UFC Matchmaking: What's Next After UFC Vegas 111

Sportz Nation Staff
Nov 12
9 min read

by Zak Drapeau and Matt Hylen 11/12/2025 Sportz Nation

10Gabriel Bonfim vs 7Joaquin Buckley

Randy Brown vs Uros Medic

Gabriel Bonfim has now won 4 in a row in one of the best divisions in the sport. His next fight should be a PPV Main Card fight and with #7 Joaquin Buckley also looking for a fight, this one would be a perfect opportunity and a deserved fight for both fighters.

Randy Brown may have claimed the TKO loss over Bonfim was early but in truth it was right on the money. Now what should happen next for the Jamaican? He should fight a fellow fighter on the Vegas 111 card in Uros Medic who along with Brown are right around the 15-20 mark.

15Joseph Morales vs 11Steve Erceg

Matt Schnell vs Sumudaerji

Joseph Morales is now 2-0 since returning to the UFC this year and with a fresh ranking by his name. Especially after submitting a fighter like Matt Schnell in the first round, Morales deserves a guy like Erceg for his next fight. Erceg also is looking for a ranked fight to prove he still deserves a number next to his name.

Matt Schnell now has 4 losses in his last 5 but still has some name value for his division so he won't be falling off anytime soon. A fight with Sumudaerji would be a fight with enough notariety to maybe Main Card a Fight Night while still being competitive in the 15-25 range of the division.

Uros Medic vs Randy Brown

Muslim Salikhov vs Chris Curtis

I spoke on it a bit in my previous entry but Medic vs Brown makes a lot of sense. Obviously the fight makes sense chronologically with both fighters fighting on this card but it'd also be a war by two guys who are on the fringe of being ranked. Brown needs it to stay among the "Next In" after losing 2 of his last 3 and Medic could use a victory here to nudge his way into a number right after.

Salikhov once had a number by his name but has fallen off even after his 3-fight win streak. Being knocked out by Medic really puts a damper on things but a battle with Chris Curtis would be a great way to get back on track.

Christian Leroy Duncan vs Edmen Shabazyan

Marco Tulio vs Dustin Stoltzfus

CLD was one of those guys whose hype train derailed and people forgot about him but I believe it's time to give him another shot. Shabazyan makes perfect sense and gives Duncan an opportunity to fight a ranked fighter again if he wins.

Marcus Tulio could've got a number if he won his last fight but now it's time to go back to the drawing board. Tulio is still a seriously talented fighter who could have a bright future in the Octagon so to give him some experience let's have him fight 1 or 2 more guys like Stoltzfus before running him to a ranked opponent again.

Raoni Barcelos vs 14Montel Jackson

Ricky Simon vs Daniel Marcos

Raoni Barcelos is an ageless wonder and his win over Ricky Simon proves it. I say if he refuses to bow out quietly, give him a shot to see just how ageless he is. Montel Jackson lost his last fight and even though you could make an argument he deserves a ranked fighter, Barcelos makes a lot of sense to as one of if not the next guy in the 135-rankings.

Ricky Simon has now lost 4 of his last 6 and could be in danger of getting cut soon. Daniel Marcos is also on the low of the division and could make for a fun fight between the two where they may both be fighting for their careers.

10Jacqueline Cavalcanti vs 7Macy Chiasson

11Mayra Bueno Silva vs 14Joselyne Edwards

In the Woman's Bantamweight division, there are only 4 fighters that I can see challenging for the belt in the next few years, (Besides a speculated Nunes-Harrison fight.) Cavalcanti is definitely one of them but maybe the furthest away so it's time to give her some real fights. In this order; Chiasson, Santos and Pennington should be her path to a title shot.

For Silva, this fight marks 4 in a row in the loss column an means her spot in the rankings should be on the line for the next one. Joselyne Edwards make a lot of sense as she's on a 3-fight win streak.

13Denise Gomes vs 9Jessica Andrade

15Tecia Pennington vs Mizuki Inoue

Similar to Cavalcanti on her winning arc, Gomes needs a secure, ranked fight next. Andrade is on the opposite trajectory as Gomes with 3 losses in a row and will give Gomes her first TRUE test to see if she belongs in the Top-10 or not.

For Pennington, Mizuki Inoue will be a brutal but necessary test for her and be for her #15 ranking. Inoue is the next one up and Pennington is the first one out in a matchmaking story we've seen so many times.

(Matt Hylen)

Gabriel Bonfim vs Colby Covington

Randy Brown vs Carlos Leal

To start off, I think the UFC should give Gabriel Bonfim his callout and match him up against Colby Covington. If Colby wants to come back and make one final run before retirement, a dual-threat and dangerous fighter like Bonfim is a great way to do so. For Bonfim, this would add a huge name to his resume, propelling him likely into a top-5 fight next. Sure, Covington is a shell of his former self, but Bonfim called him out for a reason. Whoever wins this fight will get a major step forward in their careers, which is what Bonfim is looking for and the only reason Covington would come back.

As for Randy Brown, I have him matching up against Carlos Leal. Leal has lost two of his last three fights, but those two losses have been against the elite of the unranked. I think this could be a bounce-back fight that Leal and Brown need in order to propel them back into the ranked-opponent conversation again. Stylistically, this also makes sense, as both are complex strikers who can beat you with their reach.

Joseph Morales vs Charles Johnson

Matt Schnell vs Clayton Carpenter

Joseph Morales put on a clinic against Matt Schnell, solidifying his spot in the rankings. Due to the dominance he displayed, I think Charles Johnson could be a very interesting opponent. Johnson is coming off a great TKO/KO win against Lone'er Kavanagh after losing to Ramazan Temirov by decision, so a prove-it fight is needed for him to progress upward. Joseph Morales has more than proven that he deserves a challenge within the rankings. Their styles would clash, but both fighters may need that in order to cement themselves as contenders in the division.

For Matt Schnell, a fight against Clayton Carpenter would make sense to me. Schnell needs a fight down after losing his 4th fight out of the last 5 he has fought. He is far too vulnerable defensively, which results in him getting finished far too often. I feel like Clayton Carpenter, who is on a skid of his own, would make the most sense relative to where each fighter is at the moment. It could result in a grappling chess match, which will be interesting considering both fighters' ability to get rocked.

Uros Medic vs Jake Matthews

Muslim Salikhov vs Jacobe Smith

Uros Medic shocked me on Saturday night. Considering how good Muslim Salikhov has looked as of late, I went into this fight with low expectations. However, Medic may have put himself in a position where he is a fight away from a ranked opponent. Thus, I have Jake Matthews making the most sense here. Matthews is a big name in the division who just suffered a controversial loss to Neil Magny. If Matthews does not get a rematch with Magny, I think a clash between him and Medic could result in the winner seeing a ranked opponent soon.

On the other hand, this was an extremely disappointing result for Muslim Salikhov. At the age of 41, this may have been his last chance to climb the UFC ladder. However, if he does not choose to retire, I think a fight against Jacob would be very interesting. Jacob is one of the better up-and-comers in the division, with an elite ability to finish a fight early. I think Jacob is a fight away from possibly a ranked opponent, so giving him someone who was knocking on the ranked opponent door in Muslim Salikhov would be enticing.

Christian Leroy Duncan vs Abus Magomedov

Marco Tulio vs Azmat Bekov

Christian Leroy Duncan is on an absolute tear as of late. Having won 4 of his last 5 fights, Duncan deserves an upward trajectory for his next opponent. Thus, I have him matching up against Abus Magomedov. Magomedov has won 3 of his last 4 fights, beating very solid competition along the way. His loss against now-ranked Joe Pyfer was not great, but I still believe he should fall right outside the rankings. Abus would also give an interesting challenge on the ground for Duncan, who needs an opponent like that on his resume. Whoever wins this fight could be in the ranked contention next.

Marco Tulio and Azmat Bekov are in very similar spots in my eyes, which is why I have them matched up against one another. Both fighters just had their multi-fight winning streaks snapped in brutal fashion, yet still possess the talent to make another run at the rankings if they can bounce back. Both with knockout power, this could be the kind of fight that lands on the "if you don't know, now you know" concept that Dana White discusses on social media.

Raoni Barcelos vs Kyler Phillips

Ricky Simon vs Cody Garbrandt

Raoni Barcelos is an absolute beast who simply cannot be denied a ranked opponent in his next fight. His 4-fight win streak, which includes pretty big names within the division, has been nothing short of impressive. As a result, I have him going up against Kyler Phillips. Phillips is extremely dangerous when on top of his game; however, we have not seen that side of him recently. His two-fight skid puts him in a gatekeeper-type role at this point, making him a perfect candidate for a complex fighter in Barcelos.

As for Ricky Simon, I think a fight against the man Raoni Barcelos also beat in Cody Garbrandt makes sense. Garbrandt, of course, is a former champion but is far removed from his glory days. I would honestly be shocked if he did not retire, but I view the logic behind this fight in a similar way I viewed Bonfim vs. Covington when I created that matchup. Simon is still a very dangerous fighter who can knock anybody out; he just needs to polish his defense. I feel as though the perfect opportunity to redefine himself is against a big name in Garbrandt.

Jacqueline Cavalcanti vs Karol Rosa

Mayra Bueno Silva vs Bia Mesquita

Jacqueline Cavalcanti is legit, simple as that. Though she does lack that signature finish, I still think she deserves a fight up the rankings. So, considering the fact Cavalcanti needs that signature win, Karol Rosa seems like the most reasonable opponent. Rosa seems stuck within her rank right now due to her lack of ability to put together a win streak. The winner of this fight could get a top-5 opponent depending on how dominant they look.

For Buena Silva, she is pretty washed at this point and far past her prime. Any ranked opponent for Buena Silva makes no sense to me, so I would give her an opportunity to gatekeep, in my opinion, one of the best prospects in Women's MMA in Bia Mesquita. Mesquita is an absolute animal who absolutely deserves a ranked fighter next. So, since most of the women at the bottom of the rankings are booked, Buena Silva can be the first opponent in the way of Mesquita's rise.

Denise Gomes vs Iasmin Lucindo

Tecia Pennington vs Sam Hughes

Denise Gomes is another elite prospect who extended her win streak to four. At the young age of 25, I think the UFC needs to be careful with what opponent they give her next. Thus, I think Iasmin Lucindo could be a good opponent for Gomes. With Gomes being one of the few potential stars in UFC Women's MMA, giving her a fight that is more than she can handle currently would not make sense. Lucindo is a fighter who does not finish many opponents and shows vulnerability late in fights. That being said, this would be Gomes' biggest test yet, but one worth taking at this stage of her career.

For Tecia Pennington, an unranked opponent seems like the next move. I like Zak's selection of Mizuki Inoue, which is who I think makes the most sense as well, but to be different I'll go with Sam Hughes. With very few unranked contenders in this division, Hughes is next in line after Inoue for a ranked opponent in my opinion. She has won 4 of her last 5, with her most recent submission win over Shauna Bannon being the best of the bunch. Hughes can be dangerous when she wants to be, which could interest Pennington, who is fighting to stay in the rankings.

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