UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev and UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski have concluded their super fight and now diverge on their own championship journeys. In the aftermath of UFC 284 on Saturday night, some routes are more clear than others.
Makhachev successfully defended his lightweight title against Volkanovski in a fight that will be heavily debated. The champions fought tooth and nail for five rounds with the outcome in question even after the scorecards were read. Ultimately, Volkanovski's pursuit to become a two-division champion remains incomplete and Makhachev will likely usurp Volkanovski's position as the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC rankings.
Yair Rodriguez and Josh Emmett fought for the interim UFC featherweight championship in Volkanovski's absence. Rodriguez leaves Perth, Australia with a new accessory around his waist. Volkanovski and Rodriguez are expected to unify the featherweight titles down the line. Makhachev, on the other hand, is short on challengers that are both available and viable. So what can be done for the lightweight champion?
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Let's examine the most important fights to make in the aftermath of UFC 284.
Lightweight division
UFC lightweight championship -- Islam Makhachev (c) vs. Beneil Dariush: There are rumors swirling that Charles Oliveira and Dariush will fight at UFC 288 in May, but the reality is that no one at lightweight currently deserves a title shot more than Dariush. It's not even close. Oliveira (No. 1) is coming off a dominant loss to Makhachev and a win over Dariush (No. 4) won't do much to spur confidence in a rematch. Poirier (No. 2) is 1-1 in his last two and 3-1 in his last four, but two of those fights are against a currently unranked Conor McGregor. Justin Gaethje (No. 3) is coming off a loss and is currently set to fight Rafael Fiziev. Then there's Michael Chandler (No. 5) who lost to Poirier in his last outing and is set to fight McGregor after their stint on "The Ultimate Fighter." Dariush is on an eight-fight winning streak and has the submission skills, wrestling and wild striking to make for a fun fight against Makhachev. If the UFC lacks confidence in how well Makhachev vs. Dariush will sell, they can book it as a co-main event. Just get it done, please.
Featherweight division
UFC featherweight championship -- Alexander Volkanovski (c) vs. Yair Rodriguez (ic): No need to mull this one over. Rodriguez earned the right to challenge Volkanovski after defeating Emmett for the interim UFC featherweight championship in Saturday's co-headliner. Rodriguez played the role of the matador to Emmett's bull, expertly moving out of trouble and landing painful counter shots. Rodriguez certainly absorbed some punishment on Saturday, but his dynamic striking and improved ground game show an overall improvement that should make for an exciting title unification bout. Volkanovski's failed bid for the lightweight title brings clarity to the featherweight ranks. Volkanovski has vowed to return to the featherweight division to meet Rodriguez head-on. Order remains.
Josh Emmett vs. Ilia Topuria: It is back to the drawing board for Emmett. Candidly, Emmett proved to be competitive and capable against Rodriguez even if the new interim champion generally got the better of the exchanges. The second-round submission was Emmett's first career submission loss, but he can bounce back in short order. Topuria is primed for a run up the featherweight division and Emmett might be one of the few fighters who can match his power. The fight will either re-establish Emmett as a meaningful threat or launch Topuria into title contention. Other potential fights for Emmett include the loser of Max Holloway vs. Arnold Allen, or "The Korean Zombie" Chan Sung Jung -- who is one spot behind Emmett -- if you have any faith in Jung's chin at this stage.
Welterweight division
Jack Della Maddalena vs. Neil Magny: Maddalena called for a ranked opponent and it's time to give it to him. Della Maddalena has been an absolute joy to watch, defeating increasingly difficult opposition all in the first round. The only welterweight ranked between No. 10 and No. 15 currently without a fight is Magny. A fight between an up-and-coming star and welterweight's ultimate litmus test sounds appetizing. Magny, the winningest fighter in UFC welterweight history, is coming off a loss to Gilbert Burns that crushed his latest run toward title contention. Magny has often been used as an elite gatekeeper and can be counted on to measure Della Maddalena.
