Next fights, rumored opponents for top stars Conor McGregor, Jon Jones, Sean O’Malley and others
UFC fans will have a lot to see in the coming months. The promotion’s next three pay-per-views are loaded with talent. The one thing missing is star power. The upcoming PPV offerings are great for educated fans, but lack the draw to make MMA a cultural phenomenon.
The future is clear but not certain for mixed martial arts’ biggest stars. Conor McGregor, Jon Jones and Sean O’Malley’s tentative plans are in the works. Some potential bookings are encouraging, others are sluggish. McGregor remains the sport’s most popular athlete, despite his lackluster acting. His return will be a major moment in sports this year, but don’t hold your breath when the UFC and McGregor do business together.
Let’s take a look at what this year has brought for the UFC’s biggest stars.
Conor McGregor: A painful late fight with Michael Chandler
McGregor vs. Chandler was an exciting proposition when announced in February 2023. Fatigue has set in and it’s starting to feel like an empty promise. mcgregor Claimed that the fight will take place on June 29, UFC President Dana White denied the news. The most annoying thing about this ordeal is the lack of communication. There is no confirmed reason for the delay. no injuries. No drug suspension. No alternative plan. It’s mostly subtle finger-pointing, half-hearted attempts to maintain interest and various parties expressing their frustrations. McGregor and Chandler were scheduled to fight shortly after coaching “The Ultimate Fighter”. The show ran from May 30 to August 15 last year and we’re no closer to a date.
Jon Jones: Battling injuries and Stipe Miocic
No fight in the heavyweight division takes priority over Jones vs. Miocic. It doesn’t matter who complains. UFC Interim Heavyweight Champion Tom Aspinall, fans and media urged the UFC to move the division, but to no avail. is white decided to book A finished dream match between Jones and Miocic, the UFC’s most accomplished light heavyweight and heavyweight champions, respectively. Jones won the vacant heavyweight title last March and was booked against Miocic at UFC 295 in November. However, Jones was out with injury and the UFC opted to remove Miocic from the card as well. Aspinall emerged as interim champion in Jones’ absence but is being prevented from earning a fight against Jones or a consolation interim title defense against Miocic. The UFC is committed to booking Jones vs. Miocic again this year.
Sean O’Malley: Vengeful first title defense against Marlon “Chito” Vera
the jury is out O’Malley’s potential as a superstar, It cannot be denied that he has a better chance than others to achieve success. O’Malley will headline a stacked UFC 299 card against the only man to defeat him. O’Malley vs. Vera has a lot going for it: an attractive champion, crossover potential, a real feud and a strong undercard. The outcome of O’Malley’s first bantamweight title defense will say a lot about his trajectory. O’Malley is looking for a super fight against Ilya Topuria if the Spaniard beats featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298. Winning impressively would boost O’Malley’s chances.
Israel Adesanya: Potential title shot in two divisions and a prime spot at UFC 300
Former UFC middleweight champion Adesanya is in unexpectedly strong shape. Adesanya had planned to take an extended hiatus after his shocking defeat to Shawn Strickland in September. He cut his break short and is trying to make a comeback. There is no confirmation as to what awaits Adesanya but options abound. Adesanya was in attendance to see Draculas du Plessis become middleweight champion. Light heavyweight titleholder Alex Pereira is a candidate to headline UFC 300, but he has no healthy challengers available. Adesanya finds himself at a fork in the road: He can try to reclaim his title from the man he hates so much or try to capture another weight class title against his biggest rival. It’s unclear whether Adesanya will be healthy in time for UFC 300, but there’s a strong possibility he’ll fight for UFC gold this year.
Islam Makhachev: Three potential challengers for his next title defense
There is no specific time frame for Makhachev’s return but he will not have to struggle to find an opponent. It’s a privilege to have a division with multiple legitimate contenders. Lightweight is one such weight class. The main candidates challenging Makhachev are Arman Tsarukyan, Charles Oliveira and Justin Gaethje. All three will compete at UFC 300, Gaethje will defend his formal BMF title at lightweight against Max Holloway. Oliveira and Zarukyan will fight each other. Oliveira vs. Zarukyan was dubbed a title eliminator, so the winner should be next. Unfortunately, the fight for the No. 1 contender in 2024 is a shaky promise. Convenience is a priority with the UFC’s busy event calendar. Whether it’s the Oliveira-Tsarukyan winner or the victorious Gaethje, whoever is most available to meet the matchmakers’ needs will fight Makhachev next.
