UFC 334 and UFC 335 Predictions: 5 Massive Fights to Make | Deadspin.com

The UFC has already given followers the dates and areas for its remaining two numbered occasions of 2026. Now comes the enjoyable half: determining who ought to truly combat.

UFC 334 is headed to Madison Square Garden on November 14, whereas UFC 335 will shut out the yr at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on December 12. Neither card has an formally introduced combat but, leaving the UFC with a clean canvas to construct two large occasions.

And there are many stars out there.

Islam Makhachev is coming off the largest win of his profession, Carlos Prates needs his title shot, Alex Pereira is searching for his subsequent problem, Paddy Pimblett is teasing a return and Ilia Topuria has unfinished enterprise after struggling the primary lack of his profession.

Islam Makhachev vs. Carlos Prates

UFC Welterweight Championship

Let’s begin with the apparent one.

Islam Makhachev simply made UFC historical past by incomes his seventeenth consecutive victory towards Ian Machado Garry, breaking Anderson Silva’s report. Despite questions on whether or not he ought to retire whereas he is on prime, Makhachev has made it clear that he nonetheless has a number of tough fights forward of him.

Carlos Prates needs to be subsequent.

Prates has claimed that the UFC has assured him the following welterweight title shot, though the promotion has not formally confirmed the matchup. He has additionally publicly known as for Makhachev at UFC 334 in New York. It makes an excessive amount of sense.

Makhachev is arguably the best fighter within the sport. Prates is among the most harmful knockout artists at 170 kilos.Put the 2 collectively at Madison Square Garden and you’ve got an ideal fundamental occasion.

Alex Pereira vs. Josh Hokit

Heavyweight

Alex Pereira’s subsequent transfer is among the largest questions within the UFC.

After shifting to heavyweight and shedding to Ciryl Gane, Pereira stays excited about chasing a 3rd UFC championship. Now the query is whether or not he continues at heavyweight or finally returns to mild heavyweight.

If Pereira needs to remain at heavyweight, Josh Hokit is an intriguing choice.

Hokit is an undefeated heavyweight prospect who has shortly began attracting consideration, and the matchup would give Pereira a harmful however winnable check as he continues his pursuit of historical past. It’s additionally precisely the sort of combat that would work at MSG.

Pereira has the title. Hokit has the chance. And the winner will get a large increase heading into 2027.

Paddy Pimblett vs. Charles Oliveira

BMF Championship

This is perhaps essentially the most enjoyable combat on the whole record.

Paddy Pimblett has already teased that an announcement relating to his subsequent combat may very well be coming quickly, with UFC 334 and UFC 335 each potential touchdown spots. He has additionally talked about a number of potential opponents, together with Charles Oliveira and Ilia Topuria.

Oliveira is the right opponent.

The former light-weight champion stays some of the harmful submission artists in UFC historical past, whereas Pimblett has turn into one of many promotion’s largest personalities. Now add the BMF belt.

Instead of merely being one other light-weight combat, Pimblett vs. Oliveira turns into a combat for a bit of UFC {hardware} designed for precisely such a matchup.

It’s two large names, two aggressive grapplers and two fighters who’re by no means afraid to get right into a scrap. New York would eat this up.

Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje II

Lightweight

This is the redemption combat.

Topuria’s first skilled loss modified every thing.

The former featherweight and light-weight champion went from being considered as one of many sport’s unstoppable forces to all of the sudden having to reply questions on what’s subsequent.

The man who handed him that first defeat? Justin Gaethje.

A rematch offers Topuria the chance to erase the largest blemish on his résumé whereas giving Gaethje the prospect to show that his first victory wasn’t a fluke. It additionally offers the UFC a storyline that requires nearly no clarification.

Topuria needs revenge. Gaethje needs one other large win.

And the winner may put himself proper again into the light-weight title image. If Topuria is wholesome and able to return, that is the sort of combat that would headline UFC 335 in Las Vegas.

An Interim Light Heavyweight Championship

Who fights for it? That’s the query.

The UFC’s mild heavyweight division may additionally present one in every of these two playing cards with a championship combat, notably if scheduling creates sufficient uncertainty across the division’s title image.

And that is the place issues get fascinating.

If Pereira is booked towards Hokit, the UFC has a significant star dedicated elsewhere. If Pereira is not, his title instantly turns into some of the apparent prospects for a significant 205-pound matchup.

Either means, an interim championship may give UFC 335 one other main storyline. The promotion has loads of contenders able to filling the spots. The trick is discovering the matchup that makes essentially the most sense.

Two Blank Cards, Plenty of Options

That’s what makes UFC 334 and UFC 335 so fascinating.

The UFC has primarily handed itself two clean canvases.

Makhachev has already mentioned he has a minimum of three tough fights forward of him. Prates believes he is subsequent. Pimblett is teasing an imminent announcement. Pereira needs one other large problem. And Topuria has to determine how to reply to the primary lack of his profession.

None of those fights are formally booked. That’s the purpose. These are the fights followers need to see.

If the UFC can land even just a few of them, the ultimate two numbered occasions of 2026 may very well be large.

For UFC 334, Makhachev vs. Prates feels just like the combat to make.

For UFC 335, Topuria vs. Gaethje II has the storyline.

And someplace in between, Pimblett vs. Oliveira for the BMF title may steal the present. The yr is not over but.

But the UFC already has two levels. Now it simply must fill them.