Just when it looked like Dominick Reyes would be making his way towards another title shot, he faced a massive speed bump at UFC Perth. Kiwi star Carlos Ulberg proved too much of a task for him and, surprisingly, managed to knock Reyes out in the very first round of their main event fight. It’s back to the drawing board for ‘The Devastator’, but what will be his next step?

Well, that’s exactly what we’re here to talk about in this article. Dominick Reyes is still a top contender in the light heavyweight division. So there are plenty of ways for him to make his way back into title contention. We are looking at two choices here, with the first one being Reyes fighting someone who is in the same boat as the 35-year-old.

Dominick Reyes could choose to fight a rebounding contender

Several fighters’ve suffered the same fate as Dominick Reyes in their last outings and are now looking to bounce back. ‘The Devastator’ could see Dana White making him fight someone in this category to earn renewed respect following a dominant TKO loss. So, he could choose to fight Volkan Oezdemir, who’s a former title challenger just like himself and suffered a loss against Ulberg in November last year. This could be a high-profile fight, ensuring Reyes’ mainstream visibility. Competing against fighters attempting to restore their reputations and beating them could soon earn him a title shot.

On the other hand, there’s one more path that Dominick Reyes can decide to go down. Let’s take a look at who fits the mold in that category.

Reyes also has an option to fight young emerging prospects

Azamat Murzakanov and Oumar Sy are two guys in the light heavyweight division who’ve made a lot of noise in the UFC recently. While the first one is yet to taste defeat in his professional career, Sy has shown tremendous potential, especially after his win over Brendson Ribeiro at UFC Paris. Fighting such names could be something that Dominick Reyes could consider, even though such fights often bring unpredictable styles. A win over a surging prospect like Oumar Sy, who’s 29, will not only disrupt the young gun’s trajectory but will also do away with claims about Dominick Reyes being washed.

Also, ‘The Devastator’ could present a strong argument for his relevance within the light heavyweight division if he manages to register a victory. However, in this case, a loss for Reyes could stir the pot for discussions about his ability to hang inside the Octagon against the next generation of UFC fighters. A loss against a prospect could also prove detrimental to Dominick Reyes’ title aspirations, since it is likely to push him further away from contention.

While Carlos Ulberg is getting into title contention, Dominick Reyes is standing at a crossroads where every move can affect his UFC career. Nevertheless, the former title contender has bounced back from setbacks before and still has time left to compete at the highest level, even though he’s 35 years old. So, it will be interesting to see how things pan out for ‘The Devastator’ in the coming months. Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.