UFC has become one of the top sports in the world in the past few years because of the great marketing and reforms that they made. A few players were one of the main reasons why MMA is so popular, but in the end, people like to watch others fight. Boxing was the main sport a few decades ago, and now MMA has come into the spotlight.
Suppose you are one of many who like combat sports; the upcoming events in 2023 will bring the same heat as McGregor and Khabib did in 2021. There are a lot of UFC predictions, but it’s harder to do it nowadays when you don’t have fighters like Khabib, who was a sure win against any opponent for his weight.
The two significant events that will happen in January and February are UFC Fight Night and UFC 283, which bring fights in the lightweight and heavyweight categories. We will have matches for the title, so prepare for an amazing start in 2023.
Kelvin Gastelum vs Nassourdine Imavov
The first major match of the year will be on 15—January between Kelvin Gastelum and Nassourdine Imavov, both amazing fighters trying to reach the title. Imavov has a better score of 12 wins and three losses, while Gastelum is at 17 wins and eight losses. It will be a hard match for Kelvin considering the advantage Imavov has in grappling, and he’s even taller than his opponent, standing at 6’3”.
They are in the middleweight category at 186 LB, but Kelvin is shorter and will have trouble reaching Imavov. The first is a part of UFC Fight Night, and the odds are a bit in favor of Nassourdine. This doesn’t have to prove anything because both fighters are at the height of their skill, and it will be an interesting match to watch.
Jamahal Hill vs Glover Teixeira
Another big match of the year for UFC 284 is between Glover Teixeira and Jamahal Hill. Glover will be fighting on his turf in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil but Hill won’t be so bothered considering his hunger for more wins. It will be hard to watch if Hill gets an advantage in the beginning, considering that Glover doesn’t have a lot of stamina to keep going many rounds. He’s 42 years old and has over 40 matches in his career.
On the other hand, Jamahal is trying to get yet another win to back up his 11-1-0 score, which is amazing for any fighter. Hill will rely mostly on his long strikers compared to Glover, that will try to get him on the ground. If it goes to round 3, Hill will definitely have an advantage which is why the odds are on his side.
Islam Makhachev vs Alexander Volkanovski
The most anticipated match of the year will be any fight Islam will have in 2023 because everyone is expected a lot from Khabib’s friend. This time, he will go against the hardest opponent that has 25 wins and only one loss. Alexander is a bit shorter than Islam, and it will be hard to handle him on the ground, but he almost has the same reach as Islam.
There’s a huge chance that both fighters will take it to the ground and try to win on grappling skills, but when it comes to statistics, Makhachev is a bit better, especially when it comes to defense. One hit from Alexander can change everything because of his strong right arm.
Derrick Lewis vs. Sergey Spivak
The 37-year-old Derrick Lewis is going against ten years younger Sergey, that is almost on the same level as his opponent. It will be great to watch these two guys, like any heavyweight category, where one hit changes everything. Regarding height and reach, they are basically the same, so there won’t be any important advantage except Derrick’s experience.
