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UFC Fight Night 33: What’s next for the main card winners?

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It’s time to sit in the matchmaker’s armchair folks. And derive match-ups that we think could materialize for the main card winners following UFC Fight Night 33.

The event took place on Saturday at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre in Brisbane, Australia, and was headlined by a five-round classic between heavy-hitters Mark Hunt and Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva. Fight fans described the bout as the best Heavyweight fight that ever took place in the octagon, with both Hunt and Silva setting a ridiculous pace for 25 mintues. The number of shots both fighters dished out and absorbed was absolutely incredible. A standing ovation greeted both fighters as they exited the cage.

The outcome was a draw, and from a neutral’s perspective, it was probably the right result. After all, the fans were the ones who had their pennies well spent. We were treated to a match-up that had pretty much everything one could possibly hope for.

UFC Fight Night 33: What’s next for the main card winners?

The co-main event was nothing short of spectacular as well. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua scored a triumphant knockout over Aussie favorite James Te Huna. The former UFC Light Heavyweight champ made a statement of intent, signalling to fans and critics alike that he wasn’t done by a long shot.

Elsewhere on the main card, there were wins for Ryan Bader, Soa Palelei, Clint Hester and Bethe Correia too. Let’s take a look at what the future holds for the fighters and let your thoughts be known in the comments section below:

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  • Winner/Fighter: Bethe Correia (7-0)
  • Who she should face next: Julianna Peña (5-2)

This would be a classic wrestler vs. striker match-up with Peña having an advantage in the wrestling department, and Correia edging slightly with her striking threat. A solid test for both fighters as they continue to mature early in their UFC careers. Stylistically, this would be a fantastic match-up with future ramifications in the Women’s Bantamweight division.

  • Winner/fighter: Clint Hester (9-3)
  • Who he should face next: Luke Barnatt (7-0)

This match-up has “Something of the Night” written all over it. Both fighters were contestants on “The Ultimate Fighter: 17”, and first picks for their respective teams. And there’s a distinct contrast between their fight styles. Hester is a former professional Boxer with hard-hitting strikes, while Barnatt has finished the majority of his fights via submission. With Barnatt’s long, lengthy figure and reach coupled with Hester’s ever improving grappling game, this could make for an intriguing fight altogether.

  • Winner/Fighter: Soa Palelei (20-3)
  • Who he should face next: Shawn Jordan (15-5)

Put two solid strikers up against one another and you can pretty much guarantee a knockout. That’s a probable outcome should Soa Palelei face Shawn Jordan. Both guys are experienced vets with a combined 27 knockout victories between them, so don’t blink folks because this is one fight that’ll guarantee sure-fire fireworks.

  • Winner/Fighter: Ryan Bader (16-4)
  • Who he should face next: Thiago Silva (16-3, 2 NC)

An enigmatic contest that promises to deliver. Ryan Bader has all the credentials in being a future UFC champion, and a win over Thiago Silva would solidify  a place in the top ten Light Heavyweight rankings. But Silva is no slouch by any standards. The Brazilian has long been regarded as one of the promotion’s most fearsome combatants because of his brutal fighting style and mean demeanor. This a bout capable of headlining any Fight Night card, and one that might wet the appetites of Mixed Martial Arts fans. We do enjoy finishes now, don’t we?

  • Winner/Fighter: Mauricio Rua (22-8)
  • Who he should face next: Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (21-5)

The rematch was originally set for UFC 161, eight years after their first meeting in PRIDE. Now, with both fighters coming off victories in their previous bouts, this would be a perfect time to pair them up against one another. That is, should “Shogun” decide to contest at 205-lbs one last time, before making a decision to move down to Middleweight.

HuntVsSilva

  • Fighters: Mark Hunt (9-8-1)/Antonio Silva (18-5-1)
  • Rematch

It’s the only meaningful option. And it makes a lot of sense. A rematch would allow us to determine who deserves to move a step up the ladder, and who doesn’t. Although the contest is now a candidate for “Fight of the Year’ honors, it was declared a draw on Saturday’s event. So at this point of time, we can’t simply match them up with anybody else but themselves for their next bout.

For full UFC Fight Night 33 results, click here.

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Follow Thinesh on Twitter (@ThineshJohnMMA), and keep up with the latest MMA news from MMASucka via Twitter (@MMASucka) and Facebook

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20, Asian MMA enthusiast in Singapore.

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