The UFC Universe is buzzing with anticipation! What dream fights are the biggest names in mixed martial arts hoping to see in 2026? The anticipation is building, and the predictions are in! The world of UFC is always evolving, and the choices of these fighters give us a glimpse into the future of the sport.
In November, fight fans were already getting excited about the upcoming UFC 324 card, which will kick off the promotion's broadcast deal with Paramount+. The event is scheduled to take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on January 24, marking the Octagon's return after a break.
But the excitement doesn't stop there! UFC 325, headlined by Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes 2, is set to take place the following weekend in Sydney, Australia.
Before the UFC schedule really kicks into high gear, several prominent fighters were asked a simple, yet compelling question: What one fight do you dream of seeing in 2026?
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So, what are the fights that have these elite athletes and the fans most excited?
On the first day of 2026, the UFC's Instagram account revealed a series of responses from some of the biggest names in the sport, unveiling their dream matchups for the year.
Islam Makhachev, the welterweight champion, won't have to wait long to see his pick become a reality, with his choice of Max Holloway vs. Charles Oliveira 2 set to headline UFC 326 on March 7.
Holloway, on the other hand, picked a fight that was also a popular choice among the 16 fighters polled.
His vote was for Jon Jones vs. Alex Pereira, with several others echoing his sentiment.
But here's where it gets interesting: other fighters had different ideas for ‘Poatan’. Kayla Harrison suggested he face Tom Aspinall, while Carlos Prates wants to see him take on Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title.
Paddy Pimblett offered two different options, initially naming a fight that his teammate, Luke Riley, was supposed to have before it was canceled. His second response saw Pimblett take another shot at Arman Tsarukyan, whom several others want to see challenge Ilia Topuria this year.
Here's a breakdown of the dream fights, as chosen by the UFC roster:
- 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’s two that make me excited. Carlos Prates vs Jack Della Maddalena. Revenge, Jean Silva vs Diego Lopes.”
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But what about the experts?
Joe Rogan, during a recent episode of his JRE MMA Show, discussed the potential of Jon Jones returning to face Alex Pereira. He argued that a belt isn't necessarily crucial when it comes to fighters of this caliber. He also mentioned it could be for a heavyweight version of the BMF belt, currently held by Max Holloway. The BMF belt was first created for UFC 244 in 2019, with Jorge Masvidal becoming the inaugural welterweight champion.
What do you think? Are these the fights you want to see? Do you agree with the fighters' choices, or do you have other dream matchups in mind? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
