Matches to Make After UFC Fight Night 199

Those unfortunate enough to get hit flush by Derrick Lewis tend not to remember much about the experience. Chris Daukaus can probably attest to as much.

“The Black Beast” broke a tie with Matt Brown and established himself as the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s all-time leader in knockouts (13), as he brought down Daukaus with punches in the first round of their UFC Fight Night 199 headliner on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Lewis tagged another figurative toe 3:36 into Round 1.

Daukaus did what he could to keep a safe distance from one of the sport’s most frightening predators and even connected with a sneaky standing elbow at close range during one exchange. However, he was living on borrowed time. Lewis staggered him with a left hook, then cut loose with both hands. A dazed Daukaus tried to clinch and return fire, but he walked into a volley of vicious right hands, collapsed and came to rest in an unconscious heap at the base of the cage.

In the aftermath of UFC Fight Night “Lewis vs. Daukaus,” here are four matches that ought to be made:

Derrick Lewis vs. Francis Ngannou: Lewis remains one of the heavyweight division’s most compelling characters, even though his floor and ceiling have largely been set at this point in his career. Depending on what unfolds ahead of him in the rankings, he could find himself in the unenviable position of making a series of parallel moves while other contenders take their swings at the top of the weight class. “The Black Beast” has already faced the two combatants in the forthcoming heavyweight championship unification bout, winning an utterly forgettable decision over Ngannou in 2018 and losing to Ciryl Gane by technical knockout on Aug. 7. While Lewis’ immediate fate may hinge on the outcome of their UFC 270 pairing in January, most agree a rematch with Ngannou needs to happen.

Belal Muhammad vs. Sean Brady: Perhaps now Muhammad will get his just due. The criminally underrated and underappreciated welterweight contender took a significant step forward at 170 pounds, as he cruised to a one-sided unanimous decision over two-time title challenger Stephen Thompson in the co-main event. Scores were 30-25, 30-26 and 30-26. Muhammad executed his game plan to perfection across the three-round confrontation, crowding the karateka in the clinch while completing a career-best seven takedowns. The 33-year-old Chicago native has put together a 6-0 record with one no contest in seven appearances since his January 2019 decision defeat to Geoff Neal. The undefeated Brady last competed at UFC Fight Night 198, where he laid claim to a unanimous verdict over Michael Chiesa.

Ricky Simon vs. Yadong Song: Simon handled his business in the most emphatic manner possible, as he punched out World Extreme Cagefighting veteran Raphael Assuncao in the second round of their bantamweight showcase. Assuncao succumbed to blows 2:14 into Round 2. Simon seized the reins with two takedowns in Round 1 and never looked back. He sat down Assuncao with a jarring right hand in the middle stanza, then sealed the slumped Brazilian’s fate with follow-up punches before referee Chris Tognoni could arrive on the scene. Simon, 29, has rattled off four straight victories at 135 pounds. Song last appeared on Nov. 13, when he buried former two-division Ring of Combat champion Julio Arce with a head kick and punches in the second round of their UFC Fight Night 197 affair.

Mateusz Gamrot vs. Rafael Fiziev: Gamrot has begun to emerge as a grave threat to the rest of the lightweight division. The onetime KSW champion improved to 20-1 and recorded his third win in as many outings, as he struck Diego Ferreira into submission in the second round of their featured confrontation at 155 pounds. Ferreira checked out 3:26 into Round 2. The resourceful and highly skilled Gamrot maneuvered behind the Fortis MMA-trained Brazilian in the second round and sent a devastating knee crashing into his exposed ribcage. Ferreira winced in visible distress and motioned for referee Jason Herzog to intervene on his behalf. Fiziev last fought at UFC on ESPN 31, where he struck down Brad Riddell with a wheel kick in the third round of their Dec. 4 co-main event.