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As the UFC concludes its month of July with UFC 277, it is time to look forward to what the month of August has in store for fight fans. While there may not be a ton of events lined up with just two fight nights and one pay-per-view, there are plenty of exciting match-ups to look forward to.
On August 6, the fight night event in Las Vegas will be headlined by Thiago Santos and Jamahal Hill. The week after features an event in San Diego showcasing a bout between Marlon Vera and Dominick Cruz. To finish up the month, fans will be treated to a pay-per-view card with Kamaru Usman and Leon Edwards at the top of the bill.
Here are the five best fights to look forward to in August:
#5. Thiago Santos vs. Jamahal Hill - UFC on ESPN 40
On August 6, the main event will see former title challenger Thiago Santos take on the up-and-coming Jamahal Hill in light-heavyweight action. While the bout, at least on paper, may not be the most evenly matched affair, it will give us a clearer idea of how far Hill can go in the division.
Hill is currently riding two straight first-round KO wins which have earned him a spot in the division's top 10. In contrast, Santos has lost four of his last five bouts and looked a shadow of the fighter that he did when he fought Jon Jones with a broken leg.
Nonetheless, Santos did make Magomed Ankalaev look somewhat ordinary despite losing to him last time out, which is part of what makes this match-up so interesting. We'll see how Hill's performance compares to the likes of Ankalaev. If he were to pick up another stoppage victory, he would insert himself in the title picture.
#4. Kamaru Usman vs. Leon Edwards II - UFC 278
The one pay-per-view in August will be headlined by a UFC welterweight championship bout between Kamaru Usman and Leon Edwards. The fight is actually a rematch as the pair competed against one another earlier in their careers when neither man was nearly as big a name as they are today.
On that occasion, Usman dominated with his grappling and picked up a unanimous decision victory. However, both men have clearly improved by leaps and bounds since that encounter, so it will be very interesting to see how the rematch will play out.
The reason this fight does not rank higher is that Usman is a significant favorite, and many are predicting the rematch to follow a similar pattern to the first bout. Perhaps Edwards can make the necessary changes and utilize his superior striking to win the title, but it's worth noting that Usman has significantly improved his stand-up since linking up with Trevor Wittman in 2020.
#3. Marlon Vera vs. Dominick Cruz - UFC on ESPN 41
A UFC Fight will take place in San Diego this August, and it is set to be headlined by a bantamweight match-up between Marlon 'Chito' Vera and Dominick Cruz. The bantamweight division could very well be the best in all of MMA at the moment, so it will be fascinating to see who comes out victorious in this top 10 clash.
Stylistically, this match-up seems destined to deliver. Cruz's unique footwork always produces interesting scenarios, and Vera is not an opponent who is simply going to look for a takedown. The stand-up battle fams are likely to get will be incredibly high-level, so it's tough to predict how it will play out.
There's also somewhat of a rivalry between the pair, as Vera has claimed Cruz has repeatedly turned down a fight with him in the past. When you add on both fighters' entertaining personalities, expect this to be a match-up that keeps you entertained all weekend long.
#2. Paulo Costa vs. Luke Rockhold - UFC 278
The bout between Paulo Costa and Luke Rockhold was meant to take place at UFC 277 but has since been re-scheduled to August 20. It remains a very intriguing match-up, given fans never know what they'll get from Costa. Rockhold, on the other hand, hasn't fought at middleweight since 2018.
The former middleweight champion admits he is likely towards the end of his career, yet he still hopes he can turn the clock back to the form that saw him win gold. While Costa has plenty of years' worth of tread on his tires, he will have to bounce back from consecutive defeats to Israel Adesanya and Marvin Vettori.
Costa and Rockhold have two contrasting personalities. Luke is more clinical and technique-oriented — Costa charges forward to initiate wild exchanges. Whoever wins will become the dark horse of the division, whilst either fighter's stock will take a big hit with a loss.
#1. Jose Aldo vs. Merab Dvalishvili - UFC 278
Many thought Jose Aldo was done after he lost to Petr Yan for the UFC bantamweight championship. However, he has since rebounded with three impressive wins and is now on the verge of securing another title opportunity.
Standing in his way will be the talented Georgian grappler Merab Dvalishvili. Dvalishvili is on a seven-fight winning streak that has seen him become the boogeyman of the division, with few fighters expressing interest in taking him on. The fact Aldo even took this fight shows how focused he is on winning UFC gold once more.
Aldo vs. Dvalishivili will be a classic striker vs. grappler affair but remains a highly intriguing one. Both fighters have a lot riding on the outcome of this bout, and they seem evenly matched on paper. Above all fights in August, this one stands out as one that is not to be missed.
