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Brett Okamoto
The UFC doesn’t have a new heavyweight champion after UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, but it also doesn’t have a champion with a successful title defense. Instead, this actually became the worst-case scenario: No contest due to accidental eye pokeIt is almost certain that UFC will get a champion Tom Aspinall play it back Cyril GaneEspecially when both contestants fought so evenly in the first round before the foul. The only question is when.
Here’s a look at those scenarios and what could be next for other UFC 321 main-card stars.
Tom Aspinall, Heavyweight Champion, and Cyril Gane
What should happen next: UFC 323 on December 6th in Las Vegas Book it now. If Aspinall doesn’t suffer permanent or long-term damage to his eyes, put this thing in the books immediately. UFC’s final pay-per-view of 2025 is on December 6. Book it for that card. If not, book it for the first event in 2026. Just book it. Now. They’re in shape, they’ve just prepared for each other, just answered a million questions about each other. let’s go. the sooner the better.
mackenzie dernstraw weight
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Mackenzie Dern wins vacant women’s strawweight title
Mackenzie Dern defeated Virna Jandiroba by decision to win the women’s strawweight title.
Who should be next: Tatiana Suarez
It’s hard not to be happy for Dern, who took a 16-fight UFC fight path to becoming champion. If you had asked me in 2018, when Dern first signed with the UFC, whether she would still be chasing the UFC title after 15 appearances, I suspect I would have said yes. It’s not that Dern didn’t have heart, in fact, it’s something she always had. But that’s a long time to be in competition without a UFC championship, and I probably would have thought she’d either get tired, move on to something else, or her submission skills wouldn’t translate to longevity. He is now at the top and it will definitely not be easy to remain there. The obvious title challenger here is Suarez, who just competed for the belt in February, but against the former champion zhang weili,
Wild Card: zhang weili
If Zhang falls short in her pursuit of a second title shot at UFC 322 next month, one could easily see her moving back down to 115 pounds and challenging for the belt immediately. zhang faces Valentina Shevchenko For the flyweight title on November 15 in New York. If Zhang loses and opts to move back down to strawweight, that would likely be the best fight, although the UFC could choose Dern vs. Suarez and have Zhang face the winner.
Omar Nurmagomedovmen’s bantamweight
Who should be next: winner of merab dvalishvili versus petr yan on 6th december
Under normal circumstances, I doubt I would suggest a title fight rematch so soon. But these are not normal circumstances, thanks to the enigma that is Dvalishvili. Davlishvili has already defended his title twice since defeating Nurmagomedov 10 months ago, and if he defeats Yan at UFC 323, he will become the first fighter in UFC history to win four title fights in the same calendar year. With so many active champions, why No Nurmagomedov will be next? The winner needs as many challengers as he can get. If Yan wins, it’s a fresh fight – a very good fresh fight at that. Again, in a different world, I would say there’s no way Dvalishvili would have to turn around again so soon and fight Nurmagomedov, but that’s what he wants to do. I would watch it again, no question.
Wild Card: sean o’malley
There are rumors that O’Malley is already set to fight in January. Whatever the case, if O’Malley fights in January, if he wins, if he loses – regardless of any of those details, it’s a solid matchup. Of course, it’s tough for O’Malley, but he and Nurmagomedov are right next to each other in the rankings, and when O’Malley was champion, he liked the idea of fighting Nurmagomedov and everything associated with the “Nurmagomedov” family name. I doubt we’ll see this next matchup for Nurmagomedov, but absent a title fight, it’s a good option.
Azamat Murzakanovlight heavyweight
Who should be next: winner of Jan Blachowicz versus Bogdan Guskov on 6th December
After this, Murzakanov doesn’t have much left to prove. At least not when it comes to defining himself as a real player vying for championships. He’s undefeated, but that undefeated record didn’t mean much until he beat a very real, proven talent. alexander rakicYes, Rakic had lost his three previous fights heading into UFC 321, but he had lost to three former and current champions Magomed Ankalev, Jiri Prochazka And Blachowicz. Rakic was hungry for it and Murzakanov defeated him in one round. I see this as a serious victory. Blachowicz and Guskov is a great fight to move the division forward. Blachowicz is ranked No. 4 by the UFC, despite the fact that he has not won in over three years. If Blachowicz proves he’s still superior against the No. 11-ranked Guskov, then great. Ask him to fight Murzakanov next time. And if Guskov catapults himself into the top five, the matchup against Murzakanov is a perfect fit.
Wild Card: Magomed Ankalev
Ankalaev is contemplating the unenviable task of winning at least once, maybe twice, to get back into title contention. Ankalaev Murzakanov will have a big jump in competition, but I see no reason to play him slow. Ankalev doesn’t have any obvious next opponent, so I can actually see this as the more likely next fight for Murzakanov, even though I prefer the Blachowicz/Guskov scenario a bit.
