5 upcoming fights that could produce a new UFC title contender

The much-anticipated number one contender fight between UFC bantamweight Cory Sandhagen and TJ Dillashaw takes place this weekend. There is no better time to look at upcoming fights the UFC has scheduled which could produce a new top contender in their respective divisions.

The criteria for this list is as follows: A win for at least one of the two fighters should set them up for either a number one contender fight or a title shot; the fighter in question must not have fought for a title shot in that weight class previously.

Honorable mentions go to Jared Cannonier, who takes on Kelvin Gastelum in August, as well as Brandon Royval, who will fight Alexandre Pantoja on the same card.

#5. Giga Chikadze vs. Edson Barboza - UFC Fight Night August 28th

While most fights on this list appear to be a way of transitioning a new prospect into contender status, this fight between Giga Chikadze and Edson Barboza could see either man catapulted into the title picture.

Chikadze is very much the new fight on the block. A former Glory kickboxer, he has adapted his striking skillset to the sport of MMA to great effect. His flashy style has quickly seen him become a favorite fan, with his first-round body kick KO against Cub Swanson particularly notable.

Edson Barboza is a UFC veteran in many respects but is very new to the featherweight division. He is currently coming off back-to-back victories over Makwan Amirkhani and Shane Burgos, with the latter a contender for UFC fight of the year.

Both fighters' explosive styles could well be the recipe for another FOTY contender, and at the very least should see them move into the top five with a potential number one contender fight next.

#4. Marlon Moraes vs. Merab Dvalishvili - UFC 266

While Brazil's Marlon Moraes has already fought for the UFC's bantamweight title before, his upcoming opponent, Merab Dvalishvili, is still exploring unchartered territories.

Dvalishvili's aggressive wrestling game has made him a true force to be reckoned with. 'The Machine' has plowed through his past six opponents in the UFC, with the likes of Casey Kenny, John Dodson and Cody Stamman all falling victim to his relentless pressure.

Dvalishvili is currently ranked 10th in the UFC's bantamweight division, while Moraes sits at sixth. Should the Georgian pick up another decisive victory here, a number one contender fight against a fellow top-ranked fighter seems quite plausible.

#3. Li Jingliang vs. Khamzat Chimaev - UFC 267

Khamzat Chimaev was one of the UFC's biggest breakout stars in 2020. Three dominant victories over John Phillips, Rhys McKee and Gerald Meerschaert saw Chimaev booked to fight top welterweight contender Leon Edwards. Unfortunately, Chimaev contracted COVID-19 and suffered heavily from its long-term effects. This led to the Edwards fight being scrapped and nearly pushed 'Borz' into retirement.

However, Chimaev is now back and has a new opponent - Li Jingliang. The Chinese is coming off a brutal KO victory over Santiago Ponzinibbio. With Jingliang ranked 12th in the welterweight division, it is slightly optimistic to say a win over Chimaev will be enough for a number one contender fight.

However, should Chimaev win, it is likely that he will be moved right to the top of the pack. Considering he was offered what was essentially a number one contender shot against Edwards off the back of only three UFC wins, it is clear that the UFC holds Chimaev in incredibly high regard.

The promotion could re-schedule the Leon Edwards fight as well. The Jamaican-born fighter is currently in limbo after defeating Nate Diaz at UFC 262. Despite the win, he is now being forced to wait for Colby Covington to rematch welterweight champion Kamaru Usman before securing his own title shot. A fight against Chimaev would be a good matchup for Edwards to stay active and solidify his place as the next number one contender.

#2. Roxanne Modafferi vs. Tatiana Suarez - UFC 266

After being forced to spend two years out of the sport due to injury, undefeated UFC prospect Tatiana Suarez is back. While she has spent the entirety of her career competing at strawweight, Suarez has now made a move up to flyweight.

Welcoming her to the 125lb division is experienced veteran Roxanne Modafferi, who currently sits at ninth in the rankings. Such is the dominance of the current women's flyweight champion, Valentina Shevchenko, that the UFC are desperate to find new talent to challenge her.

Should Suarez look as impressive against Modafferi as she did during her eight-fight winning streak at strawweight, we may well see her move right into the top five. A title opportunity or at least a number one contender shot would likely be the next step for her.

#1. Darren Till vs. Derek Brunson - UFC Fight Night September 4th

Darren Till's middleweight career so far has been somewhat less than stellar. He currently holds a win over Kelvin Gastelum and a loss to Robert Whittaker. He has also had three fights - against Marvin Vettori, Jack Hermansson and Derek Brunson - canceled or rescheduled.

However, these elements mean little to the UFC, who are desperate to put Till in the octagon with the current middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya. Both are masters at selling fights, and the two men have already had multiple interactions on social media, much to the delight of MMA fans.

The UFC have now scheduled Till to fight Derek Brunson, targeted to headline the main event of the UFC's first card to be held in London since the pandemic hit.

If Till is victorious in front of his home crowd, the UFC will almost undoubtedly match him up with Israel Adesanya next. There is also a chance he faces a fellow top-ranked middleweight in a number one contender fight. However, considering Adesanya has been calling for the fight, we could see 'The Gorrila' in the cage against Adesanya soon.