5 explosive fights to make in the UFC featherweight division

Amidst the dominant reign of Alexander Volkanovski, the excitement surrounding the UFC featherweight division has seemingly dampened. The title picture is currently quite unsettled, with no clear-cut No.1 contender vying for a title shot.

With the featherweight kingpin now rumored to be pursuing champ-champ status in early 2023, it remains to be seen how the pecking order at 145 pounds changes over the next few months.

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Apart from the highly intriguing Bryce Mitchell vs. Ilia Topuria bout scheduled for UFC 282 in December, no other ranked featherweights have been booked. The state of the division will look very different when Volkanovski returns to 145 pounds next year, and hopefully, we'll finally have a legitimate challenger to the throne.

On that note, here are five fights to make in the UFC featherweight division.

#5. Giga Chikadze vs. Dan Ige

Giga Chikadze's stock was sky-high coming into 2022. The Georgian featherweight kicked off his UFC career with seven wins on the trot, catapulting him into the top 10. However, Chikadze suffered a devastating defeat in his last outing at the hands of Calvin Kattar, and the one-sided nature of that loss seemingly derailed his hype train.

Chikadze was scheduled to fight Sodiq Yussuf earlier this year, but had to pull out of the bout after sustaining an injury. 'Ninja' needs to return to the win column if he is to work his way towards a title shot and fight against No.12-ranked Dan Ige would seems logical.

Ige is an ideal litmus test to determine whether Chikadze is a threat to the top tier of the division. The durable American has never been finished in his professional career and is essentially a gatekeeper to the upper echelons of the 145-pound bracket.

At 34, Chikadze can't afford to be inactive while the rest of the division moves on. A win over a tough contender like Ige offers him a chance to bounce back against a universally respected contender and a finish could put him right back in the title mix. For '50k', this is a chance to make a massive leap up the rankings, making this matchup beneficial for all parties involved.

Dan Ige (left) & Giga Chikadze (right) [Images via @dynamitedan808 & @knockoutcancer on Instagram]

#4. Chan Sung Jung vs. Sodiq Yussuf

Chan Sung Jung seemingly hinted at retirement in the immediate aftermath of his failed championship bid against featherweight king Alexander Volkanovski earlier this year. Jung has been fighting the best of the best at 145 pounds for over a decade across the WEC and the UFC. At 35, and with the damage he has sustained thus far, hanging up the gloves wouldn't be the worst idea.

For now, though, 'The Korean Zombie' is still a ranked featherweight contender. With the promotion set to return to South Korea next year, it would be the ideal location for the MMA veteran's final octagon appearance. The UFC typically pits outgoing legends against up-and-coming prospects, making a fight between Jung and Sodiq Yussuf quite plausible.

Yussuf currently occupies the No.11 spot in the featherweight ranks. The Nigerian-American's only loss in the UFC came against top-ranked 145-pounder Arnold Allen last year and he has looked phenomenal of late. After his latest win, a 30-second domination of Don Shainis, the 29-year-old called for a fight against Jung.

'The Korean Zombie' vs. 'Super' Sodiq is a blockbuster matchup and would be the ideal main event for the projected UFC Seoul event next year.

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#3. Brian Ortega vs. winner of UFC 282's Bryce Mitchell vs. Ilia Topuria bout

Brian Ortega compiled a stellar unbeaten run to earn a title shot back in 2018, but came up short against then-champion Max Holloway. In his second shot at the title last year, 'T-City' came agonizingly close to dethroning current 145-pound king Alexander Volkanovski, but was ultimately beaten by the Australian.

Ortega was looking to bounce back and re-insert himself into the title picture earlier this year when he squared off against Yair Rodriguez, but the fight ended in dubious circumstances. He suffered a shoulder injury in the very first round, bringing the bout to an inconclusive end.

When he returns to action next year, Ortega will be in desperate need of a win. He has now lost three of his last four outings and is riding a two-fight skid. Timeline-wise, a fight against the winner the Bryce Mitchell vs Ilia Topuria bout slated for UFC 282 appears to make sense from every angle.

Mitchell vs. Topuria pits two surging undefeated phenoms against one another, and an impressive showing at UFC 282 could earn the victor a shot at Ortega, who occupies the No.3 spot in the featherweight leaderboard. Both Mitchell and Topuria are high-level grapplers just like 'T-City', which makes for some entertaining matchups down the line.

Bryce Mitchell vs. Ilia Topuria (left) & Brian Ortega (right) [Images via @ufc & @briantcity on Instagram]

#2. Max Holloway vs. Arnold Allen

Arnold Allen appears to be the divisional dark horse at 145 pounds. The unassuming Englishman is undefeated in the UFC and has already picked up 10 wins inside the octagon. While his soft-spoken demeanor hasn't helped his popularity with the casual fanbase, hardcore MMA fans are well-aware of how good 'Almighty' is.

Allen upheld his pristine UFC record with his recent win over Calvin Kattar. The Brit looked phenomenal for as long as the bout lasted, but Kattar picked up a knee injury pretty early on, leaving a ton of unanswered questions about Allen's ceiling. He will likely need another high-profile win to seal his shot at the title.

A fight against fan-favorite Max Holloway could serve as the perfect platform to stake his claim for a championship opportunity. Holloway sits at No.1 in the ranks, but with his three losses to the champion, he isn't in a position to contest the belt.

The UFC is set to return to England for a massive pay-per-view next year and Dana White has already revealed that the promotion is looking to deliver a stacked fight card. A three-round Holloway vs. Allen showdown is guaranteed to produce fireworks and would be a blockbuster addition to the card.

Max Holloway (left) and Arnold Allen (right) [Images via @blessedmma & @arnoldbfa on Instagram]

#1. Yair Rodriguez vs. Josh Emmett – Interim UFC featherweight championship bout

Both Yair Rodriguez and Josh Emmett have been campaigning for the next featherweight title shot since their recent victories. However, considering the nature of their respective wins, an immediate shot at the belt for either contender is hard to justify.

Rodriguez's bout against former title challenger Brian Ortega ended unceremoniously after the latter picked up a shoulder injury in the very first round of their headlining bout at UFC Long Island. Just one month earlier, Emmett edged out a razor-close split-decision win over Calvin Kattar, a decision that was largely disputed by the MMA community.

As things stand, Rodriguez sits at No.2 on the featherweight ladder while Emmett is two spots behind the Mexican at No.4. A fight between the duo appears to be a no-brainer from the matchmakers' point of view, and with Alexander Volkanovski preoccupied with his lightweight aspirations, an interim title is warranted.

Whenever Volkanovki heads back down to defend his featherweight crown, he should ideally have the winner of Rodriguez vs. Emmett waiting to challenge him.