5 big UFC rivalries that could develop into trilogies
UFC 264 takes place this weekend, and in the main event, one of the biggest UFC rivalries in recent memory will end as Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier face off in their trilogy fight.
There have been plenty of memorable trilogies in the UFC over the years, but could we see even more major ones in the future?
The answer is almost certainly yes. The UFC loves to build rivalries into trilogies, and right now, several feuds have already seen one or two battles in the octagon and could quickly escalate.
So with this in mind, here are five UFC rivalries that could turn into trilogies.
#5 Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Brandon Moreno – UFC flyweight title
Only one of the UFC’s memorable trilogies featured a fight that went to a draw. That was the rivalry between Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard, which saw a wild second fight end with honors even at UFC 125 in 2011.
That could change in the near future if the rivalry between current UFC flyweight champion Brandon Moreno and former champ Deiveson Figueiredo is granted a third bout.
The two men first faced off at UFC 256 in December 2020, and although Figueiredo clearly got the better of his Mexican opponent, a series of fouls meant that referee Jason Herzog was forced to deduct a point from him.
That point was enough to allow Moreno to squeeze out a draw, and that – along with the high quality of the fight – meant the UFC were willing to book an immediate rematch.
That rematch, at UFC 263, saw Moreno stun everyone by dominating ‘The God of War’ en route to a third-round submission win.
However, in the weeks that have followed, Figueiredo has blamed a bad weight cut for the loss. And while he has hinted at a future move to 135lbs, he has also called for the trilogy between him and Moreno to be completed.
And given that the UFC’s flyweight division doesn’t really have another clear-cut top contender right now, it seems highly likely that this rivalry could see a trilogy bout very soon, perhaps even before the end of 2021.