INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 18: Merab Dvalishvili of Georgia reacts on the finish of his … [+] bantamweight title struggle in opposition to Umar Nurmagomedov of Russia, not pictured, throughout UFC 311 at Intuit Dome on January 18, 2025 in Inglewood, California. (Picture by Harry How/Getty Photos)
EA UFC 5 has a brand new replace approaching Thursday, January 30.
The newest replace will ship rising flyweight Asu Almabayev and a few new Alter Egos. For many who aren’t conscious, the Alter Egos are secondary variations of present and previous fighters.
Some seize fighters from a historic efficiency or a sure period of their profession, and there’s a group that consists of fantasy iterations of prime stars.
We don’t know which fighters will probably be included, however I can consider 5 comparatively current and a few historic performances worthy of an Alter Ego.
Listed here are 5 fighters who ought to have an Alter Ego added to the sport.
UFC 311 – Merab Dvalishvili
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 18: Merab Dvalishvili of Georgia poses for a portrait after his … [+] victory through the UFC 311 occasion at Intuit Dome on January 18, 2025 in Inglewood, California. (Picture by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC)
The victory and efficiency are contemporary, however Dvalishvili’s win over Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311 in Inglewood, California, is among the biggest performances in UFC males’s bantamweight historical past.
Dvalishvili overcame an opponent who’s legit and championship-caliber, and he needed to come from behind to get it finished. The champion secured seven takedowns, although 23 of them had been stuffed, and he confirmed the form of gasoline tank that the majority can solely dream of getting as a part of their toolbox.
The champion has gained 13 fights in a row. It’s time for a five-star model of Dvalishvili.
UFC 162 – Chris Weidman
LAS VEGAS, NV – JULY 06: (R-L) Chris Weidman punches Anderson Silva of their UFC middleweight … [+] championship struggle through the UFC 162 occasion contained in the MGM Grand Backyard Enviornment on July 6, 2013 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Picture by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC through Getty Photos)
The All-American lately separated from the UFC. He thought he is likely to be retiring, however the International Combat League got here calling, and Weidman answered.
In any case, he’s a future Corridor of Famer who realizes his time within the UFC is over. Weidman is one among three males to have efficiently defended the middleweight title thrice or extra (Anderson Silva and Israel Adesanya are the others).
He has an Alter Ego within the sport, nevertheless it’s from UFC 187—Weidman’s first-round TKO win over Vitor Belfort. It turned out to be Weidman’s final profitable title protection. Weidman’s most iconic win is his first victory over Silva at UFC 162 in July 2013.
Weidman slept a clowning Silva to dethrone a legend. That efficiency must be an Alter Ego.
UFC Combat Evening Sweden 2017 – Alexander Gustafsson
STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN – MAY 28: (R-L) Alexander Gustafsson punches Glover Teixeira of their gentle … [+] heavyweight struggle through the UFC Combat Evening occasion on the Ericsson Globe Enviornment on Could 28, 2017 in Stockholm, Sweden. (Picture by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC through Getty Photos)
Like Weidman, Gustafsson has signed on with the GFL. Additionally like Weidman, Gustafsson has an Alter Ego within the sport already. Nevertheless, Gustafsson’s AE comes from a struggle he misplaced—his basic battle with Jon Jones in 2013 at UFC 165.
Gustafsson was nice in that struggle, however he misplaced. Maybe a greater model of Gustafsson so as to add got here from his TKO win over Glover Teixeira in his residence nation of Sweden in 2017.
With the lights shining shiny in a house sport, Gustafsson placed on a boxing show, culminating in a sequence of filthy uppercuts that knocked out the rugged Brazilian. Gustafsson even proposed to his girlfriend Moa within the Octagon following the win.
STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN – MAY 28: Alexander Gustafsson proposes to his girlfriend Moa Antonia Johansson … [+] after his knockout victory over Glover Teixeira of their gentle heavyweight struggle through the UFC Combat Evening occasion on the Ericsson Globe Enviornment on Could 28, 2017 in Stockholm, Sweden. (Picture by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC through Getty Photos)
That model of Gustafsson would make for a cool Alter Ego.
UFC 269 – Julianna Peña
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – DECEMBER 11: Julianna Pena reacts after defeating Amanda Nunes of Brazil by … [+] submission of their UFC bantamweight championship bout through the UFC 269 on December 11, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Picture by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
The reigning ladies’s bantamweight champion doesn’t have an Alter Ego within the sport. Shouldn’t that change? In all probability, however then once more, neither does the pound-for-pound No. 1 fighter on Earth, Islam Makhachev. However that’s one other story.
Peña is now in her second reign as champion, and he or she defeated a legend to win the title the primary time. At UFC 269, Peña dropped and choked out the good Amanda Nunes to grow to be the UFC ladies’s bantamweight champion.
That win is Alter Ego-worthy.
UFC 216 – Demetrious Johnson
LAS VEGAS, NV – OCTOBER 07: Demetrious Johnson secures an arm bar submission in opposition to Ray Borg in … [+] their UFC flyweight championship bout through the UFC 216 occasion inside T-Cellular Enviornment on October 7, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Picture by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC through Getty Photos)
The best flyweight in historical past doesn’t have an Alter Ego in EA UFC 5. DJ has had a number of nice performances in his profession. Nevertheless, the one that stands proud to me is his submission win over Ray Borg at UFC 216 in 2017.
The Mouse Entice submission continues to be the best non-KO end I’ve ever seen. If it’s in any respect attainable for EA to hook Mighty Mouse up with an Alter Ego, that is the efficiency to spotlight.
As for EA UFC 6, I’d be shocked if we made it to Worldwide Combat Week with out the sport being formally introduced, or on the very least, obtained some information on it. Keep tuned.
