While the next matchups for UFC 304's main card winners are largely obvious, the same can't be said for the losers. Almost every single one of these guys lost decisively, so whatever fight they get booked next is crucial to their career arc.
Leon Edwards: Ian Garry, UFC 310
That was one of the worst performances of Edwards' career. The former champion looked like a shade of his former self, fighting with ridiculously low output and energy until the final thirty seconds of the fifth round. There will be no instant rematch for Edwards after that disaster. Instead, he'll have to face one of the up-and-coming welterweights, either Garry or Jack Della Maddalena. Maddalena is appealing, but Garry makes more sense. It's a stylistically better fight for both men, and the UFC can push the England-vs.-Ireland narrative as part of the fight buildup. Garry is also notoriously game to fight whenever he gets the call, and Maddalena's recovery timeline from a nasty arm injury is unclear. The timing of Garry vs. Edwards would let the UFC put Garry and Conor McGregor on the same card, something that Dana White is almost certainly interested in.
Curtis Blaydes: Sergei Pavlovich, UFC Fight Night in January
You've got to feel for Curtis Blaydes. It seems that he's capable of beating every single heavyweight outside of the top five, but when it comes to the biggest fight of his career, things turn to disaster every time. It doesn't help that every single heavyweight in the top ten is booked with the exceptions of Pavlovich and Aspinall. Aspinall is obviously onto bigger and better things, which leaves Blaydes to rematch a guy who knocked him out in under a round. Pavlovich has lost two in a row and Blaydes is 1-2 in his last three. Both desperately need a victory to get back on track, and Pavlovich's recent performances should inspire some confidence in the Blaydes camp. Let the division shake out a little bit and rebook these two after a long layoff.
King Green: Ludovit Klein, UFC Fight Night, November 23rd
Green will obviously be displeased with his performance against Paddy Pimblett, so it's likely he'll be itching to get back into the octagon. The UFC should do him a favor by matching him up with a fellow striker, one who can provide ample opportunities for a Fight-of-the-Night bonus. Ludovit Klein is an excellent pairing, especially since a ranking is no longer on the line. The Slovakian has won five straight, and another victory against a premier name in the 155-pound division could propel him to a fight with someone in the top 10. Book it and give the fans a budget version of Green vs. Rafael Fiziev.
Christian Leroy Duncan: Marc-Andre Barriault, first PPV of 2025
The UFC didn't do Duncan any matchmaking favors at UFC 304. Gregory Rodrigues deserves a ranking next to his name, and he proved himself to be far too much for Duncan, at least for now. The loss doesn't really diminish Duncan's outlook, but the promotion will have to handle his rise a bit more carefully now. Marc-Andre Barriault has long been used as a stepping stone for potential ranked middleweights, most recently in a knockout loss against Joe Pyfer. Barriault always puts on exciting fights without ever presenting a real danger to his opponents, allowing Duncan a prime opportunity to land a highlight-reel knockout. Give the young Brit some time and give him another shot at the start of the new year.
Giga Chikadze: Jean Silva, the final UFC Fight Night of 2024
At this point, we know what Chikadze is. He'll give the fans a ton of fun fights, but a title run isn't in his future. As a guy at the bottom of the featherweight rankings, giving him another fun fighter without a number next to his name makes sense, especially coming off of a loss. Silva has been in the UFC for less than a year and he's already 3-0, including beautifully violent wins over Drew Dober and Charles Jourdain. A fight between him and Chikadze would have legitimate Fight of the Year potential while fitting with the current featherweight rankings. The only hitch is that Silva was injured in his last fight, so this might get delayed until the new year. If that is the case, this matchup will 100% end up being worth the wait.
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