Booking UFC 300: Fights we want to see on landmark card

UFC 300 is taking shape, with the first three fights for the blockbuster pay-per-view card - which is happening April 13 in Las Vegas - being announced Thursday.

Former light heavyweight champion Jiri Prochazka will face Aleksandar Rakic, ex-bantamweight champ Aljamain Sterling will move up to featherweight to take on Calvin Kattar, and surging middleweight Bo Nickal will return against Cody Brundage.

And that's just the start of the lineup for what will be one of the biggest events in UFC history. UFC CEO Dana White promised more fight announcements in the new year, including a main event. But as White and Co. enjoy the holiday season, we thought we'd get a head start on filling out the rest of UFC 300.

Below, we take a stab at what the entire lineup could - and should - look like on April 13.

Main card

Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz 3

Anyone who was an MMA fan in 2016 knows that this is a timeless matchup. Though McGregor and Diaz may both be past their prime now, a trilogy bout is still in high demand. The UFC is low on viable options for the UFC 300 main event with Jon Jones recovering from an injury and Israel Adesanya keen on taking a break. So McGregor's long-awaited comeback is the perfect fit. No offense to Michael Chandler, but there's no better opponent for McGregor than a returning Diaz less than one year removed from his boxing match with Jake Paul.

Tom Aspinall vs. Alex Pereira

For Aspinall's interim heavyweight title

This is out of left field, isn't it? But think about it. Aspinall wants to stay active while Jones and Stipe Miocic settle their business. Aspinall has called Miocic out a bunch of times already, but White won't budge - he's waiting to book Jones-Miocic. Meanwhile, there's no one waiting to challenge Pereira for the light heavyweight title. Jamahal Hill should be next, but he likely won't be ready for April. Prochazka and Rakic are already on the card, and Magomed Ankalaev fights Johnny Walker in January. So why not have some fun and let Pereira move up to heavyweight to take on the potential No. 1 fighter in the division?

Alexa Grasso vs. Valentina Shevchenko 3

For Grasso's women's flyweight title

The fight between top women's flyweights Erin Blanchfield and Manon Fiorot being added to UFC Atlantic City on March 30 all but confirms Grasso and Shevchenko will square off for a third time. UFC 300 is already running low on undisputed title fights - the timing is off for several champions - so this is the perfect spot. Grasso-Shevchenko 1 offered a come-from-behind finish and one of the biggest upsets of the year. The rematch was an exciting chess match with many twists and turns. So the trilogy bout is almost guaranteed to be entertaining.

Justin Gaethje vs. Max Holloway

For Gaethje's BMF title

There's been some talk about a potential matchup between Gaethje and Holloway - yes, please! Gaethje won the BMF championship with a Knockout of the Year candidate against Dustin Poirier in July, and it would be cool if he becomes the first fighter to defend the mythical title. Gaethje is in the running to face Islam Makhachev for the undisputed lightweight belt next, but White seemingly prefers Charles Oliveira as the next challenger. "The Highlight" might as well fight before then to stay active, and welcoming former featherweight king Holloway to 155 pounds will surely create fireworks.

Jiri Prochazka vs. Aleksandar Rakic*

It makes sense that the UFC wanted Prochazka-Rakic on the card. Prochazka, win or lose, is always one of the most entertaining fighters in the promotion. Three of his four UFC bouts didn't leave the second round, and the other was one of the best fights in UFC history. The former 205-pound champion is looking to bounce back after losing to Pereira in a vacant title bout in November, and Rakic - set to fight for the first time since May 2022 - needed an opponent after Jan Blachowicz withdrew from their UFC 297 clash. The Prochazka-Rakic winner will be right back in the title mix.

Stephen Thompson vs. Dustin Poirier

Poirier has talked about fighting at UFC 300 more than anyone else, so it would feel wrong to keep him off the card. There aren't many great options for the former interim lightweight champ at 155 pounds right now, but welterweight - which Poirier has considered moving to for years - is a different story. Thompson is a particularly fun matchup. "Wonderboy" is also looking to get back in the win column after Shavkat Rakhmonov submitted him at UFC 296 on Dec. 16, and a fight against Poirier would be a striker's delight.

Preliminary card

• Cory Sandhagen vs. Umar Nurmagomedov
• Aljamain Sterling vs. Calvin Kattar*
• Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Cody Garbrandt
• Josh Emmett vs. Edson Barboza

Sandhagen shouldn't have to fight this low in the rankings, but most of the top bantamweights have fights booked. Plus, Nurmagomedov - the cousin of UFC legend Khabib - deserves an opportunity to test himself against someone like Sandhagen. Sterling's featherweight debut versus Kattar will serve as a litmus test to see if "Funk Master" can contend with the best in the division. Figueiredo-Garbrandt and Emmett-Barboza both smell like violence waiting to happen.

Early preliminary card

• Derrick Lewis vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
• Jalin Turner vs. Benoit Saint Denis
• Jim Miller vs. Chase Hooper
• Bo Nickal vs. Cody Brundage*

Saint Denis is perhaps the standout name of the group, as the French lightweight is a contender in the making. But Turner is an up-and-comer as well and would give Saint Denis a good fight. Nickal is once again taking on a lower-level middleweight, but the wrestling phenom still needs to gain experience. Lewis-Rozenstruik is likely a first-round knockout. And Miller, one of two fighters along with Brock Lesnar who competed at UFC 100 in 2009 and UFC 200 in 2016, is a must for UFC 300.

* Already scheduled