The first Ultimate Fighting Championship Pay-Per-View card of 2023 is in the books, and UFC 283 left us with some pretty interesting scenarios across several weight classes.
Two title fights headlined the promotion’s return to Brazil over the weekend, both of which saw undisputed titles change hands (unified in one case). In the main event, Jamahal Hill sent Glover Teixeira into retirement, while in the co-feature, Brandon Moreno, holding interim gold to start the night, unified the titles and is now the undisputed UFC flyweight champion after defeating Daveson Figueiredo in the fourth fight of their series.
Also, although not part of this article, the legendary Shogun Rua retired. Do yourself a favor: go back and watch the 2005 Pride Middleweight Grand Prix. Shogun is nothing short of a legend and a future Hall of Famer.
Now, what’s next (maybe) for the losing side of the UFC 283 main card.
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Glover Teixeira
Shogun wasn’t the only Brazilian legend to retire on Saturday night. After coming up short in the main event trying to reclaim the light heavyweight gold, Glover Teixeira called it a career.
It’s weird talking about Teixeira like that because he’s never been out of the title picture. Even at 43, Glover was still in the mix until the end. He took significant damage against Jamahal Hill but refused to go away – a truly apt description of Teixeira’s career. He refused to be denied and won the UFC light heavyweight championship at the age of 42 after losing to Jon Jones in 2014.
What’s next for Teixeira will be training the likes of UFC middleweight champion Alex Pereira. Now calling Connecticut home, you can expect to see more talent coming out of Teixeira’s gym. He is one of the good guys in the sport and is another fighter who deserves a spot in the Hall of Fame when all is said and done.
Daveson Figueiredo
Here’s where things get really interesting: After losing to Brandon Moreno at UFC 283, Deiveson Figueiredo signaled a move to bantamweight.
Figueiredo is now 1-2-1 against Moreno, and while their fourth fight ended early due to a cut, the “God of War” was losing the fight after three rounds. What could have happened in the last ten minutes? We’ll never know. It’s almost enough to make you want to see a fifth fight, but the UFC is unlikely to ever do that.
So we’re about to see the wizard at 135 for Figgi, who helped bring new fans to a 125-pound division that had been on life support for several years. Who to draw at 135? As a former champion, possibly a high-profile opponent. Cody Garbrandt would be interesting and is fighting in March against Julio Arce. Cory Sandhagen and Raphael Assuncao are also booked against each other for March. Since Figueiredo will likely need some time to heal from this injury before he can practice at full strength, the winner of either matchup would be a good fit. Sandhagen vs. Assuncao seems more likely, so we’ll go with that.
Figueiredo’s next fight: Sandhagen vs. Assuncao winner
Neil Magney
It was a rough night at the office for welterweight wins leader Neil Magny at UFC 283. Magny, who told us he wanted the Burns fight to test his grappling, fell short in that department and ended up being transferred.
Magni was a man who liked to be busy, a man who was always difficult, and this was one of his more decisive losses. He’ll probably get an opponent lower on the totem pole next, and that’s fine. Fighting on the same night as Magny was Warlley Alves, who also failed. He is the Ultimate Fighter Brazil winner and another mainstay in the division. They have never fought and the timing works.
Magny’s next fight: Warlley Alves
Lauren Murphy
The immediate answer to what’s next for “Lucky” Lauren Murphy is “holiday.” Murphy honestly wasn’t as lucky at UFC 283, absorbing a one-sided punch from Jessica Andrade that became hard to watch by the end. There’s no doubting her toughness, and she later thanked her corner for not throwing in the towel, but it was clear they should have done just that. This fight, which went to the final bell, did no one any favors, least of all Murphy, who clearly had no answer to Andrade’s power.
The importance of brain health cannot be understated when it comes to combat sports. But that’s an argument for another day. As for who Murphy gets next, the loser of Jennifer Maia vs. Casey O’Neal could do the trick. That fight doesn’t arrive until March, giving Murphy extra time to recover.
Murphy’s next fight: Loser Maia vs. O’Neil
Paul Craig
Scotland’s Paul Craig couldn’t take down Johnnie Walker in the UFC 283 PPV opener on Saturday, and he paid for it.
Craig has now lost two in a row, albeit against strong competition in the form of Walker and Volkan Oesdemir. He’s not exactly in dire straits, but avoiding an 0-3 slump is key. Someone who also needs a win and is in dire straits is Dominic Reyes. Reyes has lost four in a row dating back to his title shot against Jon Jones. Both fighters are still ranked, but risk losing the number next to their name.
Booking this makes a lot of sense and helps put a fighter back in the mix.
Craig’s next fight: Dominic Reyes
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