Blockbuster trades in MMA don’t happen like in other sports, and free agency only usually occurs when a fighter is either on the decline or a prospect is ready to rise up.
Yet, many fighters are at a crossroads. Some find themselves perennially just outside of title contention, while others have peaked in their current promotions and need new challenges. In 2018, UFC and One Championship agreed to trade the contracts of Ben Askren and former flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson. “Mighty Mouse” would go on to win the 135-pound title at One, while Askren would struggle to find his footing in the UFC.
Andreas Hale, Brett Okamoto, Jeff Wagenheim and Dre Waters crafted up potential transactions that could reposition fighters for greener pastures and assist promotions in giving fans the fights they could only dream of.
PFL adds another contender to its best division
UFC receives: Bellator middleweight champion Johnny Eblen
PFL receives: UFC women’s flyweight Alexa Grasso
Why this makes sense for Eblen and the UFC: Eblen doesn’t have a place in the PFL. Sure, he fights for its sister promotion, Bellator — in fact, he will defend his…
