Fights to Make After UFC Shanghai

by Zak Drapeau and Matt Hylen

Sportz Nation - 9/1/2026

Photo Credits to Xinhua via IMAGO

Song Yadong vs

Merab Dvalishvili

Matt Hylen -

After a knockout like that against an opponent like Umar Nurmagomedov, Song Yadong has officially solidified himself as one of the top-2 contenders in the division, alongside Sean O'Malley. His performance on Saturday night was absolutely spectacular; he did not let anything get to him, stayed composed, and ultimately sent Umar Nurmagomedov into another universe.

Now, looking at the title picture at Bantamweight, I think Yadong and O'Malley are in very similar spots. So, I believe the next title shot between these two solely depends on who wins between Merab Dvalishvili and Petr Yan.

If Yan wins, O'Malley should get the title shot next since O'Malley has beaten Yan before. However, if Dvalishvili wins, it would make more sense for Yadong to get that title shot since O'Malley has lost to Dvalishvili twice. With that said, regardless of whether it is for a title or not, Dvalishvili makes perfect sense for Yadong in my eyes.

Umar Nurmagomedov vs

WINNER of David Martinez v Dan Ige

Zak Drapeau -

That was one of the most sudden and shocking knockouts I've seen all year, and good for Yadong for getting it, but this starts a long road ahead for Umar. If he had won this fight, he would definitely have the next title shot, but now he may even fall down to #5 contender at 135.

The Bantamweights are all clogged up at the top of this division, but there is a very interesting match in 2 weeks between undefeated #8 David Martinez and Dan Ige, dropping down from Featherweight for the first time. The winner of this fight should be right above Umar in the rankings and should be a necessary prove-it fight for Umar, who I fully believe will be back in the near future.

Denise Gomes vs

Tatiana Suarez

Matt Hylen -

Wow, I was not expecting this kind of domination from Denise Gomes. She was on fire all night long; her striking was patient and calculated, and when the time came, she countered Yan Xiaonan with a devastating elbow that put Xiaonan to sleep.

Especially considering the way in which she finished this fight, I think a title eliminator should be next for Gomes. With Tatiana Suarez being the #1 contender in the division right now, it only makes sense for these two to match up while we wait for Mackenzie Dern to inevitably fight Zhang Weili. Suarez would provide Gomes with her biggest test to date, giving her the opportunity to not only prove she can beat an elite grappler, but that she is next in this division.

Yan Xiaonan vs

Tabatha Ricci 2

Zak Drapeau -

Xiaonan has definitely fallen off since her title shot in 2023. She is 37 years old now and only fights once a year, so it's incredibly hard, but I think this one works.

The fact is, Xiaonan NEEDS a step down, and Ricci had 2 losses to two Top-6 fighters and, even on a losing streak, deserves a fight up. I think this fight wouldn't happen until Q1 of 2027, but it would decide who still belongs in the rankings.

Kai Asakura vs

Farid Basharat

Matt Hylen -

After this dominant win, Kai Asakura has rebuilt his UFC career the right way and should now be in store for a much bigger fight than this one. We all knew Asakura has the talent to make a name for himself in the UFC, but his move up to Bantamweight has really shown just how good he can be.

I think a fight inside the rankings is more than justified for Asakura at this point. Having had two fights outside them now, fighting a newer-ranked opponent like Farid Basharat could make a lot of sense. Both are balanced fighters with overwhelming pressure on the feet, making it a great opportunity for Asakura to introduce himself into the elite of the Bantamweight division.

Su Mudaerji vs

Amir Albazi

Zak Drapeau -

Mudaerji-Perez 1 may have ended in a no contest, but for my money, Mudaerji just beat him twice in a row, which means he's on a 5-fight heater. Now that he'll be ranked, I have him against Albazi, which is a Top-10 fight for him. Albazi has been on a skid in two Top-7 fights lately, but this fight would really make sense from a rankings perspective and also in styles, where these two are very similar.

Rei Tsuruya vs

Amir Albazzi

Matt Hylen -

Ever since his UFC debut, Rei Tsuruya has been nothing but fun to watch inside the octagon. His balanced style makes all of his fights truly unpredictable, with this most recent win being another example of the danger he possesses to opponents.

I think it's time to give Tsuruya a real shot inside the rankings. With his only loss in the UFC coming to the champion himself, Joshua Van, Tsuruya has more than proven that he is ready for a major step up in competition.

I like a matchup against Amir Albazzi because Albazzi seems to be on his way down to gatekeeper status. He is extremely inactive both in and out of the cage, so a fight outside the rankings makes a lot of sense on his side. As for Tsuruya, this is his chance to really prove the hype is real and he has improved since his loss to Joshua Van.

Sean Woodson vs

Mel Costa

Zak Drapeau -

About a year ago, I had both of these guys as the first two out of the Featherweight rankings, so now that it makes sense to mix them up, I want to see this fight. Woodson has been on fire over the past 3 years, besides one random knockout from Dan Ige, and Mel Costa was ripping through the ranks before Arnold Allen decided to expose his wrestling.

This fight would be a war, probably end in a highlight reel knockout, and definitely land the winner around the Top 10 of the division.

Other Fights to Make

Julia Polastri vs Amanda Lemos

Francisco Nuzzi vs Chris Gutierrez

Alex Perez vs WINNER of Alden Coria vs Imanol Rodriguez

Aoriqileng vs Colby Thicknesse

Andre Lima vs LOSER of Edgar Chairez vs Tim Elliot

Kevin Borjas vs Lucas Rocha

Jack Jenkins vs Austin Bashi

Nilson Rojas vs Cody Durden

Bilal Hasan vs Ronaldo Rodriguez

Ce Liu vs Ibo Aslan