Matches to Make After UFC Fight Night 142 & ‘The Ultimate Fighter 28’ Finale

Kamaru Usman has passed every test the Ultimate Fighting Championship has placed in front of him, the degree of difficulty increasing along the way.

The fast-rising Hard Knocks 365 star recorded his 13th consecutive victory and improved to 9-0 inside the Octagon, as he routed Rafael dos Anjos to a five-round unanimous decision in “The Ultimate Fighter 28” Finale headliner on Friday at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. All three judges sided with the once-beaten Usman: 50-43, 49-45 and 48-47.

The statistical data was staggering. According to FightMetric, Usman successfully completed 12 of his 18 attempted takedowns and outperformed dos Anjos by wide margins in total strikes (227-84) and significant strikes (130-62). The 31-year-old welterweight powerhouse also executed seven guard passes and defended two submission attempts from dos Anjos, a longtime Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt.

In the aftermath of “The Ultimate Fighter 28” Finale and UFC Fight Night 142, here are six matches that ought to be made:

Kamaru Usman vs. Tyron Woodley-Colby Covington winner: Usman has established himself as a clear contender for the welterweight throne. The “Nigerian Nightmare” handled his business against dos Anjos, adding another significant piece to a resume that already includes victories over Leon Edwards, Warlley Alves, Sean Strickland, Emil Meek and 2007 Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission Wrestling World Championships gold medalist Demian Maia. More importantly, Usman has shown in his last two appearances that he has what it takes to go five full rounds with top-shelf opposition. Woodley will reportedly defend his undisputed welterweight championship against Covington in the UFC 233 main event on Jan. 26.

Junior dos Santos vs. Francis Ngannou: No stranger to adversity, dos Santos once again showed his quality in putting away Tai Tuivasa with punches in the second round of their UFC Fight Night 142 main event. Tuivasa entered the cage with a perfect 8-0 record but bit the dust 2:30 into Round 2. His movement compromised by an earlier leg kick, dos Santos decked the Australian prospect with a counter right hook, followed up with ground-and-pound and ultimately climbed to full mount, letting go with punches until referee Herb Dean called for the stoppage. Ngannou last appeared at UFC Fight Night 141 on Nov. 24, when he needed just 45 seconds to turn away Curtis Blaydes with punches.

Mauricio Rua vs. Glover Teixeira-Ion Cutelaba winner: Rua no longer resembles the juggernaut that swept through Pride Fighting Championships more than a decade ago, but the Brazilian still cracks a mean whip. Ask Tyson Pedro. “Shogun” weathered a harrowing first round in which an inadvertent head butt left him on skates, gathered himself in the second and then dismissed Pedro with an overhand right and follow-up punches in the third. Rua, who turned 37 on Nov. 25, has won four of his last five fights, a knockout loss to the surging Anthony Smith his lone misstep. Teixeira will face Cutelaba at UFC Fight Night 143 on Jan. 19.

Anthony Rocco Martin vs. Carlos Condit-Michael Chiesa winner: Martin has become impossible to ignore at 170 pounds. The American Top Team export improved to 3-0 since moving to the welterweight division, as he put “The Ultimate Fighter Nations” alum Jake Matthews to sleep with a third-round anaconda choke on the UFC Fight Night 142 main card. Matthews lost consciousness 79 seconds into Round 3, victimized by submission for just the second time in his 18-fight career. Martin appears to have come into his own at age 28 and finds himself in line for more profitable opportunities moving forward. Condit and Chiesa will square off at UFC 232 on Dec. 29 in Las Vegas.

Joseph Benavidez vs. Deivison Figueiredo: While likely on the backside of his stellar career, Benavidez had more than enough in his arsenal to keep one of the flyweight wolves at bay. The 34-year-old rebounded from his split decision defeat to Sergio Pettis in June by dispatching Alex Perez with first-round punches on “The Ultimate Fighter 28” Finale undercard. Benavidez has rattled off seven wins in eight bouts dating back to April 2014 -- a run of sustained success that includes a victory over current flyweight champion Henry Cejudo. Even with the 125-pound weight class in peril, he figures to remain part of the UFC’s plans in the bantamweight division. The same holds true for Figueiredo,

Pedro Munhoz vs. Aljamain Sterling: Munhoz may not have to fly under the radar much longer. The former Resurrection Fighting Alliance champion improved to 7-3 in the UFC, as he put away Bryan Caraway with a body kick and follow-up punches in the first round of their bantamweight pairing at “The Ultimate Fighter 28” Finale. Munhoz, 32, has recorded back-to-back victories since his split decision loss to John Dodson on March 3 and possesses all the necessary tools to make noise at 135 pounds. Sterling last competed at UFC 228 in September, when he submitted Cody Stamann with a second-round kneebar.