It’s been a fantastic year for Mixed Martial Arts, but it’s time to look ahead to MMA 2016.
Once deemed a sport that had seen its most popular days, MMA turned a corner this year and has seemingly been embraced by the mainstream. MMA and the UFC is now seen by more eyes than ever before no doubt thanks to a couple of huge stars. Let’s check out what’s rumored to be coming our way in the sports of Mixed Martial Arts, 2016.
UFC 200
In 2009, the UFC put on its biggest event in UFC 100. Headlined by the sports (then) two biggest stars in Brock Lesnar and Georges St-Pierre, and selling over 1.6 million PPVs (a number that has yet to be topped in MMA), UFC 100 was huge.
Seven years later, in what’s expected to be a similarly huge event, July 2 plays host to UFC 200 at the brand new MGM arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Although nothing has been set, it’s heavily speculated that taking place will be the highly anticipated rematch between Holly Holm and Ronda Rousey.
As the event draws closer, it’ll be interesting to see the UFC pull out all the stops to make the card as exciting as they can.
Faces old…
2016 will also see the return of some long-missed and familiar faces, including Jon Jones, Anderson Silva and (potentially) Nick Diaz.
For Jones, 2016 is a year of retribution. Aiming at a return for April, Jones will first meet old foe Daniel Cormier for the Light Heavyweight championship, a title he never lost in the ring. Both men have made it clear that the disdain they had for each other hasn’t faded, and the rivalry will no doubt escalate as their fight is announced.
Retribution isn’t an exclusive motivation for Jon Jones, though. Anderson Silva was suspended for failing a drug test after his fight with Nick Diaz in January. In 2016, his suspension will be over and the 40-year-old has announced his intentions of returning to the ring. Reports emerged recently that the UFC were attempting to put on a rematch with fellow Brazilian Vitor Belfort, but that bout is now in doubt after Belfort made it clear he had no interest in taking the fight.
Whoever he faces, Silva remains a legend in the sport, and will, no doubt, draw eyes when he makes his return.
Despite these two huge names, however, it’s another athlete that’s drawing attention as the potential biggest return in 2016. Since his announced sabbatical in 2013, Georges St-Pierre has been dogged by rumors of a return. Yet, as this year drew to a close, those rumblings grew louder and louder.
Last month, boxing legend Freddie Roach said in an interview that St-Pierre was planning to commence a six-week training camp to see how his body responded. Despite GSP downplaying Roach’s comments, a few weeks later his long time coach Firas Zahabi admitted that yes, the former welterweight champion had indeed begun training.
GSP’s potential return has never looked so likely, and maybe, just maybe, 2016 will be the time for the long-awaited Anderson Silva vs. Georges St-Pierre superfight.
And new…
As Mixed Martial Arts continues to grow and evolve, we seem to see new faces enter the Octagon every year that seem to be better than the last. Sage Northcutt and Paige VanZant may already have some attention on them, but 2016 will be the year we get to see the two develop further.
VanZant proved in her last fight that she has the heart of a champion, and with a bit more technical ability could really grow to be a force. Northcutt is a freak of nature, and at 19 is already booked for his third fight in the UFC against undefeated Andrew Holbrook on January 30th.
Another ‘up-and-comer’ we could see make their debut next year is former professional wrestler CM Punk. Punk, who has been training at Duke Rufus’s gym in Milwaukee all year, will be aiming to silence the doubters. Punk represents an interesting experiment in MMA: how will someone with no previous experience do after a year of solid training with elite coaching?
We have yet to find out who will be facing Punk in his debut, but UFC President Dana White said a couple of weeks ago that the new reality show ‘Looking For A Fight’, was aimed at finding the controversial debutant’s opponent.
The McGregor-era?
We’ve already discussed Conor McGregor’s year, but as usual it’s hard to discuss the state of MMA without mentioning the Irishman. After announcing his intention to move up in weight and challenge for the Lightweight title, we’re yet to see if that’s indeed what McGregor does.
Regardless, if it’s a fight with Frankie Edgar, Jose Aldo, Rafael Dos Anjos or Nate Diaz, everyone will be tuning in for the “Notorious one’s” next fight. If he wins, then it’s quite likely that it won’t just be 2015 that ‘belongs’ to McGregor, he’ll be claiming 2016 as well.
