5 fighters who could become title contenders with big wins at UFC 267

#4. Alexander Volkov – UFC heavyweight contender

Alexander Volkov could be a future challenger for UFC heavyweight champ Francis Ngannou

Had things gone slightly differently, then Alexander Volkov would already be a bonafide title contender in the UFC heavyweight division. He may well have already fought for the interim title earlier this year, in fact.

‘Drago’ last fought in June, when he fell to defeat at the hands of Ciryl Gane, who of course went onto defeat Derrick Lewis to claim the interim gold. However, his fight with Volkov wasn’t a whitewash by any means. ‘Bon Gamin’ definitely did enough to take a decision, but it’s probably fair to say that Volkov hung in with him more impressively than most of his other opponents.

Prior to his loss to Gane, Volkov was on a two-fight win streak, having dealt with Walt Harris and Alistair Overeem in violent fashion to bounce back from a disappointing loss to Curtis Blaydes in 2020.

So, could ‘Drago’ find himself back in title contention if he defeats Marcin Tybura this weekend? It’s definitely possible.

A lot depends on what happens when Gane fights Francis Ngannou to unify the two UFC heavyweight titles in January. Should Gane win, it’d be hard to justify giving ‘Drago’ another shot at him.

However, if Ngannou knocks Gane out, then his next challenger would be very much up-in-the-air, especially when you consider he’s already beaten the likes of Stipe Miocic, Blaydes and Jairzinho Rozenstruik.

That means that if Volkov can get back on the winning track by stopping Tybura violently at UFC 267, then he could well put himself in line for a potential shot at Ngannou in 2022.

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#3. Dan Hooker – UFC lightweight contender

Dan Hooker has a tricky task ahead of him against Islam Makhachev at UFC 267

New Zealand-based lightweight Dan Hooker has arguably the toughest assignment of any fighter competing at UFC 267 this weekend.

He’s set to face Islam Makhachev, a fighter widely considered the 'new Khabib'. What’s more, ‘The Hangman’ has taken the fight on just four weeks’ notice, which makes him certifiably crazy in the eyes of many UFC fans.

Despite this fight being a massive risk for Hooker, it also represents a massive opportunity. The No.6-ranked contender has been on the verge of title contention before, most notably following a win over Paul Felder in 2020. However, he's always fallen at the final hurdle.

Most recently, Hooker was defeated by Dustin Poirier and Michael Chandler, both of whom are currently in the title picture. Chandler fought for the title earlier this year, while Poirier will do so in December.

If ‘The Hangman’ can somehow overcome Makhachev, though, he’d be almost instantly elevated onto a different level entirely. After all, it’s one thing to beat a tough fighter like Felder, but another entirely to knock off the 'new Khabib'.

Naturally, the fight won’t be easy for Hooker. Makhachev’s takedowns are seemingly impossible to stop and he’s also a physical beast on the feet. However, if he does pull it off, it wouldn’t be shocking at all to see him fight for the UFC lightweight title in the near future.