5 biggest UFC fights to look forward to in July 2023

The first half of 2023 had no shortage of jaw-dropping moments in the UFC, from shocking upsets to highlight-reel finishes. With the first six months of the year now in the books, we look ahead to July, a month stacked with massive fights.

The only month of the year comprising two blockbuster pay-per-views, July promises to deliver on all fronts. With three Fight Nights and two PPVs to look forward to, we thought we'd rank the biggest fights on the horizon.

On that note, here are the five biggest fights to look forward to in July 2023.

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#5. Tom Aspinall vs. Marcin Tybura

On July 23rd last year at the O2 Arena in London, English heavyweight Tom Aspinall suffered his first loss in the UFC after picking up a knee injury just 15 seconds into his fight. Cruelly robbed of a main event win, Aspinall is returning to the scene of the crime exactly a year later, eager to make amends.

The highly touted Brit will take on Marcin Tybura in July's UFC London headliner.

Tom Aspinall was forced into a lengthy spell on the sidelines owing to the injury he sustained against Curtis Blaydes in London last year. With knee surgery and rehabilitation now in the rear-view mirror, Aspinall is looking to return to winning ways.

Standing in his way is Polish heavyweight Marcin Tybura, a perennial contender in the division. Tybura is far more experienced than Aspinall, with 17 UFC fights already under his belt, and is coming off back-to-back wins over Alexander Romanov and Blagoy Ivanov.

Aspinall is seen by many as a real threat to current champion Jon Jones and a win over Tybura puts him straight into the title conversation.

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#4. Robert Whittaker vs. Dricus du Plessis

A pivotal middleweight clash will be underway at UFC 290 in Las Vegas as top-ranked contenders Robert Whittaker and Dricus du Plessis square off with a title shot up for grabs. While the masses seem to be overlooking du Plessis, former champion Whittaker knows he's in for a tough fight.

Robert Whittaker has already lost twice to middleweight king Israel Adesanya. Their first fight saw Adesanya come away with a TKO victory and the rematch was a closely contested affair wherein 'The Last Stylebender' edged out a decision. However, many believe Whittaker deserved to get his hand raised on the night.

There isn't much excitement surrounding a trilogy bout between Whittaker and Adesanya, despite 'The Reaper' clearly being the toughest matchup for the champion. Dricus du Plessis can really shake things up in the middleweight division if he pulls off an upset and the South African offers a fresh challenge for Adesanya.

The champion has already publicly stated that he wants du Plessis to win, but Whittaker is rightfully a massive betting favorite. Whoever comes out on top will likely take on Adesanya at UFC 293 in Sydney later this year.

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#3. Brandon Moreno vs. Alexandre Pantoja 3 – UFC flyweight title fight

Brandon Moreno has blossomed into one of the most recognizable figures in the sport in recent years, thanks in large part to his historic quadrilogy with former champion Deiveson Figueiredo. Now an undisputed champion, Moreno will look to successfully defend his belt for the first time when he takes on a familiar foe.

At UFC 290, Moreno will take on Brazilian challenger Alexandre Pantoja, who already has two wins over him.

Brandon Moreno and Alexandre Pantoja were both contestants on The Ultimate Fighter 24, where Pantoja submitted Moreno quite easily early on in the season. Two years after their meeting on TUF, he beat him again, this time via decision. Now riding a three-fight win streak, Pantoja has earned his place opposite 'The Assassin Baby'.

This fight has largely flown under the radar, but it has all the makings of an explosive matchup. Pantoja can make it 3-0 over his Mexican counterpart and win the title, or Moreno will finally slay the boogeyman of his career.

The flyweight duo will collide in the co-main event of UFC 290.

Moreno has two losses to Pantoja [Images via @pantoja_oficial & @mmaonpoint on Instagram]

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#2. Dustin Poirier vs. Justin Gaethje 2 – BMF title fight

Back in 2018, all-action lightweights Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje put on a slugfest for the ages, wherein both fighters dealt with tremendous adversity. Over five years after their first meeting, they are set to headline a pay-per-view in Salt Lake City, with the BMF title on the line.

Dustin Poirier came away with a fourth-round TKO victory over Justin Gaethje in their first meeting, but both fighters have significantly changed their style of fighting over the last few years.

Perhaps most importantly, Gaethje has adopted a far safer approach in recent times, a far cry from how he used to fight during his WSOF and early UFC days. Evident in his fights against Michael Chandler and Rafael Fiziev, 'The Highlight' is a more measured fighter now, which should make this rematch against Poirier very interesting.

While the BMF title is a fun addition, a shot at the lightweight championship is also on the line. Veterans of the 155-pound division, Poirier and Gaethje have already tried and failed in their undisputed title bids, and a win here could land the victor a shot at the champion, Islam Makhachev.

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#1. Alexander Volkanovski vs. Yair Rodriguez – UFC bantamweight title fight

After his razor-close decision loss to lightweight champion Islam Makhachev earlier this year, featherweight kingpin Alexander Volkanovski will head down to his division to take on interim champion Yair Rodriguez in the main event of UFC 290 in Las Vegas on July 8th.

Yair Rodriguez won the interim title with his impeccable performance against Josh Emmett on the same night Alexander Volkanovski lost to Islam Makhachev. Rodriguez submitted Emmett in just two rounds to earn his shot at undisputed gold, and looking at the matchup stylistically, it's going to be an absolute barnburner.

Both Rodriguez and Volkanovski are world-class strikers. 'El Pantera's potent finishing ability is well-documented and the champion will have to be on his toes at all times. On the flipside, Volkanovski is a master at neutralizing his opponents' strengths, but he's never faced a fighter as dynamic as Rodriguez.

Rodriguez can become the third undisputed Mexican champion with a win at UFC 290, but he'll have his work cut out for him against one of the pound-for-pound best. For Volkanovksi, this is a chance to further cement his legacy in the featherweight division.