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UFC: Seven Major Fights We Want to See in 2017
UFC 194 – Aldo vs. McGregor: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
We’ve entered 2017 coming off of one of the most interesting years in UFC history. Despite a few of the promotion’s top-tier talents being sidelined to begin the year, there’s plenty to keep us entertained all year long.
The majority of fight fans recognize the UFC’s impressive depth throughout many of its divisions. Mainstream sports-fan may not know names outside of McGregor or Rousey, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of interesting fights worth our attention. These seven bouts in particular need to happen in 2017, both for the fans, and the UFC.
Seemingly struggling to pair fighters to start the new year, Sean Shelby and co. are hoping the current scheduling is more of a hiccup, and less a sign of things to come. While we’re merely days into the new year, the UFC’s list of upcoming events isn’t what many were expecting.
Of course, there are dozens of reasons for these issues, some of which are beyond the UFC’s control. With a $4 billion price-tag, that’s not going to matter very much. Should they continue their 2016-rate of events, there could be some problems.
They need big names in big fights, and they need a lot of them. They’ve already had to reschedule and move UFC 208, and things haven’t improved much since. We’re still waiting for headliners for UFC 209, while 208 isn’t turning many heads.
All of that being said, the promotion has plenty of pieces to work with. Between new ownership, changing roles within the organization, USADA’s impact, and more, these issues are to be expected. Hopefully, they’re ironed out quickly, and we can witness at least a few of these fights that we need to see in 2017.
Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Jessica Andrade vs. Michelle Waterson – Strawweight
The UFC’s strawweight division has grown impressively in its short time in existence, and a bout between Jessica Andrade and Michelle Waterson would showcase that fact well. A couple of fighters making relatively recent moves to 115-pounds, Andrade and Waterson are both a win away from a shot at dominant champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk. Jedrzejczyk has defeated several of the strawweight division’s top contenders in her reign as champion.
Waterson, a former atomweight (105 pounds) champion with Invicta FC, is 2-0 in her UFC strawweight career. The “Karate Hottie” submitted fan-favorite Paige VanZant in the first round in front of millions on network television to close out 2016. Now, she needs a true challenge.
At 115-pounds, there aren’t many fighters who offer challenges like Andrade. The Brazilian made the move from bantamweight in 2016, and her power has followed. Going 2-0 last year, Andrade defeated Jessica Penne and Joanne Calderwood. She’s reportedly been offered a title-bout with Jedrzejczyk, but would like another fight to prepare for the tough test that is Joanna Champion.
The matchup makes sense for the division, is interesting stylistically, and would draw viewers. Make it happen UFC, and let’s see who gets the next crack at the title at strawweight.
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Cody Garbrandt (C) vs. TJ Dillashaw – Bantamweight
Cody Garbrandt’s rise to champion in 2016 was one of the best stories of the year. Up for “Fighter of the Year”, “Performance of the Year”, “Breakout Fighter of the Year”, and every other award MMA blogs can think of, Garbrandt’s on a roll. Topping Dominick Cruz in a five-round title fight isn’t something any of us thought possible this time last year, and now we want to see what “No Love” is made of.
If winning four fights and knocking off one of the most dominant bantamweights in MMA history wasn’t enough of a test, TJ Dillashaw certainly would be. Formerly of Team Alpha Male, Dillashaw has also been on a roll of late. He’s earned wins over Raphael Assuncao and John Lineker since losing his bantamweight belt to Cruz via split decision in January, leaving no doubt as to who’s the number one contender at 135-pounds.
We were most impressed by Garbrandt’s boxing and striking in his victory over Cruz at UFC 207. His power and speed were obvious, proven throughout his amateur boxing career and in UFC wins over Thomas Almeida and Takeya Mizugaki. But his ability to tag Cruz, consistently, throughout five rounds is something nobody has been able to do.
Dillashaw offers many of the same difficulties, but with added power and wrestling. Cruz is one of the best bantamweights of all time, but in a matchup with Dillashaw, the risks are a little bigger. Garbrandt was able to take Cruz’s heaviest shots, and continue to move and find space to land punches. All while not worrying about the ground-game. Against Dillashaw, that may not be the case.
The trash-talk has already begun, and even Cruz saying this fight should happen. We agree, and hope to see it on the schedule sometime in 2017.
Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
Frankie Edgar vs. Cub Swanson II – Featherweight
Since moving to featherweight in 2013, Frankie Edgar has lost to one person. That man, Jose Aldo, has defeated him twice. Once for the title at UFC 156, and the other for the interim belt at UFC 200. Apart from that, Edgar has been dominant. Wins over BJ Penn, Urijah Faber, Chad Mendes, and most recently Jeremy Stephens have cemented the Mark Henry-product atop the 145-pound division.
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But, Edgar might be in a tough spot. With Aldo holding the belt, a third title shot doesn’t seem to be in the cards in 2017. That doesn’t mean there aren’t other, intriguing options, though. Depending on what happens with Aldo’s chase for Conor McGregor (we’ll get to that), Edgar might be faced with another shot at the interim title with current holder Max Holloway.
What we’d rather see, though, is a rematch with Cub Swanson. They last fought in November of 2014, with Edgar earning the submission win. At the time, his neck crank of Swanson at 4:56 of the fifth round was the latest finish in UFC history. It was Swanson’s first loss since 2011, as Edgar took the fight to the ground, and was in control the vast majority of the fight.
Edgar has since challenged for the 145-pound interim title and lost. Meanwhile, Swanson went 3-0 in 2016, including a candidate for “Fight of the Year” in his December win over Doo Ho Choi. Both are deserving of, and looking for, top-five fights. Each tallied victories to close out 2016, and a win over the other would put them at the front of the line at featherweight next year.
Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
Eddie Alvarez vs. Edson Barboza – Lightweight
There aren’t many fighters less fun to fight than Edson Barboza. At lightweight, the top contenders are running out of other options. Barboza made it more difficult for those in the running for the 155-pound belt to avoid him, going 2-0 in 2016. Wins over Anthony Pettis and Gilbert Melendez have Barboza firmly in the top-tier, and a fight with Eddie Alvarez would be the perfect next step.
For Alvarez, avoiding back to back losses is a must. Especially in the 155-pound weight class. Barboza is no gimme, and a win over the Brazilian would keep Alvarez in title contention. The former Bellator and UFC lightweight champion is coming off of his most active year since 2009, so a break is likely in order. When he gets back, a bout with Barboza would have our attention, as well as many others.
Like many of these suggested bouts, Barboza-Alvarez also offers an interesting matchup of styles. Barboza’s kicks are the stuff of legend, and his skills in Muay Thai and Taekwondo are not in question. Asking the likes of Mike Lullo, Terry Etim, and Rafaello Oliveira will confirm these findings.
Alvarez leans on his impressive boxing, and watching the former champion figure out how to get inside the range of the taller, longer Barboza would be a treat for fight fans everywhere. Alvarez had trouble breaking down the range of McGregor in his last fight, and Barboza would be another tough test for the “Underground King.”
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Conor McGregor (LW-C) vs. Jose Aldo (FW-C) II – Lightweight
It has to happen, sooner or later. Right? We’d like to hope so. The first fight, as great as it was, was only ‘tirteen’ seconds. Whether or not Aldo deserved an immediate rematch with McGregor, doesn’t matter anymore. The game has changed since UFC 194. No longer does McGregor do the chasing. Instead, it is the rest who chase him.
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Aldo knows that more than most, as he’s been chasing him both in the Octagon and in the media since his loss to McGregor in December of 2015. Aldo’s sudden obsession with McGregor and McGregor’s sudden apathy for Aldo have turned this bout into brilliant UFC theater.
Toss in the UFC stripping McGregor of his featherweight belt and handing it to Aldo in the build up to UFC 206, and it’s as though the promotion wants this bout as well. Oh, the UFC reportedly offering the Brazilian a shot at the interim lightweight title against Nurmagomedov might signal their ultimate intention.
Either way, this fight needs to happen. McGregor returning to “take back what’s rightfully his” in the 145-pound belt sounds like a perfect storyline for his return. There’s the potential for plenty of fantastic and high-profile fights for the UFC this year. None are better matchups or a bigger draw than McGregor-Aldo II.
Joshua Dahl-USA TODAY Sports
Donald Cerrone vs. Robbie Lawler – Welterweight
Donald Cerrone was one of the UFC’s top fighters in 2016. Moving to welterweight last year, Cerrone went 4-0 and is ready for a test against the top-five in the 170-pound weight class. Since 2013, Cerrone is 13-3, with all three of those losses coming to former lightweight champions.
Another bout against a former champion sounds like a fine way to see if Cerrone can handle the best of the best at welterweight. So, how about Robbie Lawler? Lawler has been linked with fights with Nick Diaz and Demian Maia in 2017, following his first bout since losing the title to Tyron Woodley in July of 2016. But, is yet to find an opponent for his return.
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These two were slated to fight at UFC 205, but Lawler quickly withdrew in order to fully recharge for another run at the belt. Both of these men are incredibly tough, and no strangers to performance bonuses and memorable fights. Cerrone’s move to welterweight creates a lot of interesting matchups, but few get us as excited as Lawler.
First, Cerrone will face Jorge Masvidal in January. Should he win, a fight with Lawler in 2017 would catapult “Cowboy” into welterweight title contention. Lawler will be looking to avoid back to back losses, and stopping the red-hot Cerrone would let everyone know the former champion isn’t going anywhere.
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Demian Maia vs. Welterweight Title-Holder
There is not a contender in the UFC more deserving of a title-shot than Demian Maia. The Brazilian has challenged for UFC gold once before, falling to Anderson Silva at middleweight in 2010. After making the move to welterweight in 2012, Maia has found his home.
He’s arguably the greatest jiu-jitsu practitioner in the history of the promotion and has found a way to emphasize his advantage over his opponents in astounding fashion. Winning six straight since losing to now-Bellator fighter Rory Macdonald in February of 2014, Maia’s at the front of the line for a shot at the 170-pound belt.
The current champion, Woodley, has defended his title against each of the other top contenders in the division. Defeating Lawler at UFC 201, and earning the majority draw against Stephen Thompson at UFC 205, Woodley’s taken on the rest of the top-tier at welterweight. Whatever you think of the decision between Woodley-Thompson at Madison Square Garden, two things are true.
Thompson had his shot. Woodley left with the belt.
Now, Maia deserves his chance. His first-round submission of Carlos Condit in August of last year proved the 39-year-old is still improving. Whether you want style matchups, deserving contenders, or well-known names, Maia has it all. His mainstream pull, which seems to carry more weight than it has in the past with the promotion, may not be that of Nick Diaz or Donald Cerrone. But Maia has the resume’, and he should get a shot at the 170-pound title in 2017.
The UFC has a deep roster full of talent in a variety of weight classes. Even without a few of the major players available to start the year, there are still plenty of potential bouts to keep our minds racing. These fights will go a long way toward settling some differences and sorting out a couple of the more muddy divisions. They’ll also help pay the bills, which is always a good thing. In a new era of matchmaking, these bouts would go a long way toward setting the promotion in the right direction.
