The excitement in the air is palpable as some of the biggest names in the UFC have shared their dream matchups for 2026, igniting discussions among fans and fighters alike. Recently, Dana White unveiled the highly anticipated UFC 324 card, which marks the start of the promotion's broadcasting partnership with Paramount+. The event is set to take place on January 24 at the iconic T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, kicking off the year with thrilling action following a lengthy hiatus.
Fight enthusiasts won’t have to wait long for the next major event, as UFC 325 will follow shortly after, featuring a headline bout between Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes 2 in Sydney, Australia.
Before the UFC schedule heats up, several prominent fighters took a moment to respond to an intriguing question: what’s the one fight they’d love to see unfold in 2026? On January 1, the UFC's official Instagram account shared insights from these fighters, showcasing their top choices for dream matchups this year.
Welterweight champion Islam Makhachev expressed his eagerness for the highly anticipated rematch between Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira, which will headline UFC 326 on March 7, so he won't have to wait long to witness this clash of titans. Max Holloway himself voiced a desire to see Jon Jones face Alex Pereira, a matchup that resonated with several other fighters who also mentioned it.
In a twist, Kayla Harrison proposed a different bout for Pereira, suggesting a showdown with Tom Aspinall, while Carlos Prates advocated for Pereira to challenge Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title. Paddy Pimblett had two suggestions, initially highlighting a canceled fight involving his teammate Luke Riley before pivoting to a clash with Arman Tsarukyan, who has also been a topic of discussion among his peers regarding a potential fight against Ilia Topuria this year.
Here’s a compilation of what some notable UFC athletes hope to see in the upcoming year:
- Islam Makhachev: "Max Holloway vs. Charles Oliveira will be fire"
- Kayla Harrison: "Alex Pereira vs Tom Aspinall"
- Paddy Pimblett: "Luke Riley vs Kevin Vallejos. Arman [Tsarukyan] vs back pain"
- Sean O’Malley: "Conor [McGregor] vs anyone"
- Carlos Prates: "Pereira vs [Ciryl] Gane for [the] interim heavyweight title"
- Mackenzie Dern: "Alex Pereira and Jon Jones!!!"
- Quillan Salkilld: "Would love to see Arman vs Ilia [Topuria]"
- Max Holloway: "Jones vs Pereira"
- Natalia Silva: "Alex Poatan vs Jon Jones"
- Rose Namajunas: "Sean O’Malley and Payton Talbott"
- Alexander Volkanovski: "Max Holloway vs Dan Hooker BMF title"
- Gillian Robertson: "Topuria vs Makhachev for the #1 p4p spot!"
- Jacobe Smith: "Arman vs Ilia would be my top choice"
- Malcolm Wellmaker: "Josh Van vs Manel Kape, absolute banger"
- Mauricio Ruffy: "I would like to see Alex Poatan vs Jon Jones"
- Caio Borralho: "There are two matchups that excite me: Carlos Prates vs Jack Della Maddalena for revenge, and Jean Silva vs Diego Lopes."
As the conversation around these dream fights continues, it's evident that opinions may vary, particularly regarding the viability and intrigue of certain matchups. For instance, Joe Rogan recently discussed on his JRE MMA Show the possibility of Jon Jones squaring off against Alex Pereira, suggesting that while a title might not be necessary for such elite fighters, a heavyweight version of the BMF belt could be on the line. This belt, originally created for UFC 244 in 2019, has quite a history and adds another layer of excitement to potential matchups.
What do you think? Which fight are you most eager to see in 2026? Join the conversation in the comments below and share your thoughts!
