We’re two-thirds of the way done with 2018 and it seems the best is yet to come in the world of mixed martial arts. Many amazing fights have taken place this year already with plenty remaining in the rest of 2018. Whether it was Kelvin Gastelum defeating Jacare or Robert Whittaker taking out Yoel Romero for the second time, we as fight fans have no room to complain with how this year has played out.
After what was considered a down year in 2017 for UFC standards, UFC president Dana White and Co. decided to shut critics up by putting on a spectacular show, card after card. With the newest crop of UFC prospects rising to the upper ranks of the UFC rankings and proven stars building upon their glory, we can all hope that — when it’s all said and done — 2018 will have been one of the memorable years in mixed martial arts history. But, before we get ahead of ourselves, we still have about four and a half months to go in the year.
Here are the Top 5 Fights UFC fans should mark on their calendars for the rest of 2018:
5. Dustin Poirer vs. Nate Diaz (UFC 230):
When you have two strong personalities who absolutely do not have a single care in the world for what other people think about them and who love to finish their fights in spectacular fashion, colliding on Saturday, Nov. 3 at Madison Square Garden, it’s a must a watch. One of the UFC’s biggest pay-per-view stars, Stockton’s own Nate Diaz, makes his much anticipated return to the octagon to face the hype train, Dustin “The Diamond” Poirer, after a two-year hiatus. We all know what we’re getting from Nate Diaz. The vulgar language, the over-the-top antics, the constant insults, etc. We’re used to it by now because we’ve seen it in each of his fights throughout his career. But just because we’re used to it, doesn’t mean we don’t love it. Dustin Poirer’s last loss was to Michael Johnson in 2016 and it’s safe to say he has proven his worth over the last couple of years by defeating every dangerous opponent the UFC has put in front of him. I’m not a betting man but if there’s one thing I’ll bet on, it’s that this fight will by no means be boring.
4. Yoel Romero vs. Paulo Costa (UFC 230)
The full UFC 230 fight card has yet to be released and the card is already looking like one of the most stacked cards of the year. Look, I don’t know why the UFC is bunching up so many great fights on one card but I’m certainly not complaining. What more could you ask for as an MMA fan in regards to this fight? Two absolute freaks of nature that defy physical human limitations are going to be locked in a cage and forced to take each other’s heads off. Brutality at its finest. Yoel “Soldier of God” Romero is probably the scariest guy in the middleweight division. At 41 years of age, Romero has the quickness and explosiveness that no one can match in that division…except for maybe one person. Paulo Costa, 27, is the most promising prospect in the middleweight division at this time. Dana White even went on record and called him “the next big Brazilian star.” This one’s going to be a barn burner folks.
3. Max Holloway vs. Brian Ortega (TBD)
We don’t know when this fight is happening, but let’s just assume for the sake of this article, that it’s happening this year. With this assumption in mind, I’m going to go on a limb and say this could possibly be the fight of the year. Featherweight champion, Max Holloway, is currently riding a 12-fight win streak with two back-to-back wins against Jose Aldo. He has proven himself to be a top 10 pound-for-pound fighter on the planet and perhaps the best Hawaiian fighter the UFC has every seen (sorry BJ). But, quietly waiting for his opportunity to shine is the No. 1 contender, Brian Ortega. Ortega is not only undefeated in his professional mixed martial arts career, but he is considered one of the most dangerous jiu-jitsu practitioners the UFC has ever seen. This one seems to be a pick ‘em fight but I have a gut feeling we just might see Holloway’s 12-fight win streak come to an end (you’ll have to read my predictions when they come out).
2. Tyron Woodley vs. Darren Till (UFC 228)
I absolutely cannot wait for this fight. Tyron Woodley has established himself as the most dominant welterweight on the planet through his improved fight IQ, versatility, and outrageous physical ability. He may be short, but no fighter in that division has the knockout power or physical ability that Woodley does. Woodley is never overly aggressive in his fights. He always looks to exploit his opponent’s weaknesses and doesn’t take the chances other fighters normally do. The problem is the guy he’s fighting is hungry and probably one of the more aggressive fighters in the welterweight division. Darren Till will undoubtedly try and control the center of the octagon so he can impose his will early. He will go into the fight with a huge size and reach advantage so Woodley is going to have to be as accurate as he’s ever been when countering the British star, otherwise we might just see the guy we deem as the most dominant welterweight in the world hit the canvass early.
1. Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Conor McGregor (UFC 229)
Well we all probably guessed what was my No.1 most anticipated fight of the year. The crazy part is even in phrasing it like that, it’s still an understatement. This fight might just be the most anticipated fight in UFC history. The UFC’s biggest pay-per-view star ever, Conor “The Notorious” McGregor, is going to try and win back his title from the 26-0 Dagestanian phenomenon, Khabib Nurmagomedov. McGregor possesses arguably the most eccentric and dangerous standup skill set in the game, meanwhile Khabib might just be the best grappler we have in the UFC. When the guy grabs ahold of you, the fight can basically be considered over. Has McGregor finally met his match? Do we really have a new lightweight king? All these questions will be answered here in Vegas on Oct. 6, in what will be the most star-studded matchup in UFC history.
