FIGHT PATH: Who’s next for Stevie Ray

Scotland’s own Steven ‘Braveheart’ Ray (18-5) has made an impressive start to his UFC career with two first round stoppages to his name. Fans are speculating as to who will be Ray’s next opponent and with that in mind we have compiled a list of UFC rostered fighters around Ray’s current ranking, who are un matched and who are also coming off wins.

Efrain ‘Hecho un Mexico’ Escudero (24-9)

Escudero has 5 wins and 5 losses over 3 separate stints in the UFC. He is 2 and 1 in his most recent stint with an impressive first round standing guillotine victory against Drew Dober at UFC 188 his most recent. Escudero comes the baggage or the glory of being The Ultimate Fighter 8 season winner.

A win against Escudero would give Ray real legitimacy in what is a stacked lightweight division and a real chance of a top 15 opponent after that.

Adriano Martins (27-7)

Martins is a Judo brown belt who after the move over to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu became a successful grappler. He has four fights in the UFC and his only loss came to arguably the number one contender Donald Cerrone. He most recently defeated highly touted Rustam Khabilov at UFC Fight Night: Bigfoot vs. Mir winning by majority decision.

This would be a tough fight for Ray but a win over Martins would propel him easily into the top 20 UFC lightweight fighters.

Mairbek ‘Beckan’ Taisumov (24-5)

Taisumov has five fights in the UFC losing only the once. He is currently on a three fight win streak winning most recently at UFC Fight Night: Jedrzejczyk vs Penne against Alan Patrick Silva Alves. He won that fight in impressive fashion via head kick and punches early in the second round.

A fight against Taisumov for Ray has fireworks written all over it. Taisumov has finished his last three opponents by KO or TKO inside of 7 minutes and Ray similarly has finished both his UFC opponents inside the first round.

A win against Taisumov would confirm Ray’s position as one of the best lightweights in Europe.

‘Stormin’ Norman Parke (20-4)

Parke is the winner of The Ultimate Fighter ‘Smashes’ regional tournament between Australian and the United Kingdom and hails from Northern Ireland. He has seven fights in the UFC however has lost his last two fights via split decisions. Both those fights were to changed opposition after the original opponents pulled out and Parke will be no doubt be keen to have a fight against a planned opponent go ahead. Parke is a Judo black belt who has recently been showing improvements in his stand up with his last win against Naoyuki Kotani coming via an elbows and punches TKO.

Parke is the only fighter not coming off a win however will be itching to be on the Dublin card in October. With Parke being on a two fight losing skid would he risk going to three against Ray who so far is a proven finisher in the UFC?

An interesting match up that would put Scotland up against Northern Ireland in Dublin.

A lot of fans are calling for the fight against Parke and it could be likely for the UFC Dublin card. However a win against Parke is unlikely to progress Ray in the lightweight standings in the same way a win against Taisumov or Martins would.

All we know for sure is whoever Ray is matched against is in for a tough fight.