After UFC Fight Night 81, theScore's Alexander K. Lee picks which matchups should be made for the winners and losers of the evening's top two fights.
Dominick Cruz vs. Urijah Faber
Dominick Cruz returned from injury to take the bantamweight title from T.J. Dillashaw, and now he gets to make up for lost time. A matchup with nemesis Urijah Faber could be on the horizon.
There was a period when it seemed like Faber was involved in a title fight every six months. Fans might not be longing for those days, but "The California Kid" has done more than enough to earn another crack at his first UFC championship win.
Other than a meaningless featherweight fight with Frankie Edgar and a pair of title fight losses to Renan Barao (including a controversial stoppage in their second meeting), Faber has been a force at 135 pounds.
More importantly, these two have unfinished business. Faber remains the only fighter to defeat Cruz, submitting him in 2007 to defend the World Extreme Cagefighting featherweight crown. In 2011, when Faber had the chance to take Cruz's bantamweight strap, Cruz won a unanimous decision in a back-and-forth fight.
Were it not for Cruz's injuries, this trilogy would already have been put to rest. Other than a rematch with T.J. Dillashaw, a third Cruz-Faber meeting makes the most sense.
T.J. Dillashaw vs. Aljamain Sterling
Even in defeat, Dillashaw's valiant effort over the course of five rounds did little to diminish his shine. To keep him in the spotlight where he belongs, here's a suggestion that breaks several unspoken matchmaking rules, including:
- Don't pair up a fighter coming off a loss with a fighter coming off a win.
- Don't risk snuffing out a potential contender just to create a competitive fight.
- Don't make matches involving a fighter who is currently a free agent.
With all of that said, Sterling has been calling out every top bantamweight under the sun, and a fight with Dillashaw would put a big smile on the face of "The Funk Master." Dillashaw, on the other hand, will get the chance to show what he can do against a submission specialist, and keep himself in the thick of the championship discussion should he win.
Eddie Alvarez vs. Rafael dos Anjos-Conor McGregor winner
Eddie Alvarez used his wrestling to gut out a win against Anthony Pettis, a performance that didn't thrill those in attendance. It was the second straight split decision win for Alvarez, who has yet to produce a signature moment after the UFC went through an exhausting legal battle to sign him away from Bellator Fighting Championships.
On the other hand, Alvarez now has consecutive wins over Pettis and Gilbert Melendez, two of the best lightweights of the past decade. That keeps him at the top of most critics' lists, much like his good friend Frankie Edgar.
Unlike Edgar, he shouldn't be passed over for a title shot. Alvarez is convinced he has the strategy to defeat Rafael dos Anjos, and the UFC should make the most of its investment while he's still in his prime.
Anthony Pettis vs. Nate Diaz
Just the thought of these two high-octane fighters facing off is enough to get the saliva glands going. Add in the existing disdain between the two, and you have a surefire Fight of the Year candidate.
There couldn't be a more fitting combination than Pettis and Diaz at this stage of their careers. Pettis is looking to bounce back from the loss to Alvarez against an opponent who will stand toe-to-toe with him in a "real fight," while Diaz has been on the hunt for names that will enhance his resume and his bank account. In the lightweight division, they don't get much bigger than Pettis.
This is a match made in profanity-laced heaven.
