The main event of Noche UFC could have had an impact on what’s next for the featherweight champion.
It already seemed like Alexander Volkanovski had decided who he would be facing next in his first defense of the 145-pound title since reclaiming it earlier this year.
However, if there was any matchup that could open this up for a debate, it was the main event in San Antonio on September 13.
Jean Silva could have positioned himself as the next challenger for Volkanovski had he emerged victorious in his first five-round bout inside the Octagon.
Along with the winner of the headliner, the result on Saturday night appeared to work in favor of another top featherweight.
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Lerone Murphy shares his immediate reaction to Diego Lopes stopping Jean Silva at Noche UFC
The main event of Noche UFC ended with Diego Lopes stopping Jean Silva via a devastating spinning elbow strike in the second round.
After he delivered a huge elbow KO of his own over Aaron Pico last month, Lerone Murphy appeared to be the clear frontrunner for Alexander Volkanovski’s next opponent.
The only fighter who could have challenged that would’ve been Silva due to his undefeated winning streak, exciting fighting style, and popularity with the fans.
With the Brazilian suffering a defeat, and Lopes being beaten by Volkanovski in a vacant title fight earlier this year, it now looks certain that nothing will stand in Murphy’s way.
The undefeated Brit recognised this on social media, cementing himself as the next man in line in his immediate reaction to Noche UFC.
“It’s on!!!! Let’s go Volkanovski. That was a great fight though”.
Diego Lopes will need another win and there’s two opponents that make a lot of sense for him
Diego Lopes stated in his post-fight interview that he’s happy to fight another contender if that’s what the UFC wants.
Considering that he just fought for the title and beat one of the most exciting fighters on the roster, it would make sense for him to be involved in the next title eliminator.
Fortunately for Lopes, there are two fights out there for him that a lot of fans have been wanting to see for a long time.
Either a rematch with Movsar Evloev or a heated clash with Yair Rodriguez will get him back into the title mix while making a lot of sense.