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In the UFC, few things exceed the prestige of champions vs. champions bouts. Many, for example, regard the UFC 284 war between lightweight kingpin Islam Makhachev and then featherweight champion Alex Volkanovski as the highest-level MMA fight of all time.
While the new trend is for a champion to challenge a titleholder in a different division, such bouts have taken place numerous times throughout the promotion's history. Sometimes though, those fights occur before either man is a champion for various reasons.
On occasion, future titleholders cross swords on their climb to the top. In other cases, such matchups happen closer to the top three. Both represent curious glimpses into the paths certain champions had to clear on their rise.
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#5. Conor McGregor vs. Max Holloway, UFC Fight Night 26
Back in 2013, Conor McGregor and Max Holloway were nowhere near the title picture at featherweight. The Irishman was set to participate in his sophomore UFC fight, while 'Blessed' was on his 10th professional MMA bout. Both men crossed swords at UFC Fight Night 26, and it was a thrilling bout.
It saw McGregor overcome adversity after tearing his ACL during the fight, which forced him to resort to wrestling and grappling more than he ever had prior and has since. A young Holloway was out of his depth and the bout ended with McGregor winning via unanimous decision.
Years later, both men went on to capture featherweight gold, with both men beating José Aldo at different points. The Irishman knocked him out in 13 seconds, while Holloway dismantled and TKO'd him over three rounds.
#4. Kamaru Usman vs. Sean Strickland, UFC 210
Two years before he dethroned Tyron Woodley as the welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman locked horns with future middleweight champion Sean Strickland. Unfortunately, 'Tarzan' was, at the time, in the wrong division, fighting at 170 pounds and six years before he dethroned Israel Adesanya.
The pair faced off in the preliminary card of UFC 210 and it was a dominant outing for 'The Nigerian Nightmare' whose workrate, wrestling and then unrefined punching power completely overwhelmed Strickland. Despite dropping the future middleweight champion, a finish eluded Usman.
Check out Kamaru Usman vs. Sean Strickland:
He won via a lopsided unanimous decision and went on to mount an extended win streak in the promotion. Meanwhile, Strickland later made the switch to 185 pounds and hasn't looked back since.
#3. Kamaru Usman vs. Leon Edwards 1, UFC on Fox 17
Kamaru Usman has had three matchups with Leon Edwards, and the outcome of their first bout misled people's expectations for their subsequent two. Back then, both men were promotional newcomers, but their potential as elite fighters was clear for all to see.
Usman and Edwards crossed swords in a bout that saw the Englishman take control of the striking exchanges due to his sharper style on the feet, while 'The Nigerian Nightmare's' powerful wrestling and bottomless gas tank enabled him to drag Edwards into deep waters.
Check out Kamaru Usman vs. Leon Edwards 1:
In the end, Usman won via unanimous decision. But they would both meet years later at the peak of Usman's welterweight title reign. And in one of the most shocking knockouts in history, Edwards flatlined his rival with a legendary head kick, before beating him again in an immediate rematch via majority decision.
#2. Alexandre Pantoja vs. Brandon Moreno 1, UFC Fight Night 129
Alexandre Pantoja is the reigning UFC flyweight champion, while Brandon Moreno is the former champion from whom the Brazilian captured the belt. However, their title fight at UFC 290 was not their first outing. Instead, their first clash occurred in the earlier days of their promotional tenure.
An inexperienced but scrappy Moreno found himself struggling with Pantoja's grappling and physicality. Nevertheless, there were glimpses of what 'The Assassin Baby' would one day become, while the Brazilian was regarded as a dangerous future threat in the division due to his Brazilian jiu-jitsu and power.
Check out Alexandre Pantoja vs. Brandon Moreno 1:
After three hard rounds, Pantoja was declared the winner via unanimous decision and would repeat his triumph years later for championship gold, dragging Moreno to a razor-thin split decision.
#1. Alex Pereira vs. Sean Strickland, UFC 276
In his third UFC fight, Alex Pereira faced Sean Strickland on his mission toward middleweight gold. The matchup was decisive, with Pereira punishing Strickland for his habit of dropping his hands to parry body shots. 'Poatan' dipped low to stab his foe's midsection with the body jab.
Once Strickland dropped his hands to parry what he thought was another body jab, the former two-division Glory Kickboxing champion uncorked a thunderous left hook that blasted Strickland's exposed chin. 'Tarzan' was sent reeling to the mat, and while he tried to stand up, a follow-up right hand floored him for a second time.
Check out Alex Pereira vs. Sean Strickland:
It was one of Pereira's most impressive knockouts in the promotion, and he went on to TKO Israel Adesanya, becoming the middleweight champion. However, he lost the title in an immediate rematch to Adesanya, who knocked him out in return, only to then be dethroned by Strickland after a five-round beatdown.
