Morning Matchmaker: Why Michael Bisping should get Luke Rockhold next
Michael Bisping looked as good as he has in years in a demolition of Cung Le. Is "The Count" ready to jump back into the middleweight contender mix?
Rafael dos Anjos shook up the lightweight rankings with an upset of No. 1 Benson Henderson. Does he deserve a title shot?
Tyron Woodley ended Dong Hyun Kim's night in just 61 seconds. What's next for the top welterweight star?
There is plenty to cover after a fun UFC Saturday that featured two events. We'll try to answer those questions below.
MICHAEL BISPING
Michaal Bisping picked up a dominant win over Cung Le over the weekend.
It looks like Bisping is fully recovered from that eye injury. "The Count" looked as good against Cung Le in Macao as he has in a long time. Le is not a full-time fighter, but he's no slouch and he presents troubles on the feet. It didn't matter. Bisping was accurate and did all kinds of damage in a complete beating. Impressive stuff.
Who's next: Luke Rockhold
Bisping has had countless chances to earn a title shot and failed each time. At 35 years old and after that loss to Tim Kennedy, he seemed pretty irrelevant in the middleweight division. But Bisping's mouth makes him one of the most popular fighters in the division and this win puts him right back in the mix.
Bisping has been going after Rockhold for months and Rockhold has reciprocated with trash talk of his own. That could easily be a FOX Sports 1 main event or even a pay-per-view co-main event. You know both men will sell the fight hard. When you have a rivalry with legitimate heat, you can't pass up making the payoff happen.
CUNG LE
Cung Le's face didn't take well to the Michael Bisping fight.
If Le got busted up that badly by Michael Bisping, a man not known for his punching power, it doesn't bode well for his MMA future. At 42 years old, he's going to have to think long and hard about retirement. But he probably won't call it quites. There are still interesting matchups out there to make money and he'll likely explore them.
Who's next: Dan Henderson or Anderson Silva
If Silva loses to Nick Diaz in January, a fight with Le would make a ton of sense. Silva will obviously be off the middleweight title track (which he doesn't seem to mind) and Le remains a name and very intriguing stylistic matchup. If Silva wins, he's off the table for Le. But Henderson could be another option. He's likely moving down to 185 and not considered to be a contender. Le-Henderson is a fun novelty bout.
RAFAEL DOS ANJOS
Rafael dos Anjos' win over Benson Henderson was unexpected.
If dos Anjos was the most underrated UFC lightweight in the top five, he's probably not that anymore. The Brazilian knocked off No. 1-ranked Benson Henderson in Tulsa, sending the rankings into a tizzy. It might be too soon for dos Anjos to be given a title shot, but he's close -- probably only one win away. Pretty amazing.
Who's next: Bobby Green
Anthony Pettis won't defend his lightweight title against Gilbert Melendez until Dec. 6, so whoever is next in line -- maybe it's dos Anjos -- will have to wait. Green just got knocked out of the UFC 178 co-main event against Donald Cerrone after Eddie Alvarez signed with the UFC, so he is available and likely willing to fight a contender before the end of the year. Dos Anjos fits the bill. That's a big fight.
BENSON HENDERSON
Benson Henderson was knocked out for the first time in his career by Rafael dos Anjos.
Henderson was on some people's pound-for-pound list before falling to Rafael dos Anjos by knockout in the first round in Tulsa. It was a pretty shocking result for the top-ranked lightweight contender, who has been incredibly durable in his career. Despite the defeat, Henderson won't fall much. He's still a top-five 155-pounder.
Who's next: Michael Johnson
Henderson will probably want to get back in the Octagon right away and Johnson should be ready to go before the end of the year. It's really a perfect matchup for both. Johnson, ranked No. 10 among lightweight contenders, is not a gigantic step down for Henderson, so he can stay in the mix with a win. Meanwhile, Johnson, a rising talent, can vault himself into contention by beating Henderson.
TYRON WOODLEY
Tyron Woodley crushed Dong Hyun Kim in just over a minute.
Woodley would have put himself in line for a title shot if he beat Rory MacDonald in June. He dropped a decision then, but got right back into the conversation with a 61-second destruction of Dong Hyun Kim in Macao. When "The Chosen One" has his head on straight, he can beat absolutely anyone at welterweight in the UFC.
Who's next: Matt Brown
Typically, UFC matchmakers Joe Silva and Sean Shelby like to match together two fighters coming off a win. But with the top of the heap at 170 crowded, this matchup just makes sense for both fighters who are trying to put themselves in line for a title shot. Further complicating matters is that Woodley likely won't fight his American Top Team training partners Hector Lombard or Robbie Lawler. So, Brown it is.
DONG HYUN KIM
It was a short -- and rough night -- in Macao for Dong Hyun Kim.
Who knows what would have happened if the fight with Tyron Woodley went the distance, but that's the beauty of MMA. Kim made a tactical error, going for a spinning technique and Woodley blasted him with a monster right hand. "Stun Gun" remains a top-10 welterweight, though, and should still get contenders in the future.
Who's next: Mike Pierce
The issue Kim presents now is that he's coming off a loss and you don't want him to pick off promising potential contenders at 170 like Jordan Mein, Gunnar Nelson or Ryan LaFlare. Pierce is not one of those guys. He's a journeyman and gatekeeper. Kim has already passed through the gate, but a win over Pierce will keep him there.
JORDAN MEIN
Jordan Mein has put himself in the rankings mix at welterweight.
The UFC's welterweight division is incredibly loaded at the top and Mein is about to break into that elite group. His knockout over the durable Mike Pyle in Tulsa was extremely impressive and, at just 24 years old, Mein has a very high ceiling. With his versatility and technique, he could be a future champion in the weight class.
Who's next: Demian Maia
There are still a few hurdles Mein has to jump over to be considered a true contender. Maia, who was supposed to fight Pyle on the Tulsa card, came into the weekend ranked No. 8, but no one is calling for him to get a title shot anytime soon. The Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace would be the perfect gatekeeper test for Mein, who could be a top-10 welterweight before the year is up.
THALES LEITES
Thales Leites scored a huge knockout win over Francis Carmont.
Leites is a middleweight contender in the UFC in 2014. Who would have believed that a year ago? But with two consecutive knockout victories, the latest in Tulsa over Francis Carmont, Leites is very much in the 185-pound conversation. The Brazilian has improved his striking technique and power. And he's a legitimate force.
Who's next: C.B. Dollaway
Leities and Dollaway are on a similar path. Both are coming off victories over Carmont and are basically on a collision course. Dollaway came into the weekend ranked No. 9 among middleweight contenders and Leites is likely to move just outside the top 10. The winner of that bout would be firmly entrenched as a contender and could be one or two wins away from a titles shot. Believe it or not.
FRANCIS CARMONT
Francis Carmont throws a punch against Thales Leites on Saturday in Tulsa.
Once a very promising contender at welterweight, Carmont has fallen on hard times. He was dominated by C.B. Dollaway in May and now knocked out by Thales Leites in Tulsa over the weekend. Georges St-Pierre's best friend could be fighting for his job the next time he steps into the Octagon. But he's still too talented to slip very far.
Who's next: Mark Munoz
Munoz is a more well-known, more accomplished version of Carmont. He, too, is on a losing streak with quick losses to Lyoto Machida and Gegard Mousasi on his record. But he's still pretty skilled and Carmont presents him with a winnable fight to stop his skid. Or, on the other hand, a win over a name like Munoz would be a huge boon for Carmont. The loser, though, might want to think about stepping away.
