Each 12 months, MMASucka make 10 outlandish predictions for the 12 months forward. We then assessment these predictions on the finish of the 12 months and see how they went. You may try this 12 months’s article right here. With out additional ado, let’s soar into 2023’s outlandish predictions!
Outlandish MMA Predictions 2023
1. Ciryl Gane can be UFC heavyweight champion… After Francis Ngannou relinquishes the title and leaves the UFC
We’re beginning off huge. We predict that Ciryl Gane would be the heavyweight champion, by profitable a vacant title combat. This vacant title combat can be in opposition to Sergi Pavlovich and the chance will current itself after Francis Ngannou relinquishes his belt and leaves the organisation. We all know that Ngannou has had severe contract disputes with the UFC and was entertaining a boxing match in opposition to Tyson Fury in some unspecified time in the future final 12 months. In fact, this by no means got here to fruition and he’s nonetheless beneath contract with the UFC.
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 20: Ciryl Gane of France poses for photographs throughout the UFC 270 press convention on the Anaheim Conference Middle on January 20, 2022 in Anaheim, California. (Picture by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
2023 would be the boiling level for Ngannou, particularly with the PFL and Jake Paul making waves concerning fighter engagement and pay. Ngannou leaves, Gane beats Pavlovich and we’re proved proper.
2. Casey O’Neill will realise a title shot however it will likely be an excessive amount of too quickly
King Casey O’Neill is about to return in opposition to Jennifer Maia on March 18th in London. She sat out numerous 2022 with a devastating knee harm after being scheduled for a bout with Jessica Eye.
Jennifer Maia will combat Casey O’Neill at #UFC286 on March 18th. (first rep. @damadeferromma) #UFC #MMA #UFCESPN #UFC2023 #UFCLondon pic.twitter.com/xe4oK3Pp4g
— Marcel Dorff 🇳🇱🇮🇩 (@BigMarcel24) January 6, 2023
O’Neill is an outstanding expertise. She sits at 9-0 with 4 UFC wins and three finishes. She’s a former Everlasting MMA champion with a well-rounded skillset and is younger sufficient to go all the way in which within the UFC.
She’ll defeat Maia in London, go on to face Katlyn Chookagian in July throughout worldwide combat week after which face the champion, Valentina Shevchenko in December. Sadly for the Scottish-Australian, Shevchenko will simply be too well-rounded, too fast and too skilled and can get the higher of O’Neill. Don’t get mistaken although, Casey O’Neill would be the champion in the future.
3. Kayla Harrison and Cris Cyborg will lastly meet
Simply how good is Kayla Harrison? At 15-1, she’s been virtually as dominant as we’ve seen in current instances, because the likes of Ronda Rousey. She did, nevertheless, lose her final combat in opposition to the sport, Larissa Pachecho. Previous to the PFL finals in November 2022, she always teased a combat with both Amanda Nunes or Cris Cyborg, the 2 girls who’re thought-about within the GOAT dialog.
Previous to Nunes’ loss to Juliana Pena, there was an actual probability that Harrison was going to get that combat, nevertheless, as we all know, it by no means got here to fruition. The Cyborg combat appears far more potential as we all know that Scott Coker, the CEO of Bellator, the promotion that Cyborg is at the moment beneath contract with is prepared to placed on a cross-promotion present.
The Cyborg vs. Harrison combat will occur in a joint-promotional combat between the PFL and Bellator. Who will win? We have to wait and discover out.
4. Rodtang will transition into MMA
Rodtang Jitmuangnon, the ONE Championship Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion will transition into MMA and compete for ONE Championship. He’s at the moment scheduled to face Jiduo Yibu at ONE Struggle Night time 6 this week in a kickboxing combat, however after this, he’ll go all in into MMA.
He’s acquired a Muay Thai file of 269-42-10, is likely one of the most recognisable names for the ‘informal’ MMA fan and subsequently can be a ticket vendor for ONE. His blended guidelines bout in opposition to Demetrious Johnson again at ONE X confirmed that he’s not against mixing issues up, attempting MMA itself and introducing wrestling into his sport. At simply 25 years outdated, Rodtang is definitely on the cusp of a large profession and we all know he’s acquired the drive to take action.
Rodtang placed on a present at #ONEonPrimeVideo4 pic.twitter.com/IdYhKcRgXd
— MMA mania (@mmamania) November 19, 2022
We additionally know that he’s entertaining a transfer over to MMA. In November of final 12 months, he spoke to the Bangkok Put up stating:
“What I’m aiming for proper now’s to get the [ONE] world title for kickboxing [and become] a second-sport world champion. After that, I’m going to go all the way in which in MMA after which problem whoever the champion“.
Will ONE CEO, Chatri Sityodtong entertain the thought? We definitely assume he’ll.
5. Jake Paul Headlines a PFL Occasion within the UK
The prediction is that Jake Paul will headline the PFL’s return to the UK. He’s a giant identify within the UK because of his affiliation with KSI. The 2 have a giant rivalry and subsequently, Paul is a recognized identify in UK circles.
The cardboard will seemingly be a ‘tremendous fights’ card until they wish to maintain them completely for the US market. Nevertheless, in the event that they do select to go to the UK, count on Dakota Ditcheva, Simeon Powell and many extra native expertise to be on the cardboard too. However make no mistake about it, Paul would be the headliner.
6. Robert Whittaker will maintain middleweight gold in some unspecified time in the future this 12 months
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – OCTOBER 05: Robert Whittaker of New Zealand poses on the dimensions throughout the UFC 243 weigh-in at Marvel Stadium on October 05, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. (Picture by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC by way of Getty Pictures)
Whittaker is coming off a dominant win over Marvin Vettori and has positioned himself within the title image nicely. If Dana White doesn’t grant Adesanya the rematch, ebook Whittaker vs. Pereira. It sells and is beneficial for The Reaper.
He wins and perhaps even has a trilogy in opposition to Adesanya by the tip of the 12 months…
7. Henry Cejudo Returns, Loses to Aljamain Sterling, who goes on to face Sean O’Malley for the belt
We all know that the rumours have been circling of an imminent return of ‘Triple C’, Henry Cejudo. The Olympic gold medalist by no means misplaced his UFC titles however relinquished his 125lbs title in 2019 and his bantamweight strap in 2020. He’s sat on a file of 18-2 and is undefeated since 2016. As a result of he by no means misplaced his title, fairly selected to offer them up, it’s logical that he ought to get an instantaneous title shot upon his return. We all know that he’s again within the USADA testing pool forward of his promotional return. He gained’t have the ability to make flyweight anymore, so a bantamweight return is assumed.
The present bantamweight champion, Aljamain Sterling is at the moment and not using a combat so his subsequent bout will seemingly be in opposition to Cejudo. Having sat out for, what can be roughly three years by the point he fights, Cejudo will definitely be rusty. Sterling has had 5 fights and neck surgical procedure since Cejudo final fought, which we predict will play an enormous half and make a distinction. Sterling narrowly defeats Cejudo and can be in the hunt for his subsequent opponent quickly after.
This subsequent opponent will come within the type of the slick-talking, fan favorite, Sean O’Malley. O’Malley is using a five-fight undefeated run, together with his most up-to-date huge win in opposition to former champion, Petr Yan. Suga can be prepared to sit down out to get a title combat with Sterling, which we predict will occur.
8. Islam Makhachev makes two defences of his 155lbs belt earlier than being matched with Arman Tsarukyan in early 2024
This prediction is that Islam Makhachev will defeat Alexander Volkanovski in Perth in February, face both Beneil Dariush or Dustin Poirier in September after which be scheduled to conflict with Arman Tsarukyan in early 2024.
Makhachev is a troublesome stylistic match-up for anybody, particularly Volkanovski who can be shifting up in weight and isn’t a conventional wrestling man. He was taken down by Brian Ortega, Chad Mendes and Darren Elkins amongst others throughout his featherweight run. Makhachev will merely be too huge, too sturdy and an excessive amount of for the Australian after they conflict for the light-weight belt.
Makhachev will then go on to face both Dariush or Poirier in his subsequent defence. There’s little question that Dariush is probably the most deserving man of a title shot at light-weight. He’s but to ever compete for gold within the UFC, regardless of huge wins. He’s dominated his final two high-level opponents in Tony Ferguson and Mateusz Gamrot. Poirier returned after his unsuccessful title shot to defeat Michael Chandler in November. He’s definitely the larger identify of the 2, which may see him realise the shot fairly than Dariush. No matter who it’s, Makhachev once more will get his hand raised.
A rematch between Makhachev and Tsarukyan will then be booked for early 2024. It’s a combat that makes numerous sense as Tsarukyan seems to have a mode that would rival Makhachev’s. Once they confronted off again in 2019, it was a detailed combat with every man having success within the wrestling realm.
9. Darren Until will go 3-0 in 2023
Darren Until has been horrendously out of shape lately. Going 1-5 in his final six, struggling 4 end losses. At this second in time, he’s clinging onto his #15 spot within the middleweight rankings. We all know what Until can do to get his profession again on monitor, nevertheless, it’s uncertain if he’ll have the ability to obtain this. Regardless of that truth, we predict that he’ll go 3-0 in 2023.
The prediction is probably not because it appears, nevertheless. Until may very well be minimize from the UFC, go 2-0 outdoors of the promotion, preventing for a smaller promotion corresponding to a CageWarriors and even Bellator (or maybe a PFL tremendous combat!). Attributable to his expertise and total ability stage, Until will beat any opponent he faces outdoors of the UFC. Recognising this and appreciating his promotional pull, the UFC will supply him a brand new contract, the place he can be victorious on his return.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – DECEMBER 09: Darren Until of England poses on the dimensions throughout the UFC 282 ceremonial weigh-in at MGM Grand Backyard Enviornment on December 09, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Picture by Carmen Mandato/Zuffa LLC by way of Getty Pictures)
Both this, or the UFC offers him beneficial match-ups at middleweight o get him again on monitor. He may compete in London in March in opposition to a lesser identify corresponding to Jacob Malkous, Eryk Anders or Kyle Daukaus. Both of those guys is sensible. they’re recognisable names and faces however as of but, aren’t within the prime 15 of the division. Until is expert and can get again on monitor in 2023.
10. Dana White will take a step away from the UFC
Whether or not it is a prediction or a hope we’re not fairly positive, nevertheless, Dana White will step away from the UFC. Following his home abuse problems with late, White is in extraordinarily scorching water. The share value of Endeavour has plummeted, the respect for White has definitely decreased in addition to severe questions over his ‘PowerSlap’ promotion and its future.
Jon Anik or UFC veteran, Brian Stann needs to be the ‘new’ main man for the UFC. They’re each stellar examples of human beings, each are passionate concerning the sport and each males have expertise of working behind the scenes. Anik is clearly concerned with the UFC in a giant method and in current instances has had a front-facing place inside the firm.
Stann had an advisory function as the pinnacle of Struggle and Competitors/Guidelines Committee for the PFL.
It’s time, Dana White must both step away from the UFC for the expansion of the promotion or take a serious backwards step from being within the limelight.
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