5. Stephen Thompson vs. Michael Page
With Lyoto Machida nearing the end of his outstanding career, Thompson and Page are left to carry the flag for karatekas everywhere. Thompson has twice fought for the UFC welterweight championship, battling Tyron Woodley across 10 close rounds. However, his efforts did not yield the results he desired, as the South Carolinian settled for a majority draw with the champion at UFC 205 in November 2016 and then lost a majority decision to him in their UFC 209 rematch some four months later. Nevertheless, Thompson remains one of the top 10 welterweights in the world. Page, meanwhile, has been a revelation for Bellator despite a questionable strength of schedule. The charismatic Brit has won all eight of his fights in the promotion, pushing his record to a perfect 12-0. That includes his 2017 “Knockout of the Year” against Evangelista Santos in which he fractured the Brazilian’s skull with a devastating flying knee.
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