Matches to watch after UFC Vegas 123

The Ultimate Fighting Championship returned for another stage at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

In the main event, UFC veteran Renato “Money Moicano” Carneiro lost to Tom Nolan in a 155-pound match. In the co-feature, Jacobe Smith defeated Randy Brown in their welterweight affair. Overall, the card featured six finishes over 12 matches, including a main event that finished inside the distance.

Here are some suggested combinations for the main card protagonists. Headlining UFC Fight Night 292, Nolan (12-1, 6-1 UFC) overcame some adversity to defeat Carneiro. The Brazilian took his opponent’s back and sat comfortably in a body triangle, but didn’t do much damage from that position until referee Dan Miragliotta made the questionable decision to make the fighters stand. Nolan

broke through in the third quarter, stopping his opponent with punches at 1:28. Next, Nolan is set to face Dana White’s Contender Series graduate Manuel Torres. Torres (17-4, 5-2 UFC) is eager to get back on track after his loss to Rafael Fiziev at UFC Baku in June. “El Loco” doesn’t back down when it comes to trading strikes, so a fight with Nolan could be a treat for mixed martial arts fans. In the co-main event, Smith (14-0, 5-0 UFC) showcased his wrestling pedigree to edge out UFC veteran Randy Brown (20-9, 14-9 UFC) on all scorecards. Once Smith moved the action to the canvas, it was clear that Brown was no match for “Cobe,” who won a well-deserved unanimous decision in his third Octagon appearance this year. And even though he failed to finish, Smith, a DWCS graduate, remained undefeated. Mike Malott (15-2-1, 8-1 UFC) is an intriguing matchup for Smith. Both are welterweight contenders on the rise, ready to move up in competition. Malott has won his last five matches. Let them figure out who’s real.

In a 125-pound clash, Durden (19-11-1, 8-9-1 UFC) defeated Ode Osbourne (13-10, 2 NC; 5-8, 1 NC UFC) after a back-and-forth battle. “Custom Made” relied heavily on his wrestling and grappling in the opening frames, narrowly failing during a tight twister attempt. After the dust settled, the Octagon announcer read three 29-28 scorecards and a unanimous decision for Durden. Next, the American is expected to meet Imanol Rodriguez (8-0, 2-0 UFC), who is undefeated and has completed his eight victories, including seven by knockout. In his most recent assignment, Rodriguez crushed Alden Coria with a front kick to the body followed by punches in the first frame of their encounter at UFC 332. A veteran like Durden could be a good test for Rodriguez, a DWCS graduate, and fans are sure to be in for a treat. The Luana Santos vs. Yana Santos (17-9, 1 NC; 7-6 UFC) match was very interesting because it had implications for the women’s bantamweight division. Although she didn’t inflict much damage, 26-year-old Luana Santos (12-2, 7-1 UFC) won through hard fighting and cage control, earning a unanimous decision with three 29-28 scores from the judges. The Brazilian has won four fights in a row and is now 9-1 in her last 10 outings. Next up for Santos should be a clash with Edwards (18-6, 9-4 UFC), who is on a five-fight winning streak, with four finishes. The winner could have a shot at the division championship down the line. In the main card opener, Lebosnoyani (12-2, 3-0 UFC) spoiled Farman Hasanov’s (5-1, 1-1 UFC) perfect record after putting on a striking masterclass in their 170-pound affair. The Legacy Fighting Alliance veteran dealt several hard blows
before opening a nasty cut above Hasanov’s left eye, forcing the Octagon doctor to stop the action at 2:11 of Round 3. While Lebosnoyani asked out Jake Matthews in the post-fight interview, another Australian might be the better choice for “American Bandit”: Jonathan Micallef (10-1, 3-0 UFC). “The Captain” has reeled off five straight victories, including a DWCS contract-winning performance and three UFC fights. In his last outing, Micallef edged out Themba Gorimbo via a close split decision at UFC Perth in May. A matchup between these two fighters could tell us who is closer to the Top 15 in the welterweight division.