'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The UFC is planning to return to London for a Fight Night event on March 19th. This would be the first time the company has done so since March 16th 2019 when Jorge Masvidal famously knocked out Darren Till in the card's main event.
Trending
This has been due largely to the COVID-19 pandemic as Tyron Woodley vs. Leon Edwards in London was the first event that had to be scrapped due to the virus back in March 2020.
Since then, the promotion did look into returning in September last year for Darren Till vs. Derek Brunson. However, once again due to the coronavirus, they had to pull those plans and the event was instead held at the apex.
Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more
While there is obviously still a chance that this planned event in March suffers the same fate as its predecessors, the fact the promotion is taking Fight Night events back on the road in 2022 should give fans hope.
The planned event already boasts a number of fighters from the UK, including Jack Shore, Molly McCann and Tom Aspinall. For fighters from the country, and across Europe, the card provides a rare opportunity to avoid extensive travel and maybe fight in front of friends and family.
Here are five fights the promotion should add to the planned London event to make it even bigger:
#5. Ian Garry vs. Alex Oliveira - UFC welterweight division
'The Future' Ian Garry made an impressive UFC debut at the end of 2021 when he secured a first-round knockout of Jordan Williams. Garry has bags of potential at 24 years old and already has a strong following in his home country of Ireland. If the UFC does come to the UK, they would be smart to get him on the card.
When building a young star like Garry, it's important not to rush them into fights they're not ready for. While Alex Oliveira is a veteran of the octagon, he appears to be currently at a level that would make him an appropriate challenge for 'The Future'.
Oliveira has lost his last three and his most recent defeat came against Niko Price, who is not in the best run of form himself. He also has some name value and main evented the 'Cowboy vs. Cowboy' Fight Night back in 2016. Pitting Garry against Oliveira would make a great addition to this event.
#4. Paddy Pimblett vs. Michael Johnson - UFC lightweight division
Paddy Pimblett may very well be England's next big UFC star and therefore must make an appearance if there is an event in London. As was the case with Garry, pitting him against a well-known veteran who no longer seems to be carrying the threat he once did could be a great way of continuing to build the young star.
Pimblett turned plenty of heads with his first-round knockout of Luigi Vendramini on his UFC debut. He would likely turn even more heads should he be able to defeat a man who holds a victory over one Dustin Poirier, particularly with the fight taking place in his home country.
Johnson has lost four straight and most recently suffered a unanimous decision loss to fellow veteran Clay Guida. Pimblett versus Johnson would be a good way of continuing to raise the profile of 'The Baddy' whilst also giving 'The Menace' a chance to spoil the party.
#3. Gunnar Nelson vs. Santiago Ponzinibbio II - UFC welterweight division
We haven't seen Gunnar Nelson compete in the UFC since 2019 due to an unfortunate string of injuries. However, he recently announced he is ready to make a return to competition and stated that top of his list of potential opponents would be Santiago Ponzinibbio.
While this would be a very tough first fight back given Ponzinibbio is currently ranked No.14 in the welterweight rankings, Nelson has an impressive record himself. 'Gunni' lost his two previous fights before his lengthy spell of inactivity. However, these wins were against two elite fighters in Gilbert Burns and Leon Edwards.
The pair fought in 2016 when Ponzinibbio earned a knockout victory. However, the Argentine has now lost two of his last three and so this matchup doesn't seem particularly one-sided. Seeing Conor McGregor's former training partner return to action in a big fight in Europe would be a real treat for fans.
#2. Paul Craig vs. Alexander Gustafsson - UFC light heavyweight division
The last time the UFC planned to return to the UK, they booked Paul Craig in a bout with Alexander Gustafsson. Gustafsson was forced to withdraw from that bout due to injury but given both men have not fought since, why not try and make this match a second time?
The fight was certainly an interesting one the first time around. Craig is in the best form of his life. The 34-year-old is undefeated in his last five outings and is seemingly just one big name win away from becoming a major player at light heavyweight. Gustafsson would certainly provide that big name, although the Swede is not an easy fight.
'The Mauler' may have lost three straight but fans everywhere will be very familiar with just how good he can be on his day. Gustafsson could also make a run for the title if he were to beat Craig. The fight would see two of Europe's quality light heavyweights square off in a bout with real implications for the rest of the division.
#1. Darren Till vs. Uriah Hall - UFC middleweight division
Darren Till is England's biggest star in the UFC and you can be sure that Dana White & co. will make every effort to get him on this London card. Till would sell plenty of tickets and draw a lot of attention given his popularity in his home country.
Till is coming off a disappointing loss to Derek Brunson and his next fight will be a particularly important one given that he has now lost four of his last five. While it would be unwise for him to return to action too soon after injury, if he is healthy, a fight with Uriah Hall would make a lot of sense.
Hall lost to Sean Strickland in his last fight but is still No.9 in the middleweight rankings. Both men need a win to get their careers trending in the right direction. Above all, seeing Darren Till compete in London is an absolute must, provided he is healthy enough to do so.
