Matches to Make After UFC on ESPN 61

Following two international cards, the Ultimate Fighting Championship returned to Las Vegas for an underwhelming night at the UFC Apex. The UFC on ESPN 61 main event was a heavyweight rematch between Marcin Tybura and Serghei Spivac, as the Polish fighter won a decision back in 2020. While it wasn’t the most memorable card, it will still cause ripples in the mixed martial arts world in the months to come.

Here are five matches to make following UFC on ESPN 61.

Serghei Spivac vs. Jailton Almeida

Spivac (17-4) got revenge over Tybura (25-9) by submitting him with an armbar in the first round. Ranked in the Top 10, the next fight for “The Polar Bear” will be a significant one in the division. I'd like to see him go up against Jailton Almeida, who recently rebounded from a defeat to Curtis Blaydes with a submission win over Alexander Romanov. "Malhadinho" holds an impressive record of 21-3 and needs another fight before going up against another fighter in the top five of the UFC's heavyweight division. Spivac would be the younger fighter and an interesting test for the Brazilian.

Jose Mariscal vs. Bryce Mitchell

Mariscal’s dominant win over Damon Jackson will come with an asterisk as “Chepe” came in four pounds over the featherweight limit. That being said, Mariscal (17-6, 1 NC) outclassed his opponent throughout three rounds. If he can get his weight issues under control, he’d make a great return fight for Mitchell, who hasn't fought since a brutal knockout loss to Josh Emmett. "Thug Nasty" had become a fan-favorite and was on an impressive run winning seven of his eight prior UFC fights. The winner would be in prime position to face a top 10 featherweight afterward.

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Danny Barlow vs. Oban Elliott

Barlow missed weight for his fight against Nikolay Veretennikov, which wound up being a rather tepid affair by both men. Barlow (9-0) wound up taking a split decision win and staying undefeated in the process. Up next should be a dietitian and a fight against another young fighter on a win streak in Elliott. 2-0 inside the UFC, Elliott (11-2) has looked impressive in fights against Preston Parsons and Val Woodburn. Whether it is "The Welsh Gangster" or “Left Hand 2 God” that wins, the main who gets his hand raised would certainly be a prospect to watch in the welterweight division going forward.

Chris Gutierrez vs. Montel Jackson

Gutierrez put the first loss on Quang Le's record in a spirited effort. Gutierrez (21-6-2) was a rough draw for a debuting fighter and the 33-year-old showed he still is a contender having won six of his last eight fights inside the Octagon. I'd like to see "El Guapo" go up against the surging Jackson next. "Quik" has won five straight fights inside the UFC, and they were scheduled to face off in 2023. Let's see Jackson (14-2) get a chance to prove just how good he is or for Gutierrez to earn the opportunity for even bigger fights in the future.

Yana Santos vs. Tainara Lisboa

Santos looked sharp and broke a three-fight losing streak against an overweight Chelsea Chandler. Clearly outstriking her opponent over three rounds, "Foxy" took a deserved unanimous decision win. A fight against Lisboa would be a great test for the Brazilian and seeing how much Santos (14-8) has left in the tank. The Brazilian is 2-0 inside the Octagon and is coming off impressive wins over Jessica Rose-Clark and Ravena Oliveira. Lisboa (7-2) is 33, so let's see how she does against a veteran and former title challenger.