5 fights to make for UFC 293 in Sydney, Australia

The UFC recently announced a massive deal with Sydney, Australia, which is set to host three pay-per-views over the next four years. This year's edition has already been confirmed for September 9th, and a few bouts have already been announced for the card.

Kai-Fara France vs. Manel Kape and Tai Tuivasa vs. Alexander Volkov, among other bouts, have already been confirmed for the upcoming September pay-per-view, which will likely be stacked with Oceanic talent.

On that note, here are five fights to make for UFC 293 in Sydney, Australia.

---

#5. Tyson Pedro vs. Dominick Reyes

Injuries forced Tyson Pedro to remain on the sidelines for nearly four years between 2018 and 2022. He returned with a bang last year, picking up two first-round knockouts, but his momentum came to a screeching halt earlier this year in his decision loss to Modestas Bukauskas.

Pedro will be itching to return to winning ways, and the upcoming pay-per-view in Sydney is the perfect place to do it.

Like his City Kickboxing teammates, Tyson Pedro is a deadly striker. Pairing him with another striker who holds a place in the top 15 would be ideal for the 31-year-old Australian. Former title challenger Dominick Reyes certainly fits the bill.

Reyes is best known for pushing Jon Jones to the limit back in 2020, and many still believe he deserved to have his hand raised following his five-round war with the then-light heavyweight champion. 'The Devastator' has since been knocked out thrice on the trot and looks a shadow of his former self.

With Reyes lacking confidence in his skills and Pedro struggling with inconsistency, this matchup offers the victor a chance to return to the win column.

Pedro vs. Reyes [Images via @tyson_pedro & @dominickreyes_mma on Instagram]

---

#4. Casey O'Neill vs. Viviane Araujo

Scottish-Australian flyweight Casey O'Neill endured a disappointing return to the octagon earlier this year after a year-long stint on the sidelines. She was unbeaten before suffering a long-term injury last year, and in her return fight in London in March, she picked up her first career loss.

O'Neill has never fought Down Under during her UFC career, so should be added to the UFC 293 lineup.

Casey O'Neill would've cracked the flyweight top 10 had she beaten Jennifer Maia in England earlier this year. She currently holds the No.12 spot in the rankings, but her options are limited with so many top-ranked contenders already booked.

The ideal next opponent for O'Neill would be No.10-ranked Viviane Araujo, a veteran in the flyweight division. Araujo has always been a solid fighter but has struggled against the cream of the crop at 125 pounds. The 36-year-old Brazilian is well-rounded, making her the perfect step up in competition for O'Neill.

Still just 25, 'King' has a long way to go in her career, so there's no rush to ascend the ranks. The focus should be on getting better, and if she can get past Araujo, a shot at a higher-ranked contender will be on the horizon.

Araujo vs. O'Neill [Image via @BigMarcel24 on Instagram]

---

#3. Jack Della Maddalena vs. Sean Brady

Jack Della Maddalena and Sean Brady were slated to square off at UFC 290 in Las Vegas, but a medical condition forced the latter out just 10 days before the pay-per-view. Given the state of the division, the promotion should look to re-book this matchup.

Jack Della Maddalena is among the most promising up-and-comers in the UFC right now. The hard-hitting Aussie welterweight is already 4-0 in the UFC with four first-round finishes but is yet to face a ranked contender in the 170-pound bracket.

Sean Brady is one of the best grapplers at welterweight, and this matchup would be a real litmus test of both fighters' potential. Given that most fighters in the top 15 are already matched up, putting this pairing back together appears to be the way to go.

Della Maddalena was willing to go into enemy territory to fight his American counterpart, so Brady should be willing to do the same later this year.

---

#2. Robert Whittaker vs. Sean Strickland

Sean Strickland hoped to bag a title shot after his impressive win over Abus Magomedov. However, with Dricus du Plessis pulling off a shocking upset against former champion Robert Whittaker at UFC 290, Strickland will likely need one more win to earn a championship opportunity, and the division still goes through Whittaker.

Robert Whittaker was gunning for a third fight against current champion Israel Adesanya but suffered a jaw-dropping TKO loss to Dricus du Plessis, who will likely fight for the belt next. With the UFC returning to Sydney, Whittaker's hometown, he should ideally be on the card.

A Whittaker vs. Strickland bout on the undercard of the Adesanya vs. du Plessis championship fight would be the perfect way to carry the division forward. If anything were to fall through in the projected main event, either 'The Reaper' or 'Tarzan' could step in. Moreover, it's always fun when the outspoken Strickland and the eccentric Adesanya are around one another.

For Whittaker, this is a chance to re-enter the title picture in his home country. Conversely, Strickland can turn the division on its head if he comes out on top.

Whittaker vs. Strickland [Images via @robwhittakermma & @strickland_mma on Instagram]

---

#1. Israel Adesanya vs. Dricus du Plessis – UFC 293 main event

As mentioned earlier, Dricus du Plessis shocked the world with his second-round TKO victory over former middleweight king Robert Whittaker, which earned him a shot at the current champion, Israel Adesanya.

It wasn't just a flash knockout, either. Dricus du Plessis finished the first round dominantly before putting away Robert Whittaker in the second, setting up a massive clash with Israel Adesanya.

Adesanya was in attendance at the T-Mobile Arena and even stepped into the cage to face off with du Plessis. There's clearly some animosity between the two middleweights, which should make for an entertaining build-up to their fight.

Adesanya will finally have a fresh contender in front of him, and considering du Plessis' chaotic style of fighting and the stylistic matchup overall, we're in for a hell of a fight.