Next 5 Fights to Make at Flyweight
Following Brandon Royval's upset victory over Brandon Moreno, the Flyweight division is in an interesting spot. With no fighters in the top five currently scheduled, and numerous fighters on win streaks, matchups need to be made. Today, we'll take a look at five possible matchups to be made at 125 pounds.
Tatsuro Taira vs. Tim Elliott
After a handful of impressive victories, Tatsuro Taira has finally reached the top fifteen. One of the most well-rounded prospects in the sport, he has fantastic striking and a dangerous submission game. Undefeated at 15-0, he’s already earned two bonuses and three finishes in just five fights. After showing his grappling prowess in his first few promotional bouts, he secured a KO victory over Carlos Hernandez, proving he can get it done on the feet, too. He’s earned an opportunity to face ranked opponents, and I believe Tim Elliott is the perfect introduction to the top of the division.
Elliott has seemed to be a true litmus test for the division in recent years. An exceptionally unique fighter, he uses a combination of bizarre footwork and excellent wrestling to defeat his opponents. He provides a constant, evolving challenge on the feet or the ground. With three wins in his last five outings, all against up-and-coming opponents, this is yet another chance for Elliott to prove he belongs at the top. A win in this bout would greatly help either fighter move another rung up the Flyweight ladder.
Tagir Ulanbekov vs. Manel Kape
After a setback loss to the man we just discussed, Tim Elliott, Ulanbekov has won 2 straight and secured his spot in the top 15. Hailing from Dagestan, he has fantastic wrestling and top control but has solid power in his hands as well. Often using his striking to set up his grappling, he won’t just look to control his opponents, constantly throwing ground and pound and pursuing submissions. Ulanbekov has been red-hot since his first loss, securing two consecutive submission victories without absorbing much damage. Now clearly ready for another challenge, Manel Kape would be a fantastic test.
A former Rizin champion, he’s a top-tier striker who’s always dangerous. Similarly suffering early setbacks, he’s won four in a row, outlanding all his last four opponents and securing two first-round knockouts. He has fantastic, flashy kickboxing, regularly throwing jump attacks and constantly pursuing a knockout. While Kape has proven his striking prowess, he’s never faced a grappler of Ulanbekov’s caliber, nor has Ulanbekov faced a striker of Kape’s. With both men needing an impressive victory to reach the top five, this would be a perfect matchup.
Kai Kara-France. vs Matheus Nicolau
Although suffering unfortunate losses, Kai Kara-France remains in the top five of the flyweight division. An excellent striker, he’s earned five bonuses in his UFC tenure and is always in exciting fights. He’s constantly pushing the pace, mixing kicks into combinations, and pursuing a knockout. Kara-France has spent some time at the top of the division but has yet to realize a title shot. Despite recent losses, he remains one of the best fighters in the weight class and deserves to face those near him in the rankings.
Sitting just one spot behind him in the rankings is Matheus Nicolau, an excellent matchup for him. Nicolau is similarly coming off a loss after climbing his way to the top five. He has fantastic counterstriking and high-level grappling and can damage his opponent wherever the fight goes. With both fighters having losses to people above them in the rankings, this is the perfect time for this matchup. Both men push the pace and need a big bounceback win; this will surely be fireworks.
Brandon Moreno vs. Amir Albazi
Brandon Moreno is one of the most accomplished Flyweights in UFC history. Holding seven performance bonuses, six title fights, and six finish victories, he’s been one of the faces of the division for the past five years. With fantastic boxing and excellent Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, he’s one of the most well-rounded fighters in the UFC. Now suffering his first consecutive loss since 2018, he must re-establish himself as a title contender. In need of a top-five victory, one of the hottest prospects in the sport is also in need of a fight: Amir Albazi.
A dominant grappler, he’s averaging nearly two takedowns landed per fifteen minutes and has technical striking on the feet. Constantly pushing the pace, he’s finished three of his five UFC opponents and earned his first main event in June last year, scoring a unanimous decision victory over Kai Kara-France. Initially, this fight was scheduled and was supposed to occur this past weekend instead of Moreno vs. Royval. This matchup is perfect for both men and is now the ideal time.
Brandon Royval vs. Alexandre Pantoja 3
Following his victory over Brandon Moreno this weekend, Brandon Royval has firmly established himself as the number-one contender for the Flyweight title. A true scrapper, he always leaves it all in the cage and has some of the wildest finishes in UFC history. Never in a boring fight, he used his diverse striking and slick submission game to find his way to the top. Royval is incredibly tough and unpredictable, able to find a finish anywhere, anytime. With just one loss in his last five outings, he deserves a chance to avenge it in a title rematch with Alexandre Pantoja.
With both power and speed in his hands and a fantastic submission game, he’s finally realized his title aspirations. In his last five fights, he’s not only won the title but earned three bonuses and two finishes. Pantoja is at the height of his powers and shouldn’t face anyone other than the number one contender. Although he already holds two wins over Royval, this is still the fight to make. Royval has proven to be constantly reinventing himself, and with the improvements he showed this weekend, he could be a completely new test for Pantoja.
