UFC 127 is in the books and the second ever Australian UFC event was definitely the most unpredictable card in recent history. Fights between those in the upper echelon of their respective divisions will often set the blueprint for what’s to come and who will compete for a title, but the results at UFC 127 just complicated things. Here’s what could be next for UFC 127′s standout fighters.
Penn was unable to capitalize on great positioning throughout the first two rounds.
BJ Penn and Jon Fitch – The welterweight title picture is a bit of a mess, and the draw between Penn and Fitch didn’t help things. Unless either fighter has some type of injury, I can’t imagine any type of logical scenario where they don’t have an immediate re-match. Fitch probably does deserve a title shot over Penn, but you can’t justify giving a title shot to a fighter who’s coming off of a draw. If George St-Pierre defeats Jake Shields and vacates the welterweight title for a stint in the middleweight division, then it makes sense to have Fitch fight Penn for the vacated title. But who’s to say that’s going to happen? Shields could upset GSP, or GSP could decide to only take one fight at middleweight while he hangs onto his welterweight title. I told ya it’s messy. So, Penn vs. Fitch for either the title or number one contender spot seems to be the only thing that makes sense right now, especially with no other clear-cut number one contenders in the division.
Michael Bisping – Say what you will about ‘The Count’, but he made easy work of Jorge Rivera while displaying good wrestling and striking skills. Bisping will continue to climb the middleweight ladder and the competition will only get tougher from here. A fight against Chael Sonnen would be a dream come true for the UFC as it wouldn’t take much effort to promote a fight between two of the biggest mouths in the sport. If Sonnen can’t work out his legal troubles by then, a fight with Nate Marquardt makes lots of sense if Marquardt can defeat Yoshihiro Akiyama next month. As a bit of a side note, it should be pointed out that as good as Bisping is at dishing it out, he’s equally as bad at taking. He’s usually the first guy to stir the pot to promote a fight, as seen prior to his fight with the verbally over-matched Wanderlei Silva. When Rivera turned the tables, he turned into a baby, complaining that Rivera was immature and unprofessional. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that we’ll get to see how he reacts to a verbal beat down from Chael Sonnen.
Denis Siver – The German Sensation walked in as one of the night’s biggest underdogs, but left with the biggest win of his career. Siver has now won three fights in a row and has thrown his hat into the pile for a shot at the title. Many thought that George Sotiropoulos was a shoe in for a title shot with a victory over Siver, so that automatically elevates Siver into a top spot in the division. Siver should be paired up with another fighter who’s coming off a upset victory – Melvin Guillard. The two fought before, in summer of 2008, with Guillard winning by a quick 38 second TKO. Both are in a similar position in the division and the fight could be used as a title contender elimination match, plus it would sooth the appetites of fans who crave stand-up wars. If the UFC decides to go a different route with Siver, a fight with Takanori Gomi would also provide fireworks.
Brian Ebersole – The upset of the night came from the little known ‘down underdog’. The victory over Chris Lytle is his 8th in a row, but I really don’t expect much for him in the UFC. He’ll probably end up as a stepping stone for a big-named fighter who’s been on the wrong side of the win column. It would be good to pair him up with the loser of the upcoming Antony Johnson vs. Dan Hardy fight.
That brings a wrap to UFC 127. Let me know what you think of my predictions, and get ready to play matchmaker again soon, because there’s three big UFC events within the next month. Enjoy the fights!
Joe Osborne is a sports and entertainment enthusiast who resides in Halifax, NS. To read more articles like this, visit WhatUpSports.com, or you can follow Joe on Twitter @TheJoeOsborne.
