5 fights to make following UFC 132: Cruz vs. Faber
by Tim Groves on July 03, 2011

Carlos Condit, Dennis Siver and Melvin Guillard all announced themselves as title contenders last night. Tito Ortiz resurrected his career and will earn himself another fight in the UFC. Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber put on a candidate for Fight of the Year in a bantamweight title fight. Needless to say, UFC 132 was absolutely mind blowing. 

It's nights like last night that make people realize why they suffer through every stinker of an event. Why they miss out on other activities to sit and watch fights. It's so that they get to witness cards like UFC 132

Enough gushing over the action, let's take a look at potential fights on the docket.

Dominick Cruz vs. Demetrious Johnson

I have rattled back and forth between Demetrious Johnson and Brian Bowles for the next shot at Cruz's 135 pound belt. I finally settled on Johnson, but it wouldn't take a lot to convince me that Bowles was actually the right choice.

I went with Johnson due to his active win streak (four against two), the fact that he hasn't yet faced Cruz and because I feel as if he has bigger wins on his resume at the moment.

Johnson's speed matches up incredibly well with Cruz, as they are probably two of the fastest guys in the bantamweight division. It should turn into a high intensity, fast paced fight that would leave fans begging for more action at 135. 

I could see Bowles placed in a title elimination match with either Urijah Faber or Brad Pickett

Chris Leben vs. Rousimar Palhares

Chris Leben has one of the best chins in the UFC. Fact.

Leben is one of the hardest hitters in the UFC. Fact.

Rousimar Palhares is built like an ox and is one of the strongest guys at 185 pounds. Fact.

Palhares has some of the most brutal Jiu-Jitsu in the entire UFC. Fact.

While Palhares currently has a fight lined up against Alexandre Ferreira at UFC 134, most are expecting him to mop the floor with his fellow Brazilian. If he does just that, a fight with Leben could turn into one of the most intriguing stylistic match-ups in a long, long time. 

Leben is a brawler through and through. He lives off of being punched in the face and delivering more devastating shots in return. However, in between all of those strikes, Leben has learned some actual Jiu-Jitsu. Look no further than his victory over Yoshihiro Akiyama to show what Leben is capable of on the ground. 

The Brazilian is nicknamed "Tree Stump" for a reason. He is short and absolutely shredded, which helps him torque his patented leg locks and knee bars. His stand up is less than rudimentary and his takedowns are based more on sheer power than actual technique, but once the fight hits the ground, watch out. 

Carlos Condit vs. Jake Ellenberger II

Most fans would like to throw Condit straight into a title shot after Georges St. Pierre and Nick Diaz scrap at UFC 137 in late October. I would having nothing against that, but keeping Condit out for that long may not be such a good idea. 

Jake Ellenberger fights over a month earlier, on September 17 against Jake Shields. If he wins that fight, a rematch between the two surging welterweights would provide the...

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