Although UFC Fight Night 77 lost its two highest-profile fights just a week before the event, the remaining fighters rallied to put on a good night of action. Now, with the results still fresh in our minds, let’s take a look at some matchups that make sense for some of the competitors from this past Saturday.
Louis Smolka vs. John Moraga
In a thin division like flyweight, winning three in a row puts a fighter in the title conversation. That’s exactly what Smolka has done here. Let’s see what he’s got against a guy that lasted five rounds with Demetrious Johnson. John Moraga is a former title challenger that would test the 24-year old Smolka’s resolve, and it would give us more insight on whether the Hawaiian is ready to contend.
Nicolas Dalby vs. Darren Till
These two battled to a majority draw, and that was a perfectly acceptable outcome following the slugfest they engaged in. Still, we’d love to see a conclusive outcome and nobody would mind seeing a few extra rounds between the two. Now they’ve felt each other out, it’d be interesting to see what adjustments they make.
Norman Parke vs. James Krause
Parke is clearly a pretty good fighter, with a 5-2 record that could easily have been 7-0 save for a few split decisions that went against him. However, none of his fights have been memorable, and his failure to bring sizzle to his wins is hurting his ability to get bigger fights. Krause is a solid lightweight whose aggressive style could force Parke into actions.
Tom Breese vs. Jake Ellenberger
Breese put on the most impressive performance of the night to stay undefeated. What’s more, he knocked out a fighter, Cathal Pendred, who has built a career on being tough and durable. Breese, a Tristar Gym rep, looked spry and powerful - and at 24, he’s got a bright future. Beating a known, albeit fading, commodity like Ellenberger could announce his arrival as a star in the welterweight division.
Patrick Holohan vs. Ali Bagautinov
While Holohan put on a spirited effort in the main event, he made a few mistakes that cost him the fight. Still, his stock shouldn’t drop too much considering Smolka looks like he could be a contender at 125. Bagautinov is coming off a lopsided decision loss to Joe Benavidez, but is still considered a top-15 flyweight - giving Holohan plenty of motivation in a matchup.
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