UFC 311 was a night of underdogs and spectacular fights. What’s next for the winners and losers?
Merab Dvalishvili proved he is the best bantamweight in the world with a grueling comeback against Umar Nurmagomedov. Both fighters showed incredible skill but it came down to who wanted it more in the championship rounds, and Dvalishvili’s cardio proved to be the difference maker.
Islam Makhachev didn’t get the big rematch against Arman Tsarukyan that everyone hoped, but he made quick work of Renato Moicano. Tsarukyan mentioned that he suffered a neck/back injury in training and tried to force it, but couldn’t make it through the weight cut. Moicano stepped up on a day’s notice to fight for the title but lost in the first round via submission.
What’s next for the winners and losers of UFC 311?
Winners at UFC 311
Islam Makhachev: After another impressive win, there aren’t many lightweight options, but the best fight to make looks like Charles Oliveira. Ilia Topuria could also move up to try and fight for double-champ status, or Makhachev could move up to fight for the welterweight title. Fans would still want to see the rematch between Makhachev and Tsarukyan at some point in the future.
Merab Dvalishvili: With that win, Dvalishvili is close to clearing the division. With the top of the division mostly coming off losses, the only thing that makes sense is to book the rematch between Sean O’Malley and Petr Yan, and the winner gets a title shot. Both fighters have already lost to the champ in the past, and it gives Dvalishvili time to heal up.
Jiri Prochazka: Having lost to Alex Pereira twice already, the only logical move is to take on the winner of Jan Blachowicz and Carlos Ulberg for a number one contender spot.
Jailton Almeida: After an impressive first-round finish against Serghei Spivac, Cyril Gane looks like the best dance partner. The heavyweight division is dwindling, but after the close split decision win against Alexander Volkov, Gane is the best dance partner before entering the title picture.
Reinier de Ridder: De Ridder made easy work of Kevin Holland. Plain and simple. First-round submission to kick off his UFC career at 2-0 was impressive and entering the ranked arena seems like the right move. Michel Pereira is a solid option, as he holds the 15th spot in the rankings and is coming off a loss.
Grant Dawson: Jalin Turner makes a lot of sense. He lost to Renato Moicano last time and Dawson looks ready for a ranked opponent.
Bogdan Guskov: Only for the build-up does the Johnny Walker fight make sense, but Guskov may have graduated from that fight at UFC 311. Nikita Krylov or Azamat Murzakanov are good options here.
Ailin Perez: Irene Aldana is the perfect ranked opponent coming off a loss. She’s a lengthy striker and should test Perez as she closes in on the title picture.
Muin Gafurov vs. Bernardo Sopaj: After both fighters’ impressive wins at UFC 311, the one fight that makes sense is each other. They’re on the cusp of a ranked opponent and the winner should be able to make a case for it.
Tagir Ulanbekov: A rematch against Tim Elliot makes a lot of sense. Both guys are coming off wins and surely Ulanbekov wants to get that one back before entering the title picture.
Losers at UFC 311
Umar Nurmagomedov: Figueiredo is a good fight for Nurmagomedov. Both fighters are coming off losses but are still at the top of the food chain. The winner will have a few options as they re-enter the title picture.
Renato Moicano: A full camp against Makhachev could have made it more competitive. At the same time, he was scheduled to fight the eighth-ranked lightweight, took limited damage, and should have the opportunity to fight around the same level. Paddy Pimblett is the perfect option here. Imagine the lead-up to this one.
Jamahal Hill: Tough one to swallow for Hill. That’s two devastating finishes in a row and he doesn’t look like the same fighter from a few years ago. Dominick Reyes or Johnny Walker are good for tune-up fights, but Khalil Rountree Jr. would be a banger.
Serghei Spivac: Heavyweights are tied up, but Marcos Rogerio De Lima is not booked according to Tapology, and this could be a perfect option to clean up the division.
Kevin Holland: Holland has a different outlook for his fighting career. He’s fine with taking as many fights as possible for the payday. Middleweight isn’t the place for him, though. Holland against Vincent Luque would be a solid fight.
Payton Talbott vs. Rinya Nakamura: The bantamweight division is arguably the toughest in the UFC, and it will take some time for Talbott and Nakamura to get acclimated to the top of the division. With both of them fighting on the same card and losing, this makes too much sense, even if it doesn’t coincide with the notion of pushing young talent. They need to be tested more before taking on the grizzled veterans.
Karol Rosa: She has a lot of work to do in the grappling and wrestling department. She has solid striking volume with limited power, but you can’t take fights against the best when there are glaring holes in your game. Yana Santos would be another solid test of her MMA ability.
UFC 311 proved to be a spectacular start to 2025. There were some shocking outcomes but great look-ahead spots for big-name fighters. While it’s tough to go through the whole card to predict what’s next for these fighters, it’s still important to figure out “where do we go from here?”.