The UFC doesn’t have a brand new heavyweight champion after UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, but it surely doesn’t have a champion with a profitable title protection, both. As an alternative, it actually received a worst-case state of affairs: a no contest due to an unintentional eye poke. It’s virtually sure the UFC could have champion Tom Aspinall run it again with Ciryl Gane, particularly for the reason that two rivals fought to such a good first spherical earlier than the foul. The one query is when.
Right here’s a have a look at these situations and what may very well be subsequent for the opposite UFC 321 main-card stars.
What must be subsequent: UFC 323 on Dec. 6 in Las Vegas BOOK IT RIGHT NOW. If Aspinall didn’t endure everlasting or long-term injury to his eyes, get this factor on the books instantly. The UFC’s ultimate pay-per-view of 2025 is on Dec. 6. Ebook it for that card. If not, e-book it for the primary occasion of 2026. Simply e-book it. Now. They’re in form, they simply ready for each other, simply answered one million questions on one another. Let’s go. The earlier the higher.
Who must be subsequent: Tatiana Suarez
It’s laborious to not be glad for Dern, who took a 16-UFC combat path to turning into a champion. Should you had requested me in 2018, when Dern first signed with the UFC, if she’d nonetheless be chasing a UFC title after 15 appearances, I doubt I’d have mentioned sure. Not that Dern didn’t have coronary heart, in actual fact, that’s one factor she all the time has had. However that’s a very long time to be in competitors and not using a UFC championship, and I most likely would have thought that she both would have burned out, moved on to one thing else, or that her submission expertise merely wouldn’t have translated into longevity. She’s on the high now, and it’s actually not going to be straightforward to remain there. The plain title problem right here is Suarez, who simply competed for the belt in February, however in opposition to former champion Zhang Weili.
Wild card: Zhang Weili
If Zhang comes up brief in her bid to seize a second title at UFC 322 subsequent month, one might simply see her going again to 115 kilos and instantly difficult for the belt. Zhang faces Valentina Shevchenko for the flyweight title Nov. 15 in New York. If Zhang loses and opts to return to strawweight, this is able to most likely be one of the best combat to make, though the UFC might elect to do Dern vs. Suarez and have Zhang face the winner.
Who must be subsequent: Winner of Merab Dvalishvili vs. Petr Yan on Dec. 6
Underneath regular circumstances, I doubt I’d be suggesting a title combat rematch so shortly. However these are usually not regular circumstances, because of the enigma that’s Dvalishvili. Dvalishvili has already defended his title twice since beating Nurmagomedov 10 months in the past, and if he defeats Yan at UFC 323, he’ll change into first in UFC historical past to win 4 title fights in a single calendar 12 months. With a champion as lively as that, why wouldn’t Nurmagomedov be subsequent up? The champ wants as many challengers as he can get. If Yan wins, it’s a recent matchup — an excellent recent matchup at that. Once more, in a unique world, I’d say there’s no approach Dvalishvili ought to probably have to show round and combat Nurmagomedov once more so quickly, however that’s what he needs to do. I’d watch it once more, no query.
Wild card: Sean O’Malley
There are rumors that O’Malley already has a combat lined up in January. Regardless of the case, if O’Malley fights in January, if he wins, loses — no matter any of these particulars, it is a stable matchup. A tricky one, in fact, for O’Malley, however he and Nurmagomedov are proper subsequent to one another within the rankings, and when O’Malley was the champ, he brazenly favored the concept of combating Nurmagomedov, and the whole lot related to the “Nurmagomedov” household title. I doubt we find yourself seeing this subsequent for Nurmagomedov, however within the absence of a title combat, it’s a very good possibility.
Who must be subsequent: Winner of Jan Blachowicz vs. Bogdan Guskov on Dec. 6
There’s not a lot left for Murzakanov to show after this one. A minimum of not in the case of defining himself as an actual participant for the championship. He’s undefeated, however that undefeated report didn’t imply a complete lot till this one, as he defeated a really actual, confirmed expertise in Aleksandar Rakic. Sure, Rakic had misplaced his previous three fights coming into UFC 321, however he misplaced to 3 former and present champions in Magomed Ankalaev, Jiří Procházka and Blachowicz. Rakic was hungry for this one, and Murzakanov put him away inside a spherical. I view that as a severe win. Blachowicz and Guskov is a good matchup to get the division shifting. Blachowicz is ranked No. 4 by the UFC, regardless of the very fact he hasn’t gained in additional than three years. If Blachowicz proves he’s nonetheless elite in opposition to the No. 11-ranked Guskov, nice. Have him combat Murzakanov subsequent. And if Guskov elevates himself into the highest 5, a matchup in opposition to Murzakanov may be very applicable.
Wild card: Magomed Ankalaev
Ankalaev is trying on the unenviable process of profitable a minimum of as soon as, most likely twice, to get again to a title combat. Ankalaev could be an enormous leap up in competitors for Murzakanov, however I don’t see any cause to sluggish play him. Ankalaev doesn’t have an apparent subsequent opponent, so I might truly see this one being the extra doubtless subsequent combat for Murzakanov, even when I barely want the Blachowicz/Guskov state of affairs.
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