5 blockbuster fights to book in the UFC light heavyweight division

Light heavyweight contender Paul Craig [Image via @bet365 on Twitter]

Since Jon Jones vacated the UFC light heavyweight title in 2020, the status quo and pecking order at 205 pounds has been incessantly changing. Jan Blachowicz won the vacant belt and defended it against middleweight king Israel Adesanya. At UFC 267 last year, the Polish champ was choked out by MMA veteran Glover Teixeira, who currently holds the belt.

Teixeira is reportedly set to defend his title against Jiri Prochazka at UFC 275 later this year. Whether the Brazilian titleholder retains his belt or Prochazka becomes the new champion, there isn't much clarity as to who the next title challenger will be.

Top contenders Jan Blachowicz and Alexander Rakic are also slated to lock horns later this year after their originally scheduled clash in March was postponed. Over the last few weeks, a number of light heavyweight contenders have squared off against one another, further altering the rankings at 205 pounds.

Jamahal Hill and Johnny Walker headlined a UFC Fight Night in February, before Magomed Ankalaev and Thiago Santos did the same the following month. Additionally, Paul Craig and Nikita Krylov duked it out on the recent UFC London fight card. That said, we thought we'd look at five blockbuster matchups the UFC should consider booking in the light heavyweight division.

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#5. Johnny Walker vs. Jimmy Crute

Johnny Walker has endured a horrific run of form of late. The flamboyant Brazilian has won just one fight since 2019 and is 1-4 in his last five bouts. Once touted as the man who could potentially dethrone Jon Jones, Walker's stock has plummeted in recent years.

After earning a UFC contract with a successful outing on Dana White's Contender Series, Walker went 3-0 in his first three fights in the promotion, all of which were first-round finishes. He then picked up back-to-back losses to Corey Anderson and Nikita Krylov before bouncing back with a win over Ryan Spann. Unfortunately, he failed to capitalize on the win and slipped to a unanimous decision loss to Thiago Santos in his next bout.

In his most recent appearance inside the octagon, Walker was viciously knocked out in the very first round of his fight against Jamahal Hill.

At 29, Johnny Walker still has a long way to go in his career. Perhaps the back-to-back main event slots came a little too early for the Brazilian. Considering the nature of his KO loss to Jamahal Hill, it will likely be a while before he returns to the octagon. When he does return, a matchup against another one of Hill's victims, Jimmy Crute, makes a ton of sense.

Like Walker, Crute has also endured a tumultuous run since joining the UFC. He too joined the promotion off the back of an impressive showing on Dana White's Contender Series and went 4-1 in his first five fights. He looked set to break into the top 10 in 2021 when he took on former title challenger Anthony Smith at UFC 261.

Unfortunately for the Aussie, he suffered a leg injury in the first round and, as a result, the doctor called off the bout before the second. In his most recent outing, he was knocked out by Jamahal Hill in December last year. With both Walker and Crute desperate to return to winning ways and, more importantly, protect their place on the roster, this could be an extremely entertaining high-stakes matchup down the line.

#4. Thiago Santos vs. Dominick Reyes

Thiago Santos' fall from grace in the UFC has been difficult to watch. He joined the promotion in 2013 and initially plied his trade in the middleweight division before opting to move up to light heavyweight. The powerful Brazilian blitzed his way to a championship opportunity at 205 pounds but ultimately fell short against then-champion Jon Jones in an extremely close bout.

Since his loss to Jones, Santos has struggled to find any rhythm. Moreover, his style of fighting has changed significantly as he's gotten older. He used to largely rely on his devastating power and otherworldly explosiveness. Now approaching 40, the athleticism that made him so dangerous early on in his career is seemingly fading away.

Santos has lost four out of his last five fights. His last win was a lackluster five-round bout against Johnny Walker, wherein he came away with a unanimous decision win after outpointing his compatriot for 25 minutes. In his most recent octagon appearance, he slipped to a unanimous decision loss to rising star Magomed Ankalaev.

It feels as though the loss to Jon Jones somewhat broke Thiago Santos' killer instinct. The same can be said for another former light heavyweight title challenger, Dominick Reyes. Reyes remains the most recent fighter who tried his hand at dethroning Jones. He came incredibly close but ultimately fell short.

Since his loss to Jones in 2020, Reyes has been viciously knocked out twice at the hands of Jan Blachowicz and Jiri Prochazka. He is in desparate need of a win if he is to hold on to his place in the top 10 of the light heavyweight rankings. A bout against Thiago Santos will be a must-win for both fighters.

While Santos is likely in the final stages of his pro MMA career, Reyes is in his prime. At 32, the American will be hoping for a resurrgence in the coming years as he looks to earn another championship opportunity.

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#3. Paul Craig vs. Ryan Spann

Paul Craig's resurgence in the light heavyweight division has been a sight to behold. Back in 2018, Craig was on the cusp of being released by the UFC after back-to-back losses to Khalil Rountree Jr. and Tyson Pedro. He was booked to face undefeated Dagestani prodigy Magomed Ankalaev in his next bout and came in as a massive underdog.

After getting pieced up for 14 minutes and 55 seconds, Craig pulled off a jaw-dropping triangle choke in the dying seconds of the fight, forcing his Russian opponent to tap. This remains the only loss on Ankalaev's professional record.

Craig is unbeaten in his last six fights. In his most recent octagon outing, the Scottish grappling phenom took on seasoned veteran Nikita Krylov at the O2 Arena in London, England. He added yet another submission win to his record as he forced Krylov to tap to a triangle choke in the very first round.

Following the conclusion of UFC London, UFC president Dana White confirmed that the promotion is looking to return to the UK and Europe later this year. He also acknowledged that Paul Craig has emerged as a real fan-favorite in recent times. The Scotsman is always looking for a finish and his win over Magomed Ankalaev, one of the top contenders in the division, continues to age like fine wine.

Craig called out Anthony Smith following his win over Krylov and requested a main event showdown with the former title challenger in Glasgow, Scotland. While the duo are far off one another in the rankings, a main event slot in front of his compatriots is well deserved.

Given the huge success the UFC had with their blockbuster event in England, you can expect a similar atmosphere in an arena packed with Scots. A potential opponent for Craig is Ryan Spann. Spann has struggled for consistency in recent times and will be looking to return to the win column. A showcase headliner in Scotland alongside 'Bearjew' makes sense for all parties involved.

#2. Jamahal Hill vs. Volkan Oezdemir

Jamahal Hill has slowly but surely emerged as a true contender in the UFC light heavyweight division in recent years. Hill secured a UFC contract after a scintillating performance on Dana White's Contender Series. He went on to pick up KO/TKO wins in his next three bouts, one of which was later overturned to a no-contest after he tested positive for marijuana.

Hill suffered the first loss of his pro MMA career at UFC 263 last year after dislocating his arm while trying to escape a Paul Craig armbar attempt. Despite losing, he showed his grit and will to continue in a situation where most fighters would tap.

Since the loss to Craig, Hill has bounced back in style with back-to-back KO wins. He knocked out Jimmy Crute in December last year and followed it up with a sensational victory over Johnny Walker in February 2022, putting the light heavyweight division on notice as a result.

The UFC will be delighted with the progress Jamahal Hill has made so far. 'Sweet Dreams' has an all-action fighting style, as well as an endearing demeanor. Currently ranked No.10 in the light heavyweight division, he will be looking to climb the ranks in the coming years.

One potential opponent for Hill is former title challenger Volkan Oezdemir. Oezdemir is coming off a loss to Magomed Ankalaev and will be itching to return to winning ways later this year.

Interestingly, the Swiss fighter took to social media moments after Jamahal Hill's KO win over Johnny Walker, questioning the American's skills. In response, Hill clapped back and claimed that 'No Time' has sustained too much brain damage in his last few fights, which is likely clouding his judgment.

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#1. Anthony Smith vs. Magomed Ankalaev – Winner fights for the UFC light heavyweight championship

Magomed Ankalaev has slowly but surely emerged as an ominous presence in the light heavyweight division. The formidable Russian joined the UFC with a perfect professional record of 9-0. In his first fight in the promotion, he succumbed to a last-ditch submission attempt from Paul Craig after dominating the entirety of the fight.

Since the slip-up against Craig, Ankalaev has put together an eight-fight win streak in the UFC. His wins over Marcin Prachnio, Dalcha Lungiambula and Ion Cutelaba showed that he possesses fight-ending power in his strikes. Additionally, he has shown a vast arsenal of tools and is one of the most well-rounded fighters in the light heavyweight division.

In his most recent bout, Ankalaev cruised to a unanimous decision victory over Thiago Santos at UFC Fight Night 203 to break into the top five in the rankings.

Magomed Ankalaev called for a title shot following his most recent victory. With the UFC light heavyweight championship set to be contested in a matter of months, the Russian will likely need one more win before getting a title shot. A fight against fellow top-five contender Anthony Smith makes a ton of sense for both fighters.

Smith has blown hot and cold since his failed attempt at the title against then-champion Jon Jones in 2019. He went 4-2 in his next six fights to re-enter the mix at the top end of the light heavyweight division.

In his most recent appearance inside the octagon, 'Lionheart' produced a flawless first-round submission victory against Ryan Spann. He is currently riding a three-fight win streak. A win over a rising star like Ankalaev will further solidify Smith's claim to a title shot.