What’s Next For The Losers at UFC Lincoln

What’s Next For The Losers at UFC Lincoln

By Alex Conway

Going into the event, UFC Lincoln looked like one of the more stacked cards in the history of the UFC and FS1’s relationship.

The card was filled with stories of potential redemption. From Justin Gaethje looking to get back in the win column after the first two losses of his career, Michael Johnson trying to bounce back after his debut loss in his new weight class of featherweight and many others who had developed a name but were in troubled times in their career, there was plenty to look forward to.

In many ways the card delivered for the fans, but as always, for the fighters that didn’t walk away from the night with a victory, the path back into the win column will have to wait just a little longer.

In this article we’ll take a look at what we think should be next for the losers from UFC Lincoln.

James Vick

James Vick got his first UFC main event and his second crack at a top-10 opponent Saturday night in Lincoln, Nebraska when he stepped into the cage with fan favourite Justin Gaethje.

The night didn’t go as hoped for Vick when Gaethje slept him inside the first round with a big overhand right that caught Vick square on the chin and put him clean out. Vick’s last foray against a top-10 opponent also resulted in a knockout when he lost to Beneil Dariush in 2016.

There will be people that will tell you James Vick isn’t any good and that simply isn’t true, however, he’s going to hear noise about being in that strange space where a fighter can seemingly beat everyone until a certain point.

Vick has gone on long win streaks in his UFC tenure only to get thwarted in a fight feels like it should be his coming out party.

I’d like to see Vick get one more crack at a top guy before we try to tune him back up with mid-tier lightweights again. Vick showed in the lead-up to the fight that he has an ability to promote, as he engaged in many back-and-forth war of words with Gaethje.

If Michael Chiesa decides to stick around at lightweight, that would be an ideal return fight for Vick.

Andre Fili

With probably the worst nickname in the sport “Touchy” Fili lost a decision to Michael Johnson in the co-main event Saturday. Johnson moved down to featherweight earlier in the year after a long tenure at lightweight, but dropped that fight against Darren Elkins.
Fili became the first victim on Johnson’s featherweight campaign, but didn’t look bad in the process. Fili showed some good grappling chops in the second round and that part of his game has progressed nicely his last few times out.

The featherweight division is a loaded one and there won’t be any shortage of fight’s that can be made for Fili.

Let’s pencil Fili in for a fun battle with Jason Knight.

Angela Hill

The former Invicta champion dropped a split decision to Cortney Casey but as was a theme on Saturday, didn’t look bad in a loss.

Hill attempted a slick armbar from bottom in the second round of her fight but didn’t quite do enough to get the one more round on the judges’ scorecards that she needed to get the win.

Hill brought her forward moving Muay Thai style to the cage and was able to pressure Casey into some exchanges, especially later in the fight, and I’d love to see that style against someone who will engage on the feet with her the way Jessica Andrade did early last year.

A fight with Alexa Grasso could be a fun stand-up fight or maybe Hill could move up to flyweight and take on a returning Paige VanZant. If you pay attention to social media you can tell that is a fight Hill would probably take in a heartbeat and could get VanZant into her first real UFC grudge match.

Jake Ellenberger

Well we know what is next for the long time UFC veteran welterweight Jake Ellenberger, retirement.

Ellenberger left his gloves in the cage after yet another knockout, this time in front of his home state of Nebraska and honestly, this was slightly overdue.

Let’s take a moment to recognize Ellenberger for who he was at the height of powers, instead of who he’s been recently when Father Fight Time arrived as it does for every fighter.

Ellenberger was a powerful wrestler who discovered he had heavy hands and put them to good use. He devastated Nate Marquardt in a way that put the former Pancrase champion on a bit of a tailspin, he demolished Jake Shields in a way that few ever could against one of the sports all-time most durable fighters, he almost took a close fight with Bellator champ Rory MacDonald, he brutalized John Howard with some of the most brutal ground and pound the UFC has ever seen (go look at Howard’s face after that fight) and even has a win over Carlos Condit.

Ellenberger won’t make anyone’s Hall of Fame, but he had a fine career that deserves respect.

John Moraga

Moraga was one of my favourite’s when the flyweight division was introduced. He started his UFC run with back-to-back finishes that led to a quick UFC flyweight title fight.

Moraga was on a run before getting finished by undefeated Deiveson Figueiredo that was more an announcement about how good Figueiredo is than an indictment on Moraga.

I want to see Moraga fight someone like Brandon Moreno or Tim Elliott next.

Tim Williams

The hospital should be next for Tim Williams after getting brutally (almost) soccer kicked by the former Alabama line-backer in the final seconds of their fight.

Hard to say what could be next for Williams. Hopefully some time off if we’re being honest.