With 2017 now all but a distant memory it’s time to look ahead to the new year with the now traditional set of bold predictions. Last year’s list went relatively OK but 2018 looks set to be a bigger, bolder period for the mad world of MMA. Here we go.
1. Georges St-Pierre will fight Conor McGregor
2. Frankie Edgar will get a UFC bantamweight title shot
3. Daniel Cormier will fight for the UFC heavyweight title
4. Rory MacDonald will become a two-weight Bellator champion
5. Ben Askren will sign with the UFC
6. Francis Ngannou will win 3 title fights via 1st round KO
7. Kamaru Usman will win the UFC welterweight title
8. Ryan Bader will win the Bellator heavyweight tournament
9. Ronda Rousey will fight for the UFC flyweight title
10. Neither Diaz brother will fight
11. Conor McGregor will have a professional boxing match
12. The UFC will re-sign with Fox Sports for their US TV rights
13. Anthony Johnson, Matt Brown and BJ Penn will all have an MMA fight
14. Anthony Pettis will leave the UFC
15. Demetrious Johnson will stop TJ Dillashaw
16. Amanda Nunes will beat Cris Cyborg
17. Paige VanZant will fight for a UFC title
18. Karl Moore will sign with the UFC
19. CM Punk will fight again and win
20. Alexander Gustafsson will become the UFC light-heavyweight champion