UFC Fight Night took place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, and middleweight contenders Caio Borralho and Jared Cannonier delivered a thrilling main event.
In the co-main event, ranked strawweights Tabatha Ricci and Angela Hill clashed in a fast-paced affair.
Take a look at the biggest winners and losers of UFC Vegas 96 as we predict their next matchups:
Winners
(12) Caio Borralho
Borralho’s first five-round fight in the UFC proved to be his toughest test to date. Even though the Brazilian won handily on the scorecards (49-45, 49-45, 48-46), the fight was razor-close through four rounds, and one judge even had it tied going into the fifth. Borralho wore more visible damage than Cannonier, as his right eye was nearly swollen shut and was badly cut.
Each corner told their fighter that he needed to win the fifth round to win the fight, and it was Borralho who was able to force Cannonier against the fence and make him fight off of his back foot. With two minutes remaining, Borralho landed a left hand that sat Cannonier down and attempted an arm-triangle choke.
He delivered vicious ground strikes and locked in an arm-triangle choke but didn’t have the angle to finish the fight. Cannonier got back to his feet in the final seconds, ultimately sending the fight to the judges’ scorecards.
The decision win improved Borralho’s UFC record to 7-0 and earned him a spot in the middleweight top five. He called for a title fight in his post-fight interview, but he will need another win before he fights for the belt, as Sean Strickland has already been confirmed as Dricus Du Plessis’ next opponent. Plus, the winner of Khamzat Chimaev vs. Robert Whittaker will likely secure a title shot after Strickland.
After Israel Adesanya’s loss last week, I suggested a fight with Borralho as his next move, assuming he would get past Cannonier. Borralho took some damage in this fight, so he will need a bit of time off. His timetable to return should line up with Adesanya’s.
Fight to make: Adesanya vs. Borralho
(11) Tabatha Ricci
After Ricci’s lackluster performance against Tecia Pennington in which she barely escaped with a victory, the Brazilian fought with an entirely new attitude against Angela Hill. From the start of the fight, Ricci’s foot was on the gas, and she tested Hill’s cardio.
Though the striking numbers slightly favored Hill, Ricci landed two takedowns, kept the pressure, and was the fresher fighter in every round, enabling her to win 29-28 on all three scorecards.
Ricci will certainly move into the top ten with the victory, and I anticipate that the UFC will have her fight up in the rankings. With that being said, a matchup with fifth-ranked Amanda Lemos seems to make sense. Lemos, a former title challenger, was recently defeated by Virna Jandiroba, so she will likely be fighting down the rankings in her next outing.
Fight to make: Lemos vs Ricci
Michael Morales
Morales was a massive favorite coming into the fight against Magny, and he didn’t disappoint. Just over three minutes into the first round, he landed a spinning elbow that rocked Magny. Morales finished the fight via ground-and-pound shortly thereafter.
The finish earned Morales a Performance of the Night bonus and improved his overall record to 17-0, with five wins inside the UFC octagon.
At just 25 years of age, Morales now enters the ranks of the stacked welterweight division, where many contenders already have a fight booked. Vicente Luque was previously scheduled to fight Nick Diaz, but the bout was cancelled. In the event that the fight is not rebooked, Luque would provide a great test for the young star.
Fight to make: Luque vs Morales
Losers
(5) Jared Cannonier
Dropping a decision to Borralho is nothing for Cannonier to be ashamed of. The 40-year-old had his moments, and the fight was arguably tied going into the final round.
Unfortunately for Cannonier, this means he has lost back-to-back fights for the first time since 2018. Two months ago, his fight against Nassourdine Imavov was stopped prematurely. Cannonier wanted to get back in the octagon as soon as he could, but he paid the price.
I don’t see Cannonier fighting for a while after this barnburner, but when her does, the UFC shouldn’t try to feed him to a prospect. He has done favors for the organization by risking his top five ranking and taking on two younger fighters.
Eighth-ranked veteran Paulo Costa is also in need of a win, and a fight with Cannonier would be an exciting striking battle for the fans. Both Costa and Cannonier are coming off of five-round fights, so a three-rounder would be ideal for each man, and it could be placed on any pay-per-view main card.
Fight to make: Cannonier vs Costa
(9) Angela Hill
Hill showed impressive cardio and durability against Ricci but couldn’t get the job done. The 40-year-old recently submitted twelfth-ranked Luana Pinheiro, so it’s evident that she still has what it takes to compete against the best in the division. However, at this stage in her career, a path to the title no longer exists.
Hill has mentioned retirement before, but assuming she wants to keep fighting, a bout with follow veteran Gillian Robertson would be a fresh matchup. Hill would have a striking advantage and could nab a win if she can avoid Robertson’s lethal ground game. It’s surprising that the two haven’t crossed paths in the octagon already.
Matchup to make: Hill vs. Robertson
(12) Neil Magny
Magny turned back a prospect when he finished Mike Malott at UFC 297, but he was unable to re-capture his magic against Morales. He was set up for failure once again, though. The UFC has fed Magny to countless prospects, some of which have used him as a steppingstone while others struggled. It seems as if a fight with Magny is the organization’s way of determining whether or not a fighter has the ability to compete with the best welterweights in the world.
The 37-year-old Magny has the most wins in UFC welterweight history and is still capable of winning fights, just not against the best of the best. I can see the UFC wanting to give Michael “Venom” Page a winnable fight after his loss to Ian Machado Garry, and Magny would be a quality name to put on his record.
Fight to make: Magny vs. Page
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