We were treated to UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit on Saturday night and I must say I enjoyed it, controversial main event and all. It’ll be interesting to see if it does anywhere near 300,000 PPV buys, if so I’m sure the Zuffa brass will be pretty happy. The event went pretty much how I though it would with me only missing one fight in my predictions(I still think Diaz won 3-2), but that’s neither here nor there. Let’s get ready to put our Joe Silva matchmaker hat on and see what’s next for these guys.

  • Carlos Condit defeated Nick Diaz to capture the UFC welterweight interim title. He can either wait until Georges St. Pierre is ready to fight, which will be around November, or he can defend his interim title this summer. I’d prefer him to fight this summer, because he doesn’t deserve to fight St. Pierre if he can’t defend that interim title successfully right? If Jake Ellenberger takes out Diego Sanchez, I think he is the next person in line. If not, a bout with Johny Hendricks makes sense with him taking out Jon Fitch not long ago. Then of course, they could always do an immediate rematch with Nick Diaz which seems like that’s the fight most want to see.
  • Nick Diaz will not retire as he said in his post fight interview in my opinion. He could rematch Condit, or possibly fight Josh Koscheck next.
  • Fabricio Werdum looked very good against Roy Nelson, but a win over the one dimensional Nelson isn’t that big of a deal in my opinion. Werdum is in a tough spot in that he doesn’t have many options that make sense for him. It’s rumored that Cain Velasquez will fight Frank Mir at some point, so those two fighters are unavailable. The other ranked heavyweights are in Strikeforce, which leaves us with the winner of the Cheick Kongo vs. Mark Hunt fight that’ll take place at UFC 144 in a couple of weeks.
  • Roy Nelson should fight someone along the lines of Matt Mitrione. Nelson isn’t going to be a champion in the heavyweight division, but he could be the ultimate gatekeeper.
  • Josh Koscheck lost the fight to Mike Pierce in my opinion. He’s no longer an elite welterweight and I’ll be talking about that later today. A fight with Johny Hendricks makes sense in that Hendricks just destroyed his teammate in Jon Fitch. Hendricks needs another win over a ‘name’ and Koscheck fits the bill.
  • Mike Pierce is a very tough fighter and a fight with someone like Rick Story makes sense.
  • Renan Barao made pretty easy work of Scott Jorgensen who’s a top ten fighter. There’s no sense in wasting time with Barao as he’s a supreme talent and there’s a lack of title challengers for the current champion Dominick Cruz. All of the other top bantamweights are dropping down to the newly created flyweight division. Cruz will face Urijah Faber once they wrap up season 15 of TUF as coaches. Barao could sit out to face the winner of that fight for the title, or fight the winner of the Miguel Torres vs. Michael McDonald fight at UFC 145.
  • Scott Jorgensen can fight the loser of the Torres/McDonald fight.
  • Ed Herman said he wants a top ten guy next. Give him Rousimar Palhares then.

What say you?

8 thoughts on “UFC 143 fallout: Let’s play UFC matchmaker edition”
  1. […] UFC 143 fallout: Let's play UFC matchmaker editionPro MMA NowMark Hunt fight that'll take place at UFC 144 in a couple of weeks. Roy Nelson should fight someone along the lines of Matt Mitrione. Nelson isn't going to be a champion in the heavyweight division, but he could be the ultimate gatekeeper.UFC 143 Results: The Top 25 Pound-for-Pound Fighters in the UFCBleacher ReportMorning Report: Silva-Sonnen II Finally Set, The Condit-Diaz Debate Rages OnMMAFighting.com411's UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit Report 02.04.12411mania.comSo Hood -Houston Chronicle (blog)all 1,224 news articles » […]

  2. Nelson has a punchers chance in his fights….he’s a blackbelt on the ground but never looks to take fights to the ground…

    I was just giving Ed Herman a tough matchup since he wanted a top opponent :)

  3. Curious as to which dimension you’re referring to with Roy Nelson? Would that be his black belt in BJJ or his solid stand up?

    Nelson could definitely drop 20 comfortably and cut to 205 for fights. With that power and BJJ, he’d be great against the Griffins and Jackson’s of the world. Don’t you think?

    Mir and Werdum need to get in The Octagon.

  4. Christopher….Yes, Nelson is a BJJ blackbelt….but he rarely uses his ground skills because he’s too busy standing and banging trying to show how good of a chin he has I suppose. He’d have to drop a lot more than 20 pounds to be able to make 205…and even then I’m not sure he’d do well…he’s good on the ground…but he isn’t the second coming of Roger Gracie or anything….

  5. -The smart thing for Condit to do would be to wait. He now deserves a shot at GSP. The same way Shields and Koscheck were just deserving of their shots. The same way Okami was deserving of shot at Silva.

    -As for Diaz deserving another shot at Condit, he needs at least one win over a high quality opponent. However, if he finally fights a wrestler (which would be the first time in close to 6 years), he probably won’t ever be back at the level. And I think you’re overplaying fan interest in a rematch. I’d prefer for Nick to go to boxing, and take on a good 168lber or MW.

    -Werdum vs. Mir next. Cain can take the winner of Kongo-Hunt.

    -The internet seems split on the winner of Koscheck-Pierce. Here and Junkie scored it for Koscheck. A few other places scored it for Pierce. Personally, I had it for Koscheck after the final takedown. However, Pierce has had 3 hard luck decisions now in the UFC so he’s still an up and comer. Koscheck is still most certainly an elite WW, as he could probably beat the two fighters that took part in the main event last night. If Diaz stays I say him and Koscheck makes sense.

    -Barao vs. the McDonald/Torres winner next.

    -Jorgensen down to 125.

    -Ed Herman vs. Palhares also makes the most sense to me since he wants a top ten caliber guy. Or maybe Bisping.

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