5 fighters who could be kryptonite for a current UFC champion
Any fighter who manages to become a champion in the UFC is worthy of respect. The promotion's current titleholders, naturally, are no different.
Despite the UFC's current champions being at the top of their game, there are certain fighters lurking in their divisions who could be kryptonite for them. Whether these fighters can claim a title shot to prove this remains to be seen, but if they do, they could wind up becoming champions themselves.
Here are five fighters who could be kryptonite for a current UFC champion.
#5. Muhammad Mokaev - UFC flyweight contender
It's probably fair to say that current UFC flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja is one of the most well-rounded fighters in the promotion. A Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace with heavy hands, 'The Cannibal' essentially has no weaknesses, and he's more than adept at going five rounds, too.
However, his recent title defenses against Steve Erceg and Brandon Royval perhaps weren't as dominant as they could've been, suggesting that the Brazilian is more vulnerable than it initially seems.
There are a number of dangerous fighters lurking in Pantoja's division, but the one who could be the Brazilian's kryptonite is definitely Muhammad Mokaev.
'The Punisher' is probably the division's most powerful wrestler, averaging 5.75 takedowns across his six octagon wins. However, he is not one-dimensional, also offering a submission threat and boasting heavy strikes, too.
Mokaev's willingness to push a torrid pace is what could make him such a threat to Pantoja, though. With 'The Cannibal' being 34 years old, whether he'd be able to match the pace of 'The Punisher' is questionable.
Mokaev's next fight will see him face Manel Kape, and if he can win, a title shot should be within his grasp. With that considered, it's easy to imagine him becoming a champion in the near future.
#4. Merab Dvalishvili - UFC bantamweight contender
When Sean O'Malley fought Aljamain Sterling for the UFC bantamweight title last summer, the big question was how 'Sugar' would handle the champion's wrestling ability.
In the end, he didn't really have to. 'Funk Master' instead chose to trade off with his challenger, and paid a heavy price, suffering a violent second-round knockout.
O'Malley has since defended his title against Marlon Vera, avenging an earlier loss in one-sided fashion. He now sits as one of the UFC's newest poster-boys. However, there are still question marks around the defensive grappling abilities of 'Sugar', and that's why Merab Dvalishvili could be kryptonite to him.
'The Machine' is undoubtedly the division's No.1 contender, as he is riding a winning streak of 10 fights, including victories over former titleholders Petr Yan and Henry Cejudo.
More to the point, he's basically taken down every foe he's ever faced, and stifles his opponents with a torrid pace that most simply can't keep up with.
O'Malley does hold some advantages over him, namely a reach advantage, and he is the better striker. But because his takedown defense is still somewhat untested, it's hard to shake the idea that Dvalishvili could take him down and keep him there.
If that's the case, then the Georgian would undoubtedly be kryptonite to the reigning bantamweight king.
#3. Shavkat Rakhmonov - UFC welterweight contender
UFC 304, which goes down in Manchester this July, will see welterweight titleholder Leon Edwards attempt to defend his crown for the third time in a row.
'Rocky' is set to face off against Belal Muhammad, who has earned a title shot by going unbeaten in his last 10 bouts dating back to 2019. However, it's hard to view Muhammad as kryptonite to Edwards, primarily because 'Rocky' was seemingly beating him prior to their 2020 clash being declared a no contest.
Instead, the fighter who could fit that bill at 170 pounds is the unbeaten Shavkat Rakhmonov, who holds a stunning record of 18-0. Six of those wins have come in the octagon, and more to the point, none have gone the distance.
'Nomad' is a deadly finisher in every facet of the game, with 10 of his wins coming via tap-out and the other eight coming via knockout. He is not a wild berserker, though, and is instead a highly technical fighter who happens to have a phenomenal killer instinct.
Edwards is undoubtedly a fantastic fighter in his own right, and his resume speaks for itself. However, given that 'Rocky' isn't known as the most dangerous finisher, there's every chance that he'd find himself in trouble with Rakhmonov wherever the fight might go.
If this bout is put together in the latter part of 2024, as will be expected should Edwards win in July, then 'Nomad' could well prove his credentials once and for all.
#2. Magomed Ankalaev - UFC light heavyweight contender
The old adage is that styles make fights, and if that's the case, then reigning UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira has a clear-cut potential case of kryptonite staring him in the face.
The fighter in question is top contender Magomed Ankalaev, a fighter who could've already considered himself champion had things gone slightly differently in December 2022.
The Dagestani fought Jan Blachowicz for the then-vacant title in the headliner of UFC 282. Despite many fans believing he'd done enough to win, the bout was instead declared a draw.
Since then, Pereira and his deadly striking have taken over the division. 'Poatan' defeated Blachowicz in his debut at 205 pounds, then dispatched Jiri Prochazka to claim the vacant title last November. Following that, the Brazilian crushed Jamahal Hill to cement his spot as champion.
However, Pereira has yet to fight a grappler on the level of Ankalaev, who has taken down the majority of his opponents in his 13-fight octagon career. The Dagestani is no slouch on the feet either, as his knockouts of Ion Cutelaba and Johnny Walker have shown.
It'd be a huge risk for him to trade with 'Poatan' in a potential fight, of course, but if he were to take the Brazilian down, it's hard to imagine what Pereira could do.
'Poatan' is undoubtedly an all-time great at this stage thanks to his feat of claiming titles in two different weight classes. However, with his takedown defense still a question mark, it's hard not to believe Ankalaev could be his kryptonite.
#1. Kayla Harrison - UFC bantamweight contender
UFC 300 was filled with a ton of memorable moments and finishes, with fighters like Max Holloway and Alex Pereira entering into octagon legend.
One of the most memorable moments, though, came on the preliminary card. It saw the debut of Olympic gold medalist judoka Kayla Harrison, who faced off against former bantamweight titleholder Holly Holm.
Despite many questions around Harrison, largely centering around whether she could make the 135 pound bantamweight limit, the Olympian passed the test with flying colors.
She dominated 'The Preacher's Daughter', bullying her in the clinch, taking her down in both the first and second round and then dispatching her with a rear-naked choke. Essentially, it was a flawless victory.
Based on this performance and on her sheer athletic ability, it's easy to see Harrison as kryptonite for current bantamweight titleholder Raquel Pennington.
'Rocky' deserves plenty of respect for clawing her way to the top, but the truth is that she's still somewhat of a limited fighter, particularly when it comes to her athleticism.
Pennington doesn't have any glaring weaknesses, per say, but she simply isn't all that explosive and rarely finishes her fights. Given her penchant for clinching with her foes, too, it's easy to imagine Harrison simply dumping her to the ground and overpowering her.
Based purely on her win over Holm, to label Harrison as the uncrowned champ in the 135-pound division isn't a stretch. More than any other fighter in the UFC right now, she looks like pure kryptonite for her division's titleholder.