Ever-so in a constant whirlwind of surprise announcements of thrilling matchups that keep fans on the edge of their seats, the UFC realm sure never rests. Now imagine you are donning the UFC Head Honcho Dana White’s hat, what would be the next move for some of the biggest names in the lightweight division?

The 155 lbs champion, Islam Makhachev, is currently out of action due to a hand injury he suffered in his title defense against Dustin Poirier at UFC 302. While his return fight is most likely going to be against the no. 1 contender, Arman Tsarukyan, the rest of the division still has many intriguing matchups to offer. So, what should the UFC boss do for Conor McGregor, Michael Chandler, Charles Oliveira, and more to give the fans some more thrilling lightweight showdowns? Let’s ponder the possibilities and the fights that may fill the Octagon with fireworks!

Conor McGregor’s options for his long-awaited comeback

Dana White recently sent shockwaves through the MMA sphere when he teased the fans with a massive update on a recent Instagram live session. What did the boss say? White hinted, “Conor news coming up, we’ve got Oliveira news coming up, we’ve got Chandler news coming up.”

This comes as a surprise because White has been firm about ‘The Notorious’ not competing in 2024 in recent interviews. The Irishman has been penciled in for a clash against Michael Chandler ever since their appearance on TUF 31 as coaches together. However, with the heart-breaking short-notice cancellation of their UFC 303 clash due to a toe injury, is there a different option for McGregor’s return?

Well, if Dan Hooker had his way, he would be interested in bumping Chandler off the matchup list and challenge McGregor instead! After his impressive win over Mateusz Gamrot at UFC 305, ‘The Hangman’ took the microphone inside the Octagon and fired off a list of several names which surprisingly included Conor McGregor.

In a subsequent interview with ‘The Mac Life’, Hooker explained that the reason he took a shot at the McGregor fight was that, “…because I am an absolute troll, so it’s like the biggest troll move you could do of all time is to snake that fight off Chandler. Like he waits all that time and then Conor just fights me anyway, like that would be gold.”

Hooker might have been “trolling”, but since he is now ranked no. 5 in the 155 lbs. division, a spot above Michael Chandler who is at no.6, it’s not that far-fetched of an idea for him to step into the cage against ‘The Notorious’. But if that bout does go to the New Zealand native, where does that leave Michael Chandler?  

Should Michael Chandler move on from the McGregor match-up?

While both McGregor and Chandler recently were in agreement for a December date for their long-awaited matchup, according to a UFC insider, the promotion may have a different plan for them. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Chael Sonnen shared, “An inside scoop that I’m getting is that the UFC wants all of those same things (McGregor vs. Chandler) they just wanted it in January in California.”

In a post on X from July, Chandler had indicated, “I’ve been offered @MAKHACHEVMMA in October” but the champion wasn’t having any of it as he claimed that ‘Iron’ is an “unreliable dude”. So, with Makhachev now nursing an injury and still having Arman Tsarukyan waiting in the wings, does Michael Chandler have any match-ups available for him instead of waiting for Conor McGregor till 2025?

Rafael Fiziev, who is currently ranked no. 9 in the division could be an interesting option. ‘Ataman’ is on a 2-fight losing streak but his last loss against Mateusz Gamrot in 2023 was due to a knee injury. In a recent interview shared on X by Championship Rounds, Fiziev revealed that “Before New Years I want to come back, before (end) of this year… I believe my power 100% I’m ready for fight for everybody (in the) top 15. Anyone wanna fight me, I’m ready.”

https://twitter.com/ChampRDS/status/1783165811252674677

So, do you think that it would be a better option for the promotion to have Michael Chandler defend his spot in the rankings against Fiziev? Because if Chandler wants to fight before 2025, this fight promises an action-packed clash against two explosive fighters known for their highlight reels!

Can Dustin Poirier vs. Charles Oliveira become a reality?

It’s hard to argue against the fan support that is behind Dustin Poirier and Charles Oliveira. While Poirier is coming off a loss against Islam Makhachev at UFC 302, ‘Do Bronx’ has been out of action since losing a closely contested split decision against Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 300 which was a lightweight title eliminator.

Now, both men have caused a frenzy amongst the fans with their recent posts on social media! On his Instagram story, ‘The Diamond’ shared a picture with the caption, “Big news coming soon. Uno Mas (One More)”. ‘Do Bronx’ who has also been on the sidelines since his loss to Tsarukyan shared an image of his training on Instagram with the caption indicating, “I’m hoping my fight will be coming soon and I’m counting on all of you to support me. I’m doing my part by training. Soon the lightweight lion is going to hunt!”

So should the two lightweight legends be given a chance to put on a show for the fans? Since Oliveira and Poirier are both out of the title picture at the moment, and Poirier has a loss against the Brazilian on his record from their title clash at UFC 269, it wouldn’t be too far-fetched of an idea to pit these two against one another!

The beauty of the UFC lies in its unpredictability. As we wait for the next move by Dana White and the promotion, the possibilities are endless. What matchups do you think have the highest chances of happening, and which ones do you want to see take place? Share your thoughts in the comments below!