Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returned to the hurt business last night (Sat., May 19, 2018) for UFC Fight Night 129 inside Movistar Arena in Santiago, Chile, which was headlined by a Welterweight bout which saw Kamaru Usman defeat Demian Maia in a five-round main event. In the co-main event, Tatiana Suarez made quick work of Alexa Grasso by submitting her in the very first round.
Winner: Kamaru Usman
Who He Should Face Next: Darren Till vs Stephen Thompson winner
“The Nigerian Nightmare” called for a shot at the title after taking out Demian Maia, but his performance was hardly championship worth. Furthermore, the line to get to Tyron Woodley is pretty long, as “The Chosen One” will next face the winner of the upcoming interim title fight between Rafael dos Anjos and Colby Covington at UFC 225. After that, you know the winner of Till vs Thompson -- who will fight next week — is going to ask for a shot at the strap. So it only makes sense to have Usman face the winner of that matchup to determine the next title contender.
Winner: Tatiana Suarez
Who She Should Face Next: Michelle Waterson
Suarez is on the come up, and after taking out the No. 6 ranked Grasso, taking a step back simply doesn’t make sense. Waterson, meanwhile, is ranked ahead of Alexa just slightly, and with Tatiana getting a win, you can expect her to move up. Furthermore, Waterson recently got back on the winning track after breaking her two-fight skid, so she is in no position to ask for or take on a top contender. This fight makes sense for both women, in my opinion.
Winner: Dominick Reyes
Who He Should Face Next: Jordan Johnson
Reyes continued his ascension up the Light Heavyweight division after knocking out Jarod Cannonier. In doing so, he kept his undefeated record (9-0, 3-0 UFC) in tact (see it again here). Up next for Reyes should be a matchup against an fellow undefeated 205-pounder in Jordan Johnson. Jordon also improved to 9-0, 3-0 UFC, after defeating Adam Milstead at UFC 222. They aren’t exactly the talk of the town, but a win for one over the other could get more people talking and force UFC to take notice.
Winner: Guido Cannetti
Who He Should Face Next: Eddie Wineland
Cannetti took it to Diego Rivas in Chile, getting back in the win column. Wineland, meanwhile, came up short against John Dodson in his last outing. Still, Wineland holds the No. 15 spot, something Guido wants. While taking Eddie out won’t get him there straight away, it will help by taking out the guy holding the final spot. Which definitely wasn’t the case here.
Winner: Andrea Lee
Who She Should Face Next: Ashlee Evans Smith
Lee finally made her UFC debut, and it was a successful one after she defeated Veronica Macedo. Things will only get a bit tougher for “KGB,” and a showdown against Smith seems appropriate. Smith is coming off a winning performance against Bec Rawlings at UFC 223, so they could both be gearing up for a return around the same time. It’s a big step up for Lee, but I think she is up for the task.
For complete UFC Fight Night 129: “Maia vs Usman” results, including play-by-play updates, click here.
Get the latest gear
