I believe 2024 has to be among the best years for UFC in history. Besides sheer entertainment, the fights have been exceptional. Well, it wasn’t just the entertainment; UFC stalwarts like Alex Pereira, Dustin Poirier, Islam Makhachev, and others left us in awe with their unmatched skills and spirit.
As a die-hard UFC fan, I’ll be over the moon if 2025 delivers the same nail-biting bouts as we saw in 2024. Until now, UFC fights in 2025 have already produced some magical moments inside the octagon. But we’re not going to discuss 2025 here as I’m going down memory lane to review the top five UFC bouts in 2024.
Do you want to know which UFC fights in 2024 ended up on my list? Then, read on:
Ilia Topuria vs. Alexander Volkanovski:
- Venue: Honda Center, Anaheim, California, USA.
- Date: February 18th, 2024
- Result: Topuria won by KO/TKO
The year started with a bang, as two of the most prolific UFC featherweight fighters faced each other in the octagon. On one side, it was Ilia Topuria who had a clean record, and on the other, it was Alexander Volkanovski who had not lost a match in four years.
So, it was on the cards that this match would go down at the last minute, with anyone having the chance to come out on top. However, Topuria did not give Volkanovski any breathing space as he knocked him down in the second round.
And with that, Topuria extended his unbeaten streak in the featherweight division. As for Volkanovski, he’d want to forget this fight as he failed miserably to showcase his real potential at one of the most important events in his life.
Dustin Poirier vs. Benoit Saint Denis:
- Venue: Kaseya Center, Miami, Florida, USA.
- Date: March 10th, 2024
- Result: Poirier won by KO
Before this fight, Dustin Poirier had a record of 3 wins and 2 losses in his last five bouts. Although two of those wins came against Conor “The Notorious” McGregor, Poirier felt like an underdog against Benoit.
It’s because Benoit had pretty amazing matches in the recent past that led him to the match-up. And, even some of the Poirier fans I knew believed that Benoit wouldn’t let Poirier win at any cost.
Well, as soon as the first round ended, it seemed that Benoit had run out of gas. And, the tiring legs of Benoit couldn’t stand against the barrage of punches by Poirier as he unexpectedly knocked out his opponent.
For me, it was a shocking result but once again, I came to realize why Dustin Poirier is the legend of this game. Simply because whenever fans or pundits write him down, he bounces back stronger.
Tidbit: Like 2024, UFC bouts in 2025 may take us by surprise and to watch the seamless live-action inside the octagon, ensure your internet is fixed. Thanks to Xfinity Internet, I streamed all these matches without any interruptions! You can also explore Xfinity Internet plans if you’re looking for a reliable connection.
Dricus Du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya:
- Venue: RAC Arena, Perth, Australia
- Date: August 18th, 2024
- Result: Du Plessis won by submission
Dricus had won his first middleweight championship in the division after defeating Sean Strickland. And, he was up against the two-time former champion; Israel Adesanya for his first title defense.
Israel Adesanya, on the other hand, had the same hunger for title, as it had been a while since he got his hands on the prestigious belt. So, a highly electrifying match was on the cards as both the fighters wanted the glory.
Defying the odds, Du Plessis successfully forced Adesanya to submit in the fourth round of the bout. However, Du Plessis had to work hard for this submission as Adesanya put in a sublime touch throughout. Anyway, Adesanya’s dream to hold the champion’s belt shattered once again. And for Du Plessis, he rightly retained his title which he may be defending again in the near future.
Esteban Ribovics vs. Daniel Zellhuber:
- Venue: Sphere, Paradise, Nevada, USA
- Date: September 14th, 2024
- Result: Esteban Ribovics won by split decision
This is one of the most explosive fights I’ve seen till now. The two fighters lashed out at each other from the word go. And, even after bashing each other for three rounds straight, both of them failed to produce a result.
Hence, it was up to judges to decide a winner and they chose Ribovics by split decision. Although Zellhuber failed to win this match, his performance in this bout was exemplary. He gave his heart out in the octagon but Ribovics was just too good for him to handle.
Islam Makhachev vs. Dustin Poirier:
- Venue: Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey, USA
- Date: June 2nd, 2024
- Result: Islam Makhachev won by submission
Dustin’s win against Benoit was a spectacular one and it had earned him a shot at the lightweight championship title. On the other hand, Makhachev was in no mood to stop under Khabib’s mentorship.
By all means, this match card was a balanced one as both the fighters were equally good to take down the other. However, it was Islam who came out on top in the fifth round of the bout. Tiring his opponent; Poirier for four rounds straight, Islam successfully submitted him in the fifth round and retained his title.
Bonus Section: UFC Match Cards We Want to Witness in 2025:
While a rematch between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor is too good to be true, the following bouts we all want to see may happen this year:
- Alex Pereira vs. Magomed Ankalaev
- Ilia Topuria vs. Movsar Evloev
- Dricus Du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev
- Alexander Volkanovski vs. Charles Oliveira
Well, as UFC fans, we can only hope that these dream match cards become a reality this year. And if it happens, I believe 2025 will be as explosive as 2024 was, if not more.
