UFC President Reveals Major Fights Happening In 2023's First Quarter

The UFC is gearing up for another big year, and company president Dana White made public some of the bouts and events that mixed martial arts (MMA) fans should mark on their calendars.

First up on White's list is that of UFC 284 and the main event matchup between UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski challenging Islam Makhachev for his lightweight title in Perth, Australia on February 12.

Makhachev, ranked No.2 on the UFC's men's pound-for-pound rankings, has an impressive 11-fight winning streak under his belt that culminated in him claiming the then-vacant title by forcing Charles Oliveira to submit after an arm-triangle choke.

Volkanovski, ranked No.1, also earned his flowers from the fans after defeating Max Holloway thrice throughout his own 12-fight winning streak, which saw him beat guys like Jose Aldo, Chan Sung Jung, and his widely acclaimed five-round affair with Brian Ortega in September 2021.

White then shone the spotlight on UFC 285 in Las Vegas which will be headed by former light heavyweight king Jon Jones taking on Cyril Gane for the undisputed heavyweight title on March 4 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Jones needs no introduction at this point in his illustrious yet controversy-filled career, and Gane has had his initial taste of UFC gold after leveling Derrick Lewis in the first round of their August 2021 matchup for the interim heavyweight title.

Valentina Shevchenko's women's flyweight title defense against Alexa Grasso will serve as the co-main event for UFC 285.

Joining them on the card are Dan Hooker and Jaylin Turner, Geoff Neal against Shavkat Rakhmonov, and Contender series alums Bo Nickal and Jamie Pickett.

White then reminded fans to also keep an eye on UFC 286 on March 18 happening at the famed O2 Arena in London, England as Leon Edwards and Kamaru Usman will share the cage for their third fight–their second bout over the welterweight title.

MMA fans would note that Edwards was headed towards the loss column in their second fight before pulling off a miraculous head kick knockout of Usman that sent social media then into a frenzy.

No. 3-ranked lightweight Justin Gaethje will do battle with the No. 6-rataed Rafael Fiziev in the co-main event in what could turn out to be a potential title eliminator.

Last but not least is UFC 287 which will see Israel Adesanya hope to reclaim his middleweight title from Alex Pereira in the show's headliner.

Pereira and "The Last Stylebender" shared the cage together at UFC 281 in November 2022 and saw the former end Adesanya's reign with a last-round TKO to etch his name in the UFC history books.

The co-main event for UFC 287 will also have No. 5-ranked Gilbert Burns and No. 11-graded Jorge Masvidal in a striking showcase which could play host to the event's knockout of the night.

The UFC is raring to put on a strong set of marquee shows in the first quarter of the year for fight fans.

Based on the names listed out by White, the potential for highlight-reel moments is certainly there.