UFC Vegas 33 was a weird event before it even got kicking. From having half a dozen different co-main events to having a fight fall off and then back on the card – it was hard to keep track of everything. However, now that all the dust has settled, we’ll look at those on the final version of the main card that didn’t come away with wins.
Uriah Hall
It was a tough night for Uriah Hall. Whether the criticism of him not being there mentally or not has any merit, he seemed to not be able to get any offense going against Sean Strickland, which is an alarm in its own right. While he has wins over high profile opponents in Weidman and Silva, each of those comes with its own caveat (broken leg and past his prime respectively). Although he may not need to face somebody completely out of the top 15, I do think someone right at that edge is likely the answer. Andre Muniz is unbooked at the moment and could be a very bizarre styles clash for Hall. He beat grappling-heavy Antonio Carlos Junior – can he take out another jiu jitsu ace?
Uriah Hall’s Next Fight: Andre Muniz
Gloria De Paula
The quick knockout loss at UFC Vegas 33 was the second in as many fights for De Paula. In many cases, that’s enough to be shown the door in the UFC. However, I think she’s looked good enough to be afforded another chance. She was having success both against Buys and Jinh Yu Frey on the feet. If she can keep it there long enough, she’s exciting to keep around for another chance at that elusive first win. So let’s pair her with Na Liang, who really likes to grapple. If De Paula can keep it standing, it shows that she’s made gains in the takedown defense and earns her spot in the UFC.
Gloria De Paula Next Fights: Na Liang
Niklas Stolze
Stolze is another fighter who dropped to 0-2 at UFC Vegas 33. It didn’t happen in ideal fashion for the German either, getting KOed early by Jared Gooden. To continue the similarities to De Paula, he’s also a fun striker to watch and would be worth giving another shot in there. Also like De Paula, I’d like to see him fight someone with a grappling base – it would let us see if he can defend the takedown attempts while giving him a place he’d clearly be successful. Jordan Williams checks all those boxes and would be my pick for Stolze.
Niklas Stolze’s Next Fight: Jordan Williams
Collin Anglin
It’s hard to book someone who came in and lost his debut after looking good on Contender Series. He also lost quick and in pretty devastating fashion. For his second try, I say give him someone else trying to rebound in the same way. TJ Laramie won on the Contender Series and looked great doing it. Then he dropped his second fight to Darrick Minner in less than a minute. Let’s get one of those two on the board.
Collin Anglin’s Next Fight: TJ Laramie
Bryan Barberena
A tough loss for “Bam Bam” in his first fight since a brutal injury pulled him from a fight with Daniel Rodriguez. He looked great at times, but ultimately the takedowns of Jason Witt led him to a majority decision loss. I think it’s far from the last chapter for him though. Despite not being on the best run, Barberena is never in a boring fight. I say get him an opponent that lets him showcase how fun he is. At welterweight, that usually means a booking with Niko Price, Michel Pereira, or Mike Perry. Perry has been on a rougher stretch than the other two, so he is my pick for Barberena.
Bryan Barberena’s Next Fight: Mike Perry
