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Jan 18, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Islam Makhachev (red gloves) reacts after defeating Renato Moicano (blue gloves) in a lightweight title fight during UFC 311 at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
As speculation swirls, one insider hints that a blockbuster fight or major shake-up could headline UFC 317!
Jan 18, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Islam Makhachev (red gloves) reacts after defeating Renato Moicano (blue gloves) in a lightweight title fight during UFC 311 at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
The UFC has always run on hype. From the early days of Tank Abbott smashing beer cans on his head to Conor McGregor’s infamous dolly incident, drama sells fights. The promotion thrives when fans buzz about potential matchups and fighters trade barbs on social media. But lately, something feels off in the world of mixed martial arts. The usual pre-event excitement seems to be missing, and veteran journalist Ariel Helwani isn’t afraid to point it out.
With International Fight Week approaching fast and UFC 317 still without a main event, fans are getting restless. The promotion that once dominated combat sports news cycles now finds itself struggling to generate the usual anticipation. Dana White, who usually addresses these concerns head-on, has been unusually quiet about the lack of buzz. The man who built the UFC into a global powerhouse through sheer force of personality now faces a challenge that can’t be solved with his trademark intensity. The sport that never sleeps suddenly seems to be taking a nap!
With International Fight Week just around the corner, strong rumors should be flying about potential matchups. Instead, fans are hearing nothing. Helwani raised an interesting point on his show.
“You know, we might find out at the press conference. Is it possible that Dana is going to rock up at that press conference on Monday, excuse me, early Sunday morning? Is Islam training for June 28? And is Charles training for June 28? And if it ends up being Islam, then is Charles fighting someone else?”
These questions highlight just how unusual the current situation is. Typically, by this point, fans would be debating matchups and picking winners. The UFC hype machine would be in full swing, dropping hints and stoking anticipation. But this year? Nothing but whispers and wild guesses.
The most solid rumor involves Pantoja and Kai Kara-France, hardly the star power needed to headline such a major event. UFC 317 needs a blockbuster main event to justify its place during International Fight Week. But with all the champions playing hard to get, Dana White’s options are limited. It seems to be that Dana White might be waiting to see who wins at UFC 315 main event. And if it is Jack Della Maddalena, the next fight might be him vs. Islam Makhachev for the welterweight title, while Oliveira might fight Ilia Topuria for the lightweight title. These obviously are speculations, but either way, fans will get some information this weekend.
I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!
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