Five UFC Dream Fights For 2023

It’s set to be a blockbuster year for the Ultimate Fighting Championship, writes Quintin van Jaarsveld as he lists five dream fights we could and should see in 2023.

After a smashing 2022, the world’s leading mixed martial arts promotion is poised for an ever greater 2023 with the two biggest names in the sport set to make their much-anticipated returns to the Octagon in Conor McGregor and Jon Jones. 

One of the reasons why MMA has knocked boxing off the perch as the number one combat sport in the world is the UFC’s track record of bringing fans the biggest possible fights. Dream fights are there to be made in 2023 while others could materialise if the combatants in question take care of business in the first half of the year. 

Here are five of the biggest box-office bouts we could see this year:

Francis Ngannou v Jon Jones

There’s nothing quite like the electrifying thrill of a classic heavyweight title fight and this clash of the titans is exactly that. It’s the ultimate dream fight the UFC can and should book in 2023, pitting the scariest power puncher in the sport’s history in champion Ngannou against arguably the greatest of all time in Jones.

For mixed martial arts fans, it’s a legacy fight. With a single crushing blow, Cameroon-born colossus Ngannou can do what no man has ever done before, legitimately beat “Bones.” On the other hand, Jones – the long-time ruler of the light heavyweight division, who vacated the belt in 2020 and has spent the last few years transforming into a heavyweight – can cement himself as the GOAT by slaying the biggest beast of all and becoming a two-division champion.

It’s also a blockbuster battle that transcends the UFC and MMA as a whole. The larger-than-life stature of Ngannou, a 1.93m, 117kg freak of nature seemingly chiselled out of stone, will attract new viewers and should see the super fight join a select list of special attractions to draw over two million pay-per-view buys.

Kamaru Usman v Khamzat Chimaev

Chimaev has taken the UFC by storm like no one else and remains undefeated. He proved he’s the real deal when he defeated former title challenger Gilbert Burns in a 15-minute war last April but squandered a superstar-making opportunity by missing weight and having his scheduled UFC 279 headliner against Nate Diaz scrapped.

The Czechia-born boogeyman rag-dolled his last-minute change of opponent Kevin Holland and scored a quick finish but the badly botched weight cut indicated that his days at welterweight are numbered. As a result, there are only two fights to make for “Borz” at 170 pounds – a number one contender clash with Colby Covington, a dream fight in itself – and if he gets past “Chaos” a championship blockbuster against Usman, the one welterweight with the wrestling pedigree and knockout power to take out Chimaev.  

That’s provided, of course, “The Nigerian Nightmare” reclaims the title he shockingly lost to Leon Edwards in August. Their trilogy bout is the only title fight that makes sense next and will set the stage for an Usman-Chimaev showdown later in the year.

Conor McGregor v Jorge Masvidal

McGregor never has a shortage of opponents to choose from and is primed for a massive 2023. It looks a lock that the Irish megastar will face human highlight reel Michael Chandler in his comeback fight, which is a super showdown in its own right. 

A victory will likely vault him straight into a title fight against the winner of February’s champion-versus-champion clash between Islam Makhachev and Alexander Volkanovski. The Justin Gaethje fight also needs to happen, while a fourth battle with Dustin Poirier is another possibility. 

However, “The Notorious” is a history-maker at heart, a pugilist who pursues and achieves the seemingly impossible. He became the first man in UFC history to hold two titles simultaneously and rose to become the biggest star the sport has ever seen.

He’s mentioned the next mountain he’d like to climb is becoming the first fighter to win a belt in three different weight classes and the fastest way to earn a shot at the welterweight gold would be to knock off former two-time title challenger Masvidal. 

Two of the rawest, realest, most charismatic and popular fighters in UFC history, their shared killed-or-be-killed fighting philosophy will make for a high-level striking war for the ages. The build-up would be great as both men are good on the mic, the unofficial title of baddest motherf**ker will add to the spectacle and the fight itself is a surefire epic. 

Israel Adesanya v Dricus du Plessis

International readers will be surprised by this pick but it’s the epitome of a dream fight as far as African MMA is concerned. It’s a real possibility as well if Nigerian-born Adesanya finally exorcises his biggest demon and South Africa’s Du Plessis continues on his path.

Like Usman, Adesanya is eyeing revenge against arch-rival Alex Pereira, who pulled off a stunning late upset like Edwards to dethrone “The Last Stylebender” as middleweight champion in November. Given their history, dating back to their kickboxing days, a rematch is a given and there may even be a third straight MMA bout.  

Du Plessis, who’s shot into the top 10 in no time, is one or two big wins away from a title fight. An exciting, all-action breath of fresh air, “Stillknocks” can punch his ticket to a championship opportunity by finishing a top contender like former champion Robert Whittaker, Paulo Costa or Marvin Vettori and a year-end showdown with Adesanya would be the perfect marquee match-up for the first-ever UFC Africa event.

Valentina Shevchenko v Rose Namajunas

This fight, admittedly, falls more into the fantasy category but it’s not out of the realm of possibility at all. Women’s MMA needs a super fight and dominant flyweight queen Shevchenko needs a big-name opponent. Rather than a third meeting between “Bullet” and double champ Amanda Nunes, a fight against fellow fan favourite and icon Namajunas would be a fresh special attraction. 

A former two-time strawweight champion, “Thug” has done it all at 115 pounds and the move 10 pounds north would breathe new life into not just her career, but the flyweight division as a whole. It took her former foe Jessica Andrade just one impressive win at 125 to earn a date with Shevchenko back in 2021 and Namajunas could do the same.

Quintin van Jaarsveld

Quintin Van Jaarsveld is a former MDDA-Sanlam SA Local Sports Journalist of the Year and a former three-time Vodacom KwaZulu-Natal Sports Journalist of the Year. Formerly the sports editor and Outstanding Journalist of the Year award winner at The Fever Media Group, deputy editor at eHowzit, editor at SARugby.com and senior staff writer at Rugby365.com, he boasts over 15 years’ experience and is currently a freelance sports writer.