Alright, so picture this: UFC takes a breather after 314, then bam! Back-to-back Fight Night cards. First up, Kansas City. The headliner? Two welterweight up-and-comers fighting like it’s the last slice of pizza. Ian Machado Garry? Yeah, he’s back from his December stumble, taking down Carlos Prates. And hey, Anthony Smith hangs up the gloves, while new blood like Zhang Mingyang, David Onama, and Abus Magomedov grabs some rankings. So, what’s next for the winners from Missouri? Let’s dive in.
Ian Machado Garry
First off, Garry’s in the Kansas City spotlight, surviving late trouble to win by unanimous decision. Dana White jumps in, announcing Garry as the backup for a welterweight title fight in Montreal. Three weeks away. Seems kinda rushed for a guy fresh off a grueling 25-minute fight. But if everyone shows up for UFC 315, we oughta see Garry back in action in the late half of the year. I once thought Sean Brady might face Joaquin Buckley, but Buckley’s got Usman in June. So here’s Brady vs. Garry—makes a ton of sense, right?
Zhang Mingyang
“The Mountain Tiger”—sounds fierce, right? Totally lived up to it, finishing Anthony Smith in about 4 minutes. Kind of a hard-to-watch moment for Smith’s fans, but not a shocker if you’ve been following his career mileage. Now, Zhang’s stepping into Smith’s #15 ranking shoes. Options? Loads. But my gut says Nikita Krylov. Krylov’s seasoned enough to put Zhang to the test.
David Onama
Onama’s just taken down Giga Chikadze, adding another scalp to his collection and extending his streak to four wins. Yet, it wasn’t that “wow” win that rockets you into the top 10. So, I’m thinking he squares off against someone below him in the rankings next. After going over names like Mariscal and Garcia, Dan Ige seems like a solid fit. Ige just beat Woodson; why not let him test Onama, too?
Abus Magomedov
Yeah, it wasn’t the flashiest, but Magomedov grabbed his third win in a row. And with Pereira ranked at #14, Magomedov snags a spot among the ranks. I’m not seeing the UFC rushing to push him higher, though. Maybe line him up against the Gastelum/Pyfer winner? Seems smart.
Randy Brown
“Rudeboy” snagged Fight of the Night in Kansas City. Talk about underrated. Want to hear something crazy? He’s 10-3 in his last 13 fights. Losses only against the top guys. Plenty of potential opponents hovering right outside the rankings. Gut feeling? Carlos Leal. Especially since folks think Leal actually bested Fakhretdinov recently.
Ikram Aliskerov
This guy. Aliskerov’s got fans buzzing again after a quick KO of Andre Muniz. He came in with a lot of hype before a sudden loss to Whittaker. But hey, this latest win puts him back in the picture. I’d say he runs against someone like Jack Hermansson. Hermansson’s been flying under the radar since beating Pyfer. Match him up with Aliskerov mid-year, and see what unfolds.
Anyway, that’s the rundown. UFC’s got a mix of fresh talent and seasoned vets ready to mix it up. Let’s see how it all shakes out.
