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UFC 264 goes down on July 10th, and thanks to the main event between Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor, the event promises to be one of the biggest UFC shows of 2021.
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While all of the focus will be on UFC 264’s main event between Poirier and McGregor, the card overall has excellent depth in terms of talented fighters.
So with this in mind, here are five fighters who could become superstars with a big win at UFC 264.
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#1 Tai Tuivasa – fights Greg Hardy at UFC 264
Australian heavyweight Tai Tuivasa was pegged as a prospect to watch when he debuted in the UFC back in 2017, but it's safe to say that things haven't quite panned out for 'Bam Bam' yet.
The innovator of the hilarious "shoey" celebration went 3-0 in his first three UFC outings but then lost three fights in a row to put him on the brink of being cut by the promotion.
However, Tuivasa has now won his last two fights by KO, putting him firmly back onto the trail of success. UFC 264 will provide him with a unique opportunity to become a real superstar in the promotion.
'Bam Bam' has been matched against former NFL star Greg Hardy, a fighter who is arguably the UFC's biggest villain due to his controversial history with domestic violence allegations.
Like his idol Mark Hunt, Tuivasa's ground game has always been his major weakness. Against Hardy, however, it's unlikely that any grappling will take place.
And while Hardy hits extremely hard, Tuivasa will likely be confident of landing a big shot on the former NFL star, hopefully knocking him out in the process.
If that happens, 'Bam Bam' will be an instant hero to fans, and due to the increased spotlight UFC 264 is likely to provide, it could make him into a superstar in the process too.
#2 Sean O’Malley – fights Louis Smolka at UFC 264
Sean O'Malley is one of the most outspoken fighters on the UFC roster right now, and he's also one of the promotion's most talented prospects.
'Sugar' rebounded from his loss to Marlon Vera – his first in MMA – to knock out Thomas Almeida at UFC 260 earlier this year. And while many fans expected him to be matched with a high-level contender in his next fight, he's instead faced with former flyweight Louis Smolka.
On the face of it, this matchmaking makes no sense. O'Malley has already beaten two more highly rated fighters than Smolka in Almeida and Eddie Wineland; Smolka is just 8-7 in the UFC.
However, if the UFC is looking to make O'Malley into a genuine superstar due to the increased exposure that UFC 264 is going to bring, then it makes perfect sense to match him with a beatable opponent.
Therefore, if 'Sugar' can put on an entertaining display while also taking Smolka out with some serious violence – as he did to Wineland and Almeida – then his reputation could soar despite his opponent's lowly ranking.
If anything, this could well be the breakout performance that O'Malley is looking for to shoot into the stratosphere.
#3 Niko Price – fights Michel Pereira at UFC 264
If there was any justice in the world, Niko Price would already be a UFC superstar. Sure, 'The Hybrid' doesn't win all of his fights inside the octagon, but what he does is provide the fans with fireworks every time he steps in there.
Price's record is ludicrous when it comes to his finishing rate. He's fought on 12 occasions in the UFC, winning six, losing four, and going to a No Contest twice.
That might not sound outstanding, but the fact that he's only gone the distance once is jaw-dropping. Basically, Price is the epitome of a kill-or-be-killed fighter, a man who lives and dies by the sword.
And his finishes aren't run-of-the-mill either, as he's used rare moves like upkicks and D'Arce chokes to take out his opponents. He also finished Randy Brown with hammer fists from the bottom, proving just how unorthodox he is.
Price is faced with fellow action fighter Michel Pereira at UFC 264, meaning the chances of an exciting fight are even higher than usual.
And if 'The Hybrid' can finish the Brazilian in his trademark wild and entertaining fashion, he could finally ascend to superstardom, something he has deserved for a long time.
#4 Dricus du Plessis – fights Trevin Giles at UFC 264
The UFC has seen several successful African fighters make their way onto its roster over the past few years. Right now, three of the UFC’s titleholders hail from the continent, with Francis Ngannou, Israel Adesanya and Kamaru Usman claiming UFC gold.
So could the UFC’s next African superstar be in action at UFC 264? It’s quite possible. South Africa’s Dricus du Plessis faces Trevin Giles at the event, and judging by his impressive UFC debut, du Plessis could well be something special.
Du Plessis demolished tough veteran Markus Perez in his first octagon appearance last October, needing just over three minutes to knock the Brazilian out with a vicious combination.
The victory took du Plessis' overall record to a solid 15-2, but it's his finishing rate that's been most astonishing. 'Stillknocks' has never been the distance in his eight-year MMA career, finishing nine of his opponents by submission and six by knockout.
Trevin Giles should provide a sterner test for the South African than Perez did. His UFC record of 5-2 is solid, and he's 14-2 overall, meaning he could be one of the UFC's more underrated fighters.
However, he has been submitted twice in the promotion and doesn't seem immune to strikes either. So based on du Plessis' hard-hitting debut, the South African should probably be favored here.
Given UFC President Dana White's suggestions of pushing into the African market, if 'Stillknocks' can beat Giles under the great spotlight of UFC 264, expect him to be given a major push by the promotion going forward.
#5 Irene Aldana – fights Yana Kunitskaya at UFC 264
The UFC is forever short on potential contenders for bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes. So any fighter in the division who can put together a strong run has a chance of claiming a title shot.
With a big and impressive win at UFC 264, Irene Aldana could also become a big star for the promotion.
The Mexican striker is one of the more entertaining fighters in the 135lbs division. Her boxing-heavy style usually guarantees some fireworks, even if she doesn’t finish her opponent. Her win over Ketlen Vieira at UFC 245, for instance, was one of the most memorable in the division in some time.
Aldana is coming off a disappointing loss to Holly Holm. Had she won that fight, there’s a chance it’d be her and not Julianna Pena preparing to fight Nunes in August.
But despite that, with a big win over Yana Kunitskaya at UFC 264, there’s every chance that Aldana could quickly find herself in line for Nunes later in 2021.
And with extra eyeballs almost guaranteed to be on UFC 264, if Aldana can unleash the kind of finish that she used to knock out Vieira, then there’s a chance that she catches on with fans as a potential star, too.
