Three Possible Fights For Rafael Dos Anjos To Take Next
Reigning UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos put his title on the line for the very first time in the main event of last night’s (December 19, 2015) UFC on FOX 17 in a rematch against previously surging top contender Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone.
Having been on the sidelines since he won the title last March due to injuries, dos Anjos knew he had to make a statement and he did just that, destroying Cerrone in just over a minute.
The Brazilian has now established himself as the king of the 155-pound division for the time being, and it appeared as if he came out of the bout relatively unscathed.
That being said, he may be looking to get back into the Octagon sometime soon. Let’s take a look at three possible fights for dos Anjos to take next:
Tony Ferguson
Although he may not be the biggest name in the division, Tony “El Cucuy” Ferguson has been on a tear as of late.
Currently ranked No. 5 in the division, the former The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 13 winner has rattled off seven straight victories including five finishes.
He recently upped his stock as well, scoring an insanely impressive D’Arce choke submission victory over the ultra-dangerous Edson Barboza.
Ferguson’s ever improving and well-rounded skill set could provide an intriguing challenge to dos Anjos, and while he may still be a fight away from a title shot, it wouldn’t be too surprising to see “El Cucuy” next in the somewhat thin lightweight division.
The Winner of Anthony Pettis vs. Eddie Alvarez
No. 1 –ranked former UFC champion Anthony “Showtime” Pettis and No. 4-ranked former Bellator champion Eddie “The Silent Assassin” Alvarez are set to do battle in the co-main event of next month’s (January 17, 2016) UFC Fight Night 81 from Boston.
“Showtime” hasn’t fought since he surrendered his title in a one-sided beating to dos Anjos last March, but he remains as one of the most exciting strikers that the division has to offer.
If he can bounce back and take out Alvarez, the UFC could possibly put together a rematch between RDA and Pettis.
For “The Silent Assassin”, he finally made his UFC debut in September of 2013, but things didn’t go as planned, as he was mauled by Cerrone. However, he was able to bounce back and score a hard fought decision win over former Strikeforce champion Gilbert Melendez last June in a long-awaited slug fest.
If he can make it two and a row and add a win over another former champion to his resume, Alvarez could be next up for dos Anjos.
Conor McGregor
While nothing is set in stone just yet, it appears as if a move up to lightweight has become a very realistic possibility for newly crowned featherweight champion and Irish super star the “Notorious” Conor McGregor.
McGregor is a massive 145-pounder, and after shockingly knocking out long-time champion Jose Aldo in just 13-seconds in the main event of last weekend’s (December 12, 2015) UFC 194, he made it abundantly clear that he had his eyes set on the winner of last night’s main event.
The UFC has already confirmed that the “Notorious” one would receive an immediate title shot at 155-pounds, and it seems as if dos Anjos is all for it, warning McGregor for what was to come.
This potential bout could also provide a very interesting stylistic matchup.
The Irishman, a natural counter striker, has proven to have the skills to back up his relentless trash talk, but his ground game is still questioned by many.
That being said, dos Anjos has been known to put a high pace and high level of pressure on his opponents, and he happens to be one of the best grapplers in the division.
Who should the Brazilian defend his title against next?
