Is the UFC Lacking in Star Power?
Since the foundation of the UFC in 1993, the worldwide leader in MMA has been dominated by larger-than-life athletes. This, however, is changing. Some of the sport’s biggest stars are either close to the end of their careers or are in a division with a dominant champion. With nearly every division’s champion lacking in star power, fans are asking the question: does the UFC have a star power problem?
In the current day UFC, there is only one true box office draw, former Middleweight and Light Heavyweight Champion Alex Pereira. Pereira, who only made his UFC debut in 2021, has become the company's biggest star after only four years. After headlining three pay-per-view cards in 2024, including UFC 300, Pereira’s next challenge would come against Magomed Ankalaev. In a nightmare for the UFC top brass, Alex Pereira was dethroned after losing in a unanimous decision at UFC 313. Ankalaev, while deserving of the title, will not bring nearly as many eyes to the sport as Alex Pereira does.
Israel Adesanya, who is possibly the biggest draw in the middleweight division history, is now on a three-fight losing streak. After suffering a brutal knockout loss to rising contender Nassourdine Imavov, it is highly unlikely that the former middleweight champion will find his way back into championship contention. Sean O'Malley, who is undoubtedly the biggest star in bantamweight history, lost his bantamweight championship after a less-than-stellar performance against Merab Dvalishvili. The biggest star in the sport's history, Conor McGregor, has shown zero motivation to get back into the octagon.
The UFC still has stars on their roster. However, those stars are nearing the end of their careers, or are in no position to fight for a championship. Dustin Poirier and Jon Jones both have one fight left before they wrap up their illustrious careers. Fighters like Max Holloway, Sean Strickland, Colby Covington, and Kamaru Usman, have already had multiple championship opportunities in their respective weight classes. Ilia Topuria is the fighter with the most potential to reach mega-star status. However, with a move up to the lightweight division, the only thing standing in between the Spaniard and mega-star status is the pound-for-pound king Islam Makhachev.
When it comes to the UFC’s problem with star power, it ultimately comes down to the current UFC champions. When you look at the landscape of the UFC, the majority of champions are not draws. At the moment, Jon Jones and Islam Makhachev are the only champions who can bring in big pay-per-view numbers. When looking at the rest of the champions, they severely lack in marketability. Belal Muhammad, Alexandre Pantoja, Merab Dvalishvili, and now Magomed Ankalaev, are all undoubtedly the best their division has to offer. Still, their grapple-first approach to fighting has hindered their potential to become big names. There is no true solution to this problem UFC management faces. On the bright side, the UFC has no shortage of exciting prospects. As these prospects develop and hone their crafts, superstars could be made. Prospects like Payton Talbott, Jean Silva, and Raul Rosas Jr. all have the potential to become stars in their sport. All they need is time.
