5 fights to book for UFC London this summer

The UFC returned to England for the first time since 2019 earlier this year and put on one of the most memorable Fight Night events in the history of the promotion. With the resounding success of UFC Fight Night: Volkov vs. Aspinall, the world's premier MMA organization is set to return to the English capital this summer.

The O2 Arena in London will host a Fight Night event on July 23rd, and no bouts have been announced for the fight card yet. It's safe to assume that several UK-based fighters will feature on the card, and it should be another incredible night in front of the famously raucous English faithful.

British MMA is at the peak of its powers at the moment, with numerous promising talents on the rise. At the upcoming UFC London event, multiple prospects will have a chance to further bolster their stock and make their way up the rankings in their respective divisions.

On that note, we thought we'd look at five fights to book for the promotion's return to England, including the perfect co-main and main event.

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#5. Joanne Wood vs. Molly McCann

Prior to joining the UFC, Molly McCann had four knockout victories on her record. However, on MMA's biggest stage, the Liverpudlian has struggled to put away her opponents and has largely relied on her volume striking to win fights.

As such, all of her victories inside the famed octagon before March 2022 came via unanimous decision. At UFC London earlier this year, she viciously knocked out Luana Carolina to pick up her first finish in the UFC.

McCann has emerged as a fan-favorite in recent times, with her all-action style of fighting, lovable nature and wholesome friendship with fellow Liverpool native Paddy Pimblett resonating with fans.

In the aftermath of her sensational knockout win over Carolina, 'Meatball' made no secret of her desire to fight a ranked opponent next. The ideal next opponent for her would be Joanne Wood.

Wood was once seen as a threat to flyweight queen Valentina Shevchenko's throne. Unfortunately for the Scottish fighter, she has lost five of her last seven bouts and has slipped to the No.10 spot in the 125-pound rankings as a result. She has lost her last three fights on the bounce and will be desperate to return to winning ways later this year.

Considering her losing streak, Joanne Wood will likely be handed a lower-ranked opponent in her next outing. Additionally, Wood hasn't competed in the UK in close to five years. With Molly McCann on the come-up, this seems to be the perfect fight to make in the women's flyweight division.

This Scotland vs. England matchup has all the makings of a great fight as well, considering both fighters' striking prowess. McCann boasts excellent boxing acumen, while Wood has shown to have high-level Muay Thai skills.

It's a fascinating clash of styles and we'll keep our fingers crossed hoping the matchmakers put this one together.

#4. Ricky Simon vs. Jack Shore

Jack Shore is an ominous presence in the UFC bantamweight division. The undefeated Welshman is finally getting the recognition he deserves, having broken into the rankings at 135 pounds. His professional record stands at 16-0, comprising four knockouts and eight submissions.

Following his unanimous decision victory over Timur Valiev earlier this year, 'Tank' claimed the No.15 spot in the bantamweight ranks. He is among the most well-rounded fighters in the division, and at just 27, he's still got a long way to go in his career.

Having fought unranked fighters in his first five appearances in the octagon, Shore will likely get a ranked contender next. Ricky Simon, who currently occupies the No.12 spot, appears to be a suitable next opponent for the rising Welsh star.

Simon has enjoyed a decent run in the bantamweight division so far. He joined the UFC in 2018 and has gone 7-2 in nine fights. His only losses in the octagon have come against top contender Rob Font and former WEC bantamweight champion Urijah Faber.

Ricky Simon is known for his suffocating wrestling and limitless gas tank. The Mexican-American will prove to be a tough test for Jack Shore if the duo end up locking horns.

Both fighters, who are yet to turn 30, will likely blossom into top-ranked contenders down the line and it'll be interesting to see who reaches the top tier of the division first.

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#3. Paddy Pimblett vs. Alexander Hernandez

Paddy Pimblett is one of the most popular fighters on the UFC roster, despite having featured just twice in the octagon so far. 'The Baddy' was already very well-known on the UK MMA circuit before joining the UFC and his stardom has reached new heights over the last year.

The former Cage Warriors champion has enjoyed a scorching start to his UFC career. His back-to-back first-round stoppage wins have seen his stock skyrocket and he will look to build on his momentum later this year.

Pimblett's two opponents in the UFC so far, Luigi Vendramini and Rodrigo Vargas, are hardly known for their ability to sell fights. 'The Baddy' could benefit from fighting someone with more name value. Alexander Hernandez seemingly fits the bill.

Hernandez has emerged as a polarizing figure in the UFC since joining the promotion back in 2018. He secured a stunning knockout victory over Beneil Dariush in his promotional debut and put on a dominant performance against Olivier Aubin-Mercier in his next outing.

He then started making a lot of noise outside the octagon, seemingly taking inspiration from Conor McGregor as he adopted a more outspoken approach to fight promotion. Since then, he's struggled to find consistency in the cage. In his last six fights, the American has alternated wins and losses, and he's yet to claim a ranking in the lightweight division.

While Alexander Hernandez has struggled quite a bit lately, he's always been an exciting fighter to watch. Moreover, his tendency to antagonize his opponents makes for very interesting matchups. A potential bout against Paddy Pimblett will undoubtedly attract a ton of attention.

The back-and-forth between Pimblett and Hernandez leading up to a potential fight will be a sight to behold. Fans have already caught a glimpse of 'The Baddy's'abilities on the mic and it'll be interesting to see just how good his trash talking game is when he has an able and willing dance partner.

Additionally, a fight against Hernandez will be a true test of Pimblett's skills. 'The Great' is well-rounded and has fight-ending power in his fists. A win here will silence those who critique the Liverpool native's skills and his star power will likely compound.

#2. Darren Till vs. Uriah Hall – UFC London co-main event

It's been quite a while since we've seen Darren Till at his best in the UFC. 'The Gorilla' was among the hottest prospects in the promotion between 2015 and 2018, before hitting a rough patch of form.

After going unbeaten in the first 18 fights of his professional career, Till has endured a torrid run of results of late. He has lost four out of his last five fights and hasn't looked anywhere as good as he did when he was a surging contender in the welterweight division.

Now plying his trade at middleweight, Till has blown hot and cold in a higher weight class. He edged out a split decision win over Kelvin Gastelum before picking up back-to-back losses to Robert Whittaker and Derek Brunson. He currently holds the No.8 spot in the 185-pound rankings.

Till has struggled with injuries in recent years. He has admitted on numerous occasions that he was dealing with a multitude of medical issues going into the fight with Derek Brunson. His physique in the fight showed that he wasn't at his best on the night, and he'll be itching to bounce back.

The popular Englishman has been trading barbs with Uriah Hall quite a bit in recent times. Hall has also struggled for consistency with his four-fight win streak coming to a crashing halt with his latest defeat to Sean Strickland.

A potential Till vs. Hall matchup makes sense for all parties involved. Both middleweights are stand-up fighters and will be highly motivated to make their way up the rankings.

With 185-pound champion Israel Adesanya running out of challengers for his title, the victor could find himself one win away from a shot at UFC gold.

Darren Till (left) and Uriah Hall (right) [Image via @MmaUnhinged on Twitter]

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#1. Curtis Blaydes vs. Tom Aspinall – UFC London main event

The UFC likes to match fighters coming off similar results against one another. Over the span of a week in March, Tom Aspinall and Curtis Blaydes further solidified their claims to a championship opportunity.

Blaydes produced a statement-making win at UFC Columbus. The wrestling phenom knocked out Chris Daukaus to successfully defend his place in the top five. He has now won six of his last seven fights and is likely just one victory away from a title shot.

Considering the fact that he has already lost to heavyweight king Francis Ngannou twice, 'Razor' can't afford to rest on his laurels and expect a shot at the belt to be handed to him.

Seven days prior to Blaydes' win over Daukaus, English heavyweight Tom Aspinall emerged victorious in the biggest fight of his professional career. Previously ranked No.11, Aspinall was booked to headline the most recent edition of UFC London, where he took on former Bellator champion Alexander Volkov, who was ranked in the top ten.

Most were of the opinion that Volkov would be a really tough outing for the young Englishman, considering the Russian's experience and stand-up skills. Aspinall made it look easy, dominating every second of the bout before finding a submission in the very first round to claim the No.6 spot in the rankings.

With both Curtis Blaydes and Tom Aspinall currently ranked in the top six of the heavyweight division, a matchup between the two streaking fighters is likely the best move forward.

Aspinall's wrestling defense is yet to be properly tested in the UFC and a fight against Blaydes will provide a better understanding of both fighters' ceilings. Moreover, this would be a title eliminator fight, making it a high stakes contest.

Tom Aspinall (left) and Curtis Blaydes (right) [Image via @MMAArena_ on Twitter]