Joe Silva’s Shoes: What’s next for the TUF China Finale winners?

While the TUF China Finale didn’t have many North American fans eager to wake up in the wee hours of the morning to watch it, the early risers saw one of the great knockouts in UFC history.

Dong Hyun Kim (19-2-1 MMA, 10-2 UFC) solidified a spot on UFC highlight reels with a vicious spinning-back-elbow knockout of welterweight John Hathaway (17-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) in the welterweight main event at The Venetian Macao’s CotaiArena in Macau.

The memorable headliner capped off what was actually a fairly solid event for the promotion. The first “TUF: China” winner was also crowned, albeit in controversial fashion when Zhang Lipeng (7-7-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) took a split decision over fellow welterweight Wang Sai (6-5-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC).

To round out the main card, both Matt Mitrione (7-3 MMA, 7-3 UFC) and Hatsu Hioki (27-7-2 MMA, 3-3 UFC) recorded convincing wins in critical matchups for their respective careers.

After every event, fans wonder whom the winners will be matched up with next. And with another night of UFC action in the rearview mirror, it’s time to look forward, put on a pair of Joe Silva’s (and Sean Shelby’s) shoes, and play UFC matchmaker.

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HATSU HIOKI
Should fight: Thiago Tavares
Why they should fight: Hioki narrowly avoided having his UFC career considered a complete failure when he posted a winning performance against Ivan Menjivar that snapped a three-fight losing streak.

Hioki’s time in the octagon hasn’t gone as planned, but with each passing fight, he’s getting adjusted to a much more physical style of fighting seen in the UFC.

His title hopes have faded, but riveting matchups remain. One of those fights could be opposite of Thiago Tavares (18-5-1 MMA, 8-5-1 UFC), a longtime UFC veteran who recently made the move down to the featherweight division after a uneven run at lightweight.

Tavares’ aggressive, in-your-face style of fighting is precisely what’s given Hioki fits so far in the UFC, and until he can prove capable of shutting down such game plans, it’s likely UFC matchmakers will keep throwing tough matchups Hioki’s way.

MATT MITRIONE
Should fight: Stefan Struve
Why they should fight: With Stefan Struve (25-6 MMA, 9-4 UFC) targeting a return to the octagon later this year, there’s no better opponent for “Skyscraper” to come back against than Mitrione.

Struve needs a winnable fight after what will be more than a year away from competition, and while Mitrione is no gimme, it’s a matchup the towering Dutchman can win, especially if he gets it to the ground.

Therein lies the challenge, though, since he would have to get past the agile striking and takedown defense of Mitirone.

Mitrione is the type of fighter who is always looking for matchups that will break him into the next tier in the division. That’s exactly what Struve offers.

ZHANG LIPENG
Should fight: UFC newcomer
Why they should fight: No disrespect to Lipeng, but the UFC will need to scrape the bottom of the barrel to find a welterweight who wouldn’t make quick work of the Chinese fighter.

The reality of the situation is that while Lipeng won the 170-pound “TUF: China” tournament, he’s still not a UFC-caliber fighter at this point, and he has a long way to go before becoming one.

That’s not to say Lipeng doesn’t have the potential and dedication needed to get there, but he must be brought along at a cautious pace. If the UFC can sign a welterweight who’s a healthy, but not overwhelming, test for Lipeng, that would only benefit his career.

DONG HYUN KIM
Should fight: Winner of UFC 172’s Jake Ellenberger vs. Tarec Saffiedine
Why they should fight: While it’s impossible to take away from the jaw-dropping knockouts Kim has pulled off in his past two fights, the South Korean needs to defeat a proven top-10 opponent before being hailed as the next welterweight title contender.

Kim’s UFC resume is impressive, but Hathaway and Erick Silva aren’t the true cream of the crop in the weight class. Moreover, the two other most notable wins on Kim’s record (Nate Diaz and T.J. Grant) come over fighters who are better suited for the lightweight division.

With that said, there’s no denying Kim has become one of the division’s most exciting fighters and will quickly climb the list of contenders should he continue to produce highlight-reel knockouts.

Two fighters who have had success avoiding the knockout are Jake Ellenberger (29-7 MMA, 8-3 UFC) and Tarec Saffiedine (15-3 MMA, 1-0 UFC), who meet at UFC 172 next month.

Regardless of who comes out the winner, either would provide an interesting stylistic matchup, as well as the top-10 status Kim needs.

Ellenberger carries a strong wrestling pedigree – with ridiculous knockout power to back it up – while Saffiedine has proven to be well-rounded and capable of fighting anywhere.

Depending on how the timing lines up for everyone involved, it would make sense for Kim to get a featured spot on one of the UFC’s upcoming cards in Asia against Ellenberger or Saffiedine.

For complete coverage of the TUF China Finale, stay tuned to the UFC Events section of the site.