Ricky Simon: “We’re breaking the top 5 this year!”
Top 15 bantamweight Ricky Simon posted on his Instagram yesterday that he is looking to break “the top 5 this year.”
The post shows the updated UFC men’s bantamweight rankings. In which Simon has passed Sean O’Malley to the number 12 slot.
The Vancouver, Washington native is currently on a four-fight win streak. This streak consists of victories over Ray Borg, Gaetano Pirrello, Brian Kelleher, and most recently, Raphael Assuncao.
Watch the Assuncao knockout below:
STATEMENT: MADE ✅
[ @RickySimonUFC | #UFCVegas45 ] pic.twitter.com/7WIZPsLTOg
— UFC (@ufc) December 19, 2021
The booth's reaction says it all 🤯 #UFCVegas45 pic.twitter.com/pLd65Kekxz
— UFC (@ufc) December 19, 2021
Following his bout with Assuncao, Simon called out Sean O’Malley, who is also coming off of a spectacular knockout over Raulian Paiva at UFC 269: Oliveira vs. Poirier.
THE SUGA SHOW!!!!!!!!!!
[ @SugaSeanMMA | #UFC269 ] pic.twitter.com/bpQRnGBwf9
— UFC (@ufc) December 12, 2021
For Simon, a fight with O’Malley would mean getting on the big stage and attempting to steal the hype that surrounds him (much like Marlon Vera did in 2020). Other than that, however, there is no real upside for Simon given that he is ranked above O’Malley.
If Simon is looking to break into the top 5 this year, I would like to see him matched up against someone coming off of a loss, but who is ranked higher in the division.
Someone like Frankie Edgar would be a perfect fit.
Edgar not only has a well-known name and is a former champion but he is ranked just above Simon at 11th in the division and is coming off of consecutive losses to Cory Sandhagen and Marlon Vera. This bout would offer upsides for both men. For Simon, a victory over Edgar would set up a top-five match-up and for Edgar, a win over Simon would put him back in his winning ways over a young and hungry contender.
Another potential matchup could be a rematch with 6th ranked Merab Dvalishvili, who Simon defeated back in 2018 at UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Lee. Both men are on win streaks, and Dvalishvili would likely want to get that loss back.
There are so many great match-ups for the 29-year-old as he rises through the ranks. These are just two potential matchups that would launch Simon into contention for the top five of the division.
With a victory over either of these bantamweight contenders, Simon’s next bout would likely be against someone ranked at five or higher.
Thus giving him the opportunity to break into the top five of the division by the end of the year.
