5 fantasy fights that could be the UFC's biggest draws

#2. Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Charles Oliveira - UFC lightweight

Following Khabib Nurmagomedov's retirement from the UFC after defeating Justin Gaethje in 2020, Dana White heavily hinted at the chance that he would return for the right opponent. Since then, the former lightweight champion has crushed these hopes, focusing his time on the coaching side of MMA rather than competing.

But, as Khabib stated on a recent episode of Mike Tyson's HotBoxin' podcast, he still trains every day. He also remarked that he believes he could still defeat any fighter in the lightweight division. The claim is backed up by the fact that he has already beaten many of the 155-lbs elite, including Dustin Poirier, Justin Gaethje and Conor McGregor.

However, one fighter he never faced was the new UFC lightweight champion, Charles 'Do Bronx' Oliveira. The intriguing caveat to arguing that Khabib may struggle against Oliveria is the Brazilian's incredibly high BJJ submission game. 'Do Bronx' holds the record for submission finishes in the UFC and also has knockout power in his hands.

UFC 262: Charles Oliveira v Michael Chandler

Oliveira will next face off against a former opponent of Nurmagomoedov's in Dustin Poirier. Should he defeat 'Diamond,' questions will certainly be raised regarding who the greater fighter was. Legacy has always been the primary motivator for Nurmagomedov, and Oliveira may just be able to coax 'The Eagle' back from retirement.

UFC 242 Khabib v Poirier

#1. Israel Adesanya vs. Jon Jones - UFC light heavyweight

Out of all the active athletes on the UFC roster, it is hard to imagine a potential fight that would generate more interest than a matchup between UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya and former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones.

UFC 232 Jones v Gustafsson 2

There is legitimate animosity between the two men, having gone back and forth over social media multiple times. However, several variables indicate that we won't see the fight take place for another year. Jones recently announced he will move up to heavyweight, while Adesanya had an unsuccessful venture into the light heavyweight division.

It may be wise for Adesanya to continue defending his middleweight belt while Jones attempts to pick up some traction at heavyweight. It will likely only be a matter of time until 'Bones' makes the move back down, and when he does, Adesanya will be waiting.

UFC 263: Adesanya v Vettori 2

Both fighters can sell huge PPV numbers just off the back of their name alone. Combining both would quite possibly break the current PPV record, set by Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov.