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(ALSO SEE: Sean Shelby’s Shoes: What’s next for Robbie Lawler and UFC on FOX 26’s other losing fighters?)

Former UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos continued to thrive in the welterweight division on Saturday when he defeated Robbie Lawler in the UFC on FOX 26 main event.

Dos Anjos’ (28-9 MMA, 17-7 UFC) unanimous decision win over Lawler (28-12 MMA, 13-6 UFC) kept him unbeaten at 170 pounds and closed out an exciting four-fight main card that aired on FOX from Bell MTS Place in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

Other big winners from the night included Josh Emmett (13-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC), Santiago Ponzinibbio (26-3 MMA, 8-2 UFC) and Glover Teixeira (27-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC), who all beat their opponents in impressive fashion.

After every event, fans wonder whom the winners will be matched up with next. And with another night of UFC action in the rearview mirror, it’s time to look forward, put on a pair of Sean Shelby and Mick Maynard’s shoes, and play UFC matchmaker for UFC on FOX 26’s winning fighters.

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Glover Teixeira

Dan Hardy and Jimi Manuwa

Should fight: Jimi Manuwa
Why they should fight: After a chin-rattling knockout loss at the hands of Alexander Gustafsson earlier this year, Teixeira bounced back with a solid win over a tough rising light heavyweight in Misha Cirkunov.

Former 205-pound title challenger Teixeira has had ups and downs in recent years, but the first-round TKO of Cirkunov showed he can still hang with the next generation of fighters in his weight class. Moreover, he’s not even out of the title picture.

Teixeira has never fought champ Daniel Cormier or top contender Volkan Oezdemir, who fight for the belt at UFC 220 in January. He’s unlikely to get a title shot simply off the win over Cirkunov, but in a thin division, he could potentially position himself well with another strong performance.

Manuwa (17-3 MMA, 6-3 UFC) is looking for an opponent at UFC Fight Night 127 on March 17 in London. Teixeira is exactly the type of name who could create one of the leading bouts on the card.

Santiago Ponzinibbio

Kamaru Usman

Should fight: Winner of Kamaru Usman vs. Emil Meek at UFC Fight Night 124
Why they should fight: Ponzinibbio’s winning streak was extended to six in the UFC welterweight division when he halted knockout powerhouse Mike Perry with a bloody unanimous decision victory.

Ponzinibbio is on one of the best runs of anyone at 170 pounds, with increasingly solid competition coming each step along the way. Another one is going to come in his next fight, and the winner of Usman (11-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC) vs. Meek (9-2-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) at UFC Fight Night 124 on Jan. 14 would be a particularly intriguing foe.

Usman is on a six-fight winning streak of his own in the weight class. He was supposed to fight Meek at UFC 219 later this month, but the matchup was pushed back a few weeks. Ponzinibbio will have to take some time off after the damage sustained vs. Perry, but once he’s ready, he should get either Usman or Meek.

Josh Emmett

Dennis Bermudez

Should fight: Dennis Bermudez
Why they should fight: Although he missed weight, Emmett’s decision to drop to the UFC featherweight division has paid off in a big way. He’s picked up two wins in less than three months, the latter of which came against former title challenger Ricardo Lamas.

Emmett joins a list of names to beat Lamas that includes Max Holloway, Jose Aldo and Chad Mendes. However, he did it in a more violent fashion than anyone. He belongs in the upper tier at 145 pounds so long as he can make weight, and he’s only going to get more legitimate competition from here on out.

Bermudez (16-7 MMA, 9-5 UFC) may be coming off consecutive losses to Darren Elkins and Chan Sung Jung, but “The Menace” is still a threat in the weight class. He would help reveal whether Emmett’s win is the product of it being a good night, or he really belongs in the discussion with the elite.

Rafael dos Anjos

Should fight: Tyron Woodley
Why they should fight: Watch the video above to see why dos Anjos should challenge Woodley (18-3-1 MMA, 7-2-1 UFC) for the title next.

For complete coverage of UFC on FOX 26, check out the UFC Events section of the site.

Filed under: Featured, News, UFC, Videos