The UFC's return to Manchester wasn't the action-packed, can't-miss main card that a lot of people expected, but it was pretty damn close. Five solid bouts at UFC 304 gave us five winners looking for crucial next steps in their careers. Here's how the UFC should send them on their way.
Belal Muhammad: Shavkat Rakhmonov, UFC 308
This is an easy matchup to call. Muhammad put on an excellent, if unspectacular performance against Leon Edwards to earn his belt, but his lack of flair or finishing ability is a huge knock on him in the eyes of the UFC. Pitting him against an 18-0 fighter who hasn't gone to a decision seems like a good way to force some excitement out of him. Rakhmonov is 6-0 in the UFC, and none of the other up-and-coming welterweights have definitively earned a title shot yet. Islam Makhachev will headline UFC 308 against Arman Tsarukyan, allowing the card to reach pay-per-view numbers that would be hard to come by if Muhammad was the main event. Muhammad stays active, Shavkat gets a title shot, and the UFC doesn't have to dedicate a headline spot to a guy who doesn't draw in viewers. All three boxes get checked with this fight.
Tom Aspinall: Jon Jones, UFC 309
This is 100% wishful thinking, but it's the only matchup that makes sense at the top of the heavyweight division. Aspinall has now won and defended his heavyweight belt in under a round of fight time. Defending an interim belt in the first place is just ridiculous, and asking him to do it again is pure insanity. Despite all of this, it's obvious that Dana White has his heart set on a Jones-Stipe Miocic matchup in Madison Square Garden. Everyone knows who deserves a shot at the undisputed title, and the public perception won't change no matter how hard White promotes another fight.
Paddy Pimblett: Renato Moicano, UFC 310
An excellent win and an excellent callout from Pimblett. He put King Green to sleep in one round, fulfilling all of the promises he made in the lead-up to the match. He's earned both a ranking next to his name and another ranked opponent next. The Moicano fight has been brewing since last December, and regardless of if Moicano wins in Paris, it's the fight to make. Stylistically, the grappling exchanges would be a thing of beauty to watch, and the trash talk before both enter the octagon is almost reason enough for these guys to sign the contract. Put it on the McGregor-Chandler card and watch the PPV numbers inflate even more.
Gregory Rodrigues: Roman Dolidze, the last UFC Fight Night of the year
Rodrigues has been on the brink of the rankings for a while now, and the beating he put on Christian Leroy Duncan showed that he deserves a chance to prove himself a top-15 middleweight. "Robocop" loves to march forward and throw bombs, and Dolidze is the perfect guy to put in front of him. The Georgian is 0-2 in his last two middleweight fights so a step down in the division is necessary. He also has a chin that is made of concrete, making him a fun candidate to try to deny Rodrigues a ranking.
Arnold Allen: Yair Rodriguez, first PPV of 2025
It's been a while, so it's good to see Allen back in the win column. One of the UFC's most underrated personalities, Allen has proven himself to be a solid addition to any numbered card, putting forth fun, technically sound performances against high-level competition. After Allen's first win in nearly two years, the UFC brass might need convincing to give him a fight up the rankings, but that shouldn't be too difficult. Yair Rodriguez has been MIA since his loss in February, and he doesn't have a clear path forward in a division where he's lost to everyone ranked in the top three. This is a mutually beneficial matchup that could co-main a pay-per-view.
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