UFC vs. Bellator: 5 Dream Fights

Fueled by the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, the deepest divisions and a president who will stop at nothing to put on the best fights available, the UFC stops at nothing to separate itself from the pack.

However, just because it has its claws secured around the market's throat doesn't mean other emerging promotions like Bellator MMA can't carve a noticeable mark in the sport's history books.

With top-flight fighters like Alexander Shlemenko, Michael Chandler, Douglas Lima and even Emanuel Newton, the Spike-charged dynamo has more to offer underneath its soft shell, which looks something like a scripted wrestling promo between ex-UFC standouts Tito Ortiz and Stephan Bonnar.

So with respectable names at its disposal who may very well fight inside the Octagon one day, what would happen if Bellator's most prized possessions got their hands on Dana White's henchmen?

Look no further. Here are five dream fights between the UFC and Bellator's finest. 

Carlos Condit vs. Douglas Lima

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Douglas Lima may be the most underrated welterweight in the world.

At only 26 years of age, the Bellator champion has finished 10 of his last 11 victories, showcasing punishing combinations and deadly kickboxing in the process.

The perfect counterpart for The Phenom would be none other than Carlos Condit.

As one of the more decorated veterans at 170 pounds, The Natural Born Killer can stand and bang with any welterweight in the world, including Lima.

With near mirror-image skill sets and the ability to mix it up inside and out, Lima and Condit would put on a striking clinic.

It's difficult to predict a winner, but Condit's seven-inch reach advantage would most certainly come into play. 

Cub Swanson vs. Pat Curran

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There's just something about this matchup that makes sense.

Whether it's Cub Swanson's unorthodox offense or Pat Curran's perfected jab, the two would wage epic war.

Curran is probably a little bit stronger than Swanson in the clinch and on the ground, but with quicker footwork and unpredictable techniques, the UFC featherweight would give the former Bellator champ a run for his money.

As two fighters who both used to compete at 155 pounds, it's likely that any perfectly timed power shot could result in a knockout—or, in a fighter like Curran's case, a knockdown.

After all, the 27-year-old has never been finished by strikes.

You would also have to take into account that Greg Jackson would be implementing one of his patented strategic game plans just for Curran. That's never a good thing. 

Anthony Pettis vs. Michael Chandler

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There's no disputing that Anthony Pettis is the most feared lightweight on the planet.

With devastatingly timed body kicks, a crafty ground game and a defensive playbook that would make Floyd Mayweather Jr. proud, Showtime always seems to be one step ahead of his opponent.

However, when it comes to a flashy athlete capable of pulling off the impossible, former Bellator kingpin Michael Chandler takes the cake.

With just five years of professional experience under his belt, the 28-year-old is already considered one of the very best 155-pound fighters around. He finished Eddie Alvarez in the fourth round of a title fight, dismantled Akihiro Gono and has never been defeated outside of a split decision.

Pettis would obviously be the most dangerous fighter Chandler has ever faced, but with determined wrestling, a powerful core and a gas tank that never dries, he could stand a chance to pull off the upset. 

Jose Aldo vs. Patricio 'Pitbull' Freire

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Jose Aldo seems unstoppable, but if there was ever a fighter who could press the UFC champ late into every round, it would be a fireball like Patricio "Pitbull" Freire.

The 27-year-old obviously isn't cut from the same cloth as a pound-for-pound phenom who hasn't lost in nearly nine years, but as a powerful puncher capable of testing the chin of any featherweight, he finds he has more to offer than many of Aldo's past title threats.

With power in both of his hands, great scrambling ability along the cage and the quickness to create more opportunities on his feet, the current Bellator champion would test the conditioning, heart and resolve of Aldo.

However, if we have learned anything over the years of watching Aldo break down his opponents, it's that you simply cannot game-plan for his leg kicks.

As a stocky featherweight who doesn't aim to avoid damage, this could serve as Freire's downfall.

Ronda Rousey vs. Marloes Coenen

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Ronda Rousey may deservedly be the face of women's MMA, but she's not the only pioneer.

Throughout the UFC queen's movie appearances, magazine photo shoots and polarizing public interviews, she's just another elite-level fighter who is trying to make a living out of what she loves to do.

So while social fans and amateur onlookers connect with Rousey more than any other female competitor in the sport today, it's important to realize that other dominant women like Bellator's Marloes Coenen do exist.

With 27 professional bouts, stretching from Strikeforce to Invicta FC, Coenen has secured 15 submissions, one world championship and one of the best resumes in the game today.

Sure, she lost to Cristiane "Cyborg" Justino on two separate occasions. However, as a fighter who finishes most of her fights within the first 10 minutes, it's impressive that Coenen lasted seven total rounds against the powerful knockout artist.

In any case, Rousey is not the striker that Justino is and would more than likely be dragged into a grappling match with the 33-year-old.

We all know how prolific the champ is off her back and in side control, but Coenen has been submitting the best women in the world since 2000.

It would be a dream matchup for women's MMA.

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