UFC Matchmaking After Fight Night Moicano vs Duncan

by Zak Drapeau and Matt Hylen

Sportz Nation - 4/6/2026

Photo by Jeff Bottari/ Zuffa LLC

Renato Moicano vs

Dan Hooker

Matt Hylen -

Moicano looked fantastic on Saturday. His striking was good enough, but his grappling was absolutely dominant to the point that he found a finish quite easily. Considering his desire for "easy fights," I think he would be a stylistic nightmare for a guy like Dan Hooker.

Hooker is just about washed at this point. He cannot defend a takedown attempt for his life, and once he is on the ground, it's game over. If Moicano is looking for an easy win where he can use his grappling to find a finish, Hooker might be the best option. Not only could Moicano dominate, but it is also a fight up the rankings, which benefits him even more.

Chris Duncan vs

Ludvoit Klein

Zak Drapeau -

Duncan getting submitted that early into the fight will hurt his chances of getting another ranked fight anytime soon, and while I can see him instead fighting an up-and-comer under him, a fight with Klein also makes a lot of sense.

Both fighters are around that 15-20 mark for the division, and Klein is the only other fighter without a fight scheduled. Klein's last win was against Rebecki, and he should take one more fight before getting a ranked opponent, putting both of these fighters around the same spot.

Virna Jandiroba vs

Suarez vs Godinez WINNER

Matt Hylen -

Virna Jandiroba reminds me so much of 2024-25 Charles Oliveira. Both are among the best grapplers in their division and look dominant against lower talent, but fold once faced with an elite striker or grappler. So, considering Jandiroba got outclassed by Mackenzie Dern but dominated a fighter like Tabatha Ricci, a fighter in the middle makes sense to me.

With Zhang Weili likely getting the next title shot if she moves down, I think a title eliminator between Jandiroba and the winner of Tatiana Suarez/Loopy Godinez makes the most sense for both sides. Whoever wins between Suarez and Godinez is getting a top-3 fight no matter what, and Jandiroba is among those fighters.

Tabatha Ricci vs

Fatima Kline

Zak Drapeau -

Ricci fought hard against a top-3 strawweight in the world and came away with a loss but has nothing to be ashamed of. For her next fight, she should get another test, but this time from someone like Fatima Kline, who is on a 3-fight win streak.

The 25-year-old kickboxer will be another huge test for Ricci, but one the veteran should be ready for. Ricci hasn't lost a fight to a woman not in the top-5 since 2023, 5 fights ago. This fight needs to happen next.

AbdulRakhman Yakhyaev vs

Menifield vs Minyang LOSER

Matt Hylen -

AbdulRakhman Yakhyaev looked just about as dominant as I thought he would be. He cemented himself as one of the biggest up-and-comers in the Light Heavyweight division, but is still a fight away from a ranked opponent due to his lack of experience and the number of prospects already waiting in the wings for a ranked shot.

I think one more fight will do Yakhyaev a lot of good. Putting him against the loser of Alonzo Menifield and Zhang Minyang will not only give him a chance to add a real name to his resume, but make him undeniable for a top-15 fight next.

Ethyn Ewing vs

Said Nurmagomedov

Zak Drapeau -

Ewing had an incredible showing against Rafael Estevam and dominated him until the ref stopped it in the 3rd. After his initial UFC fight, which was a short notice upset over Wellmaker, and now this, I think the UFC could really shoot this kid to the moon.

In comes Said Nurmagomedov on a 2-fight skid and ready to take on a fighter below him. This fight makes sense for both of these guys, especially if Ethyn Ewing is ready to be given the tough fights.

Tommy McMillen vs

Losene Keita

Matt Hylen -

Another great TKO victory on this card came from Tommy McMillen, who really impressed me for the entirety of the fight. He showed real promise and power on Saturday, making me a believer that a big step up could be in his future.

Losene Keita could give McMillen his biggest test yet and a chance to really make a name for himself. Keita is coming off a tough decision loss his last time out, but also showed a lot of promise in that fight. I think McMillen could make this fight very interesting, with the winner propelling themselves ever so closer to a ranked opponent.

Jose Delano vs

Andre Fili

Zak Drapeau -

I like Jose Delano and think he could be pretty good in the Featherweight division, but he has the unfortunate timing of entering the UFC when the 145-ers are probably in the thick of being in the best time in the division's history.

For Featherweight, any fighter in the Top 30 is very good, and that's where I'm throwing Delano in his next fight against a guy like Andre Fili, who's coming off a loss but has faced much better competition in his 4-year UFC stint. A true test for Delano against a guy who consistently faces fighters looking to make a jump to the big boys of the division.

Thomas Petersen vs

Ryan Spann

Matt Hylen -

I honestly did not expect this fight to go the way it did, but here we are. Thomas Peterson looked pretty good for what he could offer. He didn't burn out too quickly, showed some nice defense, and got a win against a worthy opponent.

I think Peterson needs to show what he can do against a veteran, making Ryan Spann a very interesting matchup. Both fighters won their last fight and seem to be in a weird middle ground within the Heavyweight division. I like this fight stylistically a lot.

Alessandro Costa vs

Tagir Ulanbekov

Zak Drapeau -

Costa's liver punch knockout was one of my favorite moments of the entire card and, to me, should put him on the map to fight a ranked guy, especially in the Flyweight division.

Ulanbekov has been Top 15 for almost 3 years now but has never beaten a man ranked above him in the rankings. Giving him a guy like Costa will put him back on track to fight for Top 10 again while giving Costa the chance to see if he too can be Top 15.

Alice Pereira vs

Meisha Tate

Matt Hylen -

I mean, KO of the year already?!?!

That flying knee KO was one of the most beautifully executed knees I have seen in a long time. Alice Pereira timed that knee perfectly, with the result being exactly what she deserved.

Pereira's style is so refreshing and entertaining, so with that kind of finish, she deserves a big fight next. Could a ranked opponent be considered a little premature? Sure, but with her power and KO ability, the UFC tends to fast-track those kinds of fighters. Plus, Tate lost her last fight, is barely hanging on in the rankings, and is inactive to say the least. This could be a name-making fight for Alice Pereira.

Other Fights to Make

Brendson Ribeiro vs Uran Saltybaldiev

Rafael Estevam vs Su Young Yu

Robert Ruchala vs Curtis Campbell

Guilherme Pat vs Steven Asplund

Dione Barbosa vs Eduarda Moura

Darrius Flowers vs Nikolas Motta

Mellissa Gatto vs Tereza Bleda

Tresean Gore vs Jun Yong Park

Kai Kamaka vs Jaime Mullarkey