Christmas Miracle! Building UFC 300’s Historic Dream Fight Card

Merry (almost) Christmas, Maniacs!

As 2023 comes to a close — and Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) gears up for a massive 2024 — the iconic UFC 300 pay-per-view (PPV) event is less than four months away (Sat., April 13, 2024) and it is currently without a main event and several key fights.

Indeed, we are off to a good start, but Dana White and Co. have promised SO MUCH MAWR!

Checkout UFC 300’s official bouts (at the time of this writing) thus far:

• Aljamain Sterling vs. Calvin Kattar (Featherweight)
• Jiri Prochazka vs. Aleksandar Rakic
• Bo Nickal vs. Cody Brundage

Now, with all that in mind, MMAMania.com is going to build our completely unofficial fantasy UFC 300 card below:

Main Event

Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler

This fight is a no-brainer. While a non-champion headling a historic card like UFC 300 may rub fight fans the wrong way, McGregor is the most well-known mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter in the world … and he brings the bank. Plus, there is a storyline with both McGregor and Michael Chandler coaching The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 31.

McGregor hasn’t fought inside the Octagon since breaking his leg back in 2021, while Chandler is coming off a “Fight of the Year” contender with Dustin Poirier back in 2022.

Co-Main Event

Alex Pereira vs. Israel Adesanya 3 (Light Heavyweight championship)

Ah, yes, another fight that might ruffle some feathers. Pereira claimed the Light Heavyweight championship at UFC 295, knocking out Prochazka in the second round (watch highlights). After the win, he called out his biggest rival for another fight, saying, “Come to daddy.” Adesanya getting another title shot after coming off a loss to Sean Strickland — where he dropped his Middleweight championship — could be stretching. Still, there is history, plus it is the biggest fight that could be made between the two.

Main Card

Leon Edwards vs. Belal Muhammad 2 (Welterweight championship)

With Edwards making Colby Covington eat his words at UFC 296 last weekend (Dec. 16, 2023) and because he wants to compete three times in 2024, the third “Rocky” title defense at UFC 300 makes sense. Personally, I would like to see him face mega-contender Shavkat Rakhmonov next; however, Belal Muhammad can no longer be denied a well-deserved 170-pound title shot.

Muhammad is riding a nine-fight win streak with a “No Contest,” which was against Edwards back in 2021. Edwards is currently riding a ridiculous 12-fight win streak.

Alexa Grasso vs. Valentina Shevchenko 3 (Women’s Flyweight championship)

Grasso and Shevchenko running it back in the same arena in which the controversial split draw occurred at Noche UFC is a no-brainer. Both women are recovering from hand injuries and will be ready to go in April. It is a situation where Grasso spends some of her prime years fighting the same person, but sometimes it has to happen.

Justin Gaethje vs. Max Holloway (BMF title)

Rounding out UFC 300’s PPV main card is a violent fight for the fans. Gaethje is currently waiting for his shot at Islam Makhachev for the Lightweight title (details here), but with no clear indication of when the champion will fight, he should defend his “Baddest Motherf—ker” (BMF) belt. And Holloway — who is currently in Featherweight limbo — is a perfect foil for Gaethje to defend the title against because he is a BMF in his own right.

Gaethje is coming off a highlight head kick knockout of Dustin Poirier, while Holloway is coming off a knockout of Chan Sung Jung, sending “Korean Zombie” into retirement.

UFC 300 Late ‘Prelims’ Under Card on ESPN/ABC

Jiri Prochazka vs. Aleksander Rakic (Light Heavyweight)

This fight is already booked and could be a No. 1 contender matchup for the Light Heavyweight title, which will be defended in UFC 300’s pretend co-main event.

Dustin Poirier vs. Benoit Saint-Denis (Lightweight)

Poirier has mentioned he has no interest in fighting Lightweight up-and-comers and only wants big-money fights or matchups that, “get him up in the morning.” Well, “Diamond,” sorry pal, you’re fighting Lightweight killer, Benoit Saint-Denis.

This matchup will test both Poirier and Saint-Denis. Poirier will defend his No. 3 ranking on top of the Lightweight rankings, while Saint-Denis will get to fight a legit name to see where he’s at after a ridiculous 2023 campaign.

Derrick Lewis vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik (Heavyweight)

One of the only Heavyweight contenders who Lewis has yet to face is Rozenstruik … and it would be a violent fight for as long as it lasts. There is always a possibility of it being “Lewis vs. Ngannou” because both Heavyweights tend to counter-strike and wait for the big punch to land, but I’m willing to bet they will go for the knockout.

Lewis is coming off a lopsided unanimous decision loss to Jailton Almeida, while Rozenstruik is coming off a first round submission loss to Almeida.

Holly Holm vs. Miesha Tate 2 (women’s Bantamweight)

Two former Bantamweight champions running it back eight years later on the biggest card to date? Yes, please. Tate put Holm to sleep at UFC 196 to win the women’s Bantamweight belt, and the two have circled each other ever since (well, Tate retired for five years, but is back to her winning ways).

Meanwhile, Holm is coming off a title eliminator loss (overturned to a “No Contest”) to Mayra Bueno Silva at UFC Vegas 77.

Bo Nickal vs. Cody Brundage (Middleweight)

Kicking off ESPN’s “Prelims” undercard is a fight that is already booked: Nickal vs. Brundage. And it lands on ESPN because there is no doubt that UFC wants as many eyes on Nickal as possible.

Nickal is perfect (2-0) in the promotion with two first round finishes, while Brundage saved his job in his last outing, knocking out Zach Reese with a brutal slam knockout (watch highlights).

UFC 300 Early ‘Prelims’ Under Card on ESPN+

Aljamain Sterling vs. Calvin Kattar (Featherweight)

Sterling headlining the early “Prelims” is absolutely wild, but White promised that UFC 300 would be “insane,” so by those standards, I’m following suit.

Sterling is moving up to Featherweight after a 23-fight run at Bantamweight, which included him winning (and defending) the Bantamweight championship. Kattar — who will be returning from a nasty knee injury — is an ideal 145-pound test for “Funkmaster.”

Bobby Green vs. Jim Miller (Lightweight)

This fight has been scheduled three times before, but never happened; in fact, the first time the fight was booked was way back in 2014. In addition, Miller has competed on UFC 100 and UFC 200.

UFC 300 has to be a lock, regardless of opponent.

Green is coming off a devastating knockout loss to Jalin Turner, while Miller is currently booked against Gabriel Benitez for UFC Vegas 84.

Cody Garbrandt vs. Dominick Cruz 2 (Bantamweight)

It has been seven years since Cody Garbrandt styled on Dominick Cruz at UFC 207 to win the Bantamweight championship, and it’s time for the two former champions to run it back.

Cruz is coming off a knockout loss to Marlon Vera at UFC San Diego, while Garbrandt picked up his first knockout win since UFC 250 against Rafael Assuncao last week at UC 296.

Tony Ferguson vs. B.J. Penn (Lightweight)

Yeah, I KNOW, but let me explain myself! Tony Ferguson and B.J. Penn are currently tied for the longest consecutive losing streaks in UFC history, so instead of having Ferguson fight some other fighter to take first place, he should just fight “The Prodigy,” and one of them will break the tie.

I’m not too fond of it, but we all know Ferguson will fight again, so I’m matching him up against someone he should be able to beat (hopefully).

Tim Elliott vs. Tatsuro Taira (Flyweight)

Kicking off UFC 300 is a fun Flyweight matchup between UFC veteran, Tim Elliott, taking on undefeated international super prospect, Tatsuro Taira. Taira needs a step up in competition after defeating his first four opponents, and Elliott — who is coming off a submission win at UFC Vegas 83 — is the perfect challenge to test Taira.

So, to recap, checkout MMAMania.com’s fantasy UFC 300 fight card below:

UFC 300 Main Event On ESPN+ PPV:

170 lbs.: Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler

UFC 300 Co-Main Event On ESPN+ PPV:

205 lbs.: Light Heavyweight champion Alex Pereira vs. Israel Adesanya 3

UFC 300 Main Card on ESPN+:

170 lbs.: Welterweight champion Leon Edwards vs. Belal Muhammad 2
125 lbs.: Women’s Flyweight champion Alexa Grasso vs. Valentina Shevchenko 3
155 lbs.: Justin Gaethje vs. Max Holloway (BMF title fight)

UFC 300 Late ‘Prelims’ Card on ABC/ESPN:

205 lbs.: Jiri Prochazka vs. Aleksandar Rakic
155 lbs.: Dustin Poirier vs. Benoit Saint-Denis
265 lbs.: Derrick Lewis vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
135 lbs.: Holly Holm vs. Miesha Tate 2
185 lbs.: Bo Nickal vs. Cody Brundage

UFC 300 Early ‘Prelims’ Card on ESPN+:

145 lbs: Aljamain Sterling vs. Calvin Kattar
155 lbs.: Bobby Green vs. Jim Miller
135 lbs.: Cody Garbrandt vs. Dominick Cruz 2
155 lbs.: Tony Ferguson vs. B.J. Penn
125 lbs.: Tim Elliott vs. Tatsuro Taira

What say you, Maniacs? What fights do you like? What fights do nothing for you?
Sound off in the comments … and have a Merry Christmas and happy holiday season.

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To checkout UFC’s upcoming schedule of events in 2024 click here.