Armchair Matchmaker - UFC 131

I'll be honest, I didn't watch most of the fights. It was my birthday so I was busy getting shitfaced. Anyways, I've read a few play by plays, so hopefully that will make up for it (and I saw some highlights on The Score at like 3 in the morning.

Cut List - Mike Massenzio, Aaron Rosa

Junior Dos Santos vs Cain Velasquez
This is a matchup between the two that many believe are the best heavyweights in the world. Velasquez is a tremendous wrestler (as well as having some serious power), while Dos Santos is an elite level boxer (with great defensive wrestling). If Velasquez can take Dos Santos down, the fight should be his. If it stays on the feet though, this could go any which way.

Shane Carwin vs Jon Olav Einemo
Before Brock Lesnar's injury and the subsequent fight rearrangement, Carwin was set to take on Einemo, and many thought the win was a total gimmie fight for Carwin. With Carwin now losing two straight, and Einemo not looking horrible against Dave Herman, this fight makes a lot more sense. Both guys need wins bad, in particular Einemo, who would likely be cut with another loss, and at his age, he would not likely ever return to the UFC.

Kenny Florian vs Mark Hominick
It's very possible that Florian will get a title shot following his decision win over Diego Nunes, but I think one more fight at featherweight would help him adjust to the division and be able to bring his A game to a title shot. A fight against Hominick would not only be a great test for Florian, but would create a new top contender a help showoff the new division.

Diego Nunes vs Darren Elkins
Nunes didn't pull of the upset against Kenny Florian, but he's still got an impressive resume, and adding a name like Darren Elkins would help put him back on the contenders list. Much of the same goes for Elkins - coming off the biggest win of his career over Michihiro Omigawa - would get a chance to make him an instant contender in the division.

Mark Munoz vs Tim Kennedy
Let's be serious - Strikeforce isn't going to be around for too much longer, at least in it's current state. Especially given that Strikeforce is having trouble getting fights for thier fighters, some of the better Strikeforce fighters should make the switch to the Octagon. Tim Kennedy, one of the top fighters in Strikeforce's middleweight division has been waiting for a fight for some time, and a matchup between him and Mark Munoz, coming off his decision win over Demian Maia, would create a new top contender at middleweight.

Demian Maia vs the winner of Aaron Simpson v Brad Tavares
Maia lost a close decision to Mark Munoz, but is still a dangerous fighter in the division. He still needs to bounce back though, and a fight against the winner of Aaron Simpson and Brad Tavares would both provide a beatable opponent, but a fighter that has some name value. For Simpson or Tavares, they get a chance to score a win that would boost them rankings and on to much bigger fights.

Dave Herman vs Joey Beltran
Both these guys picked up KO wins at UFC 131, and were originally scheduled to fight each other too. Why not put that fight back together now, as it makes just as much sense now as it did then. Two guys that like to stand that have some power? Sounds good to me.

Donald Cerrone vs Sam Stout
Both these guys picked up wins at UFC 131, with Cerrone picking up a decision victory, and Stout picked up a highlight reel KO over Yves Edwards. The guys are known for putting on exciting fights, and there at about the same level, so this fight has "Fight of the Night" written all over it.

Vagner Rocha vs Yves Edwards
Both these guys lost to the two guys matched up above, so why not put them together too? Rocha did a lot better than I expected when he managed to last three rounds with Cerrone, and should get a second chance to pick up a win in the UFC. A fight against Edwards would not only be another stern test for Rocha, but also allows Edwards a chance to bounce back as well. Either guy could be cut if they pick up a loss, and Edwards is usually pretty exciting, so it should be a good fight.

Chris Weidman vs Ed Herman
Chris Weidman picked up a nice submission win over Jesse Bongfeldt, and it's time he gets a stronger opponent. Herman is coming off a quick KO win over Tim Credeur, and had been out with injury for a long time before that. Herman would be a next step up for Weidman - a fight he should win, but will have to work for it.

Jesse Bongfeldt vs James Head
With both guys coming off submission losses, why not pit em against each other to see which one gets to stay in the UFC? Sounds good to me.

Krzysztof Soszynski vs Fabio Maldonado
Soszynski really should have been able to finish Massenzio, and a fight against Maldonado is a great idea for one main reason - it's two guys that are more then willing to stand and trade. Maldonado would likely be the favorite in the matchup, but Soszynski could pull of the upset.

Nick Ring vs Tim Credeur
Ring picked up a solid win by submitting James Head, and a fight against Tim Credeur is a logical next step for Ring. There are a lot of questions regarding how good Ring really is, and a fight against a tough veteran like Credeur would help answer some of those questions.

Dustin Poirier vs the winner of Manny Gamburyan v Tyson Griffin
Poirier picked up another win by decisioning Jason Young, and it's time he fight one of the top guys in the division. The upcoming featherweight fight between two former lightweights Manny Gamburyan and Tyson Griffin will be a serious contender, and a fiight against Poirier afterwards could create a new title challenger. This is the step up Poirier needs to go from prospect to contender, and a great matchup to boot.

Jason Young vs Josh Grispi
Poirier's last two victims, a matchup between Jason Young and Josh Grispi would be a win or get cut fight for both guys. Grispi was one of the top featherweights coming from the WEC, but has since lost back to back fights and didnt look good in either. Young stepped in as a late replacement against Poirier, and wasn't expected to win, so he deserves another chance at picking up a win. This fight will decide if Grispi really is "The Fluke".

Michihiro Omigawa vs the winner of Matt Grice v Ricardo Lamas
Though Omigawa lost a decision to Darren Elkins at UFC 131, Dana White decided fuck that shit and is going forward is if Omigawa won. Omigawa still needs to pick up an actual win though, as an 0-4 UFC record just looks bad. A fight against the winner of the upcoming Grice/Lamas fight should be a fight Omigawa wins, but a loss should result in Omigawa getting the axe.