The Top 15 MMA Fights Currently on the Books
2015 has been a huge year for the UFC.
After a disastrous 2014, the promotion has found a pair of new and highly profitable stars in Conor McGregor and Ronda Rousey and has pared down the number of shows it offers, slowed its headlong rush into international expansion and cut its offerings on Fight Pass.
The result has been a windfall. Fewer cards and better luck with injuries have allowed the UFC to stack its pay-per-view events and put better fights on free television as well. The upcoming slate of fights is the best the promotion has ever assembled, and a little help from Bellator makes this the most promising fall and winter in the history of the sport.
In an incredibly promising slate of events, all of which are drastic improvements over their 2014 counterparts, a few fights stand out. Bleacher Report's top MMA writers will take a closer look at 15 of them.
Honorable Mentions
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Honorable Mentions
- Anthony Pettis vs. Eddie Alvarez (UFC Fight Night 81: Dillashaw vs. Cruz; January 18, 2016)
- Patricio "Pitbull" Freire vs. Daniel Straus III (Bellator 145: Vengeance; November 6)
- Dustin Poirier vs. Joseph Duffy (UFC Fight Night 76: Poirier vs. Duffy; October 24)
- Max Holloway vs. Jeremy Stephens (UFC 194; December 12)
- Nate Diaz vs. Michael Johnson (UFC on Fox 17; December 19)
- Ricardo Lamas vs. Diego Sanchez (UFC Fight Night 78: Gastelum vs. Brown; November 21)
- Benson Henderson vs. Thiago Alves (UFC Fight Night 79: Henderson vs. Alves; November 28)
- Johny Hendricks vs. Tyron Woodley (UFC 192; October 3)
- Jessica Eye vs. Julianna Pena (UFC 192; October 3)
- Josh Barnett vs. Roy Nelson (UFC Fight Night 75: Barnett vs. Nelson; September 26)
- Henry Cejudo vs. Jussier Formiga (UFC Fight Night 78: Gastelum vs. Brown; November 21)
- Alan Jouban vs. Albert Tumenov (UFC 192; October 3)
- Rashid Magomedov vs. Gilbert Burns (UFC Fight Night 77: Henderson vs. Belfort III; November 7)
- Thomas Almeida vs. Anthony Birchak (UFC Fight Night 77: Henderson vs. Belfort III; November 7)
15. Kelvin Gastelum vs. Matt Brown
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Kelvin Gastelum vs. Matt Brown (UFC Fight Night 78: Gastelum vs. Brown; November 21)
Perhaps it seems a little weird that this fight made our most-anticipated list. After, all Kelvin Gastelum and Matt Brown are a combined 2-3 in their last five fights and are slated to be the main event of November 22’s relatively low-profile finale of The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America 2. Is this even going to be on TV? It's unknown.
Violence, though. Violence and intrigue.
See, that combined record for Gastelum and Brown only tells part of the story. Sure, both guys are trying to rehabilitate themselves after falling off the torrid pace they both set during 2013-14. But for our purposes, perhaps the only stat that matters is this one:
Together, they have finished 25 of their combined 31 wins.
There’s a very low probability that the judges will be needed here, and a very high probability that someone will be getting tucked in for an early bedtime. That’s just the sort of dudes we’re dealing with.
Oh, and the intrigue? Gastelum claims to be over the weight issues that twice caused him to miss the welterweight limit and briefly prompted a UFC-mandated move up to middleweight. He’ll be back at 170 pounds, eager to show he can be a force in an already crowded division.
Brown was once the sort of contender Gastelum wants to be. He ripped off seven wins in a row between 2012-14 before back-to-back losses to Robbie Lawler and Johny Hendricks stalled his momentum. He’s hot to get back on the championship trail.
In other words, this fight has it all: motive, means and opportunity.
Which one of these guys ends up stealing our hearts?
—Chad Dundas
14. Joanna Jedrzejczyk vs. Valerie Letourneau
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Joanna Jedrzejczyk vs. Valerie Letourneau (UFC 193; November 14)
Valerie Letourneau wasn't the anointed challenger to strawweight queenpin Joanna Jedrzejczyk's throne, but when Claudia Gadelha went down with a thumb injury, the impetus to place Jedrzejczyk on a card where she would benefit from Ronda Rousey's crossover stardom was too great to wait for the Brazilian to heal.
Poland's Jedrzejczyk has all the makings of a star in her own right. She's charismatic, a technical marvel on the feet and boasts the kind of rare power and finishing ability that give her a real shot at connecting to a broader audience. Jedrzejczyk could put the up-and-coming strawweight division on the map if she gets the right matchups and opportunities.
Letourneau probably isn't going to beat Jedrzejczyk, but matchmaker Sean Shelby didn't put her in this fight because he thought she could dethrone the champion. The Quebec native got the fight because she was available and uninjured, but also because her striking-first style and aggressiveness match up well with Jedrzejczyk's slick, smooth kickboxing.
There is every reason to think that this will be an entertaining fight, and it could be the talented Jedrzejczyk's breakout performance in her first exposure to a wide audience.
—Patrick Wyman
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13. Will Brooks vs. Marcin Held
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Marcin Held vs. Will Brooks (Bellator 145; November 6)
Marcin Held, the babyfaced master of the leglock, is just 23 years old. That's awfully young to find yourself at the crossroads of your career. But the Polish grappling wizard faces a pivotal moment this November, one that will test not only his ability but also his very approach to fighting.
His anachronistic style, a throwback to the days of leglock specialists like Ken Shamrock, isn't supposed to work in modern MMA. But last year Held entered his third Bellator tournament, and for the first time, he emerged victorious.
The tournament championship, however, wasn't the end—it was the means. The real goal, a title reign at lightweight, is now finally within reach.
Standing in the way is Will Brooks. Being mentioned second, in the fourth paragraph no less, is the kind of slight that lights a fire under the champion. It's no secret he wasn't Bellator's first choice to sit on the throne. Michael Chandler got the better spot on the event posters and face time on Dave & Busters commercials. Brooks was just the opponent—one who happened to beat Chandler in consecutive fights to prove himself as the best lightweight in the promotion.
Now secure in his role, Brooks is fighting a different, meta battle beyond the one happening in the cage. He can't just beat Held. He has to do it in a style that makes people take note, that proves he belongs in the main event with powerhouse names like Shamrock and Kimbo Slice.
Brooks, like Held, can see the next level, the one that has always been there just beyond his grasp. Whoever can live his dreams will emerge as the winner—and perhaps the next big thing on Spike TV.
—Jonathan Snowden
12. Ronda Rousey vs. Holly Holm
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Before Holly Holm had even signed with the UFC, the MMA world was abuzz with hype that she would prove the counterpoint to bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey's flawless judo. With a boxing record of 33-2-3 and multiple world titles, Holm rapidly racked up a 7-0 record in MMA - six of which were KO/TKO wins - prior to signing with the UFC.
Rousey handily dismantled then-undefeated prospect Bethe Correia on August 1st. Everyone thought Miesha Tate would be next, and with good reason - Dana White intimated as much.
So when Holm was announced as the next contender, after two decision wins in the Octagon, it was a surprise - but also an inevitability. Rousey has torn through everyone put in front of her, including Miesha Tate, twice, and the division is running low on challengers - much less challengers with a pedigree of any sort.
And as evidenced by the Correia fight, Rousey's striking, while powerful, can still be wild and unrestrained. Is her striking raw enough that Holm will be able to capitalize on it? Rousey vs Holm is an opportunity for Rousey to demonstrate she can hold her own against a seasoned striker, and an opportunity for Holm to prove all the hype around her was warranted. --Sydnie Jones
11. Junior dos Santos vs. Alistair Overeem
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Junior dos Santos vs. Alistair Overeem (UFC on Fox 17; December 19)
This fight was supposed to happen over three years ago. And then again two years ago. And so it's hard to imagine this one actually getting to the starting line unscathed; we have been burned before, and we are now cautious.
But if this one does indeed go off according to plan on December 19, the end result should be a sublime heavyweight fight. Dos Santos, the former heavyweight champion with the fearsome boxing arsenal, against Overeem, the former K-1 world champion? This is the kind of thing thrilling dreams are made of. Toss in a sprinkle of animosity and accusations of performance-enhancing drugs, and you've got the recipe for a barnburner slugfest.
Oh, and you don't have to pay a dime for this one, because it's on free television.
—Jeremy Botter
10. Demian Maia vs. Gunnar Nelson
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Gunnar Nelson vs. Demian Maia (UFC 194; December 12)
Fights come in many flavors, but this one would be some kind of Rocky Road, gritty and grimy and full of delicious texture. It starts with their similarity. There are times grapplers come together and refuse to fight on the ground, sure that their skills will cancel each other out.
This is unlikely to be one of those instances. While Demian Maia and Gunnar Nelson have both advanced their stand-up skills in recent years, they both stick with their overwhelming strength, strangling and stretching folks out.
Nelson (14-1-1) has 10 of his victories by submission; Maia (21-6) also has 10 tapout wins. Both men have next-level grappling credentials. Nelson has medaled at multiple world grappling events, while Maia went a step beyond, capturing his weight class at the prestigious ADCCs in 2007.
There are differences between them, too. Divisionally, the fight means more for Nelson than Maia. At 27 years old, the stoic Icelander is still a work in progress, and his ceiling has yet to be determined. Future welterweight title threat? Who knows.
That's what makes the fight important. Maia has been a two-division contender for years, making him a perfect measuring stick. But it's not as if the fight is meaningless for him. He's won three in a row, and at 37, the clock is ticking on one more run toward a belt. A single setback might mean the end of that dream.
This fight offers multiple subplots, action, grappling and divisional significance, all from a pair of gentlemen artists with the ability to bend limbs and wills.
—Mike Chiappetta
9. Chad Mendes vs. Frankie Edgar
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Chad Mendes vs. Frankie Edgar (The Ultimate Fighter Season 22 Finale; December 11)
The matchup between Chad Mendes and Frankie Edgar has been lusted after ever since there was the sheer possibility of Edgar's dropping to 145-pounds. It’s an instant title-eliminator to determine the next challenger at featherweight.
Technically speaking, there may not be a better fight on the UFC’s schedule. Mendes has made incredible strides in his overall game, and Edgar has been pound-for-pound one of the most proficient fighters for years. The power and explosiveness of Mendes contrast well with Edgar’s style to make this a can’t-miss contest.
The spotlight on Aldo-McGregor makes this matchup even more enticing. It is giving the featherweight division the notoriety it deserves. There is a slight possibility this matchup won't even happen, as Edgar will play the role of backup should Jose Aldo or Conor McGregor have to withdraw from their UFC 194 meeting for the undisputed gold.
If this fight goes on as scheduled, fans will be treated to an elite technical battle with major implications for the future of the 145-pound division. That’s rarer than we would like to admit. Mendes-Edgar is everything we want from the sport of MMA.
—Nathan McCarter
8. Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson
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Khabib Nurmagomedov is "contender, interrupted." No fighter injury is ever gleeful, but a particularly dark cloud descended almost exactly one year ago when the UFC announced that the young Eagle of Dagestan was pulling out of his scheduled bout with Donald Cerrone literally minutes after announcing the contest was official.
He hasn't fought since. But the 27-year-old seems optimistic that he'll be good to go for Ferguson, which is good news for everyone involved. Nurmagomedov (22-0) is the only man to defeat current champ Rafael dos Anjos in the past three-plus years, thanks to his relentless array of takedowns, trips and throws (oh, and his control grappling, too). Don't sleep on those fast hands, either, or they may be the ones doing the sleeping, on your brain.
Lest you believe Ferguson to be a mere a tuneup, however, let us disavow one another of that notion right now. When these two face each other on December 11, Ferguson (19-3) will have title-shot designs of his own. That's perfectly reasonable when you've won six straight, four by stoppage. The inexhaustible Ferguson can get it done in all phases, with a dynamic striking game flowing from a high-level collegiate wrestling base.
If you feel like crowning Nurm, crown him. But no matter how you feel, tune in for this fight. It airs on cable. You have no good excuse.
—Scott Harris
7. Jacare Souza vs. Yoel Romero
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Jacare Souza vs. Yoel Romero (UFC 194; December 12)
This booking marks the third time matchmaker Joe Silva has attempted to put together Cuban Olympic wrestler Yoel Romero and world-class Brazilian grappler Jacare Souza. The two were originally scheduled to meet at UFC 184 in February, and then again at UFC on Fox 15 in April.
In the meantime, Romero knocked Lyoto Machida onto the wrong side of the aging curve, while Souza submitted Chris Camozzi for the second time.
Leaving aside the fact that this is one of the best top-contender matchups in years, with the two fighters undefeated in 11 UFC bouts, the matchup itself is a barnburner. Souza and Romero are two of the most explosive and powerful fighters in the division. Both possess elite credentials in their native sports; Souza is a multiple-time world champion, while Romero won the Worlds and an Olympic silver medal in freestyle wrestling.
The middleweight division is on fire. Weidman is a relatively young champion with years of his prime left ahead of him and a worthy challenger in Luke Rockhold. Souza and Romero are both aging but still clearly at the peaks of their talents.
The winner of this bout, which promises extraordinary violence and technique, will set up beautifully with whomever comes out on top between the two American contestants set to vie for the title. The window is small before the middleweight division's stars begin to decline, but for the time being, the elite are as compelling as those of any division in the sport.
—Patrick Wyman
6. Daniel Cormier vs. Alexander Gustafsson
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Look, we get it. You're still not buying into Daniel Cormier as the "real" champion at 205 pounds. That goes doubly for Alexander Gustafsson, should he end up taking it. We get it, and we can't blame you.
But look past that for a second. With or without the strap on the line, a fight between Cormier and Gustafsson is something that fans have been craving for a good, long while.
For years, both men have been ranked near the top of their division but have been kept separate due to the lingering shortage of contenders in the light heavyweight division. That, however, hasn't kept fans from dreaming of a battle between the red-meat-eating American wrestler and the long, strong European striker. While it comes under unique circumstances, these unmistakable stylistic matchups between high-level talents remain interesting.
The bout is solid on its own, but looking toward the future makes it even better. Whether Cormier ends up retaining the title or Gustafsson finally captures gold, it all but guarantees an exciting grudge match for Jon Jones' inevitable return. There's a lot to look forward to surrounding this fight, which makes it more than deserving of its place here.
—Steven Rondina
5. Rafael dos Anjos vs. Donald Cerrone
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Donald Cerrone has done a lot of things in his career, but he hasn't ever captured gold in a major promotion. He twice failed to take the WEC lightweight title, dropping fights to Jamie Varner and Benson Henderson, and a 3-3 stretch in the UFC nearly forced him out of the title picture indefinitely. For a time, it felt like Cowboy was doomed to ride out his career as the roughest, toughest bridesmaid at 155 pounds.
Then the stars aligned. Khabib Nurmagomedov sustained a knee injury. A controversial decision broke in his favor in a match against Henderson. Anthony Pettis once again wound up on the shelf. A contract dispute between the UFC and Nate Diaz derailed the latter's career.
Obstacle after obstacle disappeared in front of him. Now, Rafael dos Anjos is the only thing standing between him and his first belt.
That's a big obstacle, sure. While many still doubt dos Anjos' overall skill set, the Brazilian is a well-rounded talent who can hang with the best in the business at any stage of the fight, as evidenced by a strong resume which includes a 2013 win over Cerrone. Still, it's hard not to view Cerrone as the protagonist of this story, and it's easy to get behind him during his unlikely run to the top.
—Steven Rondina
4. T.J. Dillashaw vs. Dominick Cruz
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There are a lot of reasons why this is considered a dream matchup among the MMA intelligentsia. And it's more than just "wacky boxing versus wrestle banging," as the glibbery merchants might have you believe.
Splitting time between teams Alpha Male and Bang Ludwig (and that's a whole other story), reigning champion T.J. Dillashaw (12-2) has morphed into a mind-bending stand-up fighter, mixing up his movements like a squirrel in the shadow of a Cadillac. Although, to mess up the analogy, unlike the squirrel, when you make contact with Dillashaw, you unequivocally know it. He might be the best bantamweight in UFC history.
You know, except for Dominick Cruz. When he's not making fans sad by spending large chunks of his prime on the sidelines with injuries, the former champ (20-1) buttresses aggressive volume punching with a clinching and power wrestling that bely his fighting weight.
Throw in the fact that neither of these men seems to understand that he's supposed to get tired—and that both are already gamely and ably doing the hype thing—and you have all the makings of a thriller and a legacy-builder January 17 at UFC Fight Night 81.
—Scott Harris
3. Chris Weidman vs. Luke Rockhold
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Chris Weidman vs. Luke Rockhold (UFC 194; December 12)
There are times when UFC title fights seem contrived. Take for instance Ronda Rousey vs. Bethe Correia. The UFC sold it as best they could, but it was plainly a colossal mismatch.
That’s just how some divisional landscapes are. Champions like Rousey, Jon Jones and Demetrious Johnson consistently put the competition away so efficiently that we’re often left scratching our heads, trying to determine whether the rest of the division has anything to offer.
You can add middleweight champion Chris Weidman to that list. Though still relatively young in MMA and title-fight experience, he has looked the part of a dominant champion, unrivaled by his 185-pound colleagues.
Granted, he hasn’t yet cleared out the division. Yoel Romero and Ronaldo Souza remain viable contenders, but Weidman, the No. 3 pound-for-pound fighter, would enter a bout with either as a sizable favorite.
Not so with Luke Rockhold. Over his last four outings, Rockhold has been dominant against quality competition. Both Michael Bisping and Lyoto Machida, whom Rockhold finished in Round 2, are testaments to the challenger’s ferocity.
It isn’t all that common that we get a title fight between a dominant champion fated for an extensive title run and a deadly challenger threatening to halt the inevitable; an unknown outcome in the cards.
But Weidman vs. Rockhold is just that: the two best middleweight fighters in the world, both in the primes of their careers, squaring off for ownership of the division.
—Craig Amos
2. Robbie Lawler vs. Carlos Condit
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Robbie Lawler vs. Carlos Condit (UFC 195; January 2, 2016)
Like Jose Aldo vs. Conor McGregor, this upcoming welterweight title fight between Carlos Condit and Robbie Lawler is one worth waiting for.
Which is lucky, because now we’re going to have to wait.
Condit and Lalwer were first expected to do the damn thing at UFC 193 on November 15, but an injury to the champion’s thumb—his thumb!—forced a delay. The combo is now re-booked for UFC 195 on January 2, 2016.
That the pairing is even still a go could be considered a lucky break for Condit, no pun intended. The 31-year-old product of the Jackson-Winkeljohn fight team made for a bit of a surprise No. 1 contender when the UFC named him such a chance in early August. After all, Condit was just one fight removed from a 14-month absence, owing to his own knee injury.
We might have wondered why arguably more deserving contenders like Johny Hendricks and Tyron Woodley got temporarily passed over, but let’s face it: Nobody is complaining about this matchup.
Condit vs. Lawler is a meeting of styles so sure to produce fireworks that the MMA community accepted The Natural Born Killer’s insertion with nary a cross word. What you have here are two of the sport’s most exciting strikers, two guys who both like to move forward and inflict major wads of punishment on opponents.
Somebody’s getting finished here—hopefully in a fashion that makes the month-and-a-half-long detour worthwhile.
—Chad Dundas
1. Conor McGregor vs. Jose Aldo
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I don't know if this is "the most anticipated fight in UFC history," as it will be breathlessly billed over the next three months. But I'm hard-pressed to name one that I personally anticipated more than this featherweight title showdown that will headline UFC 194 in December.
First, there's the history: From the moment he made his UFC debut, McGregor has poked the bear, constantly belittling Aldo and issuing call-outs like they were going out of style. And then came Aldo's injury when the two were supposed to meet in July; it could have gone terribly when the UFC booked McGregor to face replacement opponent Chad Mendes.
Instead, it went perfectly. McGregor knocked out Mendes, turning a huge fight into an even bigger one. He continues to poke the seething Aldo and will do so until the night they step in the Octagon together. When they finally do face off, we should see a fascinating clash of styles in a bout between two of the UFC's most dynamic fighters.
—Jeremy Botter
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