Wouldn’t it’s attention-grabbing to see fights that includes fighters with the identical title within the Octagon? We thought so too.
The matchmakers within the UFC have a troublesome job. They should have in mind a fighter’s expertise, win/loss document, call-outs, and rather more when making fights. What in the event that they didn’t want to have a look at all of that and as an alternative simply match folks up by title?
Lately a struggle was introduced that options Rafael dos Anjos and Rafael Fiziev. It has been dubbed “the battle of the Rafaels” on Twitter. These males have been boasting that they’ll show to be the perfect Rafael within the UFC, so what are another identical title matchups that might work?
Michael Chandler vs. Michael Johnson
Battle of the Michaels. Each males struggle within the light-weight division and will feasibly struggle one another sooner or later based mostly on weight class alone. Johnson is coming off an enormous second-round TKO over Alan Patrick on Could 14. This was his first win in his final 4 and though it was an awesome efficiency, Johnson continues to be sitting exterior the highest 15, and with Chandler at number five and potentially in the title mix, it’s unlikely we might see these two face off.
Askar Askar vs. Askar Askarov
So many Askars, so little time. So these two males are usually not precisely in the identical weight class, however their names are so comparable we are able to let that slide, proper? Askarov fights at flyweight and has been tearing it up there since becoming a member of the UFC again in 2019. He has hit a setback together with his final unanimous resolution loss to Kai Kara-France, however he’s nonetheless sitting within the prime 5 of the division.
Askar fights proper now in LFA, he rapidly had a UFC name up in February of final 12 months however was not in a position to struggle after which was launched from the group. He’s again within the successful column with two wins at LFA now and will get one other chase on the UFC quickly. he fights at bantamweight however perhaps a transfer down by him or a move-up by Askarov and we are able to see a battle of the Askars.
Brandon Moreno vs. Brandon Royval
This matchup could be the most probably of the bunch. Each males are presently preventing within the UFC flyweight division and each are presently within the prime 5 and have faced off before. They have been matched collectively in Nov. of 2020 earlier than Moreno started his trilogy in opposition to Deiveson Figueiredo. Within the first assembly, Moreno obtained the perfect of Royval by first-round TKO. Nonetheless, whereas Moreno has been busy with Figueiredo, Royval has been working his manner again as much as the highest. He has two wins in a row in opposition to Rogério Bontorin and Matt Schnell and will make a case for one more shot at Moreno.
Dan Hooker vs. Dan Ige
Dan Hooker has been having a tough go of it these days. he has just one win in his final 5 fights. He gave his greatest strive at featherweight in his final outing however got here up brief to Arnold Allen in London. Though he has introduced that he now not needs to pursue fights at 145 kilos if he have been to provide it another strive, why not strive his luck at one other Dan.
Ige is presently holding the No. 10 spot within the featherweight rankings. He’s coming off two losses to top-ranked opponents, Josh Emmett and Chan Sung Jung. Each males off losses, each making an attempt to make their manner again to the highest and close to a title shot, each named Dan, feels like a match made in heaven.
Jessica Eye vs. Jessica Andrade
Jessica Andrade is without doubt one of the most lively fighters on the UFC roster. She has fought twice a 12 months continuously for the final 4 years and has been in a position to bounce between strawweight and flyweight. She is now again at strawweight the place she as soon as held the title however has dropped a bit within the rankings. She is presently sitting within the quantity three spot and will most probably face a prime contender subsequent, however what if she faces one other Jessica.
Jessica Eye is the subsequent closest to Andrade when it comes to rankings. She is 11 within the ranks however has been on a little bit of a shedding streak these days. Eye has her subsequent matchup already set when she takes in Maycee Barber this summer season, but when for some cause if Barber wants a substitute, Andrade may very well be a pleasant match.
Alexander Gustaffson vs. Alexander Volkov
Alexander Gustaffson is making his return to the UFC. After a two-year retirement, Gustaffson is able to give his MMA profession one other go, however this time is making an attempt out a heavyweight. He will likely be making his comeback at UFC London on July 23 and can face Nikita Krylov. If Gustaffson can get the win he’ll most probably discover himself within the prime ten of the heavyweight division. If that’s the case he would set himself up properly for a possible bout with Alexander Volkov.
Volkov may also be on the UFC London card because the headliner. With a win, he may very well be a top-five opponent subsequent trip, however with a loss, Gustaffson may very well be the appropriate match. The great thing about them each preventing on the identical London card is that they might doubtlessly be on the identical schedule sooner or later and maybe a battle of the Alexanders will occur the subsequent time the UFC heads to Europe.
Chris Weidman vs. Chris Curtis
Chris Weidman was at one time the middleweight champion. Sadly for him, his profession has taken a little bit of a flip and with his most recent injury, one other title shot appears a methods away at the moment. Weidman is on the mend nonetheless and dealing to make his manner again to the Octagon. When he returns to the cage maybe he may wish to welcome a brand new up and comer in Chris Curtis.
Curtis now has two wins within the UFC. He holds two TKO wins and already has his subsequent project. He will likely be taking over Rodolfo Vieira in June and if he can win once more in a formidable vogue he might discover himself within the prime 15. With Weidman presently sitting within the quantity 14 spot, it may very well be an ideal Chris-cross of expertise.
Jake Matthews vs. Matt Brown
So, this subsequent one is a little bit of a attain however let’s simply go together with it—Jake Matthews in opposition to Matt(hew) Brown. Brown has been a staple within the welterweight division for years. He’s a veteran of the spot and now at 41 years previous reveals no signal of slowing down. He’s a giant title and rightfully so since he has been matched up with the likes of Robbie Lawler, Carlos Condit, and others over time.
Matthews is a proficient fighter who may have the bump that he might get format a win over a man like Brown, though it will be a tough job. Matthews doesn’t struggle typically and this makes it tough to stand up the rankings. He actually holds the expertise to be within the prime 15 however perhaps title recognition just isn’t there but. A struggle with Brown might yield major card placement and the stage each fighters want at this level of their profession.
Josh Culibao vs. Josh Emmett
A featherweight division match-up of the Joshes? Why not? Josh Culibao was introduced into the UFC and confronted with a really tough job. he was pitted up in opposition to Jalin Turner on brief discover and paid the worth. Then he received in opposition to Shayilan Nuerdanbieke and put himself proper in a superb place within the division. Josh Emmett may very well be a superb check to see if Culibao is able to take his sport to the subsequent degree.
Emmett is ranked seventh and inching nearer to a title shot. he returned to the UFC after a layoff to show that he belongs within the prime ten with a win over Dan Ige.
Amanda Ribas vs. Amanda Lemos
Amanda Ribas and Amanda Lemos are so shut to one another within the UFC strawweight division rankings it’s a shock that they’ve by no means fought earlier than. They each had comparable beginnings arising in MMA. They each fought for Jungle Fights across the identical time and have been each champions of various divisions in 2015. Now they’re each within the UFC and each have title aspirations. Finally, these two will in all probability meet.
Proper now Ribas is simply coming off a loss in opposition to Katlyn Chookagian at flyweight however perhaps a return to strawweight may very well be in her future. Lemos has her subsequent project all set. She is going to face Michelle Waterson in July.
There are many alternatives for the UFC to play the title sport, which matchup is your favourite?
