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4/20/16: Top Fights UFC Can Book to Save UFC 200
After the insanity of UFC 200 losing Conor McGregor on Tuesday, today I look at the five potential fights the UFC has to be trying to get booked for their July 9 event.
5. Ronda Rousey vs. Anyone: Whether they try to take Amanda Nunes out of the Miesha Tate fight (don’t put it past them), or can convince Rousey to come back against Holly Holm on shorter notice than she’d like, or even convince her to do the catchweight with Cris Cyborg, they’re in need of something crazy right now. Getting Rousey back before the fall would make UFC 200 much bigger than it is at the moment, and it has to be an option they’re exploring.
4. Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier: If Jon Jones comes out healthy and unscathed Saturday night against Ovince Saint Preux, and Daniel Cormier can fight at UFC 200, this rematch is suddenly needed. It wasn’t a fight they had to have on July 9 before, but with McGregor-Diaz off, it’s one of the biggest realistic fights between two fighters willing to face off on that card.
3. Nate Diaz vs. Robbie Lawler: The UFC was going to hold Robbie Lawler out for UFC 201 or UFC 202, potentially against Tyron Woodley, but now might be the time to reward Diaz with a title fight. Is he the most deserving challenger? Of course not, not at welterweight anyway, but he’s got huge momentum after the win over Conor McGregor, and deserves the payday that should be coming to him at UFC 200. Give him the shot at Lawler, let’s see what he’s got.
2. Georges St-Pierre vs. Nate Diaz: Or, throw the money you were going to pay McGregor at the feet of Georges St-Pierre and do everything you can to get him back in the cage. GSP’s got history with the Diaz brothers, and fighting Nate at 170 lbs would be as big a fight from a name and entertainment standpoint as just about any other for the returning former Welterweight Champ. If he doesn’t care about a title fight, make this one happen.
1. Georges St-Pierre vs. Robbie Lawler: Then again, if St-Pierre is up for it, the title fight with Lawler is still even bigger. The title itself doesn’t seem to be important to St-Pierre, but the fight with Lawler remains one of the most intriguing potential fights he could have upon coming back. It would be a massive title fight, more meaningful than the McGregor-Diaz rematch was, and St-Pierre’s return on its own may be enough to salvage what will otherwise be a serious hit to UFC 200’s pay-per-view prospects.
[Photo (c) Jason Silva via USA Today Sports]
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Fedor v anybody