Fights to make following UFC 178: Johnson vs. Cariaso

Demetrious Johnson vs. John Dodson
Chris Cariaso vs. Zack Makovsky
Donald Cerrone vs. Anthony Pettis/Gilbert Melendez winner or Khabib Nurmagomedov
Eddie Alvarez vs. Josh Thomson
Conor McGregor vs. Jose Aldo/Chad Mendes winner
Dustin Poirier vs. Ricardo Lamas/Dennis Bermudez loser
Yoel Romero vs. Jacare Souza
Tim Kennedy vs. Tim Boetsch
Cat Zingano vs. Ronda Rousey
Amanda Nunes vs. Liz Carmouche
Dominick Cruz vs. TJ Dillashaw
Takeya Mizugaki vs. Eddie Wineland
Jorge Masvidal vs. Michael Johnson
James Krause vs. Danny Castillo
Stephen Thomson vs. Jordan Mein
Patrick Cote vs. Court McGee
Brian Ebersole vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama
John Howard vs. Kyle Noke
Kevin Lee vs. Jason Saggo/Paul Felder winner
Jon Tuck vs. Justin Edwards
Manny Gamburyan v. Pedro Munhoz/Jerrod Sanders winner
Cody Gibson vs.Tateki Matsuda

* Edited at 09.28.2014, 12:29 AM ET *

Demetrious Johnson vs. John Dodson II

Chris Cariaso vs. Darrell Montague
Donald Cerrone vs. Anthony Pettis/Gilbert Melendez winner 
Eddie Alvarez vs. Nate Diaz/RDA loser

Conor McGregor vs. Jose Aldo/Chad Mendes winner or Frankie Edgar/Cub Swanson winner 
(could sell out over in Ireland regardless of which fight)

Dustin Poireir vs. Clay Guida maybe
Yoel Romero vs. Jacare Souza
Tim Kennedy vs. Thales Leites
Cat Zingano vs. Ronda Rousey
Amanda Nunes vs. Liz Carmouche
Dominick Cruz vs. Urijah Faber III
Takeya Mizugaki vs. Eddie Wineland
Jorge Masvidal vs. Jim Miller
James Krause vs. Danny Castillo

* Edited at 09.28.2014, 12:35 AM ET *

Forget about Cruz/Faber. Just let the guy get his belt back.

Mighty Mouse vs. John Dodson II 
Chris Cariaso vs. Scott Jorgensen 
Donald Cerrone vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov 
Eddie Alvarez vs. Jim Miller (Dream fight for me) 
Conor McGregor vs. Bermudez/Lamas winner
Dustin Poirier vs. Nik Lentz 
Yoel Romero vs. Machida/Dolloway winner 
Tim Kennedy vs. Tim Boetsch 
Cat Zingano vs. Ronda Rousey 
Amanda Nunes vs. Holly Holm 

Dominick Cruz vs. TJ Dillashaw 
Takeya Mizugaki vs. Gagnon/Font winner 

We all want to see Mighty Mouse vs. John Dodson II, however Dodson's out till late spring next year. I think Johnson fights again in the winter.

Demetrious Johnson vs. John Dodson, sure Dodson probably won't be back until summer next year, but what's the point of giving anyone else to him? Formiga might be deserving if he beats Moraga but he'll get ran over and most fans won't care.
Chris Cariaso vs. Zack Makovsky
Donald Cerrone vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov if he's back soon enough or Jorge Masvidal or something...he'll probably want to fight again soon instead of waiting 2 years for Pettis to get healthy
Eddie Alvarez vs. Green/Barboza loser
Conor McGregor vs. Jose Aldo/Chad Mendes loser(yeah, went there...still can't see them justifying him over Swanson/Edgar winner though he might get it)
Dustin Poirier vs. Ricardo Lamas/Dennis Bermudez loser or Clay Guida
Yoel Romero vs. Tim Kennedy II
Cat Zingano vs. Ronda Rousey
Amanda Nunes vs. Liz Carmouche
Dominick Cruz vs. TJ Dillashaw or Renan Barao
Takeya Mizugaki vs. Eddie Wineland
Jorge Masvidal vs. Cerrone or 
James Krause vs. Rustam Khabilov
Stephen Thomson vs. Jordan Mein
Brian Ebersole vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama(I agree with you...love this one for some reason)
Kevin Lee vs. Jason Saggo/Paul Felder winner
Manny Gamburyan vs. Caraway if he loses to Assuncao or Russell Doane otherwise

Johnson said he wants a little time off to snowboard this winter. He has been busy as a champion, maybe they will give it to him.

MAIN CARD


Demetrious Johnson Vs Ian McCall / John Lineker Winner
Chris Cariaso Vs Brad Pickett / Chico Camus Loser


Donald Cerrone Vs Anthony Pettis / Gilbert Melendez Winner
Eddie Alvarez Vs Josh Thomson


Conor McGregor Vs Ricardo Lamas / Dennis Bermudez Winner
Dustin Poirier Vs Darren Elkins / Lucas Martins Winner


Yoel Romero Vs Ronaldo Souza
Tim Kennedy Vs Thales Leites


Cat Zingano Vs Ronda Rousey
Amanda Nunes Vs Jessica Eye / Leslie Smith Loser


PRELIMINARY CARD


Dominick Cruz Vs T.J. Dillashaw
Takeya Mizugaki Vs Johnny Eduardo


Jorge Masvidal Vs Michael Johnson
James Krause Vs Takanori Gomi


Stephen Thompson Vs Jordan Mein
Patrick Cote Vs Court McGee


Brian Ebersole Vs Hyun Gyu Lim
John Howard Vs Kyle Noke


Kevin Lee Vs Frank Trevino
Jon Tuck Vs Justin Salas


Manny Gamburyan Vs Rani Yahya
Cody Gibson Vs Hugo Viana

- Demetrious Johnson vs. Ian McCall/John Lineker (winner)
- Donald Cerrone vs. Myles Jury
- Conor McGregor vs. Jose Aldo
- Yoel Romero vs. Thales Leites
- Cat Zingano vs. Ronda Rousey

- Dominick Cruz vs. T.J. Dillashaw
- Jorge Masvidal vs. Michael Johnson
- Stephen Thompson vs. Jordan Mein

- Eddie Alvarez vs. Gilbert Melendez* (or Jim Miller; if Melendez beats Pettis)

Kennedy/mousasi
Romero/jacare
Johnson/McCall/Lineker winner
Connor McGregor/Swanson/Edgar winner
Poirier/Zombie 2
Zingano/Rousey
Nunes/Davis
Cariaso versus Scoggins
Cote vs.Garcia
Thompson vs. Mein
Cruz/Dillashaw
Brian Ebersole vs. Kenny Robertson
John Howard/alcantara
Mizugaki/Mcdonald

Mighty Mouse/Kyoji Horiguchi(13) (I know, Horiguchi hasn't fought anybody, but he's on an 8-fight win streak and; unfortunately, they've already booked Benavidez(2)/Ortiz(12), Ian McCall(3)/John Lineker(6), Jussier Formiga(4)/John Moraga(5), Louis Gaudinot(14)/Holohan and Scott Jorgensen(15)/Wilson Reis. In addition Dodson(1) is out for the foreseeable future, Bagautinov(7) and Cariaso(8) are both coming off losses to Johnson and Makovsky(9), Elliot(10) and Pickett(11) are all coming off various losses.)

Donald Cerrone/Myles Jury (Khabib's on the shelf for a while, RDA/Diaz is already scheduled and there are several guys that would normally be in prime position for a #1 Contender's bout including Bobby Green and Myles Jury.)

Conor McGregor/TBA (This should totally depend on timing. If the winner of Mendes/Aldo wants to fight at the end of 2014 or very beginning of 2015, then it's McGregor's shot; however, if there is going to be an extended layoff (meaning the next fight won't take place until late February or later) then it's questionable who should fight who as Bermudez/Lamas takes place on 11/15 and Swanson/Edgar takes place on 11/22. If Lamas and Edgar both win, I'd watch McGregor fight Aldo and let Lamas/Edgar duke it out for the shot after that; however, if Swanson wins he gets the shot (irrespective of what happens in the Lamas/Bermudez fight), Bermudez wins and Edgar wins, then the shot goes to Bermudez with McGregor taking on Edgar in a #1 Contender's bout. All that is only assuming Aldo wins. If Aldo loses, then there will almost assuredly be an immediate rematch.)

Yoel Romero/Tim Kennedy II (Weird situation. Kennedy had him and then a whole bunch of extra time given to Romero to recover. Weidman's out for a while. Kinda think Belfort/Souza should a be a #1 Contender's while Chris Weidman is out.)

Cat Zingano/Ronda Rousey ('Nuff said.)

Dominick Cruz/TJ Dillashaw ('Nuff said.)

Jorge Masvidal/Michael Johnson (Both are on 3-fight win streaks. This fight is contingent on Johnson being healthy enough for camp, if not, then Bobby Green would be a good fit here as well.)

* Edited at 09.28.2014, 2:06 AM ET *

It will be Cruz vrs Dillashaw and Zingano vrs Rousey.

In order of obviousness:

Cruz/Dillashaw  PPV ME
Zingano/Rousey  better than last night's ME at least. Ronda is in same position as MM & Cain at this point.
Conor/Aldo

Johnson needs to wait and deserves a break anyway. With Dodson still out there isn't a title worthy challenger until or if LIneker pulls the upset, McCall looks much more exciting that the Pickett fight, Ortiz pulls the upset, or Kyoji gets another good win.  I just don't buy Formiga as viable.

Cariaso/Montague would be a good matchup of strikers
Alvarez/Thomson would keep one relevant or Gomi would just be fun
Poirier/Stephens the same
Romero/Jacare
Kennedy/Tavares
Nunes/Murphy
Mizugaki/Soto
Cote IF he doesn't retire which after last night's very uninspired performance I think he should seriously consider then Matt Brown
Ebersole vs. Kenny Robertson in a grappler's delight
Lee vs. either Vinc Pichel or Mitch Clarke
Tuck/Koch
Manny/Yahya
Gibson/Doane

John Howard I'm torn on as I thouht he won so think he deserves an "easy" fight but that's dangerous so maybe LIm.

and now for the really interestig ones: the other LWs

For Cowboy anyone from the following list: Michael Johnson, Gamebred, Jury, Tibau, or Pearson
Same for Masvidal
Krause vs Hallman would be my choice although Chiesa, Dunham, Castillo, and even Nijem would all be interesting as well

• Mighty Mouse vs Jussier Formiga (if Da Silva beats Moraga in December)
• Cerrone vs Myles Jury
• Alvarez vs Josh Thomson
• Mcgregor vs Aldo/Mendes winner
• Poirier vs Jeremy Stephens
• Romero vs Souza
• Kennedy vs Mousasi
• Zingano vs Rousey
• Nunes vs Tate
• Cruz vs Dillashaw
• Mizugaki vs Michael Mcdonald
• Masvidal Vs Michael Johnson
• Krause vs Michael Chiesa

Since Aldo, Lamas, Swanson, Edgar, Mendez, and Bermudez are all booked already, McGregor will have to fight someone else unless he wants a layoff.  

Charles Oliveira or Thiago Tavares would be my picks.  Chan Sung Jung and Jeremy Stephens would be cool too, but they're coming off losses.


As far as the rest of the card, I'd like to see...

Johnson vs winner of McCall vs Lineker
Cerrone vs winner of Diaz vs Dos Anjos
Romero vs Kennedy Rematch
Zigano vs Rousey
Cruz vs Dillashaw
Masvidal vs Tibau
Thompson vs Thatch
Alvarez vs Lauzon
Poirier vs Stephens

I think Conor should heal that torn ligament on his thumb before stepping into any fight other than a title shot.

I'd like to see him sit back and wait for the winner of Bermudez/Lamas. Get that "top wrestler" in before the shot so NO ONE can say he was babied into the title shot.

Have Cub/Frankie winner fight Aldo, Conor fight Bermudez/Lamas winner on the same card and pray to Allah that Aldo doesn't go on one of his 6-9 months layoffs. If he does, Conor fights Frankie/Cub winner for the absolute without a shadow of doubt #1 contender spot.