Matchmaking After Fight Night Malott vs Buckley
By Zak Drapeau and Matt Hylen
Sportz Nation - 10/20/2026
10Mike Malott vs
7Belal Muhammad
Zak Drapeau -
Malott has now won 5 in a row and won by knockout in 3 of his last 4 and BOY what a knockout knee that was this weekend. So now, Malott is deserving of a real test and Belal Muhammad is a pretty perfect fit for him.
Similarly to Malott, Muhammad is a striker who uses his grappling to keep the fight standing and to be used as a last resort. Differently, Muhammad has been there and done that including being a former Champion and has faced a wealth of competition in the division. This would be a great test for both men and a sorely needed fight that will give the winner a Top-5 opponent next.
12Joaquin Buckley vs
WINNER of Randy Brown/Jacobe Smith
Matt Hylen -
I’m not really sure what happened to Joaquin Buckley in this fight. He looked great in Round 1; he was patient, controlled the center, and won the round my methodically selecting his shots. Then, in Round 2, all of that went out the window as the Buckley of old was unleashed.
I think Buckley needs a fight outside the rankings if he wants any chance of maintaining contender status over welterweight gatekeeper. The winner of Randy Brown and Jacoby Smoth makes a lot of sense to me; Brown is a veteran striker that is already just outside the rankings and Jacobe Smotj is arguably a top-3 unranked prospect in the entire UFC. The winner of this fight deserves a ranked opponent next, making Buckley a very interesting matchup with his elite power.
4Jasmine Jasudavicious vs
3Manon Fiorot 2
Zak Drapeau -
Jasudavicious was an underdog in that fight and also to both Matt and I but came out and outperformed one of the best in the division. Jasudavicious out-grappled and worked harder in at least rounds 1 and 2 in their Co-Main event fight this weekend.
The problem is... The Flyweights next Championship fight and maybe even the next two Championship fights will be including Silva, Grasso and Shevchenko. Sooooo... let's make a title eliinator for the next fight which also happens rto be a revenge fight for Jasmine, who lost to Fiorot 2 years ago and pits to Top-4 fighters against each other in a period where the top of this division is seemingly clogged.
5Erin Blanchfield vs
WINNER of Maycee Barber/Carli Judice
Matt Hylen -
I think Erin Blanchfield underestimated how good Jasmine Jasudavicious was on the ground. Blanchfield had never fought a grappler that could compete with her in the UFC, which may have caused her to beleive she was untouchable on the ground. Nevertheless, Blanchfield will likely come back stronger and with a different mindset.
As for a matchup, I like the winner of Maycee Barber and Carli Judice. I still think, despite the KO loss she suffered last time out, Barber can be one of the best in the Women’s Flyweight division. I also think Judice has been been on a tear lately and would deserve a high ranked fight if she won her 5th straight fight.
Christian Perez vs
Michael Johnson
Zak Drapeau -
Perez did NOT waste time, got in the Octagon, got in Nelson's face and put him down. For the 27-year old's official UFC debut, he immediately made a name for himslef and will get a stiffer test next.
I say give him the veteran Michael Johnson. That way, Perez won't be able to bully him like he did Nelson and we can see what the youngster can do with another formiddable striker. This will also give him a possible Fight Night Co-Main event, (based on how recent events have been) and could give some much-deserved eyes on the up and comer.
Mandel Nallo vs
Nasrat Haqparast
Matt Hylen -
This was the version of Mandel Nallo we expected to see against Jai Herbert in his last fight. Nallo looked fantastic on Saturday, picking his opponent apart with kicks to the legs and punches basically everywhere. This sort of domination should be rewarded in my opinion so the a big fight next.
Nasrat Haqparast has been on a skid as of late, but he has still shown he can compete at the UFC level. I think this could be a notable name for Nallo to add to his resume, while giving Haqparast an opportunity to turn things around against a very good kickboxer.
Tanner Boser vs
Mick Parkin
Zak Drapeau -
Tanner Boser's win over Jhonata Diniz wasn't exactly pretty but it was damn effective and dominant. Boser has long had potential in the Heavyweight division but never got to the top of that ladder. I believe that this signature win could give the UFC the excuse to give him a bigger test to finally see if he can make something of himself.
Boser's next opponent should be around the "Next-5" group right outside of the Top-15. There's a few names to choose from there but I went with Mick Parkin who could similarly be one win away from getting a ranked opponent next.
Chelsea Chandler vs
LOSER of 9Macy Chiasson/ 11Bia Mesquita
Matt Hylen -
Chelsea Chandler out on a very good performance, but do I think Chandler should be considered a contender just yet? Not quite, but one more finish could absolutely put her there.
I would like to see what Chandler could do on the ground against the winner of Macey Chaisson and Bia Mesquita. Chaisson isn’t great on the ground, so it could be a chance for Chandler to dominate in that aspect again. On the other hand, Mesquita is elite on the ground, which creates a massive opportunity to see low legitimate Chandler is.
Other Fights to Make
Su Young You vs Da’Mon Blackshear
Katlyn Cerminara vs Tracy Cortez
Steven Koslow vs Rinya Nakamura
Joel Faglier vs Louie Sutherland
Kyle Nelson vs Daniel Zellhuber
Marc Andre Barriault vs Brunno Ferreira
Kyle Daukaus vs Luis Hernandez
Timothy Cuamba vs Cody Garbrandt
Louis Jourdain vs Malcom Wellmaker
Nate Landwehr vs Retirement
Jhonata Diniz vs Louie Sutherland
Nick Galanti vs Marco Tulio
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