Rafael dos Anjos was about as flawless as one can be in a minute-long fight.
Cerrone never managed to get his feet underneath him. Dos Anjos stung him with punches and a sneaky knee strike to the midsection before his kick to the body began to fully unravel “Cowboy.” Cerrone doubled over in visible distress and was met with a volley of power punches upstairs. Desperation set in, as dos Anjos sprawled out of a takedown, wheeled to the Jackson-Wink MMA mainstay’s back and put referee Herb Dean in motion with a series of unanswered rights. The loss snapped Cerrone’s eight-fight winning streak.
There can be no denying dos Anjos’ place atop the 155-pound division: He has toppled Cerrone, Anthony Pettis, Nate Diaz, Benson Henderson and Jason High in succession. Khabib Nurmagomedov -- the last man to defeat dos Anjos -- remains a potential foil but only if he can rid himself of the injury bug that has kept him on the sidelines for 20 months and counting.
In the aftermath of UFC on Fox 17, here are five matchups that ought to be considered:
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Rafael dos Anjos vs. Tony Ferguson: A serviceable lightweight for much of his career, dos Anjos has blossomed into a full-blown wrecking machine under Rafael Cordeiro at Kings MMA. The 31-year-old Brazilian finds himself in the heart of his competitive prime, having won 10 of his past 11 bouts, including five straight. Dos Anjos has become a complete mixed martial artist with very few weaknesses. Ferguson last competed at “The Ultimate Fighter 22” Finale on Dec. 11, when he submitted former Ring of Combat champion Edson Barboza with a brabo choke in a “Fight of the Year” contender. “El Cucuy” has won seven fights in a row, five of them finishes.
Conor McGregor vs. Frankie Edgar: Despite the lure of the chance to become the first fighter in history to hold UFC titles in two divisions simultaneously, McGregor still has plenty of work to do at 145 pounds; and dos Anjos’ latest effort was enough to give anyone pause, even someone as headstrong and self-confident as the “Notorious” Irishman. McGregor has become a superstar in every sense of the word, but he has yet to successfully defend his featherweight championship -- a fact that eventually figures to force the UFC and his handlers to pump the brakes on his ascent. A win over Edgar would further strengthen his resume, cement his place in the pound-for-pound pecking order and perhaps set up a monstrous rematch with Jose Aldo, the man he dethroned at UFC 194.
Alistair Overeem vs. Fabricio Werdum-Cain Velasquez winner: Overeem looks to have taken the final step towards his shot at the UFC heavyweight crown, as he knocked out Junior dos Santos with a left hook and follow-up punches in their co-main event. The Dutchman has won three fights in a row, sandwiching finishes against dos Santos and Stefan Struve around a three-round drubbing of Roy Nelson. Werdum, who lost to Overeem under the Strikeforce banner in 2011, will defend his title in a rematch with Velasquez atop UFC 196 on Feb. 6 in Las Vegas.
Nate Diaz vs. Rashid Magomedov: Diaz lured Michael Johnson into his kind of fight and took full advantage, as he picked up a three-round unanimous decision over the Blackzilians export in his first appearance inside the Octagon in more than a year. “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 5 winner remains something of an enigma in the lightweight division but a real threat to those who elect to play with fire against him. Diaz wore down Johnson with accurate high-volume punching, authoring what was arguably his most complete performance since he bested Cerrone in 2011. A former M-1 Global champion, the 19-1 Magomedov has won 12 fights in a row and needs some higher-profile opposition to break the restraints of anonymity.
Donald Cerrone vs. Michael Johnson: Cerrone can only tip his black cowboy hat to dos Anjos, a man who has now defeated him twice. “Cowboy” was never a factor in their rematch, as the Brazilian champion chopped him down in little more than a minute. The setback snapped Cerrone’s eight-fight winning streak and pushed him to the background in a division long on worthwhile contenders. Johnson met with a similar fate against the aforementioned Diaz and has now dropped back-to-back bouts, the four-fight tear that made him a person of interest at 155 pounds a very distant memory.