The UFC introduced the inspiration of its fall schedule on Tuesday, together with three title fights in October.
Alex Pereira will try and reclaim the sunshine heavyweight championship in a direct rematch towards Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 320 on Oct. 4 in Las Vegas. On the identical card, Merab Dvalishvili will meet Cory Sandhagen, searching for his third bantamweight title protection.
And newly-elevated heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall seems to be to maneuver on from the 12-month saga that was Jon Jones’ retirement announcement in an undisputed title protection towards Ciryl Gane in the primary occasion of UFC 321 on Oct. 25 in Abu Dhabi.
Let’s have an early response to every of the UFC title struggle bulletins. Additionally, ESPN betting analyst Ian Parker supplies early finest bets on all three title fights.
1. Let’s keep away from the identify “Jon Jones” within the buildup to Aspinall vs. Gane
I movement we fully ignore Jones between now and Oct. 25, as a result of Jones will seemingly beg for consideration at numerous factors main as much as this struggle.
Jones held up the heavyweight division as a champion for almost a yr, simply to make the disappointing announcement of retirement. In doing so, he confirmed no respect for Aspinall’s time and possibly harm his legacy, as followers will seemingly always remember the dissatisfaction of his perceived “ducking” of Aspinall. All of this solely to, in typical Jones trend, announce he intends to return to the game in 2026.
Jones remains to be the best MMA fighter of all time, and as I wrote when he retired, he by no means owed us the Aspinall struggle. He is allowed to stroll away. However, the way in which he is chosen to stroll away is foolish, and within the meantime, different heavyweights are able to compete. Aspinall (15-3) is a legit superstar-level expertise. He deserves one hundred pc of our consideration — in a method that is not in any method related to Jones.
So, respectfully, let’s ignore Jones forward of UFC 321. There is no purpose to say him when Gane (13-2) is Aspinall’s opponent. Jones may have fought Aspinall in what would have been the largest occasion of the yr. He may have had all the eye he may have ever wished, however he opted towards it. So, let’s give that focus to Aspinall vs. Gane.
2. Merab Dvalishvili’s 2025 run may surpass Alex Pereira’s 2024
It is becoming these two will share this UFC 320 occasion, as a result of Dvalishvili has channeled some critical Chama vitality in 2025.
I do not understand how potential it’s for Dvalishvili to go Islam Makhachev or Ilia Topuria on the pound-for-pound rankings, but when he beats Sandhagen (18-5), I’ll contemplate shifting him up. Dvalishvili may not be shifting up in weight like Makhachev and Topuria, however his exercise concerning title defenses is of the identical problem stage as shifting up.
Dvalishvili (20-4) did not even need to face Umar Nurmagomedov in January. At the moment, he wished to take a while off, and reportedly, he went into that title protection with a number of undisclosed accidents. No drawback. Dvalishvili not solely upset Nurmagomedov in a five-round resolution, he then circled in simply 5 months for a rematch towards Sean O’Malley, who was firmly motivated and well-trained for that struggle. I do not suppose O’Malley appeared dangerous in that rematch, Dvalishvili is simply that good. And now Dvalishvili heads into his third title protection in 10 months. That’s BMF-type conduct.
The storylines round Aspinall’s first title protection and Pereira’s shot at revenge will most likely overshadow Dvalishvili’s exceptional exercise come fall. And that is a disgrace, as a result of Dvalishvili is likely to be the very best fighter on this planet proper now.
3. It is not the struggle we wished for Pereira, however I am going to go all in
Let me clarify. I’d have a lot somewhat seen Pereira transfer to heavyweight to be the primary opponent for Aspinall.
Following Jones’ retirement, I wished to see Aspinall in essentially the most high-profile matchup potential, which might have been a struggle towards Pereira. However Pereira (12-3) is rather more suited to struggle at gentle heavyweight as an alternative of shifting up a division, and this rematch towards Ankalaev (21-1-1) remains to be struggle.
However I am not going to let that cease me from now absolutely shopping for into this Pereira-Ankalaev rematch. It is Pereira’s alternative to get well from a loss towards the person who simply handed it to him, and that needs to be sufficient motivation. It is fully totally different from his lengthy rivalry with the nice Israel Adesanya, which featured 4 fights throughout MMA and kickboxing.
In 2024, you could not get away from Pereira if you happen to tried. He fought thrice over seven months and attended UFC occasions when he wasn’t. This yr, he is been just about silent because the loss to Ankalev. He is additionally acknowledged he was coping with a number of medical points forward of their first assembly. There’s quite a lot of intrigue as to how totally different he’ll look on this rematch, towards a stylistic matchup that isn’t to his benefit.
Parker’s early bets for UFC 320/321 title fights
Magomed Ankalaev vs. Alex Pereira
Ankalaev gained by resolution of their first struggle and it’s onerous to suppose the rematch goes any in a different way. Though Pereira had a really profitable takedown protection, he was nonetheless outstruck by Ankalaev all through the struggle. I count on a assured Ankalaev to have extra hanging success, which is able to enable him to wrestle if obligatory. I’d take the over and have a look at Ankalaev if he’s something lower than -200.
Merab Dvalishvili vs. Cory Sandhagen
In what needs to be a really high-paced bantamweight struggle, Dvalishvili shall be seeking to proceed his profitable title run towards Sandhagen, who’s the higher striker. However I imagine Dvalishvili’s tempo and wrestling are an excessive amount of for anybody to deal with on this weight class. Except Sandhagen lands one thing that may knock Dvalishvili out, I count on Sanhagen to be on his again for almost all of the struggle. The over will greater than seemingly be 4.5 rounds; nonetheless, Merab by resolution is the way in which to go.
Tom Aspinall vs. Cyril Gane
Aspinall will defend his heavyweight belt after a 15-month layoff and can accomplish that towards the No. 1 contender in Gane. On the ft, it is a 50-50 struggle with Gane being the extra technical kickboxer whereas Aspinall is the extra explosive athlete with knockout energy. The distinction shall be Aspinall’s grappling and jiu-jitsu. Gane was submitted by Jon Jones in Spherical 1 in March 2023, so it would not shock me if Aspinall takes that very same path. Go together with Aspinall to win inside the space, and in case you are feeling grasping, take him to win by submission.