As a fan of MMA for nearly 10 years now, I’ve seen only a third of the evolution of the sport and wished I could see some of the all-time greats fight in their primes to really feel the moments when they were active. The UFC is home to some of the most talented and dominant fighters in the world, each division boasting a champion who reigns supreme. But what if we could take these reigning champions and pit them against the true legends of their respective divisions — the fighters who set the bar so high, they’ve become synonymous with greatness? In this ultimate hypothetical scenario, we’re diving deep into fantasy matchups where current UFC champions face off against the greatest of all time. Who would emerge victorious in these dream fights? Strap in, as we break down the likely outcomes of these epic confrontations and explore why the GOATs would still hold the edge in the cage.
Flyweight – Alexandre Pantoja vs Demetrious Johnson
Winner: Demetrious Johnson
Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson is often regarded as the greatest flyweight in MMA history, having held the UFC Flyweight title for nearly six years and defending it a record-setting 11 times. His speed, technical prowess, fight IQ, and ability to seamlessly transition between striking and grappling give him an unparalleled edge in any flyweight matchup.
While Alexandre Pantoja is incredibly skilled and has proven himself as the current UFC Flyweight Champion, Johnson’s experience and mastery of every aspect of the game would likely be too much for Pantoja. His ability to control distance, manage pace, and his well-rounded skill set would secure him a decision win or possibly a submission in later rounds.
Bantamweight – Merab Dvalishvili vs Aljamain Sterling
Winner: Merab Dvalishvili
This is a fight we should’ve seen, yet these fighters being teammates ruined the prospect of it ever happening unless they got paid an obscene amount.
Although Aljamain Sterling has proven to be a dominant force in the bantamweight division, particularly with his grappling and submission skills, Merab Dvalishvili’s relentless pace and pressure would pose a unique challenge. Dvalishvili’s wrestling is elite, and his cardio is second to none. He’s also demonstrated incredible toughness and resilience, thriving in chaotic exchanges.
Sterling, despite his well-rounded game, has struggled against opponents who can impose relentless wrestling pressure, as seen in his first fight with Petr Yan. Dvalishvili’s pace, combined with his cardio and grappling, would likely overwhelm Sterling in a five-round war. Dvalishvili could outwork Sterling, securing a unanimous decision victory or even grinding out a late stoppage due to Sterling’s fatigue under constant pressure.
Featherweight – Jose Aldo vs Ilia Topuria
Winner: Ilia Topuria
Jose Aldo is one of the greatest featherweights of all time, known for his dominant striking, excellent footwork, and masterful takedown defence. However, Ilia Topuria is a rising star with explosive power, crisp striking, and relentless grappling. His dynamic fighting style and the ability to fight with a high pace might give him the edge in this matchup.
Topuria’s timing, physicality, and dangerous knockout power would give Aldo serious problems. While Aldo would certainly be competitive, especially with his experience, Topuria’s ability to mix up his attack and threaten with both striking and grappling would likely allow him to secure a finish, either via TKO or submission.
Lightweight – Khabib Nurmagomedov vs Islam Makhachev
Winner: Islam Makhachev
Khabib Nurmagomedov is widely regarded as the GOAT of the lightweight division, with his undefeated record and dominant grappling. However, Islam Makhachev has proven himself to be the heir apparent, with an almost identical fighting style. Makhachev’s striking has evolved to complement his world-class Sambo, and his ability to control opponents with suffocating pressure is very similar to Khabib’s.
However, Makhachev has evolved in areas where Khabib’s game was more raw early in his career. Makhachev’s striking, particularly his kicks and more technical boxing, could allow him to control the pace and distance in this matchup. Islam’s transition between striking and grappling is seamless, and he could likely neutralise Khabib’s aggressive wrestling to score a decision victory.
Welterweight – Georges St Pierre vs Belal Muhammad
Winner: Georges St Pierre
Georges St-Pierre (GSP) is widely considered one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time, and his skill set across all areas of MMA makes him a nightmare for any opponent. While Belal Muhammad has a well-rounded game and a high fight IQ, GSP’s superior wrestling, striking, and fight intelligence would likely prove to be too much.
GSP’s ability to mix up his strikes with his wrestling would likely neutralise Muhammad’s striking game. His cardio, movement, and defensive grappling would make it very hard for Muhammad to implement his game plan. A decision victory for GSP is almost certain, with Muhammad likely unable to keep up with GSP’s pace and pressure.
Middleweight – Anderson Silva vs Dricus Du Plessis
Winner: Anderson Silva
Anderson Silva is arguably the most skilled striker the middleweight division has ever seen, with a fluid and unpredictable style that baffled his opponents for years. While Dricus Du Plessis is a strong contender with a dangerous combination of striking and grappling, Silva’s experience, precision, and ability to control the distance would likely give him the advantage.
Silva’s head movement, footwork, and ability to pull off creative finishes (like his flying knee knockout of Vitor Belfort) would give Du Plessis problems. Although Du Plessis has a powerful game, Silva’s defensive skills and ability to win a striking battle would likely lead to a knockout or dominant decision victory.
Light Heavyweight – Alex Pereira vs Jon Jones
Winner: Jon Jones
Jon Jones is often considered the greatest mixed martial artist of all time, with a skill set that spans across every area of combat. His wrestling, striking, fight IQ, and ability to adapt make him an impossible puzzle for many opponents. While Alex Pereira is a devastating striker with power and precision, Jon Jones’ ability to control range and implement his wrestling would be key in this matchup.
Jones is simply too well-rounded for Pereira. He would likely look to neutralise Pereira’s striking by taking the fight to the ground, where he could control and dominate. Jones’ top control and submission skills would allow him to earn a dominant victory, either through a decision or late stoppage.
Heavyweight – Stipe Miocic vs Jon Jones
Winner: Jon Jones
We’re going to ignore what occurred at the end of last year for this one as it was very evident that Stipe was out of his prime and was way too slow and old to fight Jones. In the lens of current Jones vs prime Stipe, this is my breakdown:
In a clash between two of the most dominant heavyweights of all time, Jon Jones’ skill set would still be too versatile for Stipe Miocic. While Miocic has a phenomenal boxing game and strong wrestling, Jones’ ability to dictate the pace, use his size, and manage range would prove to be the deciding factor.
Jones’ unorthodox striking and superior clinch game would allow him to control the action, and his wrestling could neutralise Miocic’s. Jones could frustrate Miocic with his unpredictable movement and technical striking, leading to a late stoppage or a dominant decision victory.
This hypothetical matchup series features some incredible battles. Still, the common thread is that the legends of each division would be able to impose their skills and unique strategies against the current champions. Whether through superior fight IQ, wrestling, or striking, the GOATs in each of these divisions would likely come out on top.
WMMA edition comes out tomorrow!
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