Fight fans in Austin were treated to an absolute show on Saturday night. The 12-match fight card delivered eight knockouts, tying six other events for the most KO's during a single event in the modern era.
Rising stars like Joaquin Buckley, Gregory Rodrigues and Adrian Yanez made statements with finishes and put their divisions on notice.
But for the main event and co-main event, knockouts were not the main attraction. Kevin Holland looked impressive in his win over Tim Means in the co-main,
while Josh Emmett and Calvin Kattar gave an epic five-round performance in the main event. Emmett emerged victorious, but where does that leave both fighters in a loaded featherweight division?
Emmett is deserving of a title shot after Saturday, but if I'm looking ahead, I don't think that will be his next fight.
What's Next for Josh Emmett and Calvin Kattar?
He's not wrong about calling for "new blood" at the top of the division. It would be fun to see Emmett -- a 37-year-old who has never fought for a belt -- in that opportunity.
But there is a big fight between Brian Ortega and Yair Rodriguez on July 16, which will impact Emmett's future. Arnold Allen is still floating around the top 5 and needs a big fight.
For Kattar, this is a tough one to swallow. Those split decisions can go either way and if you're on the losing end, it can mean a world of difference, especially for one's career trajectory and your paycheck on Fight Night.
Obviously, he is still right there regarding big fights in the division. Movsar Evloev doesn't have a big name, but he's a surging contender and that would be a great fight for the UFC to put together.
Same for Sodiq Yusuff. Those are steps down for Kattar, but that's sometimes the case when you take two losses in three fights and have already fought many of the other contenders in the top 10. He might be looking at facing an up-and-comer.