Gegard Mousasi
Every MMA fighter in the world wants to be in the UFC, but sometimes the best of the best get cut for reasons aside from fighting. Whether it be money, contract disputes, level of competition, or several other factors that have nothing to do with an athletes performance, more often than not we see the UFC squander away a wealth of talent each year. I have compiled a list of ten fighters that I think everyone wants to see get back into the UFC, and I hope you agree!
If ever there were a top contender we wanted back in the UFC, it would be Gegard Mousasi. Before he left the UFC due to a contract dispute, Mousasi rattled off wins against the best the division had to offer: Thales Leites, Thiago Santos, Vitor Belfort, Uriah Hall, and former champion Chris Weidman. Quite the resume if you ask me, yet Gegard was passed over for a title shot by Robert Whittaker.
Since his departure, Gegard beat former Bellator champion Alexander Shlemenko, knocked out Rafael Carvalho for the belt, and even beat current Welterweight champion and fellow former UFC fighter Rory MacDonald. It isn’t often that you can confidently say the the current Bellator champion could beat the current UFC champion, but that is certainly the case in this instance.
Rory MacDonald
Speaking of Rory MacDonald, although he has experienced his fair share of losses lately, he is still insanely good at what he does. MacDonald is best known for his instant classic title bout against Robbie Lawler, which is considered by many to be the greatest fight of all time, and even boasts a win over current champion Tyron Woodley. If the UFC was willing to pay him what he’s worth, then I think it would be a worthy investment, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he managed to beat Woodley again.
Jon Fitch
While Jon Fitch isn’t exactly the most prolific finisher in MMA, there is no denying that he is still an elite fighter. At 40 years old, Fitch is best known for fighting Georges St. Pierre for the UFC Welterweight title, but he has gone on an impressive win streak since parting ways with the promotion. He has beaten the likes of Paul Daley in Bellator, Jake Shields in the WSOF, and even has a title fight scheduled against Rory MacDonald.
The real question is: Can Jon Fitch compete with the UFC Welterweights currently on the roster? When it comes to the older generation, such as Carlos Condit and Dong Hyun Kim, I think that Fitch could dominantly beat both of them with his suffocating top pressure.
But don’t let his age fool you, as I think Fitch may also have a chance against some of the newer Welterweights in the UFC as well, such as a Dhiego Lima or even Mickey Gall. Will he be able to beat a ranked opponent? That is something that I am not bold enough to suggest, but I would like to see the former top contender turn back the clock to his glory days.
Ryan Bader
Ryan Bader is someone that I have been watching since I was a little kid, and I never thought I would see the day where he finally reached the level of being a championship fighter. However, he essentially got released from the UFC in liu of being granted a title shot against Daniel Cormier, a fight that I wouldn’t be surprised to see him win.
Not only was he at the top of the division when he left, but he has been picking up wins against champions such as King Mo, Fedor Emelianenko, and Phil Davis, while also dispatching dangerous contenders like Matt Mitrione and Linton Vassell. Bader being the first ever Bellator champ-champ should be enough to grant him reentry to the UFC, and I think that he could give both Jon Jones (in a rematch) and Daniel Cormier a tough fight.
Lyoto Machid
When Lyoto Machida came off of a long suspension and suspected retirement only to get knocked out by Derek Brunson, it seemed as though the living legend and former champion would finally be calling it quits. However, after winning a controversial main event decision against Eryk Anders and knocking Vitor Belfort out in his retirement fight, everyone knew “The Dragon” was back. And then he ruined it all by signing with Bellator.
Don’t get me wrong, I love the idea of Lyoto getting rematches with Gegard Mousasi and Ryan Bader, but should he have left the UFC while he was on a win streak? I think that Machida could easily beat top 15 opponents, such as Elias Theodorou and Uriah Hall, and I would love to see him come back to the UFC and continue to test himself against the best in the world.
Demetrious Johnson
Now that Georges St. Pierre has retired, Anderson Silva is consistently losing fights, and Jon Jones has been caught using steroids more times that I can count, Demetrious Johnson is likely the greatest active fighter in the world. How did the UFC reward “Mighty Mouse” for his 6 years as champion after his razor thin split decision loss to Henry Cejudo? They traded him to another promotion in exchange for Ben Askren.
Not only is Johnson still in his prime, but he could easily avenge his loss to Cejudo in a trilogy bout, as well as beat any other Flyweight still on the roster. I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if he could come back to the UFC and go back up to Bantamweight to defeat the likes of TJ Dillashaw and Cody Garbrandt at that weight, and truly cement himself as the greatest to ever do it.
Sage Northcutt
Sage Northcutt is still one of the youngest prodigies the sport has to offer, and Dana White decided to not renew his contract so that he could “go get more experience.” Northcutt was on a three fight winning streak in the UFC, and even won his last fight by knockout, so does he really need more experience.
Even though he is only 22 years old, “Super” Sage was well on his way to getting a ranked opponent, and I think that he could still beat the likes of Dwight Grant or Alex Oliveira. Once he has spent some time in ONE Championship and built up an impressive win streak, I think that his UFC homecoming is going to be an event to remember.
Cheick Kongo
Although Cheick Kongo is 43 years old, he has never lost his stride as an athlete. He has never gone on an extensive losing streak, and his initial departure from the UFC is puzzling to me.
Since he has left for Bellator, he has beaten other top fighters such as Alexander Volkov, Timothy Johnson, Augusto Sakai, and even former Bellator champion Vitaly Minakov. Kongo has been confirmed as the next challenger for Ryan Bader’s Heavyweight title, and whether he wins or loses that fight, I think that he could make a comfortable home back in the UFC.
Matt Mitrione
Matt Mitrione may not have the best record in the world, but considering how all of his fights have been in either the UFC or Bellator, I think he has done pretty good for himself. Even better considering how Mitrione was only released from the UFC due to his controversial comments over the transgender community. While this is not a good business move, and I do not condone his comments, should a world class fighter be cut from the premier MMA promotion over anything other than his performance?
“Meathead” has managed to stay on top of the Bellator Heavyweight division since his departure, and has been one fight away from a title shot throughout his entire run. I think that he could easily still knockout UFC fighters like Alexander Volkov, or even former champion Cain Velasquez.
Kyoji Horiguchi
Kyoji Horiguchi is known for being finished by Demetrious Johnson with only one second left to go in the fight, making his submission loss the latest in UFC history, which does not put him in the best light. Since his decision to not renew his contract with the UFC, Horiguchi has gone on an absolute tear in Rizin, reeling off wins against Hiromasa Ogikubo, Ian McCall, and even current Bellator Bantamweight champion Darrion Caldwell enroute to his outstanding 26-2 record. With his move back up to bantamweight, I fully believe that he could defeat the likes of Raphael Assuncao and Dominick Cruz, and I would love to see him come back to a title shot.