Diggin’ Deep on UFC 259: Blachowicz vs. Adesanya - Future title challengers in non-title fights?

Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images Islam Makhachev, who fights Davi Ramos at UFC 242I get it, these aren’t the main card fights on UFC 259 you really want to see. When a card features three title fights, it’s easy to overlook the non-title fights on the main card. However, both cards feature a pair of youngish fighters whom many believe could claim the titles in their division. Many believe Islam Makhachev only needs to stay healthy – and avoid cageside brawls – to reach the top, whereas Aleksander Rakic appears to be a win away from a title shot…provided he can get past Thiago Santos, no small feat. After all, many believe Santos should have been the rightful winner over Jon Jones for the light heavyweight title in the summer of 2019. As for Makhachev, Drew Dober doesn’t have the same name value Santos does, but he does present a step up in competition above what Makhachev has faced in the past.

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