UFC Matchmaking: Heavyweight Edition

Sportz Nation Staff
8 minutes ago
10 min read

Current Rankings:

C Tom Aspinall

1 Ciryl Gane

2 Alexander Volkov

3 Sergei Pavlovich

4 Curtis Blaydes

5 Jailton Almeida

6 Waldo Cortes Acosta

7 Serghei Spivac

8 Derrick Lewis

9 Ante Delija

10 Marcin Tybura

11 Shamil Gaziev

12 Tai Tuivasa

13 Mick Parkin

14 Valter Walker

15 Tallison Teixeira

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Key

Booked Fight

Rumored Fight

Our Hypothetical Fights

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^CTom Aspinall

¹Ciryl Gane

Matt:

With the anticlimactic way their first fight ended, this is the only fight to make for the title. With Gane looking the way he did early and the eye poke preventing Aspinall from continuing, this rematch has to get booked ASAP. I would book this fight on the first Paramount+ card in 2026. As I said, Gane looked great early on, but we all know what Aspinall could have done if both his eyes had not been absolutely gouged.

I would have Aspinall by decision for the first time in Tom's career. Gane looked fantastic in that first fight before the eye poke, so I feel like we can give Aspinall his longest and toughest fight yet.

Zak:

So here’s my thing, Tom Aspinall is the best athlete of his division but in the first 4 minutes of their title fight he showed that he has much to improve in striking. Aspinall has used his speed and power before but when facing a striker as accurate as Gane he will need to mix in his wrestling or this fight could be in danger of becoming an all out war. Either way give me Aspinall around the 3^rd round.

Aspinall by TKO

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Jon Jones

Alex Pereira

Matt:

With Aspinall vs. Gane likely to get rebooked, the UFC needs to give the fans and the fighters the fight everyone wants to see. Jones and Pereira both have expressed serious interest in fighting one another; I think it makes complete sense. A debut in the heavyweight division against arguably the UFC GOAT is a perfect way for one of the faces of the sport in Pereira to get introduced. If he returns, I do not think Jones gets a title fight due to his lack of professionalism in the Aspinall saga, making all the more sense to fight the arguably as dangerous an opponent as Pereira. This could go down as one of the most anticipated fights in the history of the sport.

It is extremely tough to predict a winner here. Jones is the arguable GOAT of the sport, but Pereira showed in his last fight that he is still the most dangerous striker on the planet. I think it will be extremely close, but I would go with Pereira by decision. I think he is one of the only fighters who can strike with Jones. His takedown defense is also extremely underrated, so if Alex can focus his camp on defending takedowns, I think he can stop Jones from posing a threat on the ground as the fight progresses. That being said, I would not be shocked whatsoever if Jones won this potential matchup.

Zak:

I’m still not sure if this fight ever happens because of Jon Jones stubbornness but if it does you can believe it will be the Main Event of UFC White House. It could also turn out to be Alex Pereira’s Worst Nightmare. This fight will go which ever way the GOAT wants it too; if he wants to have his swan song to be a FOTN-banger he will trade shots with Pereira and box but if Jones just wants to win, believe that he will be able to take down Pereira and finish this in the first round.

Jones by Submission

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²Alexander Volkov

(Winner of

Aspinall vs. Gane)

Matt:

Based on my previous prediction, it means Alexander Volkov would get his title shot against Tom Aspinall. If Alex Pereira fights Jon Jones to start his heavyweight tenure, I think Volkov is the next most deserving title shot candidate. After weathering the grappling storm that is Jailton Almeida, Volkov has won five of his last six fights. This would also be a rematch from 2022, which ended with Aspinall submitting Volkov. Volkov has waited years for his turn at a title shot, which I think should end with his next fight.

I would have Aspinall by TKO/KO here. Aspinall is just way too dangerous on the feet and the ground. I think Tom would use takedown feints to his advantage in order to crack a shot on Volkov that could end the fight.

Zak:

Alexander Volkov has proven that he’s not going anywhere and is a tough matchup for anyone at 265 due to his size and length. In this matchup it would be Tom Aspinall vs Volkov and could give the Champ fits as long as he circles and uses his jab. The minute that Aspinall gets close and if Volkov doesn’t used his muay thai I see this fight ending quickly. Aspinall’s power and explosiveness should mean the end of Volkov in Round 1 or 2.

Aspinall by TKO

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³Sergei Pavlovich

(Loser of

Aspinall vs. Gane)

Matt:

If we base this off my predictions from the other hypothetical matchups, Pavlovich would fight against Ciryl Gane in his next fight. With Volkov likely the next in line for the title, Pavlovich will probably need one more fight before his name can be considered again. As for Gane, he is still a top contender in the division, but will need to fight down an opponent in order to regain status as the #1 contender. Stylistically, this could be a striking masterclass that might not see the final bell. I'd like to see this main event a Fight Night card.

I would go with Pavlovich by TKO/KO here. After his loss to Aspinall, people seem to forget how dangerous Sergei's hands are. His striking is some of the most lethal in the division, which I think would serve him well against a fighter like Gane who poses no other threat other than striking.

Zak:

This matchup would be Gane vs Pavlovich and no matter how much I’m impressed by Pavlovich’s resurrection as a boxer and not just a knockout fighter, Gane may be the best in the division at that. I can see this fight getting out of hand and Gane battering him so much he finishes him before the final bell.

Gane by TKO

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⁴Curtis Blaydes

⁸Derrick Lewis

Matt:

Coming off a win against Rizvan Kuniev after losing his title shot, Blaydes has put himself in a good position. However, with the title contention crowded at the top, Blaydes will need another fight to firmly position himself in the title contention once again. A fight against Derrick Lewis, who has won three of his last four, would be a great way for Blaydes to prove himself. As for Lewis, he is not getting any younger, so this may be his last chance to prove he is worthy of a title shot soon.

I would go Lewis by TKO/KO here. This fight could really come down to who hits the big shot first, which is never a good sign for the opponent if they are facing Derrick Lewis.

Zak:

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⁶Waldo Cortes Acosta

⁹Ante Delija

[Winner Fights

Jailton Almeida]

Matt:

I love this fight for both Waldo Cortes Acosta and Ante Delija. Delija dominated in his UFC debut and is arguably the most dangerous up-and-comer in this division, while Cortes Acosta is one of the more consistent fighters you'll see at heavyweight. This fight will be an absolute barnburner.

I am going to go Delija by TKO/KO here. This has little to do with Cortes Acosta's ability but rather the fact that Delija is on a different level than most in this division. His track record speaks for itself; there may be little that can stop a guy like Ante Delija.

If we base this on my prediction of Cortes Acosta vs Delija, Ante Delija would face Almeida next. It is abundantly clear that Almeida is the best takedown artist in this division. He can take down whoever he wants, whenever he wants. However, that does not mean he is a good grappler. We saw in the Volkov fight that he dominated the control time but did absolutely nothing with it. Thus, Almeida will need to fight down, and there is no better test than an all-around fighter in Delija. This could be a very telling fight not only for Almeida but also in terms of how legitimate Ante Delija truly is.

I would have Delija by decision here. It could go back and forth in my mind, but Delija has what it takes to, at the very least, beat Almeida the same way Volkov just did.

Zak:

Ante Delija may is trying to be the next boogeyman of the division but has to get through Cortes-Acosta first who had been running through before his matchup with Pavlovich in August. Delija will need to finish Delija early because he has very little experience in fights going long especially against a fighter like WCA. If Acosta can make this a fight, I think he easily wins rounds 2 & 3.

Cortes-Acosta by Unanimous Decision

The next matchup will be Cortes-Acosta vs. Almeida and is ONCE AGAIN a clash of styles. Jailton Almeida has been getting better on his feet but for this matchup he will definitely look for takedowns. WCA has a great defense however and should be able to make this a fight. With Almeida landing a few takedowns and Cortes-Acosta landing a few punches, I believe a Split Decision could go either way but I’m taking Cortes-Acosta in the end.

Cortes-Acosta by Split Decision

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⁷Serghei Spivac

¹²Shamil Gaziev

Matt:

With Serghei Spivac no more than a gatekeeper at this point, I understand the matchup with a fighter like Shamil Gaziev. After getting TKO'd by Jairzinho Rozenstruik, Gaziev has come back very nicely and is on a two-fight winning streak. This fight could not only save Spivac's relevancy in the division, but make Gaziev a possible true contender.

I have Gaziev by TKO/KO here. Spivac is past his prime and poses no serious threat to Gaziev in my eyes. Sure, I could be wrong, but it would require Spivac to seriously turn back the clocks to win this one.

Zak:

In my opinion, Spivac is getting disrespected in the odds-making of this fight. Shamil Gaziev may be running through the lower fighters of this division but Spivac has been facing top ranked heavyweights for over 4 years now. If Gaziev doesn’t end this fight quickly and I mean rock him within the first two minutes, Spivac should be able to dominate with his wrestling en route to a UD.

Serghei Spivac by Unanimous Decision

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¹⁰Marcin Tybura

¹⁵Valter Walker

Matt:

After his FOURTH heel hook submission win in a row, Valter Walker absolutely deserves a top 10 opponent next. He has dominated everyone he has faced recently, proving that, though he only has one real submission threat, you simply cannot stop it from happening. As for Marcin Tybura, he is falling and falling fast from the grace of relevancy at the top of this division. A win against a serious up-and-comer could cement him back at the top of the division.

I would have Walker by submission here, specifically heel hook. I mean, how can you not predict that?! Tybura is too inconsistent for me to believe he can stop what inevitably would be coming to him.

Zak:

Valter Walker is coming and is as dangerous of a specialist as we have in the entire UFC right now when it comes to a single submission. Everyone knows it’s coming and no one can stop the takedown and heel hook even if he hasn’t faced any “good” fighters yet. The only chance someone has is rocking him early which we even saw in his late substitution fight against Louie Sutherland. Marcin Tybura is a veteran but isn’t the best knockout artist so I have to think this fight will be a 5^th heel hook in a row.

Walker by Submission

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¹¹Tai Tuivasa

¹³Mick Parkin

Matt:

If you want to discuss a fighter who is past his prime, look no further than Tai Tuivasa. As sad of a fall from grace as this has been, Tuivasa has shown no sign of returning to his old form. How he is still ranked after losing five in a row is beyond me, but in order to save his career he needs a fight down. Mick Parkin, who is coming off a loss to Marcin Tybura, but has still done enough to warrant a fight near his ranking. He needs a statement fight against a known name if he wants to cement himself in the rankings, making Tuivasa a perfect candidate.

I would have Parkin by TKO/KO here. As much as I am rooting for Tuivasa to find a way to turn things around, I just do not see it happening for him. This could be a relatively easy fight for Parkin.

Zak:

Parkin will have the size advantage and is an up-and-comer while Tuivasa will have experience and is “on his way out”. I think Bam Bam has a lot more to give but this fight will be razor close in a fight I think we could see Tuivasa go the distance for the first time in over 4 years. Unfortunately for him, I don’t think a decision is how Tui can win and ultimately… he won’t.

Parkin by Split Decision

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¹⁴Tallison Teixeira

Mario Pinto

Matt:

Now this could be an absolute banger of a fight. Both Tallison Teixeira and Mario Pinto possess legitimate knockout power with some of the fastest hands in the division. Teixeira may have gotten fast-tracked a little too early, making Pinto a perfect fight to bounce back. As for Pinto, with his KO against Jhonata Diniz, he solidified himself as the best prospect in the division and the most deserving of a ranked opponent. I would love to see this co-main a Fight Night card or be booked as a PPV main card fight.

I would have Pinto by decision here. As much as I want to believe this fight would not go the distance, it may not get going until the final rounds due to the respect for power the fighters would have for each other. That said, Pinto is such a complex fighter and hard to figure out, which I think gives Teixeira major problems. Pinto is the next big thing in the division, in my opinion.

Zak:

Teixeira is a beast and a brutal heavyweight and it will take a top guy to beat him. Someone with great hands and great coaching to arrange a gameplan to stay away from him. I think Pinto has a good future ahead of him but going up against Teixeira this early would just be wrong place, wrong time.

Teixeira by TKO

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