February has been quite busy for the promotion. After the amazing UFC 312, the UFC returned to Las Vegas at the Apex for a middleweight masterclass between Jared Cannonier and Gregory Rodrigues. Headlined by the former middleweight title contender, UFC Vegas 102 might have altered the trajectories of several fighters.
With the Apex event now concluded, one question has been circulating among fans. What would be the probable fights to make after UFC Vegas 102? Let us have a look at the five fights that the UFC should make after the apex event.
Jared Cannonier vs. Robert Whittaker
2024 was pretty rough for the former middleweight title challenger, Jared Cannonier was defeated by both Nassourdine Imavov and Caio Borralho. However, 2025 appears to be treating him a bit too well as ‘Tha Killa Gorilla’ is back in the winning column as he crushed Gregory Rodrigues in the fourth round through punches. The 40-year-old is close to the conclusion of his career, and it would be better to give Cannonier a chance to fight against Robert Whittaker.
A victory at UFC Vegas 102 would bring him closer to the top five of the division, setting up a potential matchup with Robert Whittaker. Given their similar fighting styles, the bout would be highly competitive. Moreover, it would allow Cannonier to avenge his unanimous decision loss to Whittaker at UFC 254.
Youseff Zalal vs. Brian Ortega
Youseff Zalal extended his winning streak to seven fights as he defeated Calvin Kattar by way of a unanimous decision. With his victory against Kattar, Zalal has cemented himself as a featherweight title contender. So, what’s next for ‘The Morroccon Devil’? Well, it is quite certain that Zalal would be entering into the top 10 after this victory and the next best fight for him would be against #7th ranked Brian Ortega.
Both Ortega and Zalal have intriguing fighting styles that would push them to deliver their best performances. Additionally, Ortega needs a win after his defeat against Diego Lopes, while a victory over Ortega would bring Zalal closer to Ilia Topuria. The UFC might place the winner of the fight in the top #5.
Calvin Kattar vs. Bryce Mitchell
Once considered the best within the featherweight division, Calvin Kattar appeared to have fallen from his prime. Riding a four-fight losing streak, Kattar’s career is at stake now. After his loss against Arnold Allen, Aljamain Sterling, Josh Emmett, and Youseff Zalal, the UFC might have their doubts about him. However, despite that, Kattar might be given another chance to fight. The next big thing for Kattar would be to trade hands against controversial fighter, Bryce Mitchell.
Both Calvin Kattar and Bryce Mitchell are out of the top #10 rankings and a clash would mean a perfect chance to stay relevant within the division. Mitchell needs a challenge after his amazing victory against Korn Gracie, and Kattar needs a chance to redeem himself. The UFC might consider pitching them against each other because they have been quite restless.
Edmen Shahbazyan vs. Anthony Hernandez
It took less than two minutes for Edmen Shahbazyan to put Dylan Budka to sleep. Throwing a series of hard punches, ‘The Golden Boy’ knocked out Budka. With 3-2 in his last five battles, Shahbazyan is a promising young talent, who has been delivering bangers one after another. For his next outing, it would be better for the promotion to pitch him against his former opponent, Anthony Hernandez.
The last time these two fought, ‘Fluffy’ secured a knockout victory. If the UFC matches them up again, it would be the perfect opportunity for ‘The Golden Boy’ to seek revenge. Moreover, this fight would give Shahbazyan a chance to break into the middleweight division’s top 15. Notably, Hernandez is currently ranked #12. Both are good strikers and it will be interesting to see another battle between them.
Andre Petroski vs. Bo Nickal
Andre Petroski defeated Rodolfo Vieira by way of a unanimous decision. After the victory, Petroski called out Bo Nickal at the Octagonal press conference, “I just beat the most decorated grappler in the UFC. Where is Bo Nickal?! Where is he at?!” Interestingly, Nickal reacted to it by taking to his X handle, “I’d love to get an easy check but the fans say I can’t fight cans anymore.”
Bo Nickal is looking to get closer to the middleweight title and his wrestling is yet to face a challenging opponent, however, Petroski’s grappling might give Nickal a run for his money. In addition to that is in the lookout for a strong opponent, who would help him to test his skills and Petroski would be his best dancing partner.
What are your thoughts on the expected future matchups for the UFC Vegas 102 fighter? State your opinion in the comments below.
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