The first quarter of the UFC’s 2026 schedule has been announced and many of the cards are becoming populated with bouts.
While we already know many of the matchups, this article will focus on potential matchups that have yet to be made, specifically non-title fights that would be tailor-made for entertainment.
Last year, I put together a list of these types of matchups for 2025 with a couple of them eventually coming to fruition. Here is a quick recap of last year’s list noting how close each matchup was to happening or did happen:
Dominick Cruz vs. Cody Garbrandt 2: Cruz was scheduled to face Rob Font but unfortunately got injured in camp and announced his retirement, so this rematch between former bantamweight champions was not meant to be.
Carlos Ulberg vs. Khalil Rountree Jr.: Rountree ended up facing two former champions in Jamahal Hill and Jiri Prochazka, while Ulberg beat former champ Jan Blachowicz then two-time title challenger Dominick Reyes.
Rose Namajunas vs. Natalia Silva: We didn’t get it in 2025, but it is now scheduled for the first event of 2026 at UFC 324.
Kamaru Usman vs. Jack Della Maddalena: This idea was hatched before Della Maddalena became welterweight champion and, arguably, this matchup makes even more sense now than it did one year ago.
Cory Sandhagen vs. Deiveson Figueiredo: This fight happened in 2025 and Sandhagen earned a title shot after emerging victorious.
Beniel Dariush vs. Brian Ortega: Ortega was expected to move to lightweight last year and Dariush would’ve been a good opponent but Ortega ended up staying at featherweight. He instead makes his lightweight debut in a rematch with Renato Moicano at UFC 326.
Roman Dolidze vs. Bo Nickal: The stars may align for this one in 2026 and, in hindsight, may have been a better matchup for Nickal than Renier de Ridder ended up being all things considered.
Geoff Neal vs. Carlos Prates: This fight did happen in 2025 and it was as entertaining as predicted.
Tatsuro Taira vs. Steve Erceg: Would have loved to see this matchup, but it seems the two are now on opposite trajectories.
Diego Lopes vs. Yair Rodriguez: It is an absolute shame that this fight never happened in 2025.
Now let’s get to the fun part and look at some potentially fun non-title matchups the UFC should make within the next 12 months.
(Note: These are not rumoured matchups and are purely hypothetical in nature)
Tatsuro Taira vs. Kyoji Horiguchi
Having two Japanese fighters ranked in the top 10 of a division has been a rarity in the UFC, and, while Taira is close to fighting for a title, it looks like both Manel Kape and former champion Alexandre Pantoja are ahead in the queue when it comes to the next title shot.
Horiguchi is scheduled to face Amir Albazi next month and should he emerge victorious, he would be on the cusp of the top five. A bout between Taira and Horiguchi would be the perfect way to cement one of these Japanese fighters as a potential title challenger by year’s end, not to mention the dynamic style matchup as a bonus.
Sean O'Malley vs. Umar Nurmagomedov
O’Malley and Nurmagomedov both compete at UFC 324 – against Song Yadong and Deiveson Figueiredo, respectively – and it is unfortunate that they don’t just face one another to firm up the bantamweight championship picture. Perhaps that is by design because if O’Malley wins he can compete in a very marketable rematch with Petr Yan for the title if Merab Dvalishvili takes some time off after recently losing the belt.
If Dvalishvili does jump right back into competition for a trilogy with Yan, O’Malley vs. Nurmagomedov makes all the sense in the world and has the potential to be dynamite.
Cory Sandhagen vs. Payton Talbott
Speaking of the potential for dynamite, Talbott is on the fast track after his UFC 323 win over Henry Cejudo and with Sandhagen having already lost to both Yan and Dvalishvili, he will need a few more big wins before re-entering title contention.
From a stylistic standpoint, this fight has all the makings of a classic with two diverse strikers facing off with either Sandhagen proving that he is still at the top of his game, or it will be out with the old and in with the new. In terms of fights that I would love to see in 2026, there are few that will top this one on my wish list.
Patricio Pitbull vs. Aaron Pico
Right before both Pitbull and Pico signed with the UFC, it felt like they were on a collision course in the PFL, but it never happened. Instead, they both debuted in the UFC with Pitbull going 1-1 and Pico losing his debut in spectacular fashion against Lerone Murphy in the summer. Pitbull vs. Pico would have always been a fun fight and still makes a lot of sense. The winner would be able to get some momentum for either of these fighters.
Manuel Torres vs. Mauricio Ruffy
There is really no argument to be made against putting this incredible fight together. Two rising, fight-finishing lightweights with devastating power that will have everyone watching on the edge of their seat. From an entertainment standpoint, there are few fights, on paper, that would hold up to this one.
Michael Morales vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov
This fight between two top-five welterweights should have everyone salivating. Two huge 170-pounders with identical 19-0 professional records in what would certainly be a title eliminator is about as good as it gets. It is yet to be determined who will face reigning champion Islam Makhachev next, but I would not be surprised if it is either Ian Machado Garry or Kamaru Usman.
While I believe that both Rakhmonov or Morales would be more qualified opponents than either Machado Garry or Usman, if the UFC books Makhachev against someone besides Morales or Rakhmonov, this fight would be as good as it gets.
Jack Della Maddalena vs. Carlos Prates
While I made the case for Della Maddalena vs. Usman briefly above, if we are putting together fights for their sheer entertainment potential, I would rather see Della Maddalena face Prates than Usman. Both are dynamic strikers and with the welterweight division getting crowded at the top, this fight would certainly show who belongs. At this point, if you are looking for entertainment, Prates has consistently delivered.
Dricus Du Plessis vs. Michael “Venom” Page
Who could say no to DDP vs. MVP?
Take Du Plessis and his forward-moving, button-mashing style of striking against Page’s patience and precision and see who sinks or swims. While it would be something of a disservice for the former champ and current No. 1-ranked contender, Du Plessis, to face the No. 10-ranked Page, we are trying to make entertaining fights and there is no way that this would not deliver some fun.
Natalia Silva vs. Manon Fiorot
Silva is scheduled to face Namajunas and a win would likely earn her a flyweight title shot, but if longtime champion Valentina Shevchenko is toying with the idea of a return to bantamweight to pursue a second title, then facing the winner of Kayla Harrison and Amanda Nunes would really be the only such avenue at this stage of her career.
If Shevchenko does not face the winner of Silva vs. Namajunas winner next, a bout between Silva and Fiorot would be a tactical striking delight and is a matchup that I have been coveting for some time.
Dominick Reyes vs. Zhang Mingyang
Even with both Reyes and Mingyang coming off knockout losses, pairing them together would be one of the most entertaining matchups possible at 205 pounds. Both have crazy stopping power and athleticism, neither would look to grapple, and the fight would be unlikely to see a second round. This is a recipe for absolute chaos.
