UFC Fight Night 39 went down on Friday at the Du Arena in Abu Dhabi, UAE, and provided some great action, with 4 decisions, 3 finishes, and 1 no contest due to an accidental headbutt.
Roy Nelson improved his stature in the heavyweight division as he plodded along, spammed away with his favored overhand right and managed to knock out Pride legend Antonio “Minotauro” Nogueira at 3:37 in the first round. This allows Nelson to remain relevant in the UFC’s heavyweight division, and is a further sign that “Minotauro” and his famous chin should no longer be in the cage.
In the co-main event, Clay Guida out-muscled a game Tatsuya Kawajiri, getting the better of the Japanese veteran as the fight went on. Both men showed great scrambling ability, and Guida managed to stave off multiple kimura attempts en route to the decision victory.
Also on the main card, Ryan LaFlare went on to take a unanimous decision victory over John Howard in a bout that saw LaFlare hit Howard with one of the most devastating knees to the groin in recent memory, while Ramsey Nijem surprised many by knocking out vaunted prospect Beneil Dariush in a Diaz Brothers approved 4:20 in the first round.
So, with that, it’s time for MMASucka.com to play match-maker for the main card winners. It’s not easy playing Joe Silva – or Sean Shelby – so if you feel your solutions differ, please feel free to put them in the comments section.
Let’s get started!
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- Name: Ramsey Nijem (9-4)
- Who he should fight next: Winner of Sam Stout (20-9-1) vs. KJ Noons (12-7)
Currently on a two fight winning streak, Nijem took care of a promising prospect in Beneil Dariush quite handily. With his previous win coming over Justin Edwards, I feel that it’s time for Nijem to take a slight step up in competition against a capable striker. Both Stout and Noons fit that bill nicely, and whomever wins their bout at the TUF: Nations Finale will also be on a nice two fight win streak. The time and positioning seems to work wonderfully, so this could make for an excellent bout.
- Name: Ryan LaFlare (11-0)
- Who he should fight next: Mike Pyle (26-9-1)
While it’s arguable how the fight would have gone had LaFlare not used the a groin targeting version of Ray Longo’s “Destruction” knee-check technique on John Howard, he was still able to take the unanimous decision victory. Now that he’s 11-0, it’s time for a real test, and there is no better test for a rising welterweight than Mr. Michael “Quicksand” Pyle. Pyle was last seen completely annihilating TJ Waldburger at UFC 170, so he should be ready when LaFlare is.
- Name: Clay Guida (31-14)
- Who he should fight next: Cole Miller (21-8)
Clay Guida was able to get back on track with his scrappy decision victory over Tatsuya Kawajiri, and proceeded to call out Conor McGregor in his post fight interview. Since there are so many people vying for the head of the Irishman, let’s put two of them together to see who gets that next bout. By placing Guida against the newly vocal Cole Miller, you’re going to get an exciting fight, and if placed on the main card, will help create hype for the future bout with McGregor.
- Name: Roy Nelson (20-9)
- Who he should fight next: Alistair Overeem (37-13, 1 N/C)
With Roy Nelson soundly defeating Antonio “Minotauro” Nogueira at UFC Fight Night 39, he has managed to remain relevant. So, why not pair him up with another noted striker whose style is the opposite of his? Alistair Overeem’s high level kickboxing game and Nelson’s right-hand heavy style may certainly be a clash of styles, but it would definitely be exciting.
*Pictures credit: Ultimate Fighting Championship
For full UFC Fight Night 39 results, click here.
