Lightweight Division:

Paddy Pimblett vs Benoit Saint Denis:

The lightweight division is up there as one of the most highly competitive in the UFC, with huge names such as the champion Islam Makhachev, Arman Tsarukyan, Dustin Poirier, and Justin Gaethje.

And Liverpool’s own Paddy Pimblett has cemented himself firmly in the division after an impressive win against veteran Bobby Green back in July, which propelled him to 13th in the rankings.

So now I think he deserves a shot at a higher-ranked opponent in the form of Benoit Saint Denis, who has suffered two consecutive defeats at the hands of Dustin Poirier and Renato Moicano.

Despite his recent defeats, Saint Denis is still a very dangerous opponent and stylistically would match up brilliantly with Pimblett to create an exciting matchup.

Both fighters have a great submission game and therefore may choose to fight on the feet, which we know both are capable of.

Featherweight division:

Ilia Topuria vs Diego Lopes:

The featherweight champion, Ilia Topuria, has proved to be one of the best boxers in the UFC with huge knockout victories over both Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway.

As for Diego Lopes, the Brazilian has also taken the Featherweight division by storm, winning five fights in a row, including impressive performances over Brian Ortega and Sodiq Yussuf.

Lopes’ only loss in the UFC came at the hands of Movsar Evloev, who will also be looking for a title shot in 2025.

Both of these fighters like to end fights quickly which should make for an exhilarating matchup, where one either fighter possesses the power to knock the other out cold.

We are yet to see Topuria’s grappling credentials in the UFC, and this matchup may allow him to express other areas of his fight game.

Lerone Murphy vs Josh Emmett:

Lerone the ‘Miracle’ Murphy has been calling for a top 10 opponent for a while now, and his recent victory over Dan Ige should grant him his wish.

Josh Emmett has fought 14 times in the UFC and still ranks number eight in the Featherweight division. His explosive power means he is a threat to any fighter in the division as shown by his devastating knockout delivered to Bryce Mitchell.

Murphy will believe he can get the better of Emmett on the ground, therefore setting up an intriguing tactical battle between the pair, with Emmett likely to keep his distance and work his jab.

A win here would surely promote Murphy to the top ten of the division, whereas Emmett could climb even closer to the top five.

This bout would be another exciting matchup that the UFC fanbase would love and is one that the UFC should highly consider.

Heavyweight Division:

Jon Jones (C) vs Tom Aspinall:

This fight is one that has been talked about for months, with Aspinall accusing Jones of avoiding this fight.

The champion is regarded as the greatest UFC fighter of all time by many and his latest victory over the veteran Stipe Miocic enhanced that claim.

As for Tom Aspinall, the Englishman has enjoyed a monumental streak in the heavyweight division, averaging just two minutes and two seconds of fight time. His first-round KOs over Sergei Pavlovich and Curtis Blaydes proved his worth and showcased why he deserves a title fight.

Aspinall is also an accomplished grappler, yet his knockout power hasn’t allowed us to see this come to fruition within the UFC. But this matchup with Jones, who is an elite wrestler, would maybe allow him to show off these skills.

This fight may never happen with Jones hinting at a possible bout with Alex Pereira or even retirement, but the UFC should do everything in their power to ensure we as fans get to see it.

Light Heavyweight Division:

Anthony Smith vs Dustin Jacoby:

Both of these men fought on the final UFC card of 2024, with Jacoby securing a huge knockout victory over Vitor Petrino, while Smith succumbed to a defeat at the hands of Dominik Reyes.

Smith is still ranked number 14 in the light heavyweight division, while Jacoby sits outside of the rankings. Therefore, a win for Jacoby may propel him into the top 15 while ensuring Smith slips out of the rankings.

This would most likely be a fight primarily fought standing up with Jacoby possessing the power to knock Smith out, while Smith will be looking to keep his distance and secure a decision victory.

I believe this would be an interesting fight between two men who are heading towards the latter stages of their UFC careers.