Outlook: The Brazilian has bounced back from his first loss in the UFC wonderfully, racking up back-to-back highlight-reel knockouts over Geoff Neal and Leon Edwards. On a night chock full of amazing finishes, Prates’ flatlining of Edwards (the first man to knock Edwards out) was perhaps the finest. Now, the fan-favorite Fighting Nerd is in position for a title shot. One could argue he still needs another win, and Machado Garry winning in Doha would exacerbate that claim. However, Prates brings the explosive power and personality to the table, which matters when vying for a title shot.
In the Mix: Ian Machado Garry, Kamaru Usman, Sean Brady, Joaquin Buckley
Outlook: Machado Garry can put himself right near the top of the title picture if he can tie a victory over Muhammad together with his decision win over Carlos Prates earlier in the year. Given Prates’ and Morales’ wins in New York City, however, he might need to get that victory in spectacular fashion in order to warrant that discussion.
Whether Usman needs to secure another win after he snapped his 3-fight skid against Joaquin Buckley is unknown, although one could argue he could face any of the recently victorious top-5 fighters in the division. Usman still brings the name value nobody else in the top-5 carries, so it’d be understandable if Makhachev wants to challenge the former champion.
Sean Brady and Joaquin Buckley are in similar boats after suffering defeats. They both need to get back on track in 2026 and probably rack up at least two wins before getting back into the discussion for the championship.pot in the top-10 next before continuing his pursuit of the title picture.