Matchmaking the UFC Paris Winners' Next Bout

UFC Paris took place on Saturday evening in France, and while the preliminary card barely reached a cool simmer, the main card outdid all expectations by opening with three consecutive highlight-reel knockouts to kick things off. Renato Moicano bought it home (home to Brazil at the dismay of French fans) with a brutal ground and pound display in the first round that would earn him a win by TKO when the doctor stopped the fight after the third round, as hometown favorite Benoit St. Denis could not see out of his right eye. The Sporting News' MMA analyst Val Dewar sat down to project which fights will come next in the rising careers of last night's stars of the show.

Main Event: Renato Moicano

New fan-favorite brash talker and number eleven lightweight contender Renato ‘Money’ Moicano took it to Benoit St. Denis in Paris on Saturday. The Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt slashed open and tenderized the Frenchman’s face like a cut of meat, leading to a doctor’s stoppage after the second round.

After the fight it was revealed that Moicano fought with a broken shoulder, a horrific injury which his team released an X-Ray of, further impressing fans with the toughness they already knew he possessed. Beating the twelfth ranked contender in the division to extend his winning streak to four is impressive and will propel him forward into the top ten.

There he will rub shoulders with fighters like Beneil Dariush, Mateusz Gamrot, and Dan Hooker. ‘The Hangman’ Hooker, from New Zealand, is coming off three consecutive wins, is ranked fifth in the weight class, is another fan-favorite, and has an exciting, well-rounded style that matches up with Moicano well. With Arman Tsarukyan sitting on the upcoming lightweight title shot, the winner of this one could put themselves in pole position to fight the winner of his rematch with Islam Makhachev.

Next Fight: Moicano vs Dan Hooker

Co-Main Event: Nassourdine Imavov

The situation at middleweight is almost unfair to the Dagestani/French martial artist Nassourdine Imavov after he stopped Brendan Allen's eight fight winning streak. Under normal circumstances he would be in a number one contender fight now with his fourth-ranked spot in the division, plus his three impressive consecutive victories over contender Roman Dolidze, Jared Cannonier, and aBrendan Allen, or even in a title shot already.

However, Sean Strickland is the next challenger for champion Dricus du Plessis, while the winner of Robert Whittaker vs Khamzat Chimaev is presumed to be next for the winner of that fight. That leaves fighters like Imavov, and Fighting Nerds’ Caio Borralho with his eight fight winning streak, on the outside looking in. Borralho and Nassourdine are well-matched as middleweights with skill in every area of MMA; the winner may have to wait almost a year for their turn, but whoever comes out on top should be assured an eventual title shot.

Next Fight: Imavov vs Caio Borralho

Featured Bout: William Gomis

France's Gomis may have won his first four UFC fights, but two were split decisions, one was a majority decision, and the fourth he won by TKO when the referee did not see the kick had struck his opponent’s groin (though he was comfortably winning the fight at the time). He does not deserve a ranked opponent left, and many people clamor for an immediate rematch with Joanderson Brito, but someone like Youssef Zalal, Nate Wood, or Sodiq Yusuff would make sense. The fight I would most like to see from that group is Youssef Zalal - a kickboxing specialist who is on the rise as well.

Next Fight: Gomis vs Youssef Zalal

Rest of the Main Card:

Bryan Battle vs Michael Venom Page: Battle is ready for the top fifteen of welterweight. Page will test his striking skills like none before.

Morgan Charriere vs Nathaniel Wood: Two smaller featherweights with quick hands, kickboxing skills, and a well-rounded game. English Channel rivalry, as a bonus.

Fares Ziam vs Joel Alvarez: Fares Ziam is a good striker and has improved his wrestling defense, but can he strike with a man just as tall as him, who fights with a pace and style Ziam has never faced? Another inter-European Union rivalry, Spain vs France.