5 best UFC fights to look forward to in October 2024

With just one event left in September, it's now worth looking forward to October in the UFC. The promotion is set for a busy month, with four events over four weekends.

With two pay-per-views on tap next month, October could be one of the biggest periods of the year for the UFC. Hopefully, then, we'll get some memorable fights that resonate across the remainder of the year.

Here are the five best UFC fights to look forward to in October 2024.

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#5. Alex Pereira vs. Khalil Rountree Jr. - UFC 307

It seems odd to have a title fight - especially one in the marquee light heavyweight division - at the bottom of a list like this. Realistically, though, few fans wanted to see this fight, which is set to headline UFC 307 on Oct. 5 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Alex Pereira has more than proven himself as the best 205-pounder in the world right now with wins over Jan Blachowicz, Jamahal Hill, and Jiri Prochazka.

However, the majority of fans wanted to see him tested by Magomed Ankalaev next, wondering how 'Poatan' would handle the Dagestani's wrestling.

Instead, though, the title shot has gone to Khalil Rountree Jr, despite the fact that he was forced out of his last fight due to a positive drug test.

Even though he's not technically the top ranked contender in the division, though, 'The War Horse' could be dangerous. He's on a five-fight win streak, carries brutal knockout power, and has already knocked out one highly credentialed kickboxer in Gokhan Saki back in 2018.

Despite this, this bout should be business as usual for Pereira. Rountree has been knocked out before, and nobody hits harder and more cleanly than 'Poatan'.

Still, any fight involving this all-time great should be watchable, and this one will be no exception. If nothing else, it should allow the Brazilian to add another title defense to his legacy.

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#4. Brandon Royval vs. Tatsuro Taira - UFC Fight Night 244

Oct. 12's UFC Fight Night at the Las Vegas APEX actually has a very high-level headliner. It will see Brandon Royval face off with Tatsuro Taira in a flyweight bout that could decide the next title challenger at 125 pounds.

Royval is currently the higher-ranked of the two. 'Raw Dawg' sits in the No.1 spot, largely on the strength of his February win over former titleholder Brandon Moreno.

Taira, though, is perhaps the more intriguing of the two fighters. The Japanese star is unbeaten at 16-0, and although he hasn't fought the best opponents thus far, he's shown excellent skills in all areas and did beat Alex Perez in June.

It might be a stretch to give Royval a title shot if he wins here, as he only lost to current champ Alexandre Pantoja last December. Taira, though, would be hard to deny if he can take out 'Raw Dawg'.

With this being a huge five-round test for the Japanese fighter, it should be fascinating to see if he can pull it off. Therefore, this one definitely stands as one of the best fights on tap for October.

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#3. Jose Aldo vs. Mario Bautista - UFC 307

While UFC 307 will feature two title fights, it's actually arguable that the best bout on the card will see the legendary Jose Aldo face off with up-and-coming prospect Mario Bautista.

It's probably safe to say that nobody thought Bautista would make it this far. He debuted in the octagon back in 2019 with a loss to Cory Sandhagen and went 2-2 in his first four fights.

Since taking the best part of a year off between 2021 and 2022, though, he's been on fire. Bautista has used his tricky grappling style to ease past six straight foes, submitting three of them, to rise up to the No.11 spot at 135 pounds.

However, can he really beat Aldo? The Brazilian legend might be past his best, but he's still a huge step up, and he dealt with Jonathan Martinez with surprising ease in his comeback fight in May.

The big question here is whether Aldo can prevent Bautista from constantly taking him down and bullying him from the clinch as Merab Dvalishvili did, but of course, that gameplan will be easier said than done anyway.

Either way, this is a chance to see a living legend in action, and definitely stands as one of October's best fights on paper.

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#2. Robert Whittaker vs. Khamzat Chimaev - UFC 308

UFC 308 will see the promotion visit Abu Dhabi, and unsurprisingly, they're bringing one of the best cards of 2024 to the Middle East.

The event's co-headliner - assuming it doesn't fall apart - will see a middleweight title eliminator between Robert Whittaker and Khamzat Chimaev.

Fans would be forgiven for being cynical until the two men step into the octagon. The bout was scheduled to headline the UFC's Saudi Arabia debut in June, only for Chimaev to withdraw, leaving Whittaker to destroy an overmatched Ikram Aliskerov instead.

Assuming he makes the date, 'Borz' should definitely push Whittaker much harder than that. The Chechen star will arguably be the best wrestler 'The Reaper' has ever faced in the octagon, and thus far, nobody has figured out a way to stop him.

With that said, Chimaev has certainly never faced someone as good as Whittaker yet. The Aussie has great takedown defense, top class striking, an excellent chin, and killer instinct like few others.

Essentially, the only complaint anyone could have about this fight is that it is not scheduled for five rounds. Regardless of the winner, this bout should be an excellent one and should hopefully produce a title challenger.

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#1. Ilia Topuria vs. Max Holloway - UFC 308

The best fight set to take place in October 2024 is definitely the fight set to headline UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi. It will see Ilia Topuria put his featherweight title on the line against former champion Max Holloway in what could be a classic.

Technically speaking, this fight is a champion vs. champion one, as 'Blessed' won the largely symbolic 'BMF' title in his last fight, famously knocking out Justin Gaethje in the fifth round.

This fight promises to be an entirely different challenge for the Hawaiian, though.

Not only is Topuria still unbeaten at 15-0, but his last fight saw him spark out Alexander Volkanovski, the man who beat Holloway on three occasions previously.

Thus far, nobody has found a way to get around the skills of 'El Matador', which tend to involve brute force, both in his wrestling and his striking.

If anyone can test that, though, it's Holloway, the self-proclaimed "best boxer in the UFC." Few fighters are as capable of chaining combinations together as 'Blessed', and few fighters have as good a chin as the Hawaiian too.

Basically, it's easy to see this fight going either way, and that's why it's such a good one. Either the unbeaten champion will claim another huge scalp and continue his road to greatness, or Holloway will once again climb to the top of the mountain.

If there's one fight worth watching in October, it's absolutely this one.