MMA 2023, what we should expect
We’re heading to 2023 and the UFC schedule is being slowly filled with upcoming fights. Everyone who follows MMA, enjoys watching UFC bouts or loves to bet on UFC fights gets their hopes up that 2023 will be a very interesting and exciting year for MMA fighting. Sportsbooks not only in the US but in fact across the world and in Bangladesh – which are found at betting Bangladesh, have begun to produce odds for the different events, even though there are a lot more fights to be added to the schedule.
The already existing list of fights for 2023 contains an ultimate confrontation between Islam Makhachev and Alexander Volkanovski for the UFC Lightweight Championship. At UFC 284 on February 12, Makhachev will defend his belt, won back in October after defeating by submission Charles Oliveira while Volkanovski will fight for a double championship title (being the Featherweight champion at the moment) in an effort to become the fifth double champion in the history of UFC,
But there is more to what we expect to see in 2023! We expect to see the return of Jon Jones in a bout with Francis Ngannou, a fight between Conor McGregor and Jorge Masvidal and of course a rematch between Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira. Let’s see why the UFC should book these fights for the upcoming year.
Israel Adesanya vs Alex Pereira
The two of them had a very exciting bout in November, when Alex Pereira defeated Israel Adesanya and stole his throne, while also making him have his first loss in the middleweight class. Pereira got the Middleweight Championship belt and marked his third victory over the former champion – though the previous two victories were in kickboxing.
A rematch between the two is something that we expect to see because of the spectacle and also because of Adesanya’s announcements that he wants to meet up again with Pereira and fight him with or without the crown. Even if Pereira loses the title to someone else, still Adesanya is willing to do a rematch! So, this is definitely something we want to watch.
Jon Jones vs Francis Ngannou
We all wait for Jon Jones to return after a nearly three-year period of being inactive and we all wait for him to make his debut in the heavyweight class. This debut has been delayed, but it is anticipated that he will finally make it in the first quarter of 2023.
“Bones” is considered to be amongst the greatest fighters in the world and he surely deserves to be in the list of the most expected bouts for the upcoming year. And who else could be a better opponent than Francis Ngannou, the UFC Heavyweight champion who has been out for some time now due to injury. As he recovers, he also anticipates a fight with Jones.
Ngannou has defeated former champions and he has become the absolute king of Heavyweights with unique power. A fight between Ngannou and Jones will not only be interesting to watch but will be a bout to remember – a bout between a giant and a debut giant!
Conor McGregor vs Jorge Masvidal
Conor McGregor is probably the biggest star in the UFC now and he is long awaited to make his comeback. Jorge Masvidal is also very famous. These two fighters will make history if the particular bout is booked by the UFC and goes into the schedule of 2023.
It is not going to be a fight for a title, but it is going to be a fight for dominance, assuming of course that McGregor goes to welterweight. On the one hand, “The Notorious” will be eager for a victory – note that his last win was nearly two years ago – and on the other hand, “Gamebred” will want to restore his records after several losses.
A fight between those two will be a clash of ‘titans’ and will definitely bring both viewership and betting at unprecedented levels.
