Fight Forecast: Matches to make after UFC Brasilia
After UFC Fight Night 95, theScore's Alexander K. Lee picks which matchups should be made for the main card's biggest winners.
Cris Cyborg vs. Bethe Correia
There aren't many fighters jumping at the opportunity to be locked in a cage with Cris Cyborg, but Bethe Correia is one of them.
Cyborg demolished Lina Lansberg in Saturday's main event, raising questions as to what the UFC is supposed to do with this unstoppable force that lacks a division to compete in. Both of Cyborg's UFC fights have taken place at 140 pounds, five below her ideal weight class, and she only wants to make that cut again for a top-10 opponent.
Correia barely fits that bill as the promotion's No. 10 women's bantamweight. What's more important is her willingness to fight the much larger Cyborg and her knack for drawing eyeballs. Correia was an effective B side to Ronda Rousey at UFC 190, being at least partially responsible for the 900,000 buys the event earned. It was by far the largest buy rate a Rousey fight had produced up to that point.
More recently, a featured preliminary bout between Correia and Jessica Eye was reportedly watched by over 1.3 million households. Even if Correia can't beat Cyborg, she will certainly help punch up her viewership numbers.
Related: Correia willing to meet Cyborg at catchweight
Renan Barao vs. Dennis Bermudez
Renan Barao's unspectacular decision win over Phillipe Nover did little to clear up where he stands in the UFC's featherweight division.
The former 135-pound champion has yet to recapture the magic that once gave him a nine-year, 32-fight win streak. He was clearly a step above Nover, but that performance doesn't erase a May loss to Jeremy Stephens.
If the matchmakers decide it's not too soon to pair Barao with another top-ranked featherweight, Dennis Bermudez would make for a challenging clash of styles. Bermudez is a strong wrestler who also enjoys a good stand-up scrap, a combination of talents that should stoke Barao's competitive fire.
Roy Nelson vs. Ben Rothwell II
Roy Nelson has been fighting forever and the challenges keep getting bigger.
"Big Country" disposed of Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva with a second-round knockout Saturday and got into a tiff with referee "Big" John McCarthy for good measure, so only one prospective matchup makes sense for him: "Big Ben" Rothwell.
Nelson and Rothwell fought in 2007 for the now-defunct International Fight League, a bout Rothwell won by split decision. Since then, they've each faced a who's who of the heavyweight division, and the time is right for a rubber match that would still be fresh to UFC fans.
Combined, the two heavyweights have 81 fights, 35 knockouts, and 17 submissions. Those numbers guarantee big-time action for everyone watching.
Francisco Trinaldo vs. Evan Dunham
You can't throw a stick in the lightweight division without hitting an elite fighter, and that's definitely what Francisco Trinaldo is after picking up his seventh consecutive win.
Related: Trinaldo bloodies Felder to win 7th straight fight
Despite Trinaldo's massive success, he's still striving to gain recognition because the majority of his fights have taken place outside the U.S. against international competition. He's yet to defeat a well-known American opponent.
Evan Dunham isn't exactly Nate Diaz when it comes to notoriety, but he's one of the toughest and most respected fighters at 155 pounds. He's in the midst of a resurgence, having won his last four fights by unanimous decision, and he's the kind of well-rounded threat that will determine whether Trinaldo is a legitimate contender or the beneficiary of favorable matchmaking.