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MIAMI -- UFC 327 leveraged exciting action fighters to tremendous results. Three main card fights ended with knockouts, and a fourth fight raked in $200,000 in combined bonuses. All the action in Miami paves the way for even more exciting fights.
The light heavyweight division took center stage on Saturday. Topped by a vacant light heavyweight title fight, the card featured two more light heavyweight bouts with ranked contenders. That makes matchmaking fun and easy in the 205-pound division.
Then there's Josh Hokit, who threw down in an all-time memorable heavyweight scrap with Curtis Blaydes. His absurd pre-fight antics rub people the wrong way, but there's no denying he can throw down. The only thing crazier than Hokit's gimmick or his fight is that the UFC already booked him for another one.
In the aftermath of a fantastic show in Miami, take a look at the best fights to make coming out of UFC 327.
Light heavyweight
Carlos Ulberg (c) vs. Paulo Costa: Call me crazy, but I think UFC should strike while the iron is hot. Costa revived his career with a thunderous head kick knockout against Murzakanov. He'll likely be ranked at No. 6 come Monday. That normally won't suffice for a title shot, but there aren't many options at light heavyweight. Every top-five contender is coming off a loss. Well, except Blachowicz, who is coming off a draw preceded by two losses and another draw. Point made. Magomed Ankalaev is the best contender, but we shouldn't reward title shots off losses. Yes, he's a former champion, but he never successfully defended the title. This is a rare opportunity to give a popular guy like Costa a crack at the belt. He's got the name value, a fan-friendly style and he'll do everything he can to sell it.
Jiri Prochazka vs. Azamat Murzakanov: Let's keep this simple. We matched the winners of Saturday's main event and co-main event, so let's match the losers, too. Both men will need time off after suffering vicious KOs. The matchup would be fantastic with two heavy-handed strikers duking it out. It's a fresh fight that could headline a European fight night. The winner stays close to the title picture while the loser takes a hard look in the mirror.
Heavyweight
Josh Hokit vs. Derrick Lewis: No guesswork needed here. Moments after Hokit upset Blaydes, the UFC announced that he'd fight Lewis at the White House. It might be the fastest turnaround from winning one fight to booking another. It'll be curious to see if Hokit will take the same approach against Lewis, the all-time knockout leader.
Curtis Blaydes vs. Tyrell Fortune: Did Hokit exceed expectations or did Blaydes underdeliver? We'll only know once we see how their next fight goes. Regardless, Blaydes lost to an unranked fighter in his rookie year. He should take a step back, both meritocratically and for his health -- he took one hell of a beating against Hokit. Fortune is a new addition to the top 10, one who will lean on his wrestling. It's a solid fight that could further the recent heavyweight overturn.
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