Matt Brown sent his hometown fans in Cincinnati, Ohio wild with delight thanks to a potentail ‘Performance Of The Year’ candidate against Erick Silva in the main event of UFC Fight Night 40 that finally seems to have placed ‘The Immortal’ in the title picture.
UFC President Dana White was bowled over by Brown’s stellar display, stating his belief that Brown was “an absolute rock star” while also confirming that, “This fight definitely puts him in the spot now where we’re going to give him one of those top contenders.”
Brown, who’s now racked up seven victories in a row in the welterweight division, called for a title shot after his victory, but it should be noted that even while still basking in the post-fight euphoria, White stopped short of granting him that.
It might seem unfair to Brown at first glance, but it does make sense. Despite earning everyone’s respect and adulation for his recent fights in the Octagon, the reality is that he’s not yet faced the caliber of opposition that would unlock the door to a title fight in a highly competitive division.
The likes of Erick Silva and Mike Pyle are the best he’s faced so far during his unbeaten run, and while unquestionably good fighters, they are not currently featured in the official top 10 rankings.
However, If Brown could get a victory over a top 5 contender like Rory MacDonald, Robbie Lawler, Tyron Woodley or Carlos Condit on his record then you’d have to imagine the UFC would only be too happy to give this emerging fan favorite the opportunity he’s asking for.
