UFC 253 was a highly anticipated event for MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) fans on Sept. 27. With two title fights and plenty of talented names on the undercard, this was a can’t miss card. We will be going through three of the fights on the pay-per-view and giving our opinions and who we think the winners should fight next.

Israel Adesanya vs. Paulo Costa

Patrick Lynch: This fight proves what his fans have claimed for years: Adesanya is the most talented striker in mixed martial arts. His precision, patience, and fight IQ combined with his 80 inch reach make him one of the most lethal strikers in the UFC, if not the world. Adesanya has yet to meet his match in the UFC, and for his next fight I would like to see him face the winner of Cannonier vs. Whittaker.

Andrew Hanson: Going into this fight Adesanya said his goal was to prove that it isn’t about who’s bigger and stronger, it’s about who has better technique and is more precise. He proved just that by picking Costa apart, he destroyed Costa’s leg with kicks and everytime Costa tried to rush in, Adesanya hit him with a beautiful Counter. I believe for his next fight Adesanya should face the winner of Jared Cannonier vs. Robert Whittaker.

Jan Blachowicz vs. Dominik Reyes

Patrick: I thought Dominik Reyes would dominate his way to an early KO victory. I assumed his fast pace and athleticism placed him outside of Blachowicz’s skill level. I forgot to account for the “legendary Polish power” of Jan. He did serious damage to Reyes’ body with kicks and finished him with a flurry of punches soon after. I think next I want to see Blachowicz defend his title against Thiago Santos.

Andrew: In the build up to this fight everybody was calling it Reyes’s first title defense, everybody thought that he was going to roll through Jan Blachowicz, It did not go that way at all. All of fight week Jan showed that he was calm and ready to fight, and he went out there and put on a clinic with a mixture of brutal kicks to the body and shots to the head. Jan 100% earned the right to be a champion. For his first title defense I want to see him fight the winner of Thiago Santos vs. Glover Texiera. Also Jon Jones wanting to fight him sounds interesting.

Kai Kara-France vs. Brandon Royval

Patrick: All I have to say about this fight is that Brandon Royval has a serious shot at being the champion of the flyweight division. His jiu-jitsu skills are world class, and he pairs them with equally potent striking and the signature cardio of the flyweight division. I think after his dominant performance against Kara-France, he deserves a shot against a top 5 flyweight like Jussier Formiga or Alex Perez.

Andrew: This was an easy fight of the night for me, both guys showed a lot of heart and determination. It really seems like Royval can do it all and even though he only has 2 UFC fights, I already see him as a serious contender in the flyweight division. Another thing I liked from Royval is he didn’t like his performance and saw a lot to improve on, that’s scary for the flyweight division knowing this guy is still finding ways to get better. For his next fight I’d like to see him fight anybody in the top 5.