5 fighters who could cement a UFC title shot before the end of 2024
In the world of the UFC, time truly flies. There are just over three months to go in 2024, meaning the year is nearing closer to an end.
Which fighters have the chance to cement a UFC title shot before the year ends, then? A number of stars are set to compete in major fights in the next three months, and with a win, they could all claim a shot at the gold.
Lose, of course, and 2025 will have to see them rebuild themselves. They will be hoping, though, that they can win and then make 2025 their year.
Here are five fighters who could cement a UFC title shot before the end of 2024.
#5. Tatsuro Taira - UFC flyweight contender
Long considered a high-level prospect at 125 pounds, Tatsuro Taira's rise up the rankings has largely gone under the radar.
The Japanese fighter debuted in 2022 and dispatched five lower-level fighters to take his MMA record to 15-0, but it was his achievement in June that really marked him out.
Taira became the only fighter to date born in the 2000's to win a UFC headliner, as he defeated Alex Perez via TKO after injuring the former title challenger's knee in the second round of their bout.
While that finish was anticlimactic, Taira now finds himself on the cusp of a title shot. Next month will see him face off with another former title challenger in Brandon Royval, and if he can come out on top, it'd be hard to deny him.
To date, the UFC has never had a Japanese champion, but Taira will be hoping to change that in 2025. If he wants to do that, he'll need to get past 'Raw Dawg', and based on what he's done so far, it'd be hard to bet against him.
#4. Magomed Ankalaev - UFC light heavyweight contender
If the UFC really did work purely on sporting merit, then Magomed Ankalaev would be challenging for the light heavyweight title next month. After all, the Dagestani is unbeaten over 12 straight fights dating back to 2018, and has beaten the likes of Anthony Smith, Johnny Walker, and Volkan Oezdemir pretty convincingly.
To add to this, with his powerful wrestling game, Ankalaev is one of the few fighters who seems to have the skills to really test current 205-pound kingpin Alex Pereira.
Despite that, Khalil Rountree will instead face 'Poatan' next month, while Ankalaev is set to face Aleksandar Rakic three weeks later. There's no doubt, though, that Ankalaev has to be next in line if he can come out on top against 'Rocket'. Put simply, it'd be ridiculous if he were to win and not receive a title shot.
Sure, his style might not be too exciting to some, but it'd be hard for even Dana White to deny him a shot after a 13-fight unbeaten streak.
Therefore, Rakic should, theoretically at least, be the final hurdle on the Dagestani's route to another crack at the gold.
#3. Kayla Harrison - UFC bantamweight contender
Few fighters have made such a big impact in their octagon debut as two-time judo Olympic gold medalist Kayla Harrison.
The former PFL star debuted at UFC 300 in April, and despite there being plenty of questions around her - namely her ability to beat top-level foes and her ability to make the 135-pound bantamweight limit - she answered them in style.
Harrison crushed former champion Holly Holm, submitting her with a rear-naked choke in the second round. In many ways, nobody had ever beaten 'The Preacher's Daughter' in such dominant fashion.
Most fans expected Harrison to be given a title shot after that, but instead, she is set to face Ketlen Viera next month while champ Raquel Pennington defends against Julianna Pena.
There's no doubt, though, that if the Olympian wins, she'll be next in line. If she can take out Vieira in the same way that she dispatched Holm, in fact, it'll be hard not to see her as the uncrowned champion.
Essentially then, it'd be gobsmacking if Harrison doesn't cement a title shot in 2025 - and it'd be just as surprising to see her fail to win the gold, too.
#2. Michael Chandler - UFC lightweight contender
It's probably fair to say that the last couple of years have been frustrating for Michael Chandler.
The former Bellator lightweight champ was seemingly given the golden ticket in the form of a bout with the UFC's biggest star, Conor McGregor.
However, after waiting the best part of two years for 'The Notorious', it now seems like the fight will never happen. It was announced earlier this month that instead, 'Iron Mike' will face former foe Charles Oliveira in November.
Surprisingly, Chandler recently claimed that he has no hard feelings toward McGregor for their fight falling apart. Given the amount of money that he has likely missed out on, this can only suggest one thing: that Chandler has been promised a lightweight title shot in 2025 if he can beat 'Do Bronx'.
This might seem odd to some given his last fight saw him lose to Dustin Poirier, but realistically, 'Iron Mike' deserves some kind of gift from Dana White and company for all he's had to go through since 2022.
Whether he can beat Oliveira - who knocked him out in 2021 - is another thing, of course. If he can find a way to get past the Brazilian this time, though, then a 2025 shot at either Islam Makhachev or Arman Tsarukyan could well be his.
#1. Khamzat Chimaev - UFC middleweight contender
Even though he's only been around for a relatively short time - four years and seven fights to be exact - it feels like a Khamzat Chimaev title shot has always been in the pipeline.
Despite 'Borz' not having fought since October 2023, then, that title shot could become a reality in 2025 if he can beat Robert Whittaker next month.
The Chechen star will take on 'The Reaper' in the co-headliner of UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi, and for once, Chimaev will probably not go in as the betting favorite.
Not only will Whittaker be the far more experienced fighter, but stylistically, he sounds like a nightmare for 'Borz'. He's a fantastic striker with powerful, underrated takedown defense, and he's also one of the best finishers in the game.
Despite that, it's still hard to pick against Chimaev. Realistically, nobody's come close to stopping him thus far, and he's easily dispatched tough foes like Kevin Holland and Li Jingliang.
Sure, there are still big questions around 'Borz' at 185 pounds, but if he can answer them successfully against Whittaker, nobody is going to stand in his way. Win next month, and Chimaev will definitely be challenging for middleweight gold in 2025.