Predicting the next fight for every loser on the UFC 305 main card

Predicting the next fight for fighters competing in a big UFC event is often easy to do for the winners but more challenging for those who did not get their hands raised.

Not only are the options less exciting than the ones available for the winners, but it is often difficult to predict when a fighter will return after a loss. Following the fourth title loss of his career to Dricus Du Plessis, Israel Adesanya could be back in December, or he could sit out until the summer of 2025.

Four of the five fighters who lost on the UFC 305 main card are still ranked contenders, giving them a bevy of options moving forward. Two of them, Adesanya and Steve Erceg, still hold status as recent title challengers, while Mateusz Gamrot was recognized for his losing effort to Dan Hooker with a $50K Fight of the Night bonus. 

Needless to say, the losers of the UFC 305 main card fights still have a lot to look forward to.

Here are our predictions for who each fighter who lost on the UFC main card will face next in their careers.

Israel Adesanya

Next fight prediction: Brendan Allen

It may be a while until Adesanya fights again, but there are only a few directions he can go at this point in his career. With the loss to Du Plessis, it is unlikely he will ever return to the title picture, but with his fan appeal, it can never be ruled out.

As long as he does not take another year off, which he does not seem likely to do based on his post-fight interviews, a top-10 clash with rising contender Allen makes sense for both men. Allen does not have the star power yet, but Adesanya said he wants to remain active in the middleweight division and already has a history with most of the other contenders. As a supplementary fight on a pay-per-view, Adesanya and Allen will add depth to any card.

Steve Erceg

Next fight prediction: Bruno Silva

With two losses in the last four months, it would be wise for Erceg to take a considerable layoff before he returns to the Octagon. By that time, Silva could be a top-10 fighter, potentially making them near each other in the rankings and an appealing stylistic matchup on paper.

Having fought just twice since 2021, there is a chance Silva will take another brief hiatus before making his return. Even then, the fight is a logical next step for both fighters in their careers. Erceg is still a guy the UFC is fond of, and the loss to Kai Kara-France hurts his progression, but he is still one of the best fighters in this division.

Mateusz Gamrot

Next fight prediction: Rafael Fiziev

Even though he lost at UFC 305, Gamrot showed arguably the best version of himself on Saturday in his fight with Hooker. It is difficult to say that a fight like that has any "loser" in it, but Gamrot's title hopes have been significantly stalled with the defeat.

In what was inarguably the toughest fight of his career, expect Gamrot to take some time off. By the time he returns, Fiziev should be fully ready to come back from the ACL tear he suffered against Gamrot in the second round back in September 2023. The UFC likes to put together rematches of fights that were stopped prematurely due to an injury. and the timeline for both men lines up perfectly.

Tai Tuivasa

Next fight prediction: Winner of Waldo Cortes-Acosta vs. Chris Barnett

At this point in his career, it is extremely difficult to predict what will be next for Tuivasa after his fifth consecutive loss. The fight with Jairzinho Rozenstruik was exactly what he needed to get back on track in his home country, but for reasons only known to him, he decided not to fight in his traditional aggressive style and play a tentative point-fighting game.

Even with his status among fans, there is a chance the UFC releases Tuivasa. But if it does not, he cannot be in the Octagon with another ranked opponent next. The upcoming matchup between Cortes-Acosta and Barnett in October seems to line up on paper, especially if Barnett wins. A matchup with Tuivasa and Barnett would be a fan delight, but if Cortes-Acosta comes out on top, he is every bit deserving of the fight.

Li Jingliang

Next fight prediction: Nicolas Dalby

Maybe Carlos Prates is just the next big thing — he certainly has the potential to be — but Jingliang definitely showed signs of his age at UFC 305. After a two-year layoff with multiple injuries, Jingliang was noticeably slower against Prates and seems to have lost the movement and speed he had that made him a fringe contender.

Regardless of when he next steps into the cage, expect Jingliang to face another veteran in his next fight. Dalby makes sense, as a matchup with him would pit two fighters near the same age and experience level, who are both just on the outside of the top 15, against each other. With two strikers who prefer to use their kickboxing rather than shoot for takedowns, this hypothetical matchup would be a fan delight.