There is no debate after UFC 312, Dricus du Plessis is the rightful UFC middleweight champion. Questions remain about who the promotion’s best 185-pounder is. Fortunately, those questions could be answered this year.
Du Plessis bloodied and battered Sean Strickland in Sydney, Australia on Saturday. The champion’s decisive title defense opens the door for a must-see next challenger. UFC CEO Dana White previously named Khamzat Chimaev the next in line for the UFC middleweight title.
The betting lines kept shifting in Saturday’s co-main event. UFC women’s strawweight champion Zhang Weili and challenger Tatiana Suarez repeatedly transferred roles as favorite and underdog. Once the door closed, Zhang proved dominant. Now the strawweight champ can look forward to strengthening her case as the greatest women’s strawweight of all-time.
Following the events of UFC 312, let’s examine the best fights to make in the middleweight and strawweight divisions.
Middleweight
UFC middleweight championship — Dricus du Plessis (c) vs. Khamzat Chimaev: There is no bigger fight to make at middleweight. It screams “unstoppable force meets immovable object.” Chimaev is a dominant presence and du Plessis is a physical juggernaut. UFC CEO Dana White previously anointed Chimaev as the top contender. He’s right. There is no better fight to make at 185 pounds.
Sean Strickland vs. Nassourdine Imavov or Robert Whittaker: Imavov told CBS Sports he’d wait for a title shot if he beat Adesanya. Matchmakers will (and should) prioritize du Plessis vs. Chimaev, but Imavov could slide into a title shot if there are scheduling conflicts or injuries. Strickland vs. Imavov makes for a great fight on the undercard of du Plessis vs. Chimaev. The two have beef, the winner will be the top contender and someone could fill in if the main event gets derailed. The only downside is if du Plessis and Strickland win, you’re left with no viable next contenders. Alternatively, I’m interested in seeing Strickland vs. Whittaker.
Women’s strawweight
UFC women’s strawweight championship — Zhang Weili (c) vs. Virna Jandiroba or Mackenzie Dern: Jandiroba is the strawweight contender most deserving of a title shot. She’s ranked No. 3 in UFC’s official strawweight rankings and has a four-fight winning streak. But she’s booked to fight Yan Xiaonan at UFC 314. Jandiroba is the clear-cut contender if she beats Xiaonan. A Xiaonan win complicates things. Xiaonan lost handily to Zhang last year and should not get another title shot. If Jandiroba loses, Dern might get the call. Dern (No. 6) probably won’t get to the top of the division, and this is the most appropriate chance to book her a title fight. Dern is the highest-ranked contender, not named Jandiroba, that Zhang hasn’t beaten. If Zhang notches another successful title defense, she should challenge the winner of Valentina Shevchenko vs. Manon Fiorit at women’s flyweight.
Tatiana Suarez vs. Yan Xiaonan or Virna Jandiroba: Suarez was labeled a future UFC champion after winning “The Ultimate Fighter 23” in 2016. She was overwhelmed by Zhang once it came time to prove herself. Suarez is still likely the second-best strawweight in the division. Booking her against Xiaonan or Jandiroba, depending on how their April fight shapes out, is her best bet at starting another title campaign.
