5 fighters who could prove to be kryptonite for a current UFC champion
Any fighter who can claim gold in the UFC is obviously great, but as we’ve seen so many times over the years, even the greatest fighters can lose to the right opponent.
Right now, the UFC is home to some genuinely brilliant champions – but are there fighters coming up on the horizon that could act as kryptonite to those titleholders?
The answer is almost certainly yes, and there’s every chance that come next year, the promotion will have some different champions entirely. With that in mind, here are five fighters who could prove to be kryptonite for a current UFC champion.
#5. T.J. Dillashaw – kryptonite to UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling
After his close victory over former titleholder Petr Yan earlier this year, it’s safe to say that no fans can label UFC bantamweight kingpin Aljamain Sterling a paper champion any more. ‘Funk Master’ should now be as respected as any other fighter to claim gold in the octagon.
However, despite impressing against Yan, Sterling definitely isn’t an unbeatable fighter. The opponent who could prove to be his kryptonite could be the man who appears most likely to receive the next shot at him – former champion T.J. Dillashaw.
Aljamain Sterling vs. T.J. Dillashaw in the works for the upcoming #UFC279 pay-per-view on September 10, per multiple sources.
Full story coming to @MMAFighting. First reported by @MMAJunkie
Dillashaw famously held the UFC bantamweight title on two occasions, first winning it from Renan Barao back in 2014 and then reclaiming it from bitter rival Cody Garbrandt in 2017. A positive test for the banned substance EPO, as well as a doomed attempt to claim the UFC flyweight title, saw him forced onto the shelf for over two years between 2019 and 2021.
Last summer, though, Dillashaw returned to action and looked as good as he’d ever done in a highly-impressive win over Cory Sandhagen. With Sterling’s rivalry with Yan now seemingly over, it looks like his next bout will be for the title.
Why does Dillashaw appear to be such a dangerous match for Sterling on paper? ‘Funk Master’ is undoubtedly a tremendous grappler and a solid striker in his own right, but Dillashaw is perhaps one of the few fighters with the ability to stop his takedowns.
On the feet, meanwhile, the former champion is a much more polished striker than Sterling, and the way he chains his combinations together makes him almost uniquely dangerous.
If this fight does go ahead, Sterling will definitely have a chance – he proved he can’t be counted out by beating Yan – but on paper at least, Dillashaw should probably be favored.
#4. Khamzat Chimaev – kryptonite to UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman
Right now, it’s arguable that no other UFC champion looks quite as untouchable as welterweight king Kamaru Usman. ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ has held his title since early 2019 and has largely dominated everyone he’s come up against, from Jorge Masvidal and Gilbert Burns to Colby Covington.
However, while he’s fully focused on his next title defense, which will see him face Leon Edwards, the most dangerous foe on the horizon for him is undoubtedly super-prospect Khamzat Chimaev.
Few fighters in UFC history have received the hype that ‘Borz’ has since his 2020 debut. He literally smashed through his first three opponents without breaking a sweat before a bout of COVID-19 landed him on the shelf.
Since returning, though, Chimaev has not skipped a beat as he dismantled top 10-ranked Li Jingliang before edging out Burns in a war for the ages earlier this year.
Would Chimaev be favored to beat Usman? Right now, perhaps not, but on paper at least, he’s definitely got the skills to be kryptonite for ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’.
🦾💯 https://t.co/6DS3I6v8dI
Usman’s success largely lives and dies on his ability to be able to take an opponent down if he chooses to. There’d be a definite question mark over whether he could outwrestle Chimaev. On the flip side, ‘Borz’ could well become the first fighter to really take the champion down.
On the feet, meanwhile, the clash would probably be a coin flip, with both men relying more on their explosive power than picture-perfect technique.
Add in the fact that Usman is getting no younger at the age of 35, and there’s every chance that in a future fight with Chimaev, he might find himself being overpowered by the younger fighter, something we’ve seen numerous times in the UFC, with even the greatest champions eventually falling.
#3. Tatiana Suarez – kryptonite to UFC flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko
Up until her recent fight with Taila Santos, it seemed like UFC flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko had no real weaknesses. ‘Bullet’ had reeled off six successful title defenses and had outclassed her opponents both standing and on the ground.
However, Santos was able to do to Shevchenko something that nobody had really done before – dominate her on the ground for stretches. In the end, the native of Kyrgyzstan was probably lucky to escape with her title.
While Santos will probably be hoping for a rematch, then, there may be another fighter on the horizon with the perfect skill set to finally dethrone Shevchenko – TUF 23 winner Tatiana Suarez.
Still unbeaten in the octagon with a record of 5-0, Suarez destroyed opponents such as Alexa Grasso and current UFC strawweight champ Carla Esparza. She looked destined for a title shot at 115 pounds before a neck injury derailed her.
It’s now been well over three years since we last saw Suarez in action. If she can return and win her debut at 125 pounds, she might be able to capture an instant shot at Shevchenko, something that could give a path to a title win.
After all, Suarez is a truly phenomenal wrestler who was able to completely dominate Esparza, an excellent grappler in her own right. More to the point, unlike Santos, she’s got dangerous finishing abilities on the ground, too.
Carla Esparza's last loss came against Tatiana Suarez.
Tatiana Suarez finished Esparza by TKO.
You've got to wonder if Suarez wasn't plagued with injuries, how successful would she have been? https://t.co/6cZxoh32Kd
Could she take Shevchenko down and put her away? Assuming she returns in the same form that she left on, it’s definitely possible. More than any other fighter in the flyweight division right now, she’s got the right style to upset ‘Bullet’ – it’s just a matter of her claiming a title shot.
#2. Magomed Ankalaev – kryptonite to UFC light heavyweight champion Jiri Prochazka
Following his dramatic UFC light heavyweight title win over Glover Teixeira, the UFC’s fanbase seemed largely split on exactly what the future might hold for Jiri Prochazka.
Some fans were quick to proclaim his title win as the beginning of a new era, figuring that nobody on the horizon would be able to stand up to his wild striking and underrated ground game, while others suggested that a dominant title run would be doubtful.
While it’s impossible to say for certain, those doubters may well be right if Magomed Ankalaev can claim a title shot by defeating Anthony Smith at UFC 277 later this month.
On paper, at least, the native of Dagestan appears to be a genuinely horrible match for ‘Denisa’. Although a fighter with Prochazka’s striking power can never be counted out, it’d be hard to favor him in this prospective match.
If Teixeira was able to take the Czech native down, then there’s basically no doubt that Ankalaev, a ridiculously-powerful wrestler, would probably be able to do the same. And once on the ground, as he’s shown throughout his octagon career, the Dagestani is almost impossible to shake off.
While Prochazka might have the power advantage on the feet, meanwhile, it’d be impossible to count Ankalaev out there too. Not only has he shown knockout power in his own right, but he’s a technically excellent striker with a stiff jab and some nice combination work.
Overall, he might not be as exciting to watch as Prochazka, but on paper, at least, Ankalaev definitely seems like the type of fighter who could be kryptonite for the current champion.
#1. Alex Pereira – kryptonite to UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya
While his recent title defenses have not been as exciting to watch as most fans would’ve hoped, it’s hard not to see reigning middleweight kingpin Israel Adesanya as one of the greatest fighters in UFC history at this point.
Not only has ‘The Last Stylebender’ now delivered five successful defenses of his title, but he’s also never been beaten at 185 pounds in a total of 12 bouts. It’s arguable, in fact, that he’s never really been tested.
However, that might be about to change in the near future, as a fighter who has already proven to be his kryptonite – not in the octagon, but in the kickboxing ring – appears to be coming over the horizon as his next challenger.
The fighter in question is, of course, Brazilian striker Alex Pereira. ‘Poatan’ defeated Adesanya twice in kickboxing, once via knockout, but only made a full transition to MMA in 2020. Since then, though, he’s made a major impact in the UFC, beating his first three opponents, including top five-ranked Sean Strickland with absolute ease.
Quite whether Pereira can outstrike Adesanya in an MMA fight is still up for debate. But based on what we’ve seen thus far from him, and what he did to ‘The Last Stylebender’ the last time they fought, it’s definitely possible.
The only man to stop Israel Adesanya is now in the UFC.
Alex Pereira knocked out the middleweight champ in the Stylebender's last kickboxing match.
Poatan makes his MMA debut at UFC 268 🔥 https://t.co/4qLis4dndm
Add in the potential psychological advantage he might hold over the current champion, and there’s definitely a case to suggest that he could claim the title in their likely upcoming fight.
If Pereira can pull it off, then not only would he become a legend in his own right, it’d be hard not to view him as the ultimate example of kryptonite in MMA.