Every Monday after an MMA fight weekend, The Post’s Marc Raimondi will take a look at the next potential matchup for the fighters who competed.
This week, he breaks down the competitors from Saturday’s Strikeforce: Marquardt vs. Saffiedine.
TAREC SAFFIEDINE (def. Nate Marquardt via unanimous decision)
There were no guarantees Saffiedine would be signed by the UFC following his fight with Marquardt in Strikeforce’s final event. But a dominant striking performance, highlighted by dozens of kicks to Marquardt’s left thigh, gave the Belgian kickboxer a victory and seriously upped his résumé to boot.
Saffiedine should be picked up by the UFC, but not necessarily given a top-10 opponent in the welterweight division right away. Mike Pyle is the king of gatekeepers and a win over him would vault Saffiedine into a contender’s battle.
Monday Matchmaker’s pick: Mike Pyle
NATE MARQUARDT (lost to Tarec Saffiedine via unanimous decision)
People were talking about Marquardt fighting Georges St-Pierre for the UFC welterweight title last week. Those discussions can rest now after Marquardt couldn’t muster a win as a 3-to-1 favorite against Saffiedine. At 33 with 45 fights under his belt, how much does the former UFC veteran have left? I think we would find out quickly by giving him rising star Erick Silva in his first bout back with the top MMA organization. That’s the bed he made for himself. Now he’s going to have to lie in it.
Monday Matchmaker’s pick: Erick Silva
DANIEL CORMIER (def. Dion Staring via second-round TKO)
It wasn’t Cormier’s most dominant performance, but it didn’t have to be. Staring was a tomato can, albeit a pretty tough one. There are questions surrounding Cormier heading into the UFC. He’s 33 with a propensity for breaking his hands. But he’s only getting better skills-wise and could quickly make a huge impact. Cormier wants former heavyweight champion Frank Mir in his UFC debut. Can’t really give a good reason why that shouldn’t happen.
Monday Matchmaker’s pick: Frank Mir
JOSH BARNETT (def. Nandor Guelmino via first-round submission)
The big question for Barnett is not who he’ll face in the UFC, but if he’ll even be in the UFC. The talented heavyweight marches to the beat of a different drummer. He doesn’t get along well with UFC president Dana White and has a long history with performance-enhancing drugs. If he does come over, though, he’s going to need someone to fight. The winner of Saturday’s matchup between Ben Rothwell and Gabriel Gonzaga would be interesting, especially with many of the other top heavyweights tied up.
Monday Matchmaker’s pick: Ben Rothwell-Gabriel Gonzaga winner
GEGARD MOUSASI (def. Mike Kyle via first-round submission)
Mousasi is 27 years old, but he also has 38 career fights. That’s a lot of mileage heading into his UFC debut. It’s unclear what the talented yet inconsistent Dutch fighter will be at the highest level. One thing the UFC is not known for is easing people in. So why not throw a former light heavyweight champion at him right away? When Forrest Griffin returns from injury, that would make for a very intriguing fight.
Monday Matchmaker’s pick: Forrest Griffin
RONALDO SOUZA
Outside of Cormier, Souza has a chance to make the most impact on the UFC. He should be a contender right away in the middleweight division. A grappler, there’s one very obvious matchup for him right off the bat: Jake Shields. That would be an epic jiu-jitsu battle – and also a matchup of former Strikeforce middleweight champions.
Monday Matchmaker’s pick: Jake Shields