Matches to Make After UFC Fight Night 209

The Ultimate Fighting Championship on Saturday staged its historic first show on French soil at Accor Arena in Paris. UFC Fight Night 209 was headlined by France’s own Ciryl Gane, who took on dangerous knockout artist and shoey enthusiast Tai Tuivasa in his first appearance since failing to capture the heavyweight crown against Francis Ngannou. The supremely talented Gane entered as a -500 favorite in what was largely viewed as a showcase for the Frenchman. However, Tuivasa nearly knocked out “Bon Gamin” in a remarkable second round that saw both men hurt more than once. Gane went on to whip the home crowd into a frenzy in Round 3, where he delivered a highlight-reel finish.

The co-headliner carried plenty of importance, as well, with former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker facing top contender Marvin Vettori. Both men are arguably Top 3 competitors at 185 pounds, and both want a third crack at reigning titleholder Israel Adesanya. With another dominant victory, Whittaker once again looks to be head and shoulders above anyone else in the discussion.

In other action, exciting French middleweight Nassourdine Imavov, fresh off back-to-back knockouts of Edmen Shahbazyan and Ian Heinisch, took on the ever-dangerous Joaquin Buckley. Imavov managed to hang on for the decision in an action-packed battle that saw Buckley rally in the final stanza. Meanwhile, a fascinating featherweight clash pitted Nathaniel Wood against Charles Jourdain in what felt like a prime candidate for “Fight of the Night.” Wood claimed a hard-fought decision against the French Canadian, disappointing the crowd of Parisians.

In the aftermath of UFC Fight Night 209, a look at some potentially intriguing matches moving forward:

Ciryl Gane vs. Stipe Miocic: With Ngannou recovering from knee surgery, having the last two men he defeated face one another would be a great way to determine his next challenger. Miocic is one of the all-time great champions of the heavyweight division, although there are questions about how much he has left at 40 years old. Gane will only have improved and grown since the Ngannou loss, in much the same way “The Predator” did after he lost to Miocic the first time. It would also answer the question of whether Gane can beat a good wrestler, as that will be a major part of Miocic’s gameplan. This would be a tremendous fight as either the co-main or main event of a PPV.

Robert Whittaker vs. Israel Adesanya-Alex Pereira winner: Amazingly, though he is no longer the middleweight champion, Whittaker has largely cleaned out the division. He now holds convincing victories over the No. 2-, No. 3- and No.4-ranked contenders at 185 pounds: Vettori, Jared Cannonier and Derek Brunson. As such, nothing is left for him except for another run at the title, whether it comes against Pereira or, more likely, in a trilogy bout with Adesanya. While Adesanya is technically 2-0 against Whittaker, many feel “The Reaper” won their rematch. A third encounter would be easier to sell, with a less certain outcome than there would be with Adesanya facing anyone else.

Marvin Vettori vs. Jared Cannonier: Vettori is an elite fighter, but he has shown weaknesses against slick, fast and highly skilled strikers. Why not throw him in against another top contender who failed to dethrone Adesanya? It would be a fascinating showdown, with Vettori’s fundamentals, wrestling and chin against Cannonier’s tremendous hands and excellent takedown defense. The winner would also separate himself as the clear No. 3 middleweight in the UFC behind Whittaker and Adesanya, setting up other future tantalizing bouts.

Nassourdine Imavov vs. Kelvin Gastelum: This fight was already booked once, only to be canceled due to Imavov’s visa issues. Gastelum has lost five of his last six bouts, but they have all been to elite opposition: Cannonier, Whittaker, Hermansson, Till and a close decision loss to Adesanya. He is still just 30 years old, and this would be an intriguing fight. Either Gastelum wins and mounts a possible comeback, or else Imavov proves he is a serious contender for the middleweight belt. The pairing should result in an incredible striking war—a “Fight of the Night” candidate no matter where it lands.

Nathaniel Wood vs. Alex Caceres: Now that he has is 2-0 in the UFC’s featherweight division, Wood should face a ranked opponent at 145 pounds to see if he can eventually move toward contention. That journey should begin with the 15th-ranked Caceres, who enjoyed a solid five-fight winning streak before dropping a decision to Sodiq Yusuff. It would also be yet another exciting fight for the fans, full of high-paced, high-skill striking and grappling.