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What’s Next: UFC Vancouver Losers

Bryson Hester — Tue, 21 Oct 2025 01:29:03 +0000

The UFC ventured to Vancouver, Canada for just the 7th time in its history this past Saturday. This 13-fight card featured a special six-fight main card and a total of seven Canadians. The Canadians ended the night fairly well going, 5-2 on the night. On the main card, the Canadians went 4-1 with the only losers being Jasmine Jasudavicius.

In the main event, between ranked middleweights Brendan Allen and Reinier de Ridder, RDR didn’t answer the call for the final round— signaling a victory of All In. In the co-main event, Kevin Holland found himself in the losing column once again, this time against an unranked Mike Malott. A few ranked fighters to pair up after UFC Vancouver— with some truly momentum-erasing defeats.

Reinier de Ridder

Brendan Allen forced Reinier de Ridder’s corner to throw in the towel ahead of the final round in the main event of UFC Vancouver on Saturday. The loss was Reinier’s first with the promotion since being signed late last year.

RDR entered the fight ranked at #4 in the middleweight division, while Allen was ranked at #9. This fight was originally slated for Anthony Hernandez vs Reinier de Ridder but Fluffy pulled out of the fight due to injury. Allen took this fight on short notice making the victory that much more impressive.

With that being said, RDR should rebook and fight Anthony Hernandez in his next fight. Hernandez is currently ranked at #6 in the middleweight division. Allen lost to Herandez via unanimous decision earlier this year, but Fluffy’s injury prevents him from leapfrogging RDR in this situation. MMA math doesn’t work, so that bout would not be a forgone conclusion though man fans will likely write it up as one. Decent back up option here would be targeting a fighter like Israel Adesanya. Fight would easily be a fight night main event or high up on the main card of a PPV.

Reinier’s next fight: Anthony Hernandez

Kevin Holland

Mike Malott topped Kevin Holland in a unanimous decision affair in the co main event of UFC Vancouver on Saturday. Kevin entered the fight ranked at #15 in the welterweight division while his opponent was unranked. Holland is 15-12, 1 NC with the promotion and has seemingly fought everyone. Holland is now 2-3 for the year of 2025 and 2-2 since moving back down to the welterweight division.

For Holland’s next fight, if he stays at welterweight, should be against the winner of Phil Rowe vs. Seok Hyeon Ko. Timing would be perfect, as Phil and Seok scrap on November 1st. Seok is a 2024 Contender Series product that has already has an impressive unanimous decision victory against rising prospect, Oban Elliott. Phil Rowe is a 2019 Contender Series product that is 4-3 in the UFC. Rowe’s four victories are all stoppages, most recently his last time in the cage against Ange Loosa back in June. Before that, he lost a unanimous decision to Jake Matthews and narrowly dropped a split decision to division staple, Neil Magny. Fighter that takes gets the victory to start November will definitely be in a good position. Holland is right outside of the top 15 and fighting the winner of this fight could put a strong wind behind his sails.

This fight could easily be on the main card of a fight night card or a feature preliminary bout.

Kevin’s next fight: Winner of Phil Rowe vs. Seok Hyeon Ko

Marlon Vera

Aiemann Zahabi edged out Marlon Vera in a competitive and controversial, split decision.With the loss, Chito has fallen to 15-10 under the UFC banner. Vera has dropped his last three fights including his March 2024 unsuccessful title challenge against then champion, Sean O’Malley. Marlon entered the fight ranked at #7 in the division, while Aiemann was ranked at #9.

As mentioned in a previous edition of losers Marlon should look to take on Montel Jackson in his next bout. Jackson fought on UFC Rio just a week prior to Marlon, and lost Deiveson Figueiredo via split decision. Vera also lost to Figueiredo, in a unanimous decision bout just last year. Even though Jackson slid out of the newest version of the rankings, this would be a solid matchup and give Chito a fresh face.

Marlon’s next fight: Montel Jackson

Jasmine Jasudavicius

Manon Fiorot stunned and stopped Jasmine Jasudavicius early in the first round of their fight on the main card of UFC Vancouver. The loss on Saturday snapped Jasmine’s 5-fight win streak that dated back to September of 2023. Jasmine entered the fight ranked at #5 in the division, while Manon was ranked at #2.

For her next fight, Jasudavicius should look for a matchup against former UFC strawweight champion, Rose Namajunas. Rose is currently ranked at #7 in the flyweight division. Namajunas has also faced Manon a couple of years ago and dropped a unanimous decision to ‘The Beast’.

Jasmine’s next fight: Rose Namajunas

Davey Grant

Charles Jourdain punctuated a flashy flying knee with a slick guillotine choke to secure a submission victory over Davey Grant on Saturday. Davey Grant, who first signed with the UFC in 2013 is now 8-7 with the promotion. Grant is 2-2 in his last four fights and Saturday was the first time that the nearly 40-year-old bantamweight has been finished in the octagon since 2018.

Keeping all those factors in mind, an appropriate next matchup for Davey would be against Aoriqileng. Aoriqileng fought on the undercard of UFC Vancouver on Saturday and produced a stunning KO of Cody Gibson just 21 seconds into the fight. Aoriqileng is 4-4 with 1 NC in the UFC and is 2-2, 1 NC in his last five. A very similar record to Davey. The two shared a common opponent in Daniel Marcos. This bout would undoubtedly be high paced, violent and action packed for fans.

Davey’s next fight: Aoriqileng

Matt Frevola

Kyle Nelson battered and bested Matt Frevola over the course of three rounds to capture a unanimous decision victory to kick off the main card of UFC Vancouver. Super disappointing outcome for Frevola who has been on a rough skid. The loss on Saturday brings his losing streak to three and he’s now 5-6-1 in the UFC.

Good next opponent for Frevola would be matching him up against Kyle Prepolec. Kyle fought just before Matt on the feature prelim, losing in a controversial final round TKO opposite of Drew Dober. However, that bout would go on to win fight of the night honors. Prepolec has the alarming UFC record of 0-4. The record was produced in two stints. The first in 2019 against Nordine Taleb and Austin Hubbard. The second in 2025 against Benoit Saint-Denis and now, Drew Dober. Kyle has faced some straight killers, and if the UFC elects to keep the 36-year-old around, a good matchup would be Frevola.

Frevola also lost to Benoit Sanit-Denis (but it was in 2023) and has faced Drew Dober, though he was able to stop the 12-year UFC vet. Timing would make sense and both fighters are in a similar position for this matchup to get booked.

Matt’s next fight: Kyle Prepolec

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Kyle Nelson Dominates Frevola at UFC Vancouver Despite Referee Controversy

Eddie Law — Sat, 18 Oct 2025 23:57:53 +0000

Canadian fan-favorite Kyle Nelson and relentless pressure fighter Matt Frevola collided in a pivotal lightweight showdown on Saturday night at UFC Vancouver, a matchup that carried high stakes for both men in one of the UFC’s deepest divisions.

With Nelson fighting on home soil and Frevola looking to reassert himself in the rankings picture, the bout promised urgency, grit, and chaos from the opening horn.

Nelson (16-6-1) entered the fight looking to rebound from a loss to Steve Garcia in September, a setback that halted his three-fight win streak over Blake Bilder, Fernando Padilla, and Bill Algeo. The Huntsville, Ontario native aimed to get back in the win column on home soil.

Frevola (11-5-1) entered the bout on a two-fight skid, having suffered losses to Benoît Saint-Denis and Fares Ziam. Known as one of the division’s most action-heavy lightweights, he holds notable wins over Drew Dober, Ottman Azaitar, and Jalin Turner.

The defining moment of the fight came from what UFC VP of Regulatory Affairs Marc Ratner later described as a referee error.

Late in the opening round, Nelson dropped Frevola with a heavy shot and swarmed with ground-and-pound. With just three seconds remaining, referee Dan Miragliotta appeared to wave the fight off. Nelson stood up and even exchanged words with Frevola only to be informed seconds later that the fight was in fact not over.

The confusion carried into the remainder of the bout, with the commentary team openly baffled and the crowd voicing their displeasure.

Despite the chaos, Nelson dominated from start to finish, battering Frevola with heavy power shots and relentless body work that slowly drained him and forced a labored pace.

In the end, the right man got the win, but it was yet another bizarre moment that could only happen in MMA.

Official Result: Kyle Nelson def. Matt Frevola via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

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UFC Vancouver: de Ridder vs. Allen Weigh-In Results – No Misses!

Staff — Fri, 17 Oct 2025 12:00:20 +0000

The UFC returns to Vancouver, B.C., Canada this Saturday for a surprisingly stacked Fight Night card that holds title implications potentially for a number of weight classes.

Reinier de Ridder headlines UFC Vancouver, not in the more clear-cut title eliminator with Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez originally announced, but instead against Brendan Allen, stepping in to replace the injured Hernandez. Still, a win by RDR, a former ONE Championship double-champ, could make him next in line for Khamzat Chiamev.

Jasmine Jasudavicius, meanwhile, faces off against Manon Fiorot, the #2-ranked women’s flyweight at the moment and fresh off a title bid against champ Valentina Shevchenko. Jasudavicius, ranked #5, has the opportunity to become the third female Canadian title challenger in the UFC (following Valerie Letourneau and Alexis Davis), though Natalia Silva sits ahead of her in line for the winner of Shevchenko vs. Weili Zhang next month.

Still, with a win, there’s a decent possibility Jasudavicius is fighting for gold next year. And while a bit of a longer shot, Aiemann Zahabi can put himself closer to bantamweight gold win a victory over Chito Vera at UFC Vancouver. With Merab Dvalishvili already running through opponents for the second time, Zahabi might be closer than many think if he sees his hand raised on Saturday.

Mike Malott, Charles Jourdain, and Kyle “The Monster” Nelson also feature on a promising card for Canadian fighters.

Weigh-ins for UFC Vancouver get underway at 9AM PT, 12PM ET on Friday, October 17, 2025. Results can be found below.

No misses at the scale on Friday, as all fighters made weight for UFC Vancouver!

UFC Vancouver: de Ridder vs. Allen Weigh-In Results

Main card

Middleweight: Reinier de Ridder (186) vs. Brendan Allen (186)
Welterweight: Kevin Holland (170.5) vs. Mike Malott (171)
Bantamweight: Marlon Vera (136) vs. Aiemann Zahabi (135.5)
Women’s Flyweight: Manon Fiorot (125.5) vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius (125.5)
Bantamweight: Cody Gibson (136) vs. Aori Qileng (135.5)
Lightweight: Kyle Nelson (155.5) vs. Matt Frevola (155)

Preliminary card

Bantamweight: Charles Jourdain (135.5) vs. Davey Grant (136)
Flyweight: Bruno Gustavo da Silva (125.5) vs. Park Hyun-sung (126)
Middleweight: Danny Barlow (185.5) vs. Djorden Ribeiro dos Santos (185.5)
Lightweight: Kyle Prepolec (155.5) vs. Drew Dober (155.5)
Women’s Strawweight: Stephanie Luciano (116) vs. Ravena Oliveira (115.5)
Middleweight: Azamat Bekoev (185) vs. Yousri Belgaroui (185.5)
Women’s Bantamweight: Melissa Croden (136) vs. Tainara Lisboa (135.5)

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Matt Frevola Reveals Fight with Kyle Nelson at UFC Vancouver

Jay Anderson — Fri, 05 Sep 2025 20:14:57 +0000

Another promising pairing has been added to the already impressive UFC Vancouver card in October.

On Friday, UFC lightweight Matt Frevola (11-5-1) revealed that he would be fighting Kyle Nelson (16-6-1) at the event, set for October 18, 2025 at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, B.C., Canada.

Just one day prior, Nelson had hinted at a fight booking, writing “news coming soon” on his own social media.

“The Steamrolla” Frevola will be looking to snap back-to-back losses in the bout, after coming up short against French fighters Benoît Saint-Denis and Fares Ziam. The 35-year old from New York will have been out just over a year by the time the UFC Vancouver card rolls around.

Nelson saw a three-fight win streak snapped in his last outing, when he came up short against Steve Garcia. Born in Huntsville, Ontario, he should have the Canadian crowd behind him in Vancouver, as one of several homegrown talents on the card including Mike Malott, Jasmine Jasudavicius, Aiemann Zahabi, and Charles Jourdain.

UFC Vancouver is headlined by middleweights Reinier de Ridder and Anthony Hernandez, with the following pairings reported for the event:

Reinier de Ridder vs. Anthony Hernandez
Kevin Holland vs. Mike Malott
Manon Fiorot vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius
Charles Jourdain vs. Davey Grant
Bruno Gustavo da Silva vs. Park Hyun-sung
Marlon Vera vs. Aiemann Zahabi
Danny Barlow vs. Djorden Ribeiro dos Santos
Kyle Prepolec vs. Drew Dober
Azamat Bekoev vs. Yousri Belgaroui
Stephanie Luciano vs. Ravena Oliveira
Melissa Croden vs. Tainara Lisboa
Matt Frevola vs. Kyle Nelson

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What’s Next: UFC Paris Losers

Bryson Hester — Mon, 30 Sep 2024 14:32:21 +0000

UFC Paris featured a deep crop of French fighters representing for their country. The crowd was present and loud as usual. One of those French stars was one half of the main event, Benoit Saint-Denis, who came out on the wrong end of second round stoppage at the hands of Renato Moicano. And in a pivotal middleweight co-main event, Brendan Allen was the loser in a would-be title eliminator. A couple of absolutely crushing defeats including some painful stoppages, as fighters from the card eye their next match ups.

Benoit Saint-Denis

Benoit Saint-Denis was thoroughly whooped via ground n’ pound sustaining tremendous damage before the octagon-side physician stopped the bout at the end of the second. Much to the dismay of the French crowd the hometown hero Benoit just could not get it done against #11 UFC lightweight, Renato Moicano.

Benoit Saint-Denis is now 5-3 in the UFC and has lost two in a row with Dustin Poirier stopping him earlier this year at UFC 299.

Benoit Saint-Denis should fight Jalin Turner in his next bout. Turner is ranked at #14 in the UFC’s lightweight division. Turner has lost three of his last four fights with his lone win coming against Bobby Green (while losing split decisions to Mateusz Gamrot and Dan Hooker). In his most recent fight, Renato Moicano rallied from behind to stop Turner in the second. This fight just makes sense.

Benoit’s next fight: Jalin Turner

Brendan Allen

Brendan Allen was shut down in the co-main event of UFC Paris by Nassourdine Imavov.

Allen entered the fight ranked at #8 in the middleweight division and jumped up to fight the #4 ranked Nassourdine Imavov. Well, it seemed like it in there as Allen was simply outclassed and it looked like it was not his night.

The loss snapped Allen’s 7-fight win streak that dated back to his December of 2021 second-round stoppage loss at the hands of Chris Curtis (a loss which he had just avenged in his most recent victory). This is truly a tough loss for Allen.

Marvin Vettori should be Allen’s next fight. Allen was matched up to fight Marvin Vettori back in April before Vettori withdrew from the bout. The pair’s scuffle earlier this year outside of the cage would also add to the appeal of this fight and Vettori is ranked at #6 at 185lbs.

Brendan’s next fight: Marvin Vettori

Joanderson Brito

Joanderson Brito came out on the wrong side of a split decision against France’s William Gomis. In what was a controversial decision, Brito now has his shiny five-fight, five-finish streak snapped by a loss that was well within striking distance.

Joanderson was supposed to fight Dan Ige in July before Ige stepped up on short notice to save a card. Needless to say, Brito might have to win a couple more fights before he’s within striking distance of the top 15 again. A truly bitter pill to swallow but a very common story.

Brito should get a solid name for his next fight. Sodiq Yusuff is on a two-fight skid and has slipped out of the rankings at featherweight. This would be an action-packed fight. Yusuff was last in action at UFC 300 earlier this year when Deigo Lopes took less than 90 seconds to stop him.

Joanderson’s next fight: Sodiq Yusuff

Kevin Jousset

Kevin Jousset was overwhelmed and melted by Carolina product Bryan Battle in the second round of their bout on Saturday. It was just Jousset’s third fight in the UFC after stopping Kiefer Crosbie in his debut and defeating Kenan Song back in December.

A disappointing showing at home, but Jousset should look to bounce back by fighting Preston Parsons. Preston is 2-3 in the UFC and coming off of a unanimous decision loss to Oban Elliot in July.

Kevin’s next fight: Preston Parsons

Gabriel Miranda

Gabriel Miranda was put away in a quick sequence during the second round of his bout with Morgan Charriere on Saturday at UFC Paris. Miranada is now 1-2 in the UFC, though the one loss is to Benoit Saint-Denis in his promotional debut.

Miranda should fight a guy that is also 1-2 in the UFC but also fought incredibly stiff competition. Miranda should take on Westin Wilson in his next fight. Wilson won his most recent bout against Jeka Saragih in June but was finished by Joanderson Brito and Jean Silva who fans now know are pretty tough. Should be the battle of the already tested “new guys.”

Gabriel’s next fight: Westin Wilson

Matt Frevola

Matt Frevloa was obliterated courtesy of a sneaky knee from his opponent, Fares Ziam, to start the main card of UFC Paris. To make matters worse, the stoppage came with just two minutes left in the fight left to go.

Frevola is now 5-5-1 in the UFC since winning on the 2017 season of the Contender Series. Matt has lost two of his last three fights. His lone win was against Drew Dober in May of last year. Frevola stopped the ultra-durable Dober in the first round and earned himself a performance bonus. Matt’s now been stopped twice since then, the other time courtesy of a head kick by Benoit Saint-Denis.

A good next fight for Frevola would be against Jared Gordon. Jared is 2-3, 1 NC in his last six fights. He has had a rough go. Gordon was last in the octagon back in June when he lost a controversial split decision to Nasrat Haqparast. Much like Frevola, Gordon is a very fun fighter with a great attitude, so it seems like the fight to make.

Matt’s next fight: Jared Gordon

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UFC Paris: Fares Ziam Delivers Crushing Knee, Puts Matt Frevola Out Cold

Jay Anderson — Sat, 28 Sep 2024 19:42:42 +0000

Two rising lightweights met at UFC Paris as Fares Ziam and Matt Frevola looked to continue their climb in the division on Saturday.

Ziam (15-4) came into the fight on a three fight win streak with victories over Michal Figlak, Jai Herbert and Claudio Puelles. Adding Frevola to his resume could shoot him into a ranked fight next.

Frevola (11-4-1) had tasted a top 15 ranking, but a loss against UFC Paris headliner Benoit Saint Denis set him back a bit. With wins over Drew Dober, Ottman Azaitar and Genaro Valdez, Frevola still had enough steam left to make a run at the rankings.

Perhaps trying to show a different side of himself, the normally patient Ziam came out swinging heavy to start Saturday’s main card opener. Frevola, recently a new dad, proved he had come to Paris for a fight in the early going, taking some decent swings of his own before catching a kick and converting it into a takedown just over a minute into the opening round. While Ziam nearly escaped, a resulting scramble saw Frevola end up on top with a mounted guillotine briefly in play. Ziam would finally free himself, and go back to chucking massive right hands. Soon, Frevola was hurt, his face showing the effects of Ziam’s efforts. Ziam went to the body, with the pair then tying up alongside the fence.

Frevola would survive that late-opening round onslaught, and came out in round two seeking another takedown. He put Ziam against the fence, looking to change levels; Ziam proved up to the challenge in terms of takedown defense, and added an elbow over the top before they broke. Another, shorter clinching exchange later in the round would be similarly less than fruitful for Frevola, while Ziam’s stand-up had him winning the fight. In the final minute, it was Ziam taking the back with Frevola going belly down next to the fence. Ziam went after a rear-naked choke, only for Frevola to pull free and survive.

Matt Frevola entered round three almost certainly in need of a finish to come away from UFC Paris with a victory. It was Ziam controlling early in the frame, however, working hands, then putting on a body lock, pressing his weight on Frevola and finally landing a trip takedown. Ziam would eat precious minutes in a slower, more grinding third round, before suddenly flipping a switch – and turning Matt Frevola off.

Still tied up against the fence, Ziam launched a standing knee while at the same time using the clinch to drive Frevola’s head down into it. Frevola was out like a light, with the ref coming in to put a stop to follow-up strikes that certainly weren’t required. And with that, Fares “Smile Killer” Ziam had a signature win.

Official Result: Fares Ziam def. Matt Frevola by KO (knee), Round 3, 2:59

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UFC Paris: Moicano vs. Saint Denis Weigh-In Results

Staff — Fri, 27 Sep 2024 05:00:27 +0000

The UFC returns to the City of Lights this weekend, with this year’s UFC Paris card headlined by Renato Moicano and French lightweight star Benoit Saint Denis.

The Fight Night event once again sees the promotion set up shop at the Accor Arena in Paris, with middleweights Nassourdine Imavov and Brendan Allen anchoring the night’s co-main event. Elsewhere on the card, Ultimate Fighter winner Bryan Battle faces Kevin Jousset, while fan fave Matt Frevola kicks off the night’s main card opposite Fares Ziam in lightweight action.

In the featured prelim, Ion Cutelaba welcomes Ivan Erslan to the promotion.

Weigh-ins for UFC Paris take place on Friday, results can be found below.

UFC Paris: Moicano vs. Saint Denis Weigh-In Results

Main card

Lightweight: Renato Moicano (156) vs. Benoît Saint Denis (156)
Middleweight: Nassourdine Imavov (186) vs. Brendan Allen (186)
Featherweight: William Gomis (146) vs. Joanderson Brito (146)
Welterweight: Kevin Jousset (170) vs. Bryan Battle (169)
Featherweight: Morgan Charrière (146) vs. Gabriel Miranda (146)
Lightweight: Farès Ziam (156) vs. Matt Frevola (156)

Preliminary card

Light Heavyweight: Ion Cuțelaba (205) vs. Ivan Erslan (206)
Light Heavyweight: Oumar Sy (205) vs. Jung Da-woon (205)
Lightweight: Ľudovít Klein (155) vs. Roosevelt Roberts (155)
Bantamweight: Taylor Lapilus (136) vs. Vince Morales (135)
Women’s Bantamweight: Daria Zheleznyakova (135) vs. Ailín Pérez (136.5)*
Flyweight: Daniel Barez (125) vs. Victor Altamirano (126)
Women’s Bantamweight: Nora Cornolle (136) vs. Jacqueline Cavalcanti (135)
Lightweight: Bolaji Oki (156) vs. Chris Duncan (156)

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Fares Ziam Called Out, And Got Matchup With Frevola

Eddie Law — Fri, 27 Sep 2024 02:31:34 +0000

Paris – UFC lightweight Fares Ziam called Matt Frevola out a couple of times and now gets his wish granted at UFC Paris on Saturday.

“I called him out like one year ago after my fight in London,” Ziam told reporters on Wednesday.

“(He’s) no more top 15, but for me he’s a top 15 guy so for me it’s big fight.”

Ziam (15-4) comes into UFC Paris on a three-fight win streak with victories over Michal Figlak, Jai Herbert and Claudio Puelles. A win over Frevola could mean a callout of a ranked opponent, but the lightweight chose not to reveal any names.

“Honestly I don’t want callout anyone because I am ready for anybody,” he said.

“If UFC send me a name I says yes. That’s it.”

Fighting in his home country of France has Ziam excited to fight on home soil in front of his support system.

“I’m lucky to fight here. I’m very happy. My friends comes, my family comes, so for me it’s big motivation,” he said.

UFC Paris will make the second time Ziam has fought on home soil. His other fights took place in Abu Dhabi, Mexico City, and Las Vegas.

Watch the entire media day scrum with Fares Ziam above. He takes on Matt Frevola at UFC Paris on Saturday.

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What’s Next: UFC 295 Losers

Val Dewar — Tue, 14 Nov 2023 01:51:51 +0000

A main card full of finishes resulted in an exciting night at UFC 295 in New York City. That also leaves a number of fighters on the mend and looking to rebound moving forward. Where do the likes of Jiri Prochazka and Sergei Pavlovich go from here? Let’s play a little matchmaker (who knows, maybe we’ll get hired – it’s happened!).

Jiří Procházka

The Czech Samurai, Jiří Procházka, found some success but was ultimately knocked out by Alex Pereira at UFC 295. The former champ is still in title contention after his loss, but now has to get a win or two before earning another shot. There are a few notable fights in the division that will factor into who Jiří’s next opponent is: Blachowicz vs Rakic 2, Pereira vs Hill for the belt, and a likely re-booking of Ankalaev vs Walker after their recent no-contest.

The best option may be the winner of that Blachowicz vs Rakic fight. Both men are coming off of losses so one win will not be enough to get them a title shot again, but whoever gets back on track could face Procházka in a number one contender’s fight.

Prochazka’s Next Fight: Winner of Blachowicz/Rakic 2

Sergei Pavlovich

The heavyweight title fight between Tom Aspinall and Sergei Pavlovich ended in a first round knockout, to no one’s surprise, and this time it was Pavlovich who got separated from consciousness, ending the longest first round knockout streak in UFC history.

Pavlovich is still a top heavyweight contender and most of his peers are not currently booked, so options are plentiful. The most logical opponents would someone Sergei has not already fought, like Ciryl Gane, Jailton Almeida, or Alexander Volkov. Of those, Gane makes the most sense, as he brings elite striking to the table just like Pavlovich, but with a much different style. The slick point-kickboxer vs the brutal knockout artist would be a highly entertaining stylistic clash.

Pavlovich’s Next Fight: Ciryl Gane

Mackenzie Dern

Brazilian jiu-jitsu artist Mackenzie Dern lost by finish for the first time in her MMA career as former champion and fifth-ranked strawweight Jessica Andrade knocked her down four times before the referee called the fight. Dern has now traded wins and losses for her last five fights and will drop a bit in the rankings from her spot at number seven.

With Lupita Godinez winning her fight on UFC 295 in the same division, she is deserving of a fight against a higher-ranked opponent while Dern will have to fight down. ‘Loopy’ has won four straight fights and looks like a potential title challenger one day, but she will have to get past Dern to prove she belongs in the top ten.

Dern’s Next Fight: Lupita Godinez

Matt Frevola

Matt ‘Steamrolla’ Frevola is a fighter that lives by the sword and dies by the sword. His streak of fights ending in first round knockouts extended to five on Saturday, but unlike the last three, this time he was the one laid out on the canvas. Benoit St. Denis came into enemy territory and got the job done, stealing Frevola’s top-15 lightweight ranking in the process.

The Steamrolla remains a top-tier action fighter in a division full of fun foes, so there is a bevy of options out there for him. Another fight between contending lightweights goes down soon at UFC Austin as Bobby Green takes on Dan Hooker in a strikers’ delight. The winner of that fight will be too high-ranked for Frevola, but the loser would make perfect sense.

Frevola’s Next Fight: Loser of Green/Hooker

Pat Sabatini

The battle between grappling aces Pat Sabatini and Diego Lopes ended without a single takedown landed by either party. Instead, Diego Lopes showed his striking prowess as he dropped and finished the American wrestler with his hands. Sabatini is now 5-2 in the UFC, a respectable record, but will need a step down in competition next as he attempts to bounce back.

There are a few featherweight fights coming up between fighters with a similar status in the division currently: Joanderson Brito vs Jonathan Pearce and Charles Jourdain vs Sean Woodson. Brito vs Pearce takes place this week, putting the loser of that fight on a good timetable to fight Sabatini in early 2023, barring injury.

Sabatini’s Next Fight: Loser of Brito/Pearce

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Benoit Saint-Denis Wants Poirier Or Gamrot, Thanks Frevola For Fight

Jake Noecker and Eddie Law — Mon, 13 Nov 2023 17:53:33 +0000

New York, NY – Following a very exciting bout against Matt Frevola ending in a TKO victory at UFC 295 Benoit Saint-Denis is looking for a matchup with a big name.

“A guy like Dustin Poirier or (Mateusz) Gamrot,” Saint-Denis told reporters including Cageside Press at his post-fight scrum.

“Or Dustin Poirier. He just lost, he’s ranked, he has to fight a guy behind him because he (lost). I know he’s a big name but I’m going to be an even bigger name if I working like that.”

A matchup with The Diamond or Gamrot would be huge for Saint-Denis. To have it on home soil in France would be massive for the Frenchman.

“I would like really to make a big main event in France. We can’t have two UFC Paris. Maybe Bordeaux it’s not far from my hometown, and it’s a big city. It will be sold out right away,” Saint-Denis said.

With a highlight reel fight and victory over Frevola he may have set himself up for that type of fight sooner than later. Still it doesn’t happen without Frevola taking the fight in the first place.

“I’m going to thank Matt Frevola for giving me this opportunity. I was not surprised it was him (that took this fight). Specially for Veteran’s Day,” said Saint-Denis.

“This guy gave me this opportunity. He’s on home soil. He didn’t have to take this fight, but I believe he likes the history and he likes challenges like I do. He wanted a tough fight and I’m going to bring you war no matter who you are.”

Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Benoit Saint-Denis above.

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