After this weekend’s UFC Houston event, one thing stands out in the UFC : the heavier divisions remain just as clogged.
If the fight between Sean Strickland and Anthony Hernandez was supposed to be the first domino that would help determine the next title fights, we are far from that.
At middleweight, rumors suggested that champion Khamzat Chimaev could move up and vacate his belt, but that now seems unlikely. Organization president Dana White said he wants to see his star remain in the division. Opposite him, Sean Strickland, coming off a striking masterclass against “Fluffy” Hernandez,is now being considered. American, outspoken, and an elite trash talker, he is being preferred over France’s Nassourdine Imavov, who is more discreet. A choice that is hard to justify from a sporting standpoint but entirely logical from a marketing perspective. Still, the UFC set a first boundary for Strickland during this weekend’s post-fight press conference, cutting his microphone to prevent another outburst, something unusual for the organization.
At light heavyweight, Chimaev not moving up simplifies things. Alex Pereira, currently present around the heavyweight picture, could vacate his belt and open the door for a fight between Jiri Prochazka and Carlos Ulberg. A striking matchup between a highly spectacular fighter and a far more classical yet destructive one. Much less compelling than a potential Chimaev fight.
Finally, in the premier division, things look simple on paper. Champion Tom Aspinall remains absent due to eye injuries. Alex Pereira could attempt to become the first champion in history in this scenario against Ciryl Gane, the only fighter capable of offering real opposition in a particularly shallow division.
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