Pedro Munhoz releases statement after “Fight of the Night” war with Jimmie Rivera at UFC Vegas 20

UFC bantamweight contender Pedro Munhoz released a statement after his “Fight of the Night” war with Jimmie Rivera at UFC Vegas 20.

Munhoz and Rivera went a hard 15 minutes against each other, with Munhoz emerging as the winner via unanimous decision due to all the damage he did with his calf kicks. There were numerous points during the fight that Rivera looked to be on his last legs, but somehow he kept on chugging on. Munhoz, meanwhile, continued to smash Rivera’s legs and his face with some heavy hooks as the two exchanged leather for three rounds. Both men were later rewarded by the UFC with the “Fight of the Night” bonus for $50,000 each.

Taking to his social media after the fight, Munhoz shared a photo of himself embracing Rivera inside the Octagon. Take a look at the message Munhoz shared on his Instagram.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CL1elBlFvdV/

Thank you very much to everyone for the messages of support. I would also like to thank in particular my family and my team @americantopteam

Munhoz (19-5, 1 NC) was the No. 8 ranked bantamweight in the UFC heading into this rematch with Rivera, who previously defeated Munhoz via a split decision in November 2016. Munhoz is arguably the most underrated bantamweight in the sport right now based on where he’s ranked in the division. Think about it, he knocked out Cody Garbrandt, who is ranked No. 4 in the world, and his only recent losses are to Aljamain Sterling and Frankie Edgar in a split decision defeat that many analysts felt Munhoz deserved to win.

Following the victory over Rivera, Munhoz suggested a matchup against former UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw, who is set to return to action in the coming months. No doubt Dillashaw is looking for a title shot his next time out, but if the UFC opts to give it to someone like Cory Sandhagen instead, then a Dillashaw vs. Munhoz matchup could make sense. Even if it’s not Dillashaw, Munhoz is due for another top-10 opponent.

Who do you want to see Pedro Munhoz fight next after defeating Jimmie Rivera at UFC Vegas 20?