Victory has been attained. Now what’s next?

Last weekend saw some star making performances from some of the best fighters in the business. The main event between Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz was perhaps one of the greatest fights in UFC history. The two men battled nonstop for nearly every second of their twenty-five minute bout and essentially created an instant classic. In the end Conor McGregor got his hand raised in a hard won victory over his bitter rival. But Conor wasn’t the only one to get a victory last Saturday. It’s time to weigh the options of those who won big at UFC 202.

Conor McGregor

McGregor has silenced his critics and proved that he has the skills, the will, and determination to battle for twenty-five hard minutes against Nate Diaz. Options are abound for McGregor. From Boxing Floyd Mayweather to battling Jose Aldo to fighting for the lightweight title, Conor McGregor can do no wrong going forward. The best option could be for McGregor to fight for the lightweight belt and vacate the featherweight title. Should he beat Alvarez, McGregor could meet Nate Diaz in a trilogy match with the belt on the line being the cherry on top.

Anthony Johnson

Anthony “Rumble” Johnson is a bad man. He absolutely destroyed Glover Texeira in thirteen seconds. It was a starching and one that has certainly set up a rematch between Johnson and current light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier. Jon Jones still looms in the shadows as he may be returning to action sooner than expected, but until then, Johnson is the clear cut number one contender.

Donald Cerrone

The Cowboy once again proved that he’s an absolute beast at welterweight with his demolition of Rick Story. Cerrone mixed up his game well in the first and followed things up with a brilliant combination of punches and kicks to seal the deal against Story. Cerrone could see himself in a lightweight title shot, particularly since he has a win over the current champion. If the UFC decides against that however, a fight between Cerrone and fellow standout UFC 202 winner Lorenz Larkin would be a fun battle that could raise the stock of both men.

Cody Garbrandt

Now that “No Love” has another win under his belt against veteran Takeya Mizugaki, as well as the budding rivalry growing between he and champ Dominick Cruz, it’s very likely that Garbrandt will get a title shot against the bantamweight kingpin. Though TJ Dillashaw certainly has a great claim in his own right, the vitriolic comments Garbandt has spouted about Cruz easily sets up a meeting between the two. But a fight against former teammate Dillashaw could also be an enticing affair. What do you think the UFC 202 winners should do next? Let us know by hitting up our comments below or head on over to our official Facebook and Twitter.

Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Twitter and Facebook to keep up with his antics.