As the new year kicks off, Cageside Press breaks down the potential biggest fights between the biggest MMA stars in 2024.
The intrigue for fights to be made in 2024 may be higher than it has been for many years after recent events in the world of MMA.
With the acquisition of Bellator MMA by the PFL and the return of several big stars on the horizon, the number of fights that could be made in the next twelve months is plentiful. Which makes narrowing this list down far more difficult than it was the year prior.
2022 saw several of the fights from the 2021 list happen. However, none of the fights from last years list materialized which speaks to the parity that was seen in 2023 and was evidenced by the eight UFC titles that changed hands. Going into 2024, these are the top bouts that would be gigantic for the MMA calendar.
5. Jake Paul vs Mike Perry
Never has “The Problem Child” been closer to a real MMA fight than he is now. The announcement of his MMA debut with the PFL was met with great fanfare and felt like a sign of great things to come. However, his debut being roughly 20 months away from the announcement has taken the wind out of the sails of the news.
Furthermore, it feels like the time is now or never for Jake Paul to finally step into the cage. Paul’s focus on the stars of mixed martial arts has been a thing of the past for the last several months. Following his victory over Nate Diaz in August, Paul turned his attention to rising boxing contender Andre August for his most recent bout this month and shortly after it was announced that he would be working with Team USA’s Olympic boxing team in 2024. While Paul made his name in combat sports by targeting former MMA champions and legends, it would appear that the next phase of his fighting career will see him focusing on his contemporaries that specialize in the sweet science.
Enter Mike Perry, whose post-UFC career has seen him become Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship’s breakout star. His run over the last two years has seen him compete in the Triad Combat ring to notching victories over the likes of Michael “Venom” Page, Luke Rockhold, and Eddie Alvarez. “Platinum” is also no stranger to speaking his mind and bringing his brashness to the pre-fight festivities.
While Perry would enter the bout with a fair amount of experience, the youth and size of Paul would be expected to equalize the disparity. Taking into account that Paul was also an established wrestler in high school and “The Problem Child” appears to have the perfect dance partner for his PFL debut later this year.
