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The UFC has put on a number of high-profile events over the years.
In doing so, they have established themselves as the premier MMA promotion in the world.
Each year, they host their annual International Fight Week in July and a pay-per-view event at Madison Square Garden in November.
In many ways, the promotion is compared to WWE in terms of their status as the destination for their respective organizations.
WWE is known for their annual WrestleMania event, which has attracted mainstream attention and celebrity participation. They hosted their 38th annual WrestleMania on April 2 and 3 at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas.
The promotion is no stranger to stadiums and is fully capable of putting together a WrestleMania-style event of their own.
There are a number of variables that make WrestleMania what it is. Whether it’s a past legend returning for a one-off or a high-stakes matchup, fans continue to attend in record numbers. This list will look at five fights to make if the UFC did a WrestleMania style event.
#5. Former UFC strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk vs. Zhang Weili 2
Zhang Weili vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk at UFC 248 is widely considered the greatest female fight in MMA history.
Weili was the reigning strawweight champion, making her first title defense since knocking out Jessica Andrade to become champion.
The two strawweight greats went at for five rounds in a back-and-forth bout. Both women had their moments where it looked like the momentum was shifting in their favor, but couldn’t finish.
The judges scored the bout 48-47, 48-47, and 47-48, and awarded Weili the split-decision win.
It was an all-time classic that should be a lock for a future Fight Wing induction into the Hall of Fame.
If the promotion were to sell out a stadium, knowing the rematch between the two former strawweight champions could be appealing. If history is an indicator, the rematch could set the tone for the event and kick it off with a bang.
#4. Former UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway vs. Justin Gaethje
Former UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway has accomplished everything at 145lbs and could be enticed by a permanent move to lightweight. If he were to make another attempt at 155lbs, former interim lightweight champion Justin Gaethje could be the perfect test.
Holloway and Gaethje are two popular fighters that continuously put on exciting fights.
‘Blessed’ is one of the most durable and relentless fighters in the division. ‘The Highlight’, on the other hand, is an exceptional striker with a 23-3 MMA record, with 19 wins coming via KO/TKO.
Gaethje mentioned in the past that a bout with Holloway was appealing and that he was trying to put it together.
Since the two haven’t fought each other, the bout would generate plenty of interest.
Their fighting styles and popularity could have all the makings of Fight of the Night. Like Jedrzejczyk vs. Weili, the lightweight matchup could raise the bar and be a tough act to follow.
#3) UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov
WrestleMania is famous for featuring legends returning, so the UFC could do something similar with Khabib Nurmagomedov. Since relinquishing the lightweight championship and retiring from the sport, Oliveira has taken over the division.
‘Do Bronx’ currently holds the record for both most submission wins and most finishes in the promotion’s history. He’s riding an impressive 10-fight winning streak during which he finished the likes of Michael Chandler and Dustin Poirier.
‘The Eagle’, returning to fight Oliveira, who matches up very well with him, would be very intriguing. If ‘Do Bronx’ continues racking up title defenses, it will be hard to ignore the threat he would pose to Nurmagomedov.
Oliveira’s recent performances and ‘The Eagle’ being inducted into the Hall of Fame makes this a more appealing bout. Usually when fighters return it is when they are past their prime, but Nurmagomedov is still at his athletic best.
#2. UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou vs. Jon Jones
There’s no doubt Francis Ngannou vs. Jon Jones would be the biggest heavyweight bout in UFC history.
Reigning heavyweight champion Ngannou is the most feared knockout-artist in the sport and has finished many former champions. Jones, on the other hand, is viewed by many as the best pound-for-pound fighter when active.
It remains to be seen how the former light heavyweight champion fares at heavyweight.
But this bout would definitely generate interest if billed as the biggest heavyweight bout of all-time. In his most recent fight with Ciryl Gane, Ngannou displayed his significantly improved wrestling and handed him his first career loss.
Even though Jones has fought elite strikers in the past, he would need to be cautious of ‘The Predator’s' power.
‘Bones’ grappling could be the story of a potential bout with the heavyweight champion. This heavyweight battle would be significant for both their respective legacies in the sport.
#1. Former UFC two-division champion Conor McGregor vs. BMF champion Jorge Masvidal
It wouldn’t be a WrestleMania style event for the UFC if it wasn’t headlined by their biggest star Conor McGregor.
The former two-division champion would surely be the main event should the promotion host a sell-out event at a large North American stadium.
In terms of his opponent, he would have to fight somebody with a large following, and Jorge Masvidal checks that box.
It’s rare for the promotion to have their two biggest pay-per-view draws competing in the same division.
Despite not being in the welterweight rankings, ‘The Notorious’ is no stranger to competing at 170lbs. He fought Nate Diaz twice and Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone at welterweight and is 2-1 in the weight class.
Despite losing to welterweight champion Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington, ‘Gamebred’ is still the ‘BMF’ title holder. If the title is on the line, that would add another layer to the buildup and take it up a notch.
