Ranking the 6 best superfights the UFC can book
Superfights are often discussed in the MMA world, but speculation around the sport's next major matchups has grown in 2025.
UFC CEO Dana White announced Feb. 19 that Ilia Topuria would vacate the featherweight title to compete in the lightweight division, where Topuria hopes to fight Islam Makhachev for a second belt.
Zhang Weili, the strawweight champion, dominated Tatiana Suarez in a title defense at UFC 312 earlier in February, sparking interest in a potential move up to flyweight to take on Valentina Shevchenko.
Welterweight champion Belal Muhammad also talked about fighting middleweight champ Dricus Du Plessis in recent weeks, and Du Plessis has shown interest in matching up against light heavyweight titleholder Alex Pereira.
But of the UFC's current superfight possibilities, which are the most intriguing and should actually happen? Below, we rank the six best champion-versus-champion matchups the promotion can put together right now.
(For the purpose of this exercise, we excluded fights that will never happen for reasons beyond the UFC's control. For example, Makhachev and Muhammad have said they'll never fight each other because they've trained together.)
6. Dricus Du Plessis vs. Belal Muhammad
Muhammad is arguably one of the most underrated champions in the UFC. He hasn't lost in 11 fights, but his style isn't very fan-friendly, so the promotion is unlikely to give him a shot at becoming a two-division champion anytime soon. Some may be curious to see how Muhammad's straightforward, wrestling-oriented style fares against Du Plessis' unorthodox approach, but there are better superfights out there than this one. Plus, Muhammad has work to do in his own division first: He won the welterweight title in July 2024 and has yet to defend it. He needs to beat several contenders before focusing on a heavier weight class.
5. Merab Dvalishvili vs. Alexandre Pantoja
A fight between Dvalishvili, the bantamweight champion, and Pantoja, the flyweight champ, could be very fun. Dvalishvili is a dynamo wrestler whose cardio is largely unmatched. Pantoja, though, has the Brazilian jiu-jitsu skills to hang with anyone on the ground, including Dvalishvili. This isn't a blockbuster superfight, but if Dvalishvili keeps winning at 135 pounds and Pantoja continues to dominate at 125 pounds, it could leave the UFC no choice but to pair up these two.
4. Jon Jones vs. Alex Pereira
Jones-Pereira is easily the biggest fight on this list - and quite possibly in the UFC, period. But that doesn't make it the most intriguing matchup. Fans may enjoy seeing Pereira vie for the heavyweight title in an attempt to become the UFC's first three-division champion, but Jones is a nightmare matchup for him. Jones, who has spent the last five years adjusting to being a heavyweight, is much bigger than "Poatan" and holds a significant advantage on the ground. It's easy to predict how this one would end.
3. Alex Pereira vs. Dricus Du Plessis
Du Plessis jumping to light heavyweight to face Pereira has violence written all over it. Du Plessis is very large for the middleweight division and would likely be able to hang with Pereira, considering the latter used to compete at 185 pounds himself. Du Plessis said after his win over Sean Strickland at UFC 312 that he wants to make one or two more defenses before moving up to challenge for a second title. But if both men can hold onto their belts for another year or so, this matchup will likely be a top priority for the UFC.
2. Valentina Shevchenko vs. Zhang Weili
Shevchenko against Zhang would be a true superfight. Not only is this a champion taking on another champion, Shevchenko and Zhang are the top two women's pound-for-pound fighters in the UFC and are longtime, dominant titleholders. Shevchenko has successfully defended the 125-pound title seven times over two reigns, and Zhang has defended the 115-pound belt four times over two reigns. If Shevchenko beats Manon Fiorot at UFC 315 in May, White and Co. should book this must-see matchup.
1. Islam Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuria
It's hard to track down an MMA fan who doesn't want to see Topuria fight Makhachev for the lightweight title. And, luckily for us, it may happen as soon as mid-2025. Topuria will officially lose the featherweight title April 12 after he decided to move up to the 155-pound division in pursuit of a second championship. Meanwhile, Makhachev, the top pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC, is in need of a real challenge. There's good reason to believe Topuria - a well-rounded fighter with devastating power - could give him a run for his money. It would be thrilling to watch this extremely high-level matchup unfold in the Octagon.