triumphant return to the middleweight division and blew away former Strikeforce and Pancrase titleholder Nate Marquardt. Still, “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 17 winner belongs at 170 pounds and seems to realize it. However, Gastelum’s issues with the scale -- he has missed weight more than once -- have UFC brass understandably gunshy. If the promotion affords him the opportunity to attempt another cut to welterweight, there will be no shortage of options for the 23-year-old rising star. Kim returned to the winner’s circle at UFC 187 in May, when he submitted Josh Burkman with a third-round arm-triangle choke.