November 06, (THEWILL) – The Ultimate Fighting Championship is kicking off 2024 with a trio of thrilling championship bouts, UFC President, Dana White, announced this week.
In the first title fight scheduled for January, newly crowned middleweight king, Sean Strickland, will make his first defence against top contender, Dricus Du Plessis. Strickland stunned the MMA world by dethroning Israel Adesanya in September, while Du Plessis was originally expected to vie for the belt before injuries interfered. With Adesanya taking a break and Khamzat Chimaev’s focus on welterweight, the middleweight division looks poised for an exciting year right out of the gate.
February will see the return of dominant featherweight Alexander Volkanovski, who will put his belt on the line against the red-hot Ilia Topuria. Volkanovski earned even more respect after stepping up on short notice to challenge Islam Makhachev, and he now returns to 145 pounds to deal with Topuria, fresh off a five-round drubbing of Josh Emmett.
Finally, March hosts a bantamweight title rematch years in the making, as Sean O’Malley defends against Marlon Vera. Vera handed O’Malley the first loss of his career back in 2020, but “Suga” bounced back to capture the 135-pound strap from Aljamain Sterling with a thunderous right hand at UFC 292. The bad blood and redemption storyline makes this a must-see event.
Fans will need to strap in for what looks to be a spectacular start to the UFC calendar, with three championship bouts featuring some of the top talents in MMA. The drama and high stakes are sure to provide plenty of excitement for fight nerds.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
