The Vanquished: What’s Next for UFC 235 Losers?

UFC 235 on Saturday went in the books as an event that had a little bit of everything. Johnny Walker and Zabit Magomedsharipov announced themselves as legitimate title threats in the 205-pound and 145-pound weight classes; Ben Askren won a controversial submission victory in an Ultimate Fighting Championship debut that will bolster his reputation as the promotion’s resident troll; Kamaru Usman dominated every minute of his championship-lifting performance over incumbent welterweight king Tyron Woodley; and Jon Jones nearly lost his light heavyweight championship via disqualification.

As usual, The Vanquished takes a look at who the losers should be matched with next. Here we go.

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Anthony Smith vs. Alexander Gustafsson: Smith marched into the Octagon as a 14-to-1 underdog with nothing to lose in his fight opposite Jones, but he failed to mount any significant offense across 25 minutes and lost a unanimous decision. While “Bones” gave Smith props for his heart and in-cage trash talk, the skill disparity between the two men was nothing short of yawning, and given the tepid pace the two men set, “Lionheart” figures to have put a significant distance between himself and a championship rematch. One opponent who could put him back in the conversation is Gustafsson, who succumbed to blows from Jones in December. “The Mauler” sits at No. 2 in the UFC’s light heavyweight rankings and sports 11 knockouts among his 18 wins. A showdown with a consummate finisher like Smith figures to be a barnburner.

Tyron Woodley vs. Santiago Ponzinibbio: Woodley was being touted as perhaps the greatest welterweight in UFC history ahead of UFC 235, but that talk evaporated quickly once his fight with Usman was underway. Over the course of five rounds, “The Chosen One” looked gunshy and demoralized, spending long stretches against the cage or on the canvas on his way to a lopsided decision loss. In a parallel universe, Woodley could perhaps finagle an immediate rematch -- this was after all his fifth title defense -- but Colby Covington has reportedly already been offered that spot, meaning the deposed champion will need to get back in the win column before making a second title run. The seventh-ranked Ponzinibbio makes sense for Woodley next, as the Argentinian has won his last seven fights under the UFC banner and was last seen dismantling Neil Magny in his hometown.

Robbie Lawler vs. Darren Till-Jorge Masvidal loser: Lawler’s submission loss to the debuting Askren was the most controversial result on the card, with “Ruthless Robbie” teeing off on the former Bellator MMA champion in the opening seconds and coming within a hair’s reach of earning the technical knockout. Two minutes later, Askren had recovered and secured a bulldog choke, with referee Herb Dean intervening when Lawler’s arms appeared to go limp, only for a very conscious Lawler to immediately protest the stoppage. While some people -- UFC President Dana White included -- have already called for an immediate rematch, Askren has set his sights on the winner of the upcoming scrap between Till and Masvidal; and from a marketability perspective, that fight makes a lot more sense, with both men being more likely than Lawler to accommodate Askren’s pre-fight banter. Lawler should be matched up with the loser.

Tecia Torres vs. Felice Herrig: Torres lost a gutsy unanimous decision -- it was her third straight setback -- to Weili Zhang, as the latter extended her winning streak to 18 fights. At 29 years old, Torres still has plenty to offer the strawweight division, and a 2013 win over incumbent champion Rose Namajunas makes her road back to title contention slightly less arduous. As for what’s next, the 11th-ranked Herrig would be a suitable dance partner. The “Lil Bulldog” had won four in a row before losses to Michelle Waterson and Karolina Kowalkiewicz halted her momentum.

Cody Garbrandt vs. John Dodson: It has been more than two years since Garbrandt upset Dominick Cruz and captured the bantamweight title at UFC 207. “No Love” has now endured three consecutive stoppage losses. At one point pegged as the promotion’s next superstar, Garbrandt has lost twice to reigning champion T.J. Dillashaw, and in bowing to the ninth-ranked Pedro Munhoz at UFC 235, the odds on his turning it around to regain the title seem long to put it mildly. If Garbrandt sticks around at bantamweight, a fight opposite a former flyweight title contender in Dodson would make for intriguing viewing. “The Magician” owns a 3-5 record in his last eight appearances but has consistently fought at the top of the division and has never been stopped.