Christmas season is upon us. The time for joy, celebration and gift giving has arrived. People everywhere are writing their own Christmas lists asking for this and that. Just as the rest of you are and all the other awesome writers here at MMASucka, I before anything else, am an MMA fan. I’ve tried to be a good person over the course of this year. I’ve been able resist the urge to slap a kimura on fools and hit people behind me in line with fierce spinning elbows. In that ilk, I’m submitting this, my Christmas list, to good old Dana Claus in the hopes that all UFC fans get these gifts for next year.
Light Heavyweight Resurgence
For a long time, the light heavyweight division was the UFC’s best. From Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell to Loyoto Machida and Shogun Rua, and a host of others, great fighters have all reigned on the top of the division. Now that the Jon Jones era is gone and tarnished, and with it Daniel Cormier’s career scarred, its time for a new star to rise. Maybe Alex Gustafsson finally has his championship moment and can break through to win gold. Perhaps DC regains some of his legacy in his upcoming title defense against Volkan Oezdemir. Maybe Gokhan Saki builds on his UFC debut and storms up the rankings. However it happens, its time for the light heavies to get their luster back.
Conor McGregor Fights in the UFC, Twice
Yeah, once may be asking a lot but McGregor could easily fight twice in 2018. His camp has talked about a return around St. Patricks Day which would be: A) appropriate, and B) Result in the most Irish UFC crowd of all time. You’d have that and an awesome fight against interim title holder Tony Ferguson. Barring a major injury in that fight, you’ve then got a chance to make the trilogy fight against Nate Diaz for the summer or on the typically giant November card.
McGregor fighting Ferguson solves so many problems, and gives the lightweight division time to sort itself out. It is so deep and offers the promoters time and the ability to make some amazing matches. Plus if you wanted to build a super fight scenario against say a St-Pierre, Tyron Woodley, or a rematch with Max Holloway, it lends credibly to those ideas if McGregor is successful in a title defense.
That The Ladies Continue to Impress
The UFC has been on the forefront of female athletics ever since they first introduced the females in 2012 and had the first WMMA fight in February 2013. They’ve gone from one division to four and have produced some of the best fights of the past year. Rose Namajunas, Joanna Jedrzejczyk, Cris Cyborg, Holly Holm, Amanda Nunes, and many others have turned the women into must see action. Here’s hoping it just keeps getting better.
The Return of Brock
I’m a sucker for Brock Lesnar. His WWE career is almost over and he proved with his win against Mark Hunt that he can still go. If he gets an impressive win under his belt, just try and say you wouldn’t want to see him face the winner of the Stipe Miocic–Francis Ngannou heavyweight title fight. Lesnar against either of those monsters is a dream fight. Or if Jones is miraculously cleared, Jones vs. Lesnar could probably be one of the biggest fights of all time.
What’s on your UFC or MMA Christmas list? Be sure to let us know in the comments. Have a Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays from all of us here at MMASucka!
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