Kai Kara-France (left) and Amir Albazi Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

4 Fights We Need to See After UFC on ESPN 46

Tom Taylor

The UFC promoted another under-the-radar fight card inside its Apex facility in Las Vegas on Saturday night. And, as is often the case, it delivered some memorable moments.

Unfortunately, though, the main event will mostly be remembered for the wrong reasons.

The card was topped by a clash of ranked flyweight contenders with New Zealand's Kai Kara-France (No. 3) taking on Iraq's Amir Albazi (No. 7). It was a solid scrap that went all five rounds, with the latter ultimately nabbing a split-decision victory.

However, the judges' verdict was immediately unpopular, and fans are likely to be bickering about it on social media until we have another controversy to distract us.

The co-main event also went the distance, but thankfully without much in the way of controversy, as featherweight veteran Alex Caceres picked up an easily justifiable unanimous-decision win over the dangerous Daniel Pineda. It was a fun fight for the duration—enough to earn both guys Fight of the Night bonus checks.

The other big moment of the night occurred when lightweight veteran Jim Miller picked up a 23-second knockout win over the debuting Jesse Butler. It wasn't just a nice addition to Miller's highlight reel. He has now won 25 fights in the Octagon—more than another other fighter in UFC history. He also holds the record for the most fights in the Octagon, at 42.

Keep scrolling for the fights we'd like to see next for the stars of the card.

Amir Albazi vs. Brandon Royval

Amir Albazi attempts a choke against Kai Kara-France. Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Amir Albazi's split-decision win over Kai Kara-France was quite controversial, but it brought his overall record to a very impressive 17-1, which will almost certainly propel him into the flyweight Top 5.

From there, the 29-year-old will be in arm's reach of a title shot, but he'll probably need one more win first, and there are no easy fights this far up the rankings.

Our pick for his next opponent is No. 4-ranked contender Brandon Royval.

The two flyweights are going to be perched right near each other when the rankings are updated this week, and they were actually scheduled to fight last December, until the American suffered a wrist injury in training. So, there's a bit of history between them.

The truly great thing about this potential fight, though, is that both guys are entertaining grapplers who have also shown no aversion to handling things on the feet.

However this one ends, it will probably be entertaining, and the winner will be just about undeniable for a title shot.

Kai Kara-France vs. Manel Kape

Kai Kara-France Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Controversial as it was, Kai Kara-France's split-decision loss to Amir Albazi at UFC on ESPN 46 was his second setback in a row. The implication of his current slump is that he will probably have to fight somebody down the rankings in his next visit to the Octagon.

Our pick is No. 9 contender Manel Kape.

At the same moment Kara-France is looking at a step down in competition, Portugal's Kape is ready for a step up, having won three straight. He was supposed to get a huge step up in July, as he was briefly slated to meet former flyweight champ Deiveson Figueiredo, but that fight has since fallen through, which means he's available. It makes plenty of sense in terms of the rankings and their schedules.

Yet just like a potential Albazi vs. Royval fight, this one is all about the entertainment factor. Kara-France, a training partner of UFC middleweight champ Israel Adesanya, is one of the sharper strikers in division, while Kape's devastating power has carried him to 11 KO wins, including a bantamweight title-winning stop of Kai Asakura in Japan's Rizin Fighting Federation.

Kara-France's nickname is "Don't Blink." If he's matched up with Kape, it'd be wise to follow that advice.

Alex Caceres vs. Bryce Mitchell

Alex Caceres throws a punch at Daniel Pineda. Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Alex Caceres has always been entertaining, but in the earlier chapters of his career, he didn't give much indication that he would ever become a serious contender. He just wasn't consistent enough.

However, after 28 walks to the Octagon, he has won two fights in a row and seven of his last 10. That solid track record has earned him the No. 15 spot in the promotion's crowded featherweight rankings, and it's possible he'll inch ahead a little further when the rankings are updated this week.

Even after his impressive win over Daniel Pineda at UFC on ESPN 46, it's still hard to imagine Caceres becoming a serious title threat. But if he wins a couple of fights inside the rankings, we're going to have to start discussing it as a possibility. That, of course, is a tall order, as everybody in the top 15 is incredibly dangerous.

Given how much experience Caceres already has, there's no point in bringing him along slowly. At least, that's how we're going to justify matching him up with No. 10-ranked contender Bryce Mitchell, admittedly a big step up the ladder.

Both are entertaining grapplers who take big risks on the feet, so this would probably be an action-packed contest. The buildup and fallout would also be intriguing, as the pair are among the more unique personalities in the weight class.

There are a lot of reasons to like this one.

Jim Miller vs. Ferguson-Green winner

Jim Miller walks off after knocking out Jesse Butler. Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

How could you not like Jim Miller?

He has never been a UFC champion, but he has more fights in the promotion than anybody else in history, and his grip on the record for most victories in the Octagon is getting wider. He's now two wins ahead of Andrei Arlovski and the retired Donald Cerrone, who have 23 apiece.

If anybody deserves some fun fights, it's a veteran like him, particularly after he shut the lights out on Jesse Butler in just 23 seconds at UFC on ESPN 46.

Our pick for the 39-year-old lightweight's next opponent is the winner of a planned bout between his fellow veterans, Tony Ferguson and Bobby Green, who will meet at UFC 291 on July 27.

If former interim champ Ferguson wins, we get an exciting showdown between the most experienced lightweight in UFC history and one of the best fighters to compete in the weight class. If Green wins, Miller gets a fan friendly matchup that has been scheduled twice previously to no avail.

We also get a fresh contest either way, as the three lightweights have never met each other in the UFC, despite a combined 85 Octagon appearances.

   

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