There were 8 UFC identify adjustments this 12 months, should you come with championships being vacated because of depart or shock. Indubitably, 2023 has been marked by means of fluidity and most likely a passing of the torch to the then moment.
With all of the fluctuations, it’s an skillful moment to take a look at the UFC’s sections and the way they stacked up. There are 3 primary pay-per-view playing cards extra within the 12 months and no less than 5 extra identify fights. That doesn’t rely the alternative summit contender battles that experience additionally been scheduled sooner than the 12 months ends.
So, what are the ones primary bouts nonetheless to return, ones that can come to a decision champions and doable then challengers? And which sections within the UFC get up out a few of the remains as we move into the general quarter of the 12 months?
Our panel of 10 ranked the load categories and Marc Raimondi, Brett Okamoto and Jeff Wagenheim resolution those questions under.
Suga Sean brings males’s bantamweight to summit spot
1. Males’s Bantamweight: 135 lbs
Easiest extra struggle in 2023: Rob Font vs. Deiveson Figueiredo, Dec. 2
That is the UFC’s marquee weight elegance, led by means of some of the recreation’s largest stars in newly topped champ, Sean O’Malley. Impactful doable fights? Whisk your pick out. As a result of O’Malley rose to the summit so temporarily, there are enough quantity of unused and thrilling identify protection matchups. And since he’s so just right at selling himself, there’s a storyline to each and every considered one of them.
On summit of all that, there are a couple of rematches that can draw. Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera is anticipated to be then to problem for the identify. There’s additionally Aljamain Sterling and Petr Yan. All just right rematches. Unused matchups come with Merab Dvalishvili, Henry Cejudo and Cory Sandhagen. O’Malley has lifted a section already in a just right park to a complete unused stage. So, who’s the then O’Malley ready to ascend to greatness? It’s Umar Nurmagomedov, who’s a possible 2024 breakout candidate. — Okamoto
2. Light-weight: 155 lbs
Easiest extra struggle in 2023: Islam Makhachev vs. Charles Oliveira, UFC 294 on Oct. 21
The UFC light-weight identify can be at the order in a rematch between Makhachev, the flow champion, and Oliveira, the previous titleholder, at UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi. Makhachev and Oliveira are two of the arena’s summit pound-for-pound warring parties, and the second one struggle among them will have to be an absolute barnburner. Makhachev completed Oliveira by way of second-round submission once they met terminating October, however Oliveira regarded incredible in dispatching Beneil Dariush in his following struggle at UFC 289 again in June. This is among the perfect fights within the UFC for the remains of 2023.
One struggle that isn’t but at the books additionally has a ton of implications that stretch to the mainstream. Conor McGregor, the largest famous person in UFC historical past, is meant to fulfill Michael Chandler some time, even though it’s going to no longer occur this 12 months. The struggle can be at 170 kilos, possibly. However Chandler is a summit light-weight and there are primary implications for the section, particularly if he wins. The then UFC Combat Night time primary tournament, on Oct. 7, could also be one to observe: Grant Dawson is unbeaten in 9 UFC fights and takes on wily veteran Bobby Green. — Raimondi
3. Welterweight: 170 lbs
Easiest extra struggle in 2023: Leon Edwards (c) vs. Colby Covington, UFC 296 on Dec. 16
Leon Edwards will cover his identify on Dec. 16 towards Colby Covington, who’ll be combating for the primary moment in 21 months and is coming off a 2-2 stretch. It could be proper in line with the UFC’s erratic 2023 narrative for Covington to win the belt. That may displace a pound-for-pound top-five man in Edwards however would reinvigorate two careers — Covington’s and Kamaru Usman’s. The ex-champ is in exile off at the edge of the identify image on account of two losses to Edwards, however Usman can be proper again within the combine if the belt had been across the waist of Covington, whom he’s crushed two times.
That December struggle card additionally includes a welterweight matchup that might supremacy to another twist within the street. Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson and Shavkat Rakhmonov will tangle in a top-10 showdown between the section’s imaginable week — Rakhmonov is 17-0 with all finishes — and a 40-year-old who does no longer need to be relegated to being a factor of the day. — Wagenheim
4. Ladies’s Flyweight: 125 lbs
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Valentina Shevchenko desires trilogy struggle with Alexa Grasso when wholesome
Valentina Shevchenko talks about her contemporary struggle towards Alexa Grasso, when she is going to go back from shock and a possible trilogy struggle with Grasso.
Easiest extra struggle in 2023: Jennifer Maia vs. Viviane Araujo, Oct. 14
There aren’t any primary fights at the books but for the remains of the 12 months, following 3 abundance ones within the terminating a number of weeks. Alexa Grasso retained the UFC ladies’s flyweight identify towards former champ Valentina Shevchenko by way of a break up draw at Noche UFC. Within the weeks sooner than that, Erin Blanchfield gutted out a win over Taila Santos and Manon Fiorot edged former two-time strawweight champion Rose Namajunas, who has moved up.
UFC president Dana White has mentioned the Grasso vs. Shevchenko trilogy will occur then because of the debatable nature of that consequence. That might loose Blanchfield vs. Fiorot as a herbal identify eliminator some time, most likely sooner than the top of the 12 months. Araujo and Maia are ranked warring parties who will meet on Oct. 14 as they jockey for place. Maycee Barber, Tracy Cortez and Natalia Silva are all emerging contenders coming off bulky wins that can be situated in bulky fights then. Veterans Katlyn Chookagian and Lauren Murphy are nonetheless sport, as properly. — Raimondi
5. Males’s Featherweight: 145 lbs
Easiest extra struggle in 2023: Sodiq Yusuff vs. Edson Barboza, Oct. 14
It’s an unbelievable, dynamic weight elegance that’s deeper than it will get credit score for for the reason that guy on the summit, Alexander Volkanovski, has some way of creating issues glance simple. Along with Volkanovski, you could have the previous champ, Max Holloway, who has been necessarily very best on the weight towards somebody however Volkanovski. So, it’s a story of a sunny 1A, 1B and nearest the remains. One would possibly assume that might put together for a insufficiency of storylines, nevertheless it doesn’t.
Ilia Topuria has injected unused pleasure into the 145-pound section, and the eventual go back of Brian Ortega from shoulder shock will do the similar. Yair Rodriguez got here up shorten towards Volkanovski this 12 months, however he’s nonetheless in his top and one of the vital funny warring parties within the recreation. The cloudy horse is Movsar Evloev, who hasn’t been extraordinarily lively and doesn’t raise probably the most thrilling combating taste, however can be a significant illness if he can keep wholesome. — Okamoto
6. Middleweight: 185 lbs
Easiest extra struggle in 2023: Paulo Costa vs. Khamzat Chimaev, UFC 294 on Oct. 21
There were enough quantity of divisional shake-ups so far in 2023, however arguably none had been extra stunning than Sean Strickland‘s dominant, five-round disenchanted of Israel Adesanya. That unmarried consequence created an inventory of unused doable matchups with unused stakes. Evident engaging matchups come with Strickland vs. Adesanya 2, Adesanya vs. Dricus du Plessis, a du Plessis identify struggle towards somebody and Strickland vs. Robert Whittaker. However the UFC’s largest struggle may well be between Chimaev and Costa then day. If Chimaev returns to method and will also be anything else that resembles “active,” the 185-pound section may change into probably the most thrilling weight elegance within the recreation in 2024. Chimaev brings that a lot pleasure and intrigue. He simply must be wholesome and lively. — Okamoto
7. Ladies’s Strawweight: 115 lbs
Easiest extra struggle in 2023: Jessica Andrade vs. Mackenzie Dern, UFC 295 on Nov. 11
It may well be contradictory to name this some of the UFC’s best weight categories week mentioning that its champion may well be the game’s maximum dominant. However that’s strawweight for you. Zhang Weili is coming off a radical beatdown of Amanda Lemos terminating day, however as transcendent because the champ is, there are fascinating demanding situations forward.
Stylistically, a identify protection towards undefeated Tatiana Suarez would put Zhang’s grassland sport to a terrible check. But when the UFC had been to stock an tournament in China sooner than the top of the 12 months, as CEO Dana White has mentioned he desires to to bring about, the viewable primary tournament can be Zhang towards every other Chinese language 115-pounder, Yan Xiaonan. Next visible a 13-fight unbeaten streak finish with a couple of losses, Yan defeated contenders Mackenzie Dern and Jessica Andrade to place herself in top place for a identify shot. — Wagenheim
8. Heavyweight: 265 lbs
Easiest extra struggle in 2023: Jon Jones (c) vs. Stipe Miocic, UFC 295 on Nov. 11
It doesn’t get a lot larger than the principle tournament at Madison Sq. Grassland. Jones will cover his UFC heavyweight identify for the primary moment towards Miocic in November in Unused York. Miocic is a former two-time UFC heavyweight champion and probably the most completed champ the section has ever open. In the meantime, Jones is probably the most dominant brightness heavyweight within the recreation’s historical past, coming off a one-sided victory over Ciryl Gane at UFC 285 in March to win the heavyweight strap. That could be a large struggle, and the result will environment the section. There’s hypothesis that both one or each may renounce later on, resignation a void on the summit of heavyweight.
The 2 warring parties who would receive advantages maximum from a Jones or Miocic depart will be the heavy-handed Sergei Pavlovich and the well-rounded Tom Aspinall. Either one of them are knocking on the identify problem door and may well be then in order for a shot. In all probability the 2 may meet in a identify eliminator in early 2024. The alternative bulky heavyweight matchup sooner than the top of this 12 months is Curtis Blaydes vs. Jailton Almeida on Nov. 4 in Brazil. Almeida is pink sizzling and may well be some of the week stars of the section. — Raimondi
9. Males’s Flyweight: 125 lbs
Easiest extra struggle in 2023: Alexandre Pantoja (c) vs. Brandon Royval, UFC 296 on Dec. 16
There’s a batch extra motion right here than there impaired to be. Demetrious Johnson reigned for 6 years upcoming turning into the UFC’s first flyweight champion in 2012. After Henry Cejudo used to be the champ for a few years. However because the summer time of 2020, the belt has modified arms 5 occasions, with Deiveson Figueiredo and Brandon Moreno having two runs with the identify. It’s turn out to be a sport of musical chairs.
Alexandre Pantoja received the belt from Moreno in July and is already booked for his first identify protection on Dec. 16 vs. Brandon Royval. Pantoja already owns a 2021 submission win over Royval. He additionally has 3 victories over Moreno (one in an exhibition on “The Ultimate Fighter”). Pantoja fought Figueiredo in 2019 and misplaced, however Figueiredo is about to put together his bantamweight debut (Dec. 2 vs. Rob Font). Speak about transferring portions. — Wagenheim
10. Sunny Heavyweight: 205 lbs
Easiest extra struggle in 2023: Jiří Procházka vs. Alex Pereira, UFC 295 on Nov. 11
The Jon Jones curse is still in complete impact at 205 kilos. Jones in spite of everything moved to heavyweight in 2023, however this section has been a multitude since he vacated his identify in 2020. There were some admirable fights and singular performances, evidently, however the latest hierarchy of the section and the belt has been downright tricky to apply. Procházka claims the belt and nearest suffers a horrific shock. A vacant identify struggle leads to a draw. Jamahal Hill grabs the identify, and nearest he suffers a vital shock of his personal.
It now does appear to be in a just right park, with an excellent vacant identify struggle between Procházka and Pereira booked for November in Unused York (at the similar card as Jones, refuse much less). The identify to retain an visual on on this section is Aleksandar Rakic. He’s were given some bulky wins and a few bulky losses, however in the long run, it doesn’t really feel like we’ve open his complete doable but. — Okamoto
11. Ladies’s Bantamweight: 135 lbs
Easiest extra struggle in 2023: Miesha Tate vs. Julia Avila, Dec. 2
This section has long past tranquility because the summer time. In June, Amanda Nunes rode off into the sundown, retiring because the UFC ladies’s bantamweight and featherweight champion. And refuse identify struggle has been scheduled for the vacant belt. Julianna Peña and Raquel Pennington appear more likely to be the 2 contributors in a identify struggle, however not anything is at the books for the remains of the 12 months. And there isn’t a sunny spot for that bout until it reveals its manner onto the UFC 295 card on Nov. 11, which already has two identify fights.
Mayra Bueno Silva appeared like a possible unused face of the section upcoming she completed Holly Holm in June. However she’s since been suspended because of a doping violation. It’s vague when she may well be again and that win over Holm can be overturned to a refuse tournament. There aren’t any alternative primary fights within the section scheduled sooner than the top of the 12 months, aside from for Miesha Tate vs. Julia Avila on Dec. 2. If Tate wins, together with her identify worth, she may well be thrust into a significant contender struggle in 2024. — Raimondi
12. Ladies’s Featherweight: 145 lbs
Easiest extra struggle in 2023: N/A
That is by means of a long way the largest section in ladies’s MMA — in competitor dimension. Yeah, that’s a small-minded shaggy dog story, however jokes are about all now we have for this alone storagefacility of a weight elegance. Bellator and PFL lead to cobble in combination an enchanting struggle between 145-pound ladies now and nearest, however within the UFC, the bell has been ringing for years. It was boisterous and ominous when Amanda Nunes vacated her identify in June and retired. The UFC not too long ago got rid of ladies’s featherweight from its divisional ratings web page on-line.
It needn’t finish this manner. The vacuum created by means of the escape of Nunes may well be stuffed with alternative. There’s refuse inheritor obvious sitting round then to the Octagon — Cris Cyborg, Kayla Harrison and Larissa Pacheco compete in otherwise formed cages — so the UFC belt is a let go ball looking ahead to any individual to dive on it. The struggle promotion may do worse than to stock a rematch of terminating 12 months’s Macy Chiasson split-decision win over Norma Dumont and wrap the strap across the winner. If the matchmakers want one thing brisker for a identify bout, put Chiasson in with Josi Nunes. It may well be the beginning of a moment Nunes month. — Wagenheim
