5 fights that could headline UFC 256

With Kamaru Usman's welterweight title defense against Gilbert Burns postponed to early 2021, the UFC's final pay-per-view card of the year is in need of a main event.

Here's a look at five fights that could serve as the new UFC 256 headliner on Dec. 12.

Stipe Miocic vs. Francis Ngannou 2

Though no date is set, it's all but guaranteed Miocic will next defend his heavyweight title in a rematch with Ngannou. The only other realistic option is a superfight against former light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, but Jones seems focused on his Twitter beef with Israel Adesanya. Plus, UFC president Dana White has said several times Ngannou will indeed get the next title shot.

Miocic last competed in August, defeating Daniel Cormier at UFC 252 to retain his belt, and Ngannou last stepped into the Octagon in May, knocking out Jairzinho Rozenstruik in 20 seconds. In an ideal world, Miocic may want more time to get ready for the rematch. But ultimately, this timeline seems to work for both men, and the UFC can probably convince the champion to agree to it with a bit of extra cash.

ESPN's Ariel Helwani reported the promotion is discussing Miocic-Ngannou as the main event of UFC 256, so this appears to be one of the more likely options.

Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier 2

With the UFC recently offering McGregor and Poirier a fight in January and now in need of a (preferably) big main event for December, perhaps this could emerge as the front-runner for UFC 256's top billing.

McGregor recently expressed interest in a charity sparring match opposite Poirier, whom the former two-division champion beat as a featherweight in 2014. This development came on the heels of his public spat with White, and more than anything else, the idea of a charity match seemed to be a slap in the UFC's face - especially considering it would supposedly take place Dec. 12, the same date as UFC 256.

White immediately offered a UFC fight to McGregor and Poirier simply to take the focus off the charity match. But this wasn't a fight the promotion was targeting previously, and it doesn't seem all that likely McGregor will agree to it. "The Notorious" reportedly has more interest in a boxing match against Manny Pacquiao.

So, for now, McGregor-Poirier happening at UFC 256 - or at all - is a long shot. But this would be the best way to end 2020, so maybe the UFC can figure out a way to convince its biggest superstar to take the fight.

Colby Covington vs. Jorge Masvidal

This fight would be quite the way to cap off the UFC's 2020 run of pay-per-views.

Even though it wouldn't be for a title, Covington versus Masvidal would be a massive bout for the promotion. They're both top contenders in the welterweight division who are looking to get another shot at Usman; they're also former training partners and roommates who've grown to genuinely dislike one another.

The UFC wants to make this fight instead of a previously targeted rematch between Masvidal and Nate Diaz, it's just a matter of getting a deal done with both fighters and finalizing a date. Covington-Masvidal probably would've happened in early 2021, but now, the promotion could look to move it a month earlier to fill in the gap on the UFC 256 card.

Helwani reported the promotion is also discussing Covington-Masvidal as the main event, so this appears to be one of the more likely options.

Jon Jones vs. Israel Adesanya

Talk about a blockbuster fight for the UFC's final pay-per-view of 2020.

Jones, a former light heavyweight champion, and Adesanya, the current middleweight titleholder, have been going back and forth on social media ever since Adesanya retained his belt against Paulo Costa on Sept. 26. The trash talk has gotten pretty nasty, and there doesn't seem to be an end in sight.

It might not feel like the right time for Jones-Adesanya - which seems inevitable to happen - as the latter is focused on defending his title and the former is apparently moving up to heavyweight.

However, there's been a lot of talk of this fight because of their recent beef; Jones wouldn't be holding up a division, and Adesanya is already starting to clean out the 185-pound weight class. If Jones wins, it would be the last feather in his cap before he finally sets out on his trek to heavyweight. And if Adesanya wins, he would likely become a superstar and would immediately enter the conversation at 205 pounds.

Given the Usman-Burns postponement, Jones-Adesanya might happen sooner than you think.

Petr Yan vs. Aljamain Sterling

If the UFC is unable to book a marquee matchup, a bantamweight title fight between champion Yan and Sterling would be an adequate option.

This fight wouldn't garner nearly the same attention or make the same money as McGregor-Poirier or Jones-Adesanya, but it's still an intriguing title fight. And with another championship bout between Amanda Nunes and Megan Anderson already targeted for the UFC 256 co-main event, we'd have seen worse pay-per-views.

Sterling has already made it clear he's game for Dec. 12, so this fight may be easy to book:

Sterling, who last finished Cory Sandhagen in June, is itching at a crack at the belt, and Yan will surely want to defend his strap sooner than later after beating Jose Aldo in July.

Many consider Sterling the biggest threat to Yan's title, so this is the best - and most logical - bantamweight title fight the UFC can put together.