COLUMN: In a perfect world, here are the five fighters I’d most like to see Dana White sign to UFC

By Daryl French, MMATorch contributor

Fedor Emeliankenko

Here are five fighters,

Michael ‘Venom’ Page: Michael ‘Venom’ Page (MVP) Went Viral after his last fight against Cyborg Santos, a brutal flying knee knockout which caused one of the most talked about injuries in MMA… a broken and concaved skull which was matched by a surreal post-fight celebration. Don’t be fooled by the showmanship of MVP, he matches style with substance and his stand up game is one of the best around – an unorthodox fighting style and with a perfect 11-0 record and two fights left on his Bellator contract. He would bolster the UFC’s welterweight division and could become a title challenger.

Tom ‘Fire Kid’ Duquesnoy: The Fire Kid holds both the BAMMA featherweight and bantamweight titles, he is an explosive fighter with knockout power which is rare at the weight classes, his fights are always exciting, and with each fight he becomes more and more impressive. Currently holding a 7 -1 record, he would be a great addition to the already ultra-competitive bantam and featherweight classes. There is never a dull moment when Duquesnoy is in the cage.

GSP: What can we say about GSP that hasn’t been said before? If GSP were at all resistant to a return, Dana White should be calling GSP day and night to get him to come back to the UFC. Already a legend in the Octagon, GSP is one of the most popular fighters of all and his skill set is sublime. A dominant champion. The timing is right for a GSP return. Diaz vs. GSP 2 or even GSP vs. McGregor… Yes please.

Feodor Emelianenko: The Last Emperor had a bad return to MMA and should have lost his last fight if it wasn’t for dodgy refereeing and bad judges.  However, his pulling power as an icon of the sport is still strong. He may not be as great as he was 10 years ago, but his star power is in no doubt.  There is one fight that would make total sense. At a catchweight, I’d love to see Anderson Silva vs. Feodor Emelianenko. An event in itself. Icon vs. Icon, GOAT vs. Arguable GOAT. Even the thought of this makes me a little giddy.

Chael Sonnen: Chael P. Sonnen, the greatest talker in the UFC’s history (sorry McGregor), the man who talked himself into three world title fights and turned himself into one of the UFC’s biggest draws. Despite his troubles with the doping agencies, he would be an amazing addition to the UFC, but not as an active fighter. The UFC’s PPV commentary team has needed an overhaul for a while; Sonnen would be perfect.  An expert wrestler and highly skilled fighter, he would have an ideal blend of entertainment and analysis to the commentary team.


(Daryl French has been a fan of MMA ever since he stumbled upon Chuck Liddell vs. Wanderlei Silva. In England, he has attended multiple UFC live events, plus BAMMA and UCMMA on a regular basis. He provides MMATorch with a European point of view.)

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