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With UFC 300 just around the corner, the pressure is undoubtedly on for the fighters set to be in action at 2024's biggest event.
Not only is the spotlight going to be on the stars of UFC 300 like never before, but with so many big bouts, a number of fighters simply cannot afford to lose. Whether that's because their chances of climbing back into title contention would be harmed, or their future badly damaged, it's clear that they absolutely need to win.
Here are five fighters who cannot afford to lose at UFC 300.
#5. Cody Garbrandt - former UFC bantamweight champion
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Given its star-studded nature, UFC 300 doesn't really feature any fighter whose octagon career is likely to be on the line altogether.
However, one fighter who might be encouraged to hang up his gloves if he were to lose is former bantamweight kingpin Cody Garbrandt.
'No Love' was responsible for one of the promotion's greatest-ever title wins when he unseated Dominick Cruz to become 135 pound champion back in 2016.
Since then, though, to say it hasn't been plain sailing for him would be an understatement. Garbrandt lost his title to TJ Dillashaw and then suffered a further four losses in five fights.
2023 saw him return to form somewhat, though, as he beat both Trevin Jones and Brian Kelleher in impressive fashion. It wasn't enough for him to break back into the top 15, but a win over Deiveson Figueiredo next weekend would certainly do it.
However, if Garbrandt were to lose, particularly if he's knocked out, then questions around his future would need to be asked. Not only would fans write him off in terms of ever competing again, there could be calls for him to step away from the octagon for the good of his own health.
Therefore, if 'No Love' wants a positive future in MMA, he cannot afford to lose to the former flyweight king next weekend.
#4. Charles Oliveira - former UFC lightweight champion
Outside of the three title bouts, the fight with the most on the line at UFC 300 is the lightweight tilt pitting Charles Oliveira against Arman Tsarukyan. The winner of this one is very likely to receive the next shot at current 155 pound champion Islam Makhachev, but the stakes are definitely higher for Oliveira.
If Tsarukyan were to lose, he wouldn't really slip down the rankings too much, and could easily rebuild himself into a future title opportunity.
'Do Bronx', though, would find things hard with a defeat here. Not only would it be tricky for him to climb back into contention given his previous submission loss to Makhachev, but at the age of 34, it'd be fair to question how much longer he could remain at the top.
Oliveira's deadly finishing skills would probably mean he'd be able to take out a lot of the fighters ranked below him, but he'd also be seen as more of a high-level gatekeeper than anything else.
That isn't a spot that any fighter really wants to end up in, particularly if they have title ambitions. Therefore, 'Do Bronx' cannot afford to lose next weekend.
#3. Jamahal Hill - former UFC light-heavyweight champion
To say that UFC 300 could be a pivotal night for former light-heavyweight champion Jamahal Hill would be a massive understatement.
'Sweet Dreams' has not fought since he defeated Glover Teixeira for the vacant title back in early 2023. Injuries forced him to vacate his crown shortly after, and next weekend will represent his first chance to regain it.
However, to claim his title back, he'll have to beat one of the most accomplished strikers in MMA history in Alex Pereira, a fighter who has quickly become incredibly feared.
There's no shame in a loss to 'Poatan', so why can Hill not afford to lose next weekend?
Put simply, it's because there are still question marks over quite how good 'Sweet Dreams' is. Sure, he picked apart the ageing Teixeira, but that title fight was only put together because Jan Blachowicz and Magomed Ankalaev failed to impress in their draw.
Outside of Teixeira, Hill has never truly beaten an elite-level fighter. Therefore, if he suffers a bad loss to Pereira, it's easy to see him sliding down the ladder quickly.
For this reason, 'Sweet Dreams' cannot afford to lose in this huge headliner, particularly with the spotlight on him like never before.
#2. Calvin Kattar - UFC featherweight contender
Due to the stacked nature of the card, very few of the fighters set to compete at UFC 300 are coming in on the back of losing streaks.
The clear exception to this is Calvin Kattar. 'The Boston Finisher' is set to welcome former bantamweight kingpin Aljamain Sterling to the featherweight division in what should be a fun fight to watch.
However, Kattar has lost his last two visits to the octagon, and you have to go back as far as January 2022 to find his last win, a decision victory over Giga Chikadze.
Since that win, Kattar has lost a tight decision to Josh Emmett, and then blew out his knee in a headline bout against Arnold Allen. Neither loss was anything to be ashamed of, but it's fair to say that it'd be hard for him to justify his top 10 ranking if he were to lose to Sterling next weekend.
Kattar won't be on the chopping block with a loss. He's too talented and too exciting to watch for that. However, a defeat would definitely signal the end of his time as an elite-level fighter, meaning he cannot afford to lose.
#1 Bo Nickal - UFC middleweight contender
There is no doubt that the fighter set to compete at UFC 300 who can afford to lose the least is Bo Nickal.
Okay, so the middleweight prospect is only 2-0 in his octagon career and 5-0 overall, and realistically, his career is only just beginning. However, few prospects in UFC history have received the same levels of hype as 'The Allen Assassin'. Due to his stellar wrestling background, he has been pushed as a potential star since he signed with the promotion.
Because of this, Nickal has been offered opportunities that other fighters at the same stage of their career wouldn't necessarily get. Case in point, he's been positioned as the main card opener at the biggest show of 2024 above former titleholders like Jiri Prochazka and Aljamain Sterling.
Nickal has also been matched with a very beatable opponent in the form of Cody Brundage, an unranked fighter who is 4-4 in the octagon.
'The Allen Assassin' is coming into this fight as the biggest betting favorite on the card. If he were to lose, then, while his career could rebound, he'd be somewhat of a laughing stock in the eyes of many fans.
Therefore, if he wants to keep the hype train rolling, Nickal has to win next weekend. Put simply, there's no other option.
