There is a lot to dig into coming out of UFC 280 on Saturday night. A dramatic pay-per-view in Abu Dhabi crowned a new lightweight champion in Islam Makhachev, produced a questionable scorecard in favor of Sean O'Malley and much more.
Makhachev and UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski have already set the groundwork for a lightweight super-fight in Australia. In a rare move: the defending champion called out a challenger. Makhachev and his coach, UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov, want to usurp Volkanovski as the UFC's No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter. They are willing to stake the UFC lightweight title to make it happen.
Heading into UFC 280, UFC president Dana White suggested the winner of O'Malley vs. Petr Yan could be next in line for the UFC bantamweight title. The fight's outcome raised eyebrows but what's next could raise some serious capital for the parties involved.
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CBS Sports has examined the leftovers of UFC 280 and produced a number of savory fights to serve up next.
Lightweight division
UFC lightweight championship -- Islam Makhachev (c) vs. Alexander Volkanovski: It appears that all parties are on board for Makhachev vs. Volkanovski, so why fight it? Makhachev's supporters make their voices heard no matter what continent he is fighting on. Volkanovski will receive a hero's welcome should the fight take place in Australia. White confirmed at the UFC 280 post-fight press conference that Makhachev vs. Volkanovski appears to be the next direction for the lightweight title. There are questions about how physical Volkanovski can be at lightweight, but the former rugby player insists those concerns are overstated and that he has no problems with larger training partners. Makhachev's ability to cut the cage and takedown fighters should be tested against Volkanovski's incredible movement.
Charles Oliveira vs. Beneil Dariush: There may be no more exciting fight in the totality of what mixed martial arts is than Oliveira vs. Dariush. Both are highly-ranked lightweights that take big shots and return with even bigger power. Both are bonus-hunters that can bust out dynamic strikes thanks to their top-tier ground games. Dariush has done everything necessary to qualify for a UFC lightweight championship. Unfortunately, in the shadow of Makhachev vs. Volkanovski, this is likely Dariush's best bet. It also grants Oliveira an opportunity to immediately throw himself back into title contention.
Mateusz Gamrot vs. Jalin Turner: Gamrot (No. 9) had his opportunity to fight up the ladder and fell short. Now it's time to do the honors for another fighter on the rise. Turner (No. 13) has looked fantastic in his last five fights and is coming off a 45-second guillotine choke against Brad Riddell in July. If Gamrot is able to make a quick turnaround, this could be a fun one.
Bantamweight division
UFC bantamweight championship -- Aljamain Sterling (c) vs. Sean O'Malley: UFC should strike while the iron is hot. O'Malley, whether he should have or not, was awarded a split decision against Petr Yan at UFC 280. What is undeniable is that O'Malley proved he belonged despite what many predicted to be too much, too soon for the "Suga" Show. O'Malley can twist TJ Dillashaw's pre-existing injury to cast doubt over how dominant Sterling's victory truly was. Sterling is slowly building his case for all-time bantamweight greatness after beating Dillashaw and a high-profile fight against O'Malley is the marketing boost he deserves.
Petr Yan vs. Marlon Vera: There is an interesting amalgamation of fresh and familiar title challengers in the bantamweight division. Yan fought quite far down the rankings against O'Malley and likely should have been the winner. As a consequence, he should not fall too far down the ladder. You could pair up Yan with Merab Dvalishvili or Marlon Vera. A fight between Yan and Vera would be wild. Both are powerful strikers who get better as the fight goes on. Stick them in a five-round Fight Night headliner and let's see if Vera can overcome Yan's versatile game.
TJ Dillashaw vs. Yadong Song: Dillashaw looked to be having a hard time with Sterling's takedowns even before his shoulder issues emerged. The most important thing for Dillashaw is to get consistent reps in the Octagon. Should he return from injury soon, which is highly unlikely, Song could prove a meaningful test. If Dillashaw will be out for a while, it is best to wait and see how the bantamweight division settles in the coming months.
