2017 was all change in the UFC as we saw two inaugural champions crowned and several titles change hands over the course of the year.
Memorable moments like Joanna Jedrzejczyk’s first career defeat to Rose Namajunas, Max Holloway’s double demolition of Jose Aldo and a masterclass from Robert Whittaker all saw new champions hoist belts to the skies in triumph.
Despite the fact that we just saw one Octagon appearance from Jon Jones in 2017 and none from either Conor McGregor or Ronda Rousey (the holy trinity of current superstars on the roster), it was yet another great year in terms of thrilling title fights.
2018 promises to deliver much more exciting five-round wars with gold on the line and we’ve only gone and predicted who will hold each UFC title come the end of the year.
It should be pointed out that an overhaul of the UFC’s divisions has been rumoured to take place but, without confirmation, we’re just going to pick the title-holders by this time next year based off the current weight classes.
And if you want to see how awful we fared in predicting the past 12 months, come right this way.
Heavyweight (Current champion – Stipe Miocic)
Champion this time next year – Cain Velasquez
Sure, Francis Ngannou is the most terrifying human being walking this planet but that doesn’t always translate to success against fighters with incredible technique.
We’re all aboard the Ngannou hype train here at JOE but it should be pointed out that his only two victories against ranked UFC fighters came against a pair with notoriously questionable chins in the form of Andrei Arlovski and Alistair Overeem. Miocic is a different animal entirely and the kind of glancing blow that would put Overeem to sleep may not have quite the same impact on Miocic. We see Miocic outboxing Ngannou, who will undeniably have a strength advantage, and taking the final three rounds easily after testing the staying power of Ngannou’s muscular physique.
But then comes a different challenge as former champ Cain Velasquez will likely receive an immediate title shot upon his targeted comeback and, being the greatest heavyweight of all time (don’t @ me, Fedor fans), Velasquez’s relentless pace should push Miocic to the limit. It would be a fascinating match-up but we give Velasquez an advantage over anyone, particularly when it comes to the deep waters.
Light heavyweight (Current champion – Daniel Cormier)
Champion this time next year – Daniel Cormier if Jon Jones isn’t around
We still don’t know how long the sport will be without Jon Jones following the most recent of his numerous indiscretions.
If he returns, it’s hard to not give him a decided advantage over anybody at 205lbs just because of what he’s already accomplished.
Cormier should have the beating of the heavy-handed Volkan Oezdemir and while a rematch with Alexander Gustafsson would not exactly be a walk in the park, it’s an undeniable fact that Cormier is the greatest light heavyweight of all time whose name isn’t Jon Jones.
Middleweight (Current champion – Robert Whittaker)
Champion this time next year – Robert Whittaker
My pick for fighter of the year, Whittaker’s improvement shows no signs of stopping.
He’s got some of the best striking in the division and if you think that his proficiency in the stand-up department must leave deficiencies with his grappling, just ask ‘Jacare’ and Yoel Romero how they fared against the fighting pride of Auckland.
It’s hard to see what you can do to stop ‘Bobby Knuckles’ and the likes of Luke Rockhold, Chris Weidman and Kelvin Gastelum are going to struggle to find solutions.
We’re expecting yet another flawless year at the top for Whittaker.
Welterweight (Current champion – Tyron Woodley)
Champion this time next year – Rafael dos Anjos
Rafael dos Anjos at 170lbs is a freight train that looks like it won’t be stopped anytime soon.
The former UFC lightweight champion has looked quite literally flawless now that he doesn’t have to drag himself on to death’s doorstep every time fights.
Dos Anjos strangled Neil Magny in the first round, which becomes even more impressive when you take note of what Magny did to Carlos Condit at UFC 219, and then the Brazilian dominated former welterweight kingpin Robbie Lawler over five rounds to close out a 2017 which was a hell of a lot more enjoyable for him than 2016.
He might have to get through Colby Covington first, which is no easy task, but the relentlessness of RDA would be difficult for Covington to keep up with, particularly over five rounds, and we can’t see him letting a title shot escape him in 2018.
Lightweight (Current champion – Conor McGregor)
Champion this time next year – Khabib Nurmagomedov
Yes, Tony Ferguson is an enigma and Conor McGregor can put anyone away with his left hand but… KHABIB!
It’s so very difficult to keep an undefeated record in MMA given its unpredictable nature and granted, two-thirds of Nurmagomedov’s opponents were far from top level, but to go 25-0 in mixed martial arts just goes to show how different the Dagestani native is.
Nurmagomedov is one of few fighters who can essentially do what he wants with his opponents and if he was to get a hold of ‘The Notorious’, it would be a long night at the office for the Irishman.
With McGregor’s fighting future up in the air, Nurmagomedov could well end up fighting Ferguson for the undisputed crown and while that would bring about a fascinating grappling battle, it’s hard to pick against the smothering offence of ‘The Eagle’.
Featherweight (Current champion – Max Holloway)
Champion this time next year – Max Holloway
It’s the Holloway era now, y’all.
He’s already in the discussion as the greatest featherweight of all time and Holloway has only held the undisputed title for about six months. That’s how good he is.
Not even Frankie Edgar would have an answer for ‘Blessed’.
Bantamweight (Current champion – TJ Dillashaw)
Champion this time next year – Cody Garbrandt
This is a bit of a tricky one because Dillashaw has toyed with the idea of dropping to 125lbs to challenge the man we talk about below.
Hopefully he hangs around at bantamweight for a bit and ends up rematching Cody Garbrandt because the build-up to that fight was simply too much fun to not want to see again.
Sure Dillashaw came out on top against ‘No Love’ when they met in November but Garbrandt did enjoy some early success and he will return hungrier than ever if given the opportunity to avenge his first career loss.
Not taking anything away from Dillashaw because he’d be a favourite going into the fight but there’s something special about Garbrandt. Plus, a victory for the Alpha Male fighter sets up a trilogy and who doesn’t love a trilogy?
Flyweight (Current champion – Demetrious Johnson)
Champion this time next year – Demetrious Johnson
After that flying armbar, there’s nothing left to say.
Women’s featherweight (Current champion – Cris Cyborg)
Champion this time next year – Cris Cyborg
Holly Holm was supposed to pose the biggest threat to Cris Cyborg’s status as the greatest female fighter walking the planet when they met for the 145lbs title in the UFC’s final event of the year and while it wasn’t the prettiest fight, the Brazilian got her hand raised.
It’s difficult to say who will even come close to taking Cyborg’s belt but it’s probably more difficult to see a scenario in which she doesn’t fight current bantamweight champ Amanda Nunes, who is a beast in her own right.
Cyborg will have a marked size advantage over ‘The Lioness’, however, and likely has the beating of Nunes in both the stand-up and the grappling departments.
Women’s bantamweight (Current champion – Amanda Nunes)
Champion this time next year – Amanda Nunes
Sure, we’ve predicted that Nunes will come unstuck if she does decide to move up to 145lbs in an attempt to become the first female in UFC history to win titles in two different weight classes but that doesn’t mean that we don’t rate the bantamweight queen.
After presumingly coming up short against Cyborg, Nunes will likely return to 135lbs where there are very few who will give her much trouble. Most of the top five at bantamweight are coming off a loss so there’s not even a clear challenger right now.
Women’s flyweight (Current champion – Nicco Montaño)
Champion this time next year – Valentina Shevchenko
The UFC’s newest division still looks very much like the UFC’s newest division and it will probably be another year before we get a fair understanding of where each fighter stands.
Valentina Shevchenko is not going to get another shot at the bantamweight crown as long as Nunes is champ so we expect her to drop to 125lbs and she could walk straight into a title shot, where we give her a considerable advantage over the significantly less experienced champ, Nicco Montano.
Women’s strawweight (Current champion – Rose Namajunas)
Champion this time next year – Joanna Jedrzejczyk
By a similar rationale to our Garbrandt-Dillashaw discussion, we reckon former champ Joanna Jedrzejczyk will come back with a new kind of drive.
Perhaps the previously unbeaten fighter took Namajunas lightly and she was certainly punished but one would still probably give Jedrzejczyk a technical advantage on the feet in spite of the fact that she was dropped by Namajunas in November and finished with ground-and-pound.
Whether she has to get a win under her belt first or not, expect the Polish 115lber to fight for her old title in 2018 and we secretly want her to win so we get that trilogy… Yes, we love trilogies.
