Heading into the weekend, it was hard to find a lot of fans who were excited for Saturday's UFC Vegas 94. A card headlined by Amanda Lemos and Virna Jandiroba was a tough sell, and the prelims were largely a sleepy affair. Despite those low expectations, every single fight on the main card delivered, giving UFC fans some of the year's most memorable moments so far. Four main card fighters earned a bonus, and all of them earned a step up in competition.
Virna Jandiroba: Yan Xiaonan, UFC 309
A title shot for Jandiroba is more than justifiable, but it seems that Tatiana Suarez has locked up that privilege. If Suarez goes down with another injury, Jandiroba is the next challenger. In the meantime, the Brazilian submission machine can take another step up in competition against Xiaonan, who gave champion Zhang Weili a run for her money on UFC 300. Beating Xiaonan removes any lingering doubt about Jandiroba's contender status, and Xiaonan needs a big win to get back on the horse. It isn't a favorable matchup for her, but it's the fastest way back to a title fight, so Xiaonan should be interested regardless
Steve Garcia: Andre Fili, UFC 310
Garcia wasn't meant to act as the co-main event of the evening, but he filled the shoes admirably. The owner of a four-fight winning streak, Garcia will likely be thinking of a ranking in his next contest, and rightfully so. Unfortunately, most of the top fifteen are either unavailable or bookended for other opponents. It doesn't help that Garcia's level of competition throughout his win streak wasn't anything special. A smaller step up would be helpful in discovering if Garcia truly belongs in the rankings, and Andre Fili is an excellent candidate to administer that test. Fili has had a habit of alternating wins and losses, beating up on lower-level fighters, and taking beatings against ranked opponents. Gatekeeping Garcia from the top 20 should be enough to earn him a contest with a number on the line. Conveniently, this matchup is entertaining enough to act as the featured prelim on what should be an excellent card.
Kurt Holobaugh: Chris Duncan, UFC Fight Night (11/2/24)
The only fight that needed the scorecards was Holobaugh's war with Kaynan Kruschewsky. The lack of a knockout didn't make it any less exciting, as both guys traded huge combinations over and over, giving us one of the best Apex fights of the year. Holobaugh held on and showed off his ability to brawl, so it's only right if his next opponent is interested in the same thing. Duncan is notorious for biting down on his mouthpiece and trading with whoever he faces, for better or worse. Get him and Holobaugh in the octagon together and let them do the rest.
Bruno Silva: Matheus Nicolau, Potential Trip Back to Sao Paulo
If Holobaugh and Kruschewsky hadn't engaged in an all-out firefight just after Silva's fight, the Brazilian flyweight would've had the most entertaining fight of the night by far. Things looked desperate through a round and a half for Silva, who was dropped and nearly finished multiple times before landing a massive uppercut to steal away a knockout win. He went to hell and back to secure a ranking, and now he deserves a chance to continue his four-fight win streak against higher-ranked competition. Once considered a potential contender, Matheus Nicolau has lost two in a row by knockout, erasing any chance of fighting upwards. He needs to secure his position in the top ten with a win against an up-and-comer, and if he's offered a Brazil vs. Brazil matchup in Sao Paulo, he should jump at the opportunity.
Dooho Choi: Melsik Baghdasaryan, UFC 308
What a homecoming this was for Dooho Choi. After fighting twice in the last five years, The Korean Superboy scored a massive knockout over a very talented featherweight in Bill Algeo. Age is not an issue for Choi seeing as he's still 33, so the UFC would be wise to give him a slow build. Baghdasaryan is a logical next step, both in terms of skill and style. Choi made it clear that he wants to be more active, so a spot on the prelims of the upcoming Abu Dhabi pay-per-view works perfectly, especially since Baghdasaryan was just scheduled to fight next door in Saudi Arabia before pulling out.
Hyder Amil: Charles Jourdain, A UFC Fight Night in December
After a knockout like that, it makes sense that the masses are calling for an Amil-vs.-Nate Landwehr fight. That would be an undeniably fun rock-'em sock-'em fight, but it's too much too fast for Amil. The UFC might have something special in him, and matching him up with a top-30 featherweight like Landwehr this early could easily kill his hype. Amil obviously deserves a step up, and pitting him against Charles Jourdain is a good way to do it. Jourdain has shown a willingness to stand and bang, and he's a far more beatable opponent than Landwehr. A fun fight that's relatively evenly matched with a high chance of ending with someone unconscious. What's not to like?
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