Here are the opponents we think should be next for the winners at UFC Vegas 8.
UFC Vegas 8 got off to a hot start, with the first four fights ending via submission, however the rest of the card failed to produce a single KO/TKO finish.
The three round main event saw Aleksandar Rakić absolutely dominate former title challenger Anthony Smith from bell to bell, while the co-main event saw Neil Magny do almost the same thing to former champion Robbie Lawler. Elsewhere, Alexa Grasso, Ricardo Lamas, and Impa Kasanganay all won their respective bouts via unanimous decision, with Lamas banking an extra $50k for his fight of the night performance with newcomer Bill Algeo.
Below are the matchups we think should be next for the main card winners.
Potential next opponents for the UFC Vegas 8 main card winners
Aleksandar Rakic
Next Opponent: Jiri Prochazka
Aleksandar Rakic went out there and made things look easy against Anthony Smith. Rakic had over 12 minutes of ground control in the fight and simply overwhelmed Smith from start to finish. Smith wasn’t able to produce any offense of his own, which can be accredited to Rakic’s brutal leg kicks, one of which was able to sit Smith down in the first round. Rakic looked the more powerful man and was able to throw down shots at Smith from top control. Smith is a tough test for anyone, and a win for Rakic really proved he belongs in the upper echelon at 205 pounds.
With Reyes vs. Blachowicz set to be for the vacant light heavyweight belt and Santos vs. Texeira getting signed, the top four of the division are all booked up. But, No. 6 Jiri Prochazka is coming off a knockout win over Volkan Oezdemir, the only man to beat Rakic in the UFC. A bout between Rakic and Prochazka would not only be a real barnburner but could potentially set the winner up for a title eliminator bout in the future. Rakic was on the wrong side of a split decision in his last fight against Oezdemir, and Prochazka definitely deserves a shot at a top 5 opponent after his last performance.
Neil Magny
Next Opponent: Geoff Neal
Neil Magny can now say he’s defeated three former UFC champions (if you count interim as well). Credit to Robbie Lawler for stepping up to face Magny on just a few weeks’ notice, but Magny was simply too dominant. The Haitian Sensation was able to neutralize the powerful left hand of Lawler by engaging clinch situations and taking him down at will. The former champion simply could not get anything going over the course of 15 minutes.
After suffering a knockout loss in 2018, Magny is now 3-0 in 2020 and will surely have his sites set on a higher-ranked opponent for his next bout. He was originally scheduled to fight No. 11 contender Geoff Neal, but Neal was forced off the card due a serious health scare. Magny vs. Neal is still the fight to book once Neal is healthy and back training at 100 percent. Magny will have the advantage in the experience and reach department, but Geoff Neal truly packs a punch and is ranked above him right now for a reason. A bout between these two would be fireworks for sure.
Alexa Grasso
Next Opponent: Alexis Davis
After going 3-3 during her tenure at strawweight, Alexa Grasso decided it was time to move up to flyweight. The formerly ranked Grasso made a statement on Saturday night by defeating No. 14 Ji Yeon Kim via unanimous decision (30-27). Grasso’s boxing was crisp as ever, and it still feels like we haven’t seen the best version of her out there yet. Although on the smaller end of the weight class, Grasso can use her speed as an asset when faced with a height or reach disadvantage. Grasso will surely be ranked by next week, and a fight with a fellow ranked opponent is certainly warranted. An opponent Grasso could fare well against is Alexis Davis. Davis currently sits at No. 11 in the division despite losing her last three in a row after winning her flyweight debut. A win over a tough veteran likes Davis would prove Grasso is ready for a top-10 opponent at flyweight.
Ricardo Lamas
Next Opponent: Makwan Amirkhani
Going into the third tied at one round apiece, longtime UFC veteran Ricardo Lamas pulled out a spectacular 10-8 third round to defeat promotional debutant, Bill Algeo. After getting rocked in the second round by an Algeo knee up the middle, Lamas came back strong in the final round. Lamas was able to take Algeo down and land elbows from the top position, cementing the third round would be his. In his post-fight interview, Lamas alluded to the idea of retirement but would need to speak with his family first. If this was the final time we saw Lamas make that walk to the Octagon, what a way to go out. But if Lamas wants to compete one more time, he deserves a worthy opponent that would warrant another fight. Lamas has faced a plethora of notable names during his 17-fight UFC career, but a name that sticks out is Mr. Finland himself, Makwan Amirkhani. Amirkhani is 6-2 in the UFC, most recently beating Danny Henry via anaconda choke at UFC 251, and stylistically this would be a fun fight for the fans. A win for Lamas and he rides off into the sunset, but a win for Amirkhani gets him that much closer to a top-15 opponent.