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Jones-Aspinall? Gaethje-Chandler? The MMA fights we most want to see for the rest of 2024

Jones-Aspinall? Gaethje-Chandler? The MMA fights we most want to see for the rest of 2024

2024 is already shaping up to be one of the most dramatic years in MMA history, and we’re only halfway through. Alex Pereira has saved not one, but two major UFC events. Max Holloway has delivered perhaps the biggest knockout in MMA history. Conor McGregor is still teasing the biggest comeback in MMA history, much to the frustration of Michael Chandler.

And the second half of the year could be better than the first. The speculation about McGregor will, of course, continue. Jon Jones is expected to return. Sean O’Malley could be looking at a career year if he defeats Merab Dvalishvili. Israel Adesanya is looking for revenge in a grudge match with Dricus Du Plessis. The UFC heads to the Sphere in Las Vegas, a mega-event based on location alone.

There’s plenty more to look forward to outside of the UFC, including Francis Ngannou’s PFL debut teaser and Bellator title fights featuring champions Usman Nurmagomedov and Johnny Eblen.

Here are 10 fights I’d like to see in the next six months.


1. Ilia Topruia vs. Max Holloway, UFC

In January, this was the No. 11 matchup I wanted to see most in 2024. Now it’s time for No. 1, based on what Topuria and Holloway have done in the first half of the year.

Holloway’s BMF knockout of Justin Gaethje was a performance for the ages. What Topuria did to Alexander Volkanovski in February was equally impressive. There’s a growing personal rift between these two, which is extremely rare for a Holloway fight. Historically, it’s impossible to get Holloway to trash talk pre-fight, but Topuria might be the exception. If I can only watch one fight the rest of the year, this is it.


2. Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall, UFC

The UFC is not going to book this fight. UFC CEO Dana White has been adamant that Jones vs. Stipe Miocic will be next. I’m not a fan of that matchup. Miocic is the best heavyweight of all time, but booking him a championship fight when it’s been over four years since he last won is ridiculous. Maybe White would turn a corner if Aspinall knocked out Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304 in the most spectacular fashion of all time and made the best promo the sport has ever seen. But probably not. I’m going down with this ship. The heavyweight fight that needs to be made in the UFC is Jones vs. Aspinall.


3. Tom Aspinall vs. Alex Pereira, UFC

If the UFC doesn’t make Jones vs. Aspinall, I’d like to see it be Aspinall vs. Pereira. White has made it clear that he’s not a fan of promoting Pereira too quickly, but Pereira has countered that he’s 37 and wants a third belt, so that needs to happen sooner rather than later. If we’re being honest, Aspinall should fight Jones. That’s the fight for Aspinall. So if we’re not going to make the fight that makes the most sense, let’s do the next most exciting thing: give Pereira a chance to make history with a third belt by fighting Aspinall.


4. Khamzat Chimaev vs. Paulo Costa, UFC

The sport is very down on Chimaev, and understandably so. In the last two years, he missed weight against Nate Diaz, looked underwhelming in a three-rounder against Kamaru Usman, and pulled out of the biggest fight of his career against Robert Whittaker.

Costa is also not exactly at his peak. He has lost four out of five bouts and was timid against Sean Strickland. However, if these two were to make it to fight week, the build-up would be excellent and eagerly anticipated. If it happened, fans would love it, despite the millions of eye rolls that would occur if the UFC announced it.


5. Justin Gaethje vs. Michael Chandler, UFC

We still don’t know what’s going on with McGregor, but Chandler seems ready to move on if the right opportunity presents itself. This matchup would make sense on so many levels. Gaethje did the UFC a favor by fighting Holloway in April, even though he was in line for a lightweight title shot. Chandler has done everything the UFC has asked him to do to move forward with a potential McGregor fight, including filming “The Ultimate Fighter.” Islam Makhachev wants new opponents, preferably ones with name recognition. The first fight between Gaethje and Chandler was entertaining. Book the rematch and call it a No. 1 contender fight.


6. Kayla Harrison vs. Raquel Pennington OF Julianna Peña, UFC

All signs point to Pennington vs. Peña being a title fight in the fall, possibly in October. Depending on what happens there, it would be great to see the winner turn around quickly and see Harrison fight by the end of the year. If that doesn’t happen this year, that’s completely understandable. It just feels like a long time coming for Harrison to appear in a UFC title fight, and it would be nice to see her fight more than once in 2024, since she only fought once in 2023.


7. Patricio Pitbull vs. Aaron Pico, Bellator

In some ways, it still feels like Pico never regained the hype with which he entered the sport, after going 4-3 in his first seven professional appearances. Since then, though, he’s 9-1 with seven finishes — his only loss being to Jeremy Kennedy when he suffered a shoulder injury in the first round.

Pico, 27, is realizing the potential he brought to the sport, and it’s fun to watch now. Pitbull is one of the best featherweights — and perhaps one of the best fighters — of the last decade. This could be a passing of the torch, or Pitbull could show that Pico isn’t at championship level. It’s a fight worth watching.


8. Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira, PFL

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Ngannou ‘not done’ with boxing despite crushing loss to Joshua

Francis Ngannou reacts to his knockout loss to Anthony Joshua in round 2.

This is the most anticipated fight the PFL can currently stage, and it only got bigger when Ferreira knocked out Ryan Bader in 21 seconds back in February. There was already so much intrigue surrounding Ngannou, from how he would respond to a knockout loss to Anthony Joshua in boxing to his first MMA appearance outside of the UFC. The African champion has endured personal tragedy this year, losing his young son, Kobe. Ngannou is already one of the most inspirational figures the sport of mixed martial arts has ever seen. ever seen. If he chooses to come back and take on a challenge like Ferreira, it will be impossible not to cheer for him.


9. Dakota Ditcheva vs. Liz Carmouche OF Taila Santos, PFL

The PFL has something in Ditcheva. She’s charismatic, authentic, incredibly confident, and ready for the spotlight, which is huge considering her meteoric rise. She’s still relatively inexperienced, but her skills look legit. Ditcheva moves and throws in a way that jumps off the screen. If Ditcheva remains the real deal, she’s got real star power. Next month, Ditcheva will face Jena Bishop in the PFL semifinals, which is an intriguing matchup. Bishop will likely test her on the ground in ways she’s never been tested before. If Ditcheva wins, pitting her against Carmouche or Santos would be the final step in seeing if she’s a world-class prospect at 26.


10. Ian Machado Garry vs. Colby Covington, UFC

It’s a fight that makes too much sense right now. A win would buy Covington back some goodwill with the fans and the UFC, having lost a lackluster performance to Leon Edwards last year. If he beats a young, hungry, up-and-coming contender like Garry Machado, it cements his place at the top of the 170-pound division and gives his calls more validity. For Garry Machado, it’s a chance to add the biggest name yet to his resume and earn a fair share of the spotlight. I’d like to see it as a main event, preferably in Ireland. Covington in Ireland would be a scene. Tell me you wouldn’t be up for that fight week.