Watch For These UFC Matchups in 2021

The UFC is coming back in a big way in 2021. If you listen to president Dana White talk, it’s clear that he has some plans in mind that should set the organization back on track. Whether these events take place in Las Vegas or Abu Dhabi is irrelevant, as the fans just care that we have some title fights and grudge matches on the way. Here are some big fights you can expect to see in 2021. 

Blachowicz vs Adesanya

Adesanya is one of the biggest names in MMA today. The fight that most fans would ask for if they could snap their fingers and have it is Adesanya vs Jon Jones. For that dream matchup to make sense, a lot needs to happen first. On Adesanya’s side, he needs to first step up to light heavyweight and defeat the champion, Jan Blachowicz. This matchup is set for March 6th in Las Vegas. 

While Blachowicz is the undisputed light heavyweight champion, Adesanya may be the favorite in the boxing and MMA picks heading into this fight. Blachowicz has not yet defended his title, while on the other hand, Adesanya is the undefeated middleweight champion and has built himself a massive fanbase in the MMA world. This should be an excellent bout, and Adesanya would be wise not to overlook Blachowicz, as his power will be even greater than Romero’s. 

Masvidal vs Covington

Masvidal had the world around his finger just a year ago. After a satisfying string of exciting finishes, he had numerous money fights in front of him and was ready to start cashing in. He tried his best to campaign for some, but scheduling and other issues were outside of his control. While his loss to champion Kamaru Usman didn’t do anything to take his steam away, it’s just been too little too late for Masvidal since his 2019 rise. 

Masvidal needs a big fight with a good story and buildup. This leaves one clear option; Masvidal vs Covington. As former training partners turned competitors, there is definitely a lot of bad blood here. Covington in particular has been calling out Masvidal in every interview. It seems obvious at this point that we will see these two face off this year and expect it sooner rather than later. 

Edwards vs Chimaev

On paper, there really is no reason that Chimaev should be granted this Edwards fight. He’s a top prospect sure, but he has yet to beat anyone in the top 10. On the other side, Edwards hasn’t lost a fight since 2015 and is still ranked #3 overall in the welterweight division. All of that aside, this should be a fantastic bout. Chimaev is building up his fanbase rapidly, and Edwards should give him the best challenge of his career. It’s time to see what Chimaev is truly made of. This fight is scheduled for March 13th at UFC Fight Night 187. 

McGregor vs Diaz 3

Any event with McGregor at this point will bring a crowd. However, his last fight against Dustin Poirier certainly derailed any plans for a title run. Fans are left wondering, where does McGregor go now? The answer is straight to McGregor vs Diaz 3 to settle the trilogy fight. Especially considering Diaz really has no reason to come back aside from this fight as well. Expect it at some point this year, or don’t expect to see McGregor back anytime soon. 

Miocic vs Jones

Miocic has done everything he needs to be considered the greatest heavyweight in UFC history. His trilogy with Daniel Cormier will be remembered forever. Now as the undisputed champion, Miocic has cleaned out the heavyweight division, so there is only one match that makes any sense. That is Miocic vs Jon Jones. 

However, what the promotion wants may be different from what the fans want. At the moment, it is unclear if we will see this matchup immediately, or a fight between Miocic and the top contender, Francis Ngannou. Both events would be exciting, but either way we should expect to see Miocic vs Jones at some point this year.