Fighters who competed at UFC 281 can hold their heads high knowing they contributed to one of the best cards of the year. Alex Pereira dethroned Israel Adesanya as UFC middleweight champion with a come-from-behind flurry. Dustin Poirier and Michael Chandler delivered on Fight of the Night expectations and much more. Saturday's card only adds to the legacy of Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Eleven of the 14 fights at UFC 281 ended via stoppage, including a record-tying seven in the first round. The two UFC title fights and all three remaining main card bouts also stopped short of the judges. Pereira improved to 3-0 in his rivalry with Adesanya, defeating him in MMA after two successful performances in the kickboxing world.
It was an all-action affair that crowned two new champions, the other being Zhang Weili, and opens the door for many possibilities to come. Rematches, No. 1 contender bouts and more potential Fight of the Nights are all in play.
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CBS Sports breaks down the best fights to make in the fallout of UFC 281.
Middleweight division
UFC middleweight championship -- Alex Pereira (c) vs. Israel Adesanya: Rarely does a saga go 3-0 and the appetite persists for more. Adesanya appeared to be the better fighter for the majority of the fight with his former kickboxing foe. Adesanya had a clear 3-1 lead heading into Round 5, but he was not able to withstand Pereira's powerful flurry late. Adesanya is one of the more successful champions in recent history and is deserving of a rematch, particularly considering how well he performed. Pereira deserves a standing ovation for capturing the UFC middleweight title in just his fourth fight with the company. Make the rematch and have the winner defend against the winner of Robert Whittaker vs. Paulo Costa.
"(Adesanya) wanted this fight," UFC president Dana White said postfight on Saturday. "A lot of people talk publicly and it's a whole different story behind the scenes. That guy is an absolute stud. He always wants to stay active.
"In a fight that most guys would stall, 'Give me more time. Give me this, that,' he dove right into this fight. His only loss was when he tried to move up in weight to 205. You've got to respect him as champ and what he's done. … I wouldn't rule (an immediate rematch) out."
Women's strawweight division
UFC women's strawweight championship -- Zhang Weili (c) vs. Amanda Lemos: I will be the contrarian and vote against a third fight between Zhang and Rose Namajunas so soon. Namjuans holds two victories over Zhang but is coming off a loss against Esparza in a snoozer of a fight. The title has bounced from champion to champion for quite some time. Thoughtful matchmaking could bring stability to strawweight. UFC is looking to expand its footprint in China and Zhang would be a fantastic ambassador. Lemos (No. 3) has won consecutive fights and booted Marina Rodriguez off the shortlist of contenders with a second-round KO earlier this month. Two sluggers in a five-round title fight would make for a great PPV co-main event or Fight Night headliner. Jessica Andrade is bouncing between divisions and has a flyweight fight booked, so we'll omit her from this discussion.
Carla Esparza vs. Marina Rodriguez: Esparza and Rodriguez fought to a split decision in 2020 with Esparza taking the victory. Both women are still in the top five and in need of a strong performance to launch them back into title contention. Neither are reliable finishers and UFC likely won't lose sleep over one of them losing two straight.
Lightweight division
Dustin Poirier vs. Islam Makhachev/Alexander Volkanovski winner or Beneil Dariush: Let's preface this by saying that Poirier's victory over Chandler should not be rewarded with a world title fight. Beneil Dariush is the most deserving contender but that is not always rewarded in this business. The winner of Makhachev vs. Volikanovski could very much find themselves headlining UFC International Fight Week in the summer of 2023. If that's the case, UFC will need a big-name challenger. Poirier is one of UFC's more bankable stars. If IFW isn't part of the discussion, a No. 1 contender's fight between Poirier and Dariush seems like the easiest solution. Whoever wins will have momentum behind them and a fresh opponent in Makhachev or Volkanovski.
Michael Chandler vs. Rafael Fiziev or Mateusz Gamrot: If UFC wants another guaranteed Fight of the Night, book Chandler against Fiziev. If UFC is feeling grateful and wants to preserve Chandler's brain cells, a fight against dynamic grappler Gamrot would still be fun. Both fights keep Chandler competing in the top 10 and give the winner a case to challenge a top-five opponent next.
Dan Hooker vs. Jalin Turner: Hooker silenced doubters who thought he was completely shot after first-round losses to Chandler, Makhachev and Arnold Allen in a 14-month stretch. Big brothering Claudio Puelles was a great look in renewing the interest around Hooker. The reality is that Hooker has only lost to the best at lightweight and featherweight in the last five years. Pair him up with Jalin Turner, a dangerous young striker at the very edge of the top 10, and let's see how much Hooker really has to give.
