Not all the best fighters in the world are in the UFC -- the other “major promotion” house a fair number of elite fighters that we’d love to see compete inside the octagon. For some, it’s only a matter of time before they get called up to the big show. Let’s take a look at some hypothetical matchup and odds for them.
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ONE FC vs. UFC
Welterweights
Ben Askren +130
Demian Maia -160
Former Bellator and current One FC welterweight Ben “Funky” Askren is a perfect 15-0 with notable wins against fighters like current Bellator champion Andrey Koreshkov and Jay Hieron. A decorated collegiate wrestler, Askren has cruised through all comers with a smothering brand of wrestling that none have been able to stop. Only an ongoing beef with UFC president Dana White had kept him out of the octagon.
While a UFC contract looks unlikely at this point, if Askren ever came over a matchup against Demian Maia would tell us whether he’s a contender right away. Maia is one of the division’s best grapplers and a top-notch contender. If Funky could beat the Brazilian in this tale of two grinders, all the questions about the legitimacy of his opponents would be erased.
BELLATOR vs. UFC
Light Heavyweights
Liam McGeary +200
Ryan Bader -250
Unbeaten Bellator light heavyweight champion Liam McGeary is an intriguing talent, standing 6’6” with good punching power and submission savvy. Seeing how he fares against Phil Davis will give us a clue of how he’d fare inside the octagon, given that Davis was a top-5 fighter in the UFC. But if McGeary makes the jump, Ryan Bader would be a fascinating matchup.
In his last bout, McGeary was taken down by an old Tito Ortiz, which is a sign that a powerful wrestler in his prime -- like Bader -- could easily ground the Brit. But McGeary’s activity on the ground led to a spectacular inverted triangle choke that finished the bout in the first. If he can find a way to win against Bader, who is currently ranked No. 5 by the UFC, he’d be considered an instant contender.
WSOF vs. UFC
Middleweights
David Branch -110
Robert Whittaker -110
Branch is World Series of Fighting’s current middleweight and light heavyweight champion. Take it with a grain of salt, because the depth of talent in WSOF is seriously lacking. Still, with wins over veterans like former UFC middleweight title challenger Yushin Okami, Jesse Taylor and Clifford Starks, it would be intriguing to see if he could be an upper tier middleweight in the octagon. Hell, he even made it to the final bell against Anthony Johnson.
Robert Whittaker, a fast-rising young prospect, would be the perfect matchup for Branch. As the winner of The Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes, the 25-year old has surpassed already high expectations. Scalping the champion of a major promotion would sure look good on his resume.
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