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The UFC rewards the victorious and casts aside those who are unfit for the challenge. For fighters to remain in the world's most prestigious MMA organization, they must continue to perform consistently and impressively.
In the following list we will go over five fighters who need to win their next bout. The reasoning can differ, be it to snap a losing skid which would see them cut from the UFC, or to make one last run at the title before father time catches up with them. Regardless of the reason, the following five fighters are all preparing for upcoming must-win fights.
5 UFC fighters preparing for must-win upcoming bouts:
#5 Jeremy Stephens vs. Mateusz Gamrot
Jeremy Stephens could not be in more need of a win. The UFC veteran is a fan favorite and has some truly incredible performances on his resume. However, 'Lil Heathen' hasn't won a single fight in his last five UFC appearances.
This is a far cry from the man who once KO'd Rafael dos Anjos. However, Stephens is now making the move back up to lightweight in an attempt to start a new chapter in his career. But Mateusz Gamrot is no push over, and if Stephens is unable to defeat the Polish wrestler he may well be looking at an exit from the UFC.
#4 Ryan Hall vs. Ilia Topuria
Ryan Hall is a completely different case to Jeremy Stephens. 'The Wizard' is still undefeated in the UFC and holds wins over legitimate competition such as Darren Elkins, BJ Penn and Gray Maynard.
However, Hall has been plagued by a plethora of injuries over the course of his career. Since winning The Ultimate Fighter in 2015, Hall has only competed three times. Whilst he still holds a cult following within the MMA fanbase due to his incredibly high BJJ, a loss to Ilia Topuria may well see Hall begin to fade into obscurity.
#3 Kevin Lee vs. Sean Brady
Kevin Lee has lived a career of 'almosts' since joining the UFC. Lee is an incredibly high level fighter who is able to compete with the best in the world. However, he struggles with consistency.
He holds impressive wins over the likes of Michael Chiesa, Edson Barboza and Francisco Trinaldo. But as of late, Lee has only managed two wins in his last six fights. His incredible highlight reel head kick KO of Gregor Gillespie was quickly overshadowed by his submission loss to Charles Olivera.
He now moves up to welterweight, where he will take on undefeated prospect Sean Brady. It is Lee's chance to re-establish himself in a new division and make a run at the UFC's 170-pound title. However, there is the likelihood that should Lee lose he will be relegated to the position of perennial gatekeeper.
#2 Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson vs. Gilbert Burns
Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson is still one of the greatest fighters in the welterweight division, despite now being 38-years-old. He is coming off back-to-back victories over Vincente Luque and Geoff Neal and is now set to face a former title challenger in Gilbert Burns.
Thompson truly deserves a title shot after all the incredible fights he has given fans of MMA. However, this is likely his last chance. If Thompson can emphatically defeat Burns, it may be enough for him to be next in line to fight for the UFC belt. But a loss would see him fall behind a long list of welterweight contenders, and age would likely catch up with him before too long.
#1 Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier
Conor McGregor is at a strange stage in his UFC career. After only competing twice between 2017 and 2020, McGregor is now looking for his second fight in six months. Unfortunately, it's a rematch against the last man to beat him, Dustin Poirier.
If McGregor wins this fight he will likely be the first challenger to Charles Olivera's lightweight belt. However, if McGregor loses, his stock will fall significantly. It would be no small feat to fight his way back to a shot at the title, especially considering the depth of the UFC's 155-pound division.
This is a make-or-break fight for Conor McGregor.
