It has been a remarkable year for all sports, but no sport has been able to adapt in the way that the UFC has. Dana White has consistently reiterated that he wants to continue putting on events for fans, despite audiences not able to be present.
Fight Island is one of the most exciting additions to UFC in recent years and has made for must-see sporting action. Fans will once again be treated to another blockbuster event this weekend as Darren Till, and Robert Whittaker go head to head, but what fights are fans all hoping to see at some point this year?
Conor McGregor vs Khabib Nurmagomedov
The obvious fight that all fans want to see at some point in the future is the rematch between Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov. Tensions between the two have refused to go away, and the scene has been set for two years fro a rematch. There were fears earlier this year that fans may never get the rematch that they craved when McGregor revealed that he was retiring from UFC action.
However, it isn’t the first time that the Irishman has pulled this stunt and he will likely be tempted back into the octagon. The fight between the two in 2018 was a thrilling affair, as Khabib ruthlessly beat McGregor by forcing him to tap-out.
The fact that these two fighters really don’t like each other means that it is bound to sell. However, whether the UFC are likely to stage one of their biggest ever fights without fans in attendance looks very unlikely.
After all if Conor and Khabib were in horse racing, they would be equaled to Triple Crown winners and you want to cash on winning horses don’t you?
Francis Ngannou vs Daniel Cormier
There aren’t many more exciting fighters in the world of MMA than Francis Ngannou. He has won three of his last four fights inside a minute, and he appears destined to be fighting for the world title at some point in the near future.
The situation with Stipe Miocic is making Ngannou wait, as Miocic will defend his newly won heavyweight title against Daniel Cormier when he is fully fit. Cormier would present an excellent opponent for Ngannou, and it’s hard to argue that it’s a fight that fans wouldn’t want to see.
The two of them would be able to create one of the most anticipated UFC heavyweight bouts in recent years, and there will be interest regardless of whether there is a title on the line or not.
If Miocic is going to be out for another long period, then the UFC should press ahead with plans for an interim champion and a bout between Cormier and Ngannou would be the preferred fight. Cormier’s defeat against Miocic in August last year was only his second defeat in UFC, and first in nine fights. The fight would sell regardless of where it is taking place.
Zhang Weili vs Joanna Jedrzejczyk
Rematches always sell in UFC and pitting these two fighters against each other once again will certainly be a wise decision by Dana White. The two of them met in the last fight before the world went into lockdown and there was a contentious decision as Weili retained her title via split decision. The media and fans were all shocked by the outcome as there was a genuine belief that Jedrzejczyk had done enough to win the fight.
The result was contentious, but there wasn’t any doubting of the quality of the fight as it will likely go down as one of the best women’s fights in UFC history. A rematch between the pair looks extremely likely, and it will just be a matter of time before it is announced.