London’s O2 Arena played host to some scintillating Mixed Martial Arts action on Saturday night as the UFC Fight Night 37 main card lived up to expectations.
UFC Fight Night 37: What’s next for the main card winners?
In the main event, Alexander Gustafsson pummeled straight into the 205-lbs title contention with his exquisite second round TKO victory over England’s own Jimi Manuwa. The Swede was respectful of his opponent’s striking prowess, immediately scoring a takedown in the opening stages. But in the second frame, after Manuwa dished out consecutive overhand rights that buckled Gustafsson, the Swede swung forward and unleashed a series of answered blows, which sent Manuwa crashing onto the canvas. The referee made an intervention, and that was all she wrote.
In the co-main event, it was a clash of two strikers looking to get in the upper echelon of the UFC’s stacked Lightweight division.
Michael Johnson was left frustrated at Melvin Guillard’s lack of action but that didn’t stop the Blackzilians’ native from outpointing his former training partner en route to a lopsided Unanimous Decision victory. Johnson now finds himself on an impressive three-fight winning run, as he moves a step closer towards the contenders’ pit.
Elsewhere on the card, Gunnar Nelson dominated Dagestan’s Omari Akhmedov before earning a submission tap late in the first round, while Brad Pickett’s takedowns helped him score a Unanimous Decision victory over UFC newcomer, Neil Seery.
So with that, it’s that time again where we at MMASucka.com play “matchmaker” and derive match-ups that could materialize for the main card winners. Sitting on the matchmaker’s armchair is no easy task by any standards so if your solutions differ from ours, state them in the comments section below.
Let’s get started!
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- Name: Gunnar Nelson (12-0-1)
- Who he should contest next: Mike Pyle (26-9-1)
Gunnar Nelson is quickly rising to UFC stardom and he’s only a couple of wins away from being the next contender to the UFC’s 170-lbs crown. Fighters are still trying to figure a way past his outstanding grappling game and his unorthodox striking style. Simply put, he needs a top opponent to truly test himself. Mike Pyle is coming off a TKO victory just a fortnight ago and as we all know, he’s an established veteran in the MMA circles. If Nelson can notch one over Pyle, that would certainly propel him into the upper echelon of the Welterweight division.
- Name: Brad Pickett (24-8)
- Who he should contest next: Zach Makovsky (18-4)
“One Punch” had a successful debut at a 125-lbs looking ultra impressive in his win over promotional newcomer Neil Seery. Pickett experienced mixed results at Bantamweight, but now with a drop in weight class, he looked much faster and stronger on Saturday night. A match-up against former Bellator champ Zach Makovsky next would be perfect in determining if the Brit is indeed ready for a rematch with reigning champ Demetrious Johnson.
- Name: Michael Johnson (15-8)
- Who he should contest next: Winner of Jim Miller (23-4, 1 NC) vs. Bobby Green (22-5)
Jim Miller will face Bobby Green at UFC 172 and the winner of that affair could very well be paired up against Michael Johnson next. Johnson has improved by leaps and bounds since his days in the TUF house, and with regards to his striking credentials, he is one of the Lightweight division’s leading strikers right now. On a three-fight winning skid, Johnson will be looking to break into the top ten rankings in due’s time.
- Name: Alexander Gustafsson (16-2)
- Who he should contest next: Winner of Jon Jones (19-1) vs. Glover Teixiera (22-2)
The calamitous first battle between Gustafsson and Jones had fans clamoring for a rematch between the two. In fact, most fans scored the fight in favor of the Swede, so it would only be fitting if the 27-year-old was given another shot at the title. Reigning champ Jon Jones will lock horns with knockout phenom Glover Teixeira at UFC 172, and it makes sense for the winner to have his next title defense against Gustafsson next.
For full UFC Fight Night 37 results, click here
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