The UFC currently has a conundrum with their most consistently stacked division. I am, of course, talking about the Lightweight division. At the time of writing, only 2 of the top 7 155ers currently have a fight booked. This is the highly anticipated retirement fight between Dustin Poirier and Max Holloway. So, what to do with the other 5 fighters? Here are 4 matchups that both make sense and help solve the problem the UFC is facing.
Islam Makhachev (C) vs Ilia Topuria
Let us start with the easiest matchup to make. Islam vs Ilia is potentially the biggest fight the UFC could make and one every MMA fan is yearning for. UFC 317 needs a main event, and this should be it. It would seem as though the only potential holdup is the possibility of Islam moving to 170 should Belal Muhammad lose his belt to Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315. Whilst the opportunity to see him compete for champ-champ status is enticing, this is the fight I would rather see. “El Matador” is on an absolute tear in the UFC, with back-to-back finishes over future hall of famers, Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway, cementing his status as one of the pound-for-pound best. Opportunities to pair the PFP #1 vs the PFP #3 do not happen often, and Dana White must take advantage. This fight has all the intrigue you could ask for. Just how good is Ilia Topuria’s grappling? Can Islam Makhachev stand with Topuria and remain upright? It is exciting just thinking through the potential exchanges that could take place during this fight. Hopefully, this is the fight made for UFC 317 and fight fans can look forward to a Makhachev vs Volkanovski 1 level of fight.
Arman Tsarukyan vs Justin Gaethje
If the first matchup was the easiest to decide, this was certainly the most difficult. What to do with Arman Tsarukyan? Coming off his razor-close win over Charles Oliveira at UFC 300, Tsarukyan looked set for his long-awaited rematch with the champ, Islam Makhachev, at UFC 311. However, just one day before the event, Tsarukyan pulled out, citing a back injury. Shockwaves were sent around the MMA world, and since then, the Armenian seems to have been cast by the wayside. In my opinion, this should not be the case. Yes, pulling out one day before a title shot is an incredibly controversial and damaging decision to take, but Tsarukyan has proved he is capable of beating the very best in the division. A matchup with Justin Gaethje is the perfect comeback fight. Whilst both men have previously faced Oliveira, they have not faced off with each other. We need new matchups at lightweight, and this is just that. Gaethje is also more than worthy of this calibre of fight vs the #1 ranked Tsarukyan. In his last fight, “The Highlight”, nobly accepted a short-notice matchup with #11 ranked Rafael Fiziev in a rematch. He knew the risks, as their previous fight had been an absolute war, pushing both men to their limits. Despite this, Gaethje took on a challenge he did not need to, purely to entertain once again. A number one contender’s fight is exactly what he deserves for this show of loyalty and courage. This provides that perfectly.
Charles Oliveira vs Paddy Pimblett
Now, on face value, this matchup feels harsh to Oliveira. However, digging deeper, it is a fairer matchup than at first glance. Both men defeated Michael Chandler in their previous outings. Both men are bona fide stars and fan favourites. Both men carry some of the best ground games in the entire organisation. This fight is a stylistic dream, and for Paddy Pimblett, it represents an opportunity to throw his name in the hat for a title shot. Yes, he is only ranked #8, but how many #8-ranked fighters have 4.1 million Instagram followers? Should Ilia Topuria become champion at 155, the UFC is sure to do everything in their power to finally give fans the climax to the Spaniard’s beef with “Paddy the Baddy”. Whilst most fans felt as though Pimblett was more talk than ability, his aforementioned fight with Chandler proved this is far from the truth. 3 dominant rounds and a bloody conclusion showed Pimblett’s exceptional ability. Whilst you can easily matchmake the Pimblett, Oliveira, Gaethje, and Tsarukyan quarter in a variety of ways, personally, these 2 matchups are the ones to make.
Dan Hooker vs Renato Moicano
For the final matchup, fun is the name of the game. From the pre-fight build-up to the press conference to the resulting fight, this contest leaps off the page as a lesson in fun. Not only do Hooker and Moicano have two of the most infectious personalities in the organisation, but this matchup just makes sense. For Hooker, injuries have massively slowed his momentum. He was recently forced to pull out of his UFC 313 matchup with Justin Gaethje just two weeks before the event due to a broken hand. It is just the latest in a long line of injuries for “The Hangman”. Having said that, a top-10 matchup is still the least the veteran Lightweight deserves. Hooker has put on war after war for the fans, so why not add Moicano to the list. Coming off his shock late-notice title shot vs Islam Makhachev, Moicano needs a fight to regain the winning momentum from his previous 4-fight win streak. Hooker could present the perfect opportunity for the Brazilian to do exactly that. A long layoff, #6 ranked and with clear holes in his ground game – a matchup with the New Zealander is sure to have “Money Moicano” licking his lips at another potential finish.
All in all, the Lightweight division continues to be one of the UFC’s most stacked. With these four matchups, fans can finally have clarity at 155 pounds. Each fight is more exciting than the last, each filled with an elite level of skill, toughness and technique. Hopefully, Dana White can provide MMA fans with the contests they are eager to see.
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