Fight Forecast: Matches to make after UFC Fight Night 88
After UFC Fight Night 88, theScore's Alexander K. Lee picks which matchups should be made for the night's biggest winners, including a pair of future bantamweight contenders.
Cody Garbrandt vs. Jimmie Rivera
Seeing Cody Garbrandt dust fellow prospect Thomas Almeida with ease may have matchmakers and fans salivating over the possibilities, but it would be wise to resist throwing the 24-year-old into the upper echelon of the bantamweight division too soon.
Instead, the UFC should let the division sort itself out organically by pairing Garbrandt up with another prospect. Jimmie Rivera is undefeated in 18 straight MMA contests and he's only two years older than Garbrandt. A fight between the two would go a long way toward establishing who is truly a future contender at 135 pounds.
Jeremy Stephens vs. Jose Aldo-Frankie Edgar loser
With a unanimous decision victory against Renan Barao, Jeremy Stephens deserves a big-money fight for his next booking.
Why not match him up with whoever gets the short end of the stick when Jose Aldo meets Frankie Edgar for an interim strap at UFC 200? It's a no-lose situation: Either Aldo or Edgar would be looking for a solid opponent to regain their momentum, while Stephens might just shock everyone and leapfrog his peers on the path to a feel-good title shot.
Chris Camozzi vs. Thiago Santos
Chris Camozzi has been in and out of the UFC for years, and he's on his way to showing everyone that third time's the charm with his win over Vitor Miranda on Sunday.
He can continue his good fortune by facing another surging middleweight in Thiago Santos. Both men are aggressive strikers, and both are peaking at the right time with Camozzi having won three straight and Santos four. Most importantly, it would be a crowd-pleasing battle for the fans.
Bryan Caraway vs. Michael McDonald-John Lineker winner
Bryan Caraway reminded everyone how he earned his spot in the bantamweight top 10 with a strong bell-to-bell performance against Aljamain Sterling.
He's close to a championship opportunity, and the last nudge might come in the form of either Michael McDonald or John Lineker. The two 135ers are scheduled to square off in July, and the winner of that fight is sure to consider themselves championship material. Caraway has earned the right to prove them wrong, something he's gotten used to in a career of being overlooked.