UFC 329: The Next Moves for Holloway, Pimblett, Bautista, Royval and Green
Following an action-packed UFC 329 event in Las Vegas, attention has already shifted to what lies ahead for some of the night’s biggest winners.
Max Holloway: Holloway’s victory over Conor McGregor came after the Irishman suffered a knee injury just 69 seconds into the fight, leaving little opportunity to assess either fighter’s performance. With Holloway still among the top contenders in the lightweight division, a potential clash with rising prospect Mauricio Ruffy is being tipped as his next challenge.
Paddy Pimblett: Pimblett bounced back from the first UFC loss of his career by submitting Benoit Saint Denis with a guillotine choke in the opening round. The impressive victory has put him back in the spotlight, with a high-profile showdown against former featherweight champion Ilia Topuria emerging as a possible next fight.
Mario Bautista: Bautista continued his impressive rise by defeating Cory Sandhagen in their rematch to avenge an earlier loss. His dominant display has strengthened his position in the bantamweight division, and a bout against fast-rising contender David Martinez is being suggested as his next assignment.
Brandon Royval: Royval returned to winning ways after edging Lone’er Kavanagh in a thrilling flyweight contest. Having already challenged for the title and recently faced the division’s top names, Royval is now expected to take on the winner of the upcoming fight between Steve Erceg and Ramazan Temirov.
King Green: Veteran lightweight King Green extended his winning streak to four fights with a dramatic comeback victory over Terrance McKinney. After surviving an early assault, Green finished the fight before the end of the first round. A long-discussed matchup against fellow veteran Michael Johnson is now being viewed as the most likely next step for the experienced fighter.
