5 Dream Matchups MMA Fans Would Love to See

(via YouTube)

One of the most highly discussed topics among mixed martial arts fans are which fights they would make regardless of the era each fighter participated in. Here are five dream matchups that would be appealing to every fight fan, and would likely break the internet if they were made.

Tony Ferguson vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov (lightweight bout)

This bout had to be on this list for the fact that it was both booked and cancelled five different times, making it the most cursed matchup in UFC history. Nurmagomedov is widely considered to be the greatest lightweight in history, bosting a perfect 29-0 record. Ferguson on the other hand was the interim champion of the division after defeating Kevin Lee via submission. At the time, these two were considered to be the very best in the division, yet injuries, illnesses, and even worldwide pandemics led to this fight being cancelled over and over again. Even Nurmagomedov claimed that without beating Ferguson, his UFC career would not be complete. When the final booking of this matchup was cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, Ferguson opted to fight Justin Gaethje for yet another shot at interim gold. This did not go Ferguson’s way, as he received on of the most vicious beatings in recent memory, solidifying the fact that this bout would never occur.

Anderson Silva vs. Georges St. Pierre (middleweight bout)

At the height of each fighter’s title reigns in the middleweight and welterweight divisions respectively, fight fans were drooling over the proposition that these two would create the biggest super fight in the company’s history. Both Silva and St. Pierre had completely cleaned out their divisions, and creating a matchup between the two did interest both men. Silva was fighting like he was in the matrix during the time this bout would have occurred. His fights seemed less like a competition, but more closely resembled an execution. Most men seemed completely lost trying to strike with Silva, and more often than not, he finished them in spectacular fashion. St. Pierre, at the time, was the king of beating great fighters at their own game, choosing to take the highest level grappler’s down and out striking the best strikers. This fight eventually lost steam after Silva’s lackluster performance against Demian Maia, which upset Dana White so greatly that he said that Silva was undeserving of the fight after his dud against Maia.

B.J. Penn vs Kazushi Sakuraba (Welterweight Bout)

Both of these men exhibited inhuman toughness, grappling of the highest echelon, and treated weight classes as if they were irrelevant. During his hay day, Sakuraba was one of the most well respected fighters in the game. He was the biggest star in the biggest MMA promotion at the time, Pride Fighting Championships, beat three members of the illustrious Gracie Family at their own game, and even won the UFC Ultimate Japan Heavyweight Tournament despite regularly fighting at 167 lbs. At the height of his career, Penn was considered to be the second best pound for pound fighter in the world, only behind Anderson Silva. Penn was the second fighter in UFC history to win titles in two divisions, lightweight and welterweight, and at the time was hailed as the greatest lightweight to ever do it. These two never fought in their promotions at the same time, making this fight a grappling spectacle for the ages. It would be fascinating to see if Penn’s power would be enough to slow down Sakuraba’s endless assault for the finish, but it would certainly be one of the greatest fights ever conceived.

Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brock Lesnar (Heavyweight Bout)

Emelianenko is widely considered to be the greatest heavyweight in MMA history regardless of promotion. He is easily on of the most athletic and well rounded heavyweights that MMA has ever seen, using his Sambo background to dominate the very best in the world at the time. Lesnar, on the other hand, is simply one of the most physically imposing humans to walk the face of planet earth. His size alone may very well be enough of a problem for Emelianenko to handle. Couple this with his division one wrestling background and experience fighting in the UFC, it would be a size versus skill matchup of the highest order. Although this fight was rumored to be in the works when both men were at the top of Affliction and the UFC respectively, contract negotiations with Emelianenko’s team frustrated Dana White so much that he gave up on the idea entirely.

Chuck Liddell vs. Alex Pereira (Light Heavyweight Bout)

These two are some of the best and hardest hitting kickboxers that the light heavyweight division has ever seen. Many new fans have not been exposed to just how good Liddell was in the early 2000’s. A marauder of the highest echelon, Liddell dominated his opposition with superior striking, excellent takedown defense, one shot knockout power, and a chin made of iron. Pereira, however, is currently the pound for pound hardest hitting fighter in the UFC. His run thus far will be remembered for years to come, capturing two belts in just seven fights is something that will likely never be replicated. This will be a standup war for the ages, with both men looking to impose their power on the other with the worst of intentions.