4 Fights We Need to See After UFC Fight Night 255

The UFC's Saturday return to London isn't going to end up on anybody's ballot for 2025's card of the year. However, the event did open the door to some big fights in a couple of the UFC's most iconic divisions—namely welterweight.

In the main event, former welterweight champion Leon Edwards looked to get back on track after a title loss to Belal Muhammad, taking on another American grappler in Sean Brady.

Unfortunately for the former champ, the fight with Brady went even worse than the fight with Muhammad, as he was out-grappled and ultimately submitted in one of the few finishes of the night. The win will set Brady up for a massive fight at 170 pounds and leaves Edwards in a very difficult position.

The co-main event was contested at light heavyweight, rather than welterweight, but had similar implications, as rising contender Carlos Ulberg picked up a controversial but impressive decision win over former champion Jan Blachowicz. Like Brady, he can expect a huge fight next time out.

Outside the top two fights on the bill, the biggest fight of the night occurred earlier on the main card, with Kevin Holland taking on Gunnar Nelson at welterweight. Holland, who had been competing—and losing—at middleweight of late, proved that he's far better suited for life at 170 pounds, picking up a wide decision over his veteran foe.

Here are the fights we'd like to see next for Brady, Ulberg, and Holland, as well as the skidding former champion Edwards.

Sean Brady's dominant submission win over Leon Edwards was the biggest moment of his career to date, and it pushed him to an impressive 18-1 overall.

If the welterweight division were a little less crowded, he'd almost certainly be looking at a title shot next. Unfortunately, Brady will likely need to take at least one more fight before he gets the opportunity to fight for the belt. That's primarily because he's still behind the undefeated Shavkat Rakhmonov in the queue, and also because he lost by stoppage to current champion Belal Muhammad fairly recently.

Things could certainly change if Muhammad is dethroned by Jack Della Maddalena in May, but all signs point to Brady fighting at least one more time before getting a shot at the belt.

If that's the way things shake out, he should probably be matched up with Joaquin Buckley.

Buckley, who is riding wins over former title challengers Colby Covington and Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson, is also right on the cusp of a title shot, but not quite there yet. From Brady's perspective, he would probably represent a bit of a step down from Edwards, but the winner of their fight would be undeniable for a title shot.

Leon Edwards is spiraling.

After winning the welterweight title with a stunning head-kick KO over the great Kamaru Usman, and defending it with decision wins over Usman and Colby Covington, the Brit has lost two straight and is firmly out of the title conversation.

It's not outside the realm of possibility that he puts himself back in the mix, but he'll need to make some big things happen in order to do it.

We'd like to see him attempt to get back on track against Ian Machado Garry.

Ireland's Garry is one of the top contenders in the welterweight division right now, but recently got his first taste of defeat opposite Shavkat Rakhmonov, who is now the top contender in the weight class.

Much like Edwards, he'll soon be looking to correct his course. It only makes sense to match the two strikers up together.

Carlos Ulberg is in an almost identical position to Sean Brady in the light heavyweight division. The New Zealand kickboxing specialist, who has also lost just once as a pro, is now on one of the best streaks in his weight class, and having added a decision win over a former champ in Jan Blachowicz to his resume, is now right on the cusp of a title shot.

Unfortunately for him, the title shot is likely going to go to somebody else.

The most likely situation is that former champ Alex Pereira is granted an immediate rematch with Magomed Ankalaev, who he lost the title to by decision last month. In that event, Ulberg—much like Brady— will need to take another fight before getting his shot.

Given that Khalil Rountree and Jamahal Hill are matched up against each other, the best option is seemingly Jiri Prochazka.

The Czech Republic's Prochazka, a former champion, is also awaiting another shot at the title, but will likely be denied the opportunity until Pereira gets his rematch with Ankalaev. Match him up with Ulberg in the interim, and give the winner a crack at whomever holds the belt at the end of this year.

Kevin Holland needs to give up on the middleweight division for good. As he proved in his lopsided decision win over the tough Gunnar Nelson in London, he is much, much, much better suited for the welterweight division, where he is far less likely to be controlled by bigger, stronger opponents.

If Holland sees reason and sticks to 170 pounds, he should be matched up with Vicente Luque next.

Like Holland, Luque has been hot and cold of late, but recently defended his spot on the outer edge of the welterweight rankings with a quick submission win over the rising Themba Gorimbo.

He and Holland are in similar positions in the welterweight pecking order, and as two flashy strikers with underrated submission games, they match up really well on paper.

The winner of a fight between them isn't going to be in title contention—certainly not ahead of guys like Rakhmonov and Brady—but they will at least keep themselves relevant in the weight class. The loser, meanwhile, may be out of the title conversation forever.