The Top Five Fights of 2024
And a look at the ongoing Pitbull saga
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Top fights of 2024
As the year comes to end, it’s time to look at the top fights from the past year.
I’ll also reveal my Fighter of the Year in a Top 10 piece before December 31. Until then, enjoy a look back at the bouts from 2024 that reminded us how lucky we are to be fight fans.
The list begins with one I covered live in Newark, and it immediately became one of my favorite fights to ever watch:
I. Islam Makhachev vs. Dustin Poirier, UFC 302
There was magic in the air in New Jersey.
Coming off an impressive victory against Benoit Saint Denis, the main event of UFC 302 marked Dustin Poirier’s long awaited chance to win undisputed UFC gold. And he nearly accomplished the feat, forcing Islam Makhachev out of his comfort zone by turning this into a battle on the feet.
Makhachev secured the submission in the fifth, but it was an extraordinarily difficult test that highlighted the beauty of the fighting spirit. For five rounds, it was incredibly tense and physical, with genuine uncertainty over how it would finish. It was Makhachev’s toughest battle as champ, and a phenomenal performance from Poirier.
II. Alex Pereira vs. Khalil Rountree Jr., UFC 307
UFC CEO Dana White wanted this matchup, and it delivered. There was plenty of rumbling beforehand that Khalil Rountree Jr. was undeserving of a title shot, but he made people forget about his ranking with a spectacular showing.
The final image in the cage is a victorious Alex Pereira with his hand held high, but it was a genuine battle to arrive at there. Rountree challenged him at every point, even leading all three scorecards until Pereira finished him in the fourth.
Pereira’s rise continued at UFC 307, but the legend was enhanced with his fight against Rountree.
III. Sean Strickland vs. Dricus du Plessis, UFC 297
Even as possible, this fight showed off the brilliance of both fighters.
As expected, Sean Strickland brought his unorthodox style into the cage. As he showcased in the victory against Israel Adesanya, Strickland is remarkably tough to hit. His jab can control a fight, which it nearly did in this bout. But Dricus du Plessis broke through in the second round following an abysmal first five minutes, and he was able to secure his takedown enough to win, narrowly claiming the second, third, and fourth rounds.
Unfortunately, this was marred by the razor thin decision. Strickland certainly could have been awarded the win, which adds even more intrigue to their rematch in February. But it doesn’t take away from the brilliance of what we witnessed in January.
IV. Ilia Topuria vs. Alexander Volkanovski, UFC 298
What was supposed to be a fight turned into a statement.
Ilia Topuria seized control of the featherweight division with a hostile knockout of reigning champ Alexander Volkanovski, shifting the entire direction of the division in his favor.
Even though Topuria had won his first 14 bouts, there was plenty of doubt surrounding whether he could defeat Volkanovski. Yet he left no doubt in doing so–and hasn’t looked back since.
Topuria’s walk-off shot forcefully removed Volkanovski from the list of the sport’s champions, and he followed up that victory by wiping out Max Holloway. This was Topuria’s year, and it all began in February.
V. Justin Gaethje vs. Max Holloway, UFC 300
Max Holloway’s call to throw down at the end of UFC 300 will forever live in fight lore, but a forgotten part of this epic bout was that Justin Gaethje suffered a broken nose in the closing moments of the opening round.
It’s still hard to believe. Four rounds with a broken nose against Holloway is an outrageous feat. It stifled Gaethje’s breathing, blurred his vision with watery eyes, and left him with no other option than to overreact to Holloway’s feints.
Holloway received his flowers for the performance, which capped off a remarkable career comeback after appearing he was washed up. Despite the loss, it was also an incredible showing from Gaethje, who proved (again) how tough he is in the cage.
The Pitbull saga underscores the end of Bellator
This wasn’t why social media was created.
Patrício Freire, the reigning Bellator featherweight champion, is publicly campaigning to be released from PFL. This has played out on social media, specifically Twitter, where Freire is claiming that PFL hasn’t honored their end of the contract.
And he’s not wrong. Freire has only had one fight since PFL acquired Bellator, defeating Jeremy Kennedy in March. He also had a fight canceled mid-fight camp, but that is where it gets complicated.
How many fights has PFL offered Freire? What does the language in the contract state? It’s tough to fully gauge the situation without all the details. Freire did confirm that he was offered an upcoming bout in April, but he didn’t seem thrilled about the lack of specifics.
At 37, clearly, Freire wants to fight. A victory or two in the UFC would significantly enhance the way his career is remembered, a fact that is not lost on him after being overlooked for years in Bellator.
One part of the discussion that cannot be argued is that Bellator no longer exists as it once did. But as a reigning Bellator champ, PFL cannot simply allow Freire to walk. A fairly quick solution would be to have Freire defend the title in April against Aaron Pico (who hasn’t fought since February).
Now that would become more complex if Freire wins that bout, and, of course, it would also raise his stock. Yet it would add clarity to the Bellator featherweight title picture, which is necessary if PFL is going to continue operating events under the Bellator banner.
The future of Bellator remains tenuous, and Freire is looking to get out before his stock drops any further due to one of a fighter’s worst enemies: inactivity.
The Pick ‘Em Section
Without the UFC providing a fight card this weekend, let’s explore the wide world of sports. And yes, we’ll focus on the Boston teams and the rare back-to-backs (with Joe Burrow and the Bengals thrown in for good measure).
Boston Bruins vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (Friday)
Pick: Boston Bruins
Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Boston Bruins (Saturday)
Pick: Boston Bruins
New England Patriots vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Pick: LA Chargers
Denver Broncos vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Pick: Cincinnati Bengals
Indiana Pacers vs. Boston Celtics (Friday)
Pick: Boston Celtics
Indiana Pacers vs. Boston Celtics (Sunday)
Pick: Boston Celtics
Last week: 1-0
2024 record: 121-98