The 3 Fighters Who Could Save the UFC

Despite revenue growth and expansion, it is not breaking news that the UFC is facing mounting headwinds. With Pay-Per-View numbers down and fan dissatisfaction growing, the momentum appears to be faltering.

Many of the criticism for this has been thrown the way of ESPN over complaints of digital glitches and increasing Pay-Per-View prices. However, the problem lays much deeper than that. The sport is missing superstars. And not just the showmen; the villians, the showmen and the intellectual also.

Pictured: Conor Mcgregor addresses the crowd at Mayweather-Mcgregor press conference

Conor Mcgregor and Ronda Rousey being the obvious names that come to mind pioneering a wave of new fan interest due to their ability to capture the headlines. But also, the likes of Chael Sonnen for his witty trash talk and playing up to his villian persona role, Anderson Silva with his showboating genius and Michael Bisping who was simply outspoken and would never turn down a fight offer.

It's clear the entertainment doesn't just come from the fight itself but the character role each fighter plays. Here are 3 fighters that could reignite interest in the UFC:

3) Tom Aspinall

Since returing from injury in July 2023, Aspinall was quickly thrown into the spotlight securing the interim heavyweight title in just 2 fights due to the undisputed title holder, Jon Jones, sidelined with a torn pectoral tendon. During this time, Aspinall was able to defend his title, avenging his only UFC loss against Curtis Blaydes in just 60-seconds.

Pictured: Tom Aspinall defeats Sergei Pavlovich becoming Interim Heavyweight Champion

There is no question that Tom Aspinall is one of the most exciting fighters in the UFC with 7 first-round finishes to his name. Yet, we haven't truly seen Aspinall gain the stardom that you would expect as a byproduct of this. Usually this would tend to be due to a lack of personality however, this is clearly not the case, as recently proven with his witty and quite popular call-out of the former champion Jon Jones.

Aspinall's growth to being among the most popular names in the UFC has been halted by a period of inactivity. At no fault of his own, Aspinall has not fought since July 2024 due to a long ongoing chase for a fight with Jon Jones for the undisputed belt, which you would expect would've been mandatory given his interim title status. Ultimately, with Jon Jones now vacating the belt due to retirement, Aspinall has now claimed the undisputed belt but with a year of his career wasted as a result. However, with his first title defence scheduled for October against Ciryl Gane in Abu Dhabi this provides an opportunity to build his status.

Another big issue for Aspinall, is the lack of quality opponents in the UFC heavyweight roster. With the opportunity to defeat his 7th of the current top 10 heavyweights in the UFC when he faces Gane, of which, the remaining 3 fights would struggle to convince viewers as being a 'big fight'. Though, there is real potential to skyrocket the stocks of Tom Aspinall. For that to happen, the UFC would have to bridge their divide with the PFL to secure a fight with top heavyweight and former UFC champion Francis Ngannou. Undoubtably, this would be one of the biggest fights the UFC had ever seen, not just in terms of size but viewership as well.

2) Paddy Pimblett

Since his incorporation into the UFC, it has always been certain that Paddy 'the baddy' Pimblett possessed the natural ability on the mic. Constantly grabbing headlines with his controversial takes and appealing scouse accent, there is no question that he has the personality to take him right to the top.

However, up until recently the question beckoned whether he had the fighting ability to match it. A very impressive first-round triangle choke submission against Bobby Green at UFC 304 really got the fans believing. But the real test came in his next and most recent fight against the #7 ranked Michael Chandler, which divided opinion. A truly dominant performance from Pimblett with a TKO victory in round 3, proved he is a serious contender in the lightweight division and can be a very useful asset for expanding viewership of the UFC.

Pictured: Paddy Pimblett faces Michael Chandler at UFC 314

A fight against hall of famer Justin Gaethje, would provide benefit in expanding the the fanbase of Pimblett. Already a favourite amongst UK fans, this would help to build on his American fan base which is vital in creating the top stars in the UFC.

1) Khamzat Chimaev

Another fighter whos progression is being halted by their inactivity. Across the last 3 years, Chimaev has been fighting once per year. With a long list of injuries and illnesses preventing him from competing regularly. This has prolonged his path to the title where he has all the attributes to present himself as a very marketable champion.

Pictured: Khamzat Chimaev pre-fight routine

Chimaev is a very well-rounded fighter capable both on the feet and ground but ultimately, he is a sensational wrestler. A common theme amongst fan opinion (which must be noted tends to be more casual fans) is that fights involving predominantly wrestling are boring and hard to watch. Whether you are of this opinion or not, one thing is for sure Chimaev does not fall under that category. Whilst others may look to simply control their opponent, Chimaev is always intent on the finish which has made for some really entertaining fights of recent such as, with Robert Whittaker where he achieved a submission via rear naked choke. This eagerness to finish his opponent is something that resonates well with the UFC audience and is something he can really build his fanbase around.

With a title fight now scheduled against the well-regarded Dricus Du Plessis on August 16th. A fight that has the potential to be a thriller with two very high quality fighters battling it out. The chance for Chimaev to become a star has now presented itself.

Obviously, there are many more fighters in the UFC who all possess great qualities to push the UFC. However, these 3 have such undeniable star quality which with a push from the marketing by the UFC could tap into the interest of many casual viewers.