5 bold predictions for the UFC in 2019
2019 is now well underway and while we haven’t been treated to a UFC show just yet – the first one comes on 01/19 in a couple of weeks’ time – the MMA juggernaut has continued to dominate the news, with big-time fight announcements like Jon Jones vs. Anthony Smith and Tyron Woodley vs. Kamaru Usman, as well as breaking news about some of the 2019 schedule.
Given we’re only 7 days into the year though, there’s obviously still a hell of a long way to go before we reach the end of 2019. And so with some of the UFC’s decisions – as well as the actions of the fighters – continuing to surprise us, here are 5 bold predictions for the world’s biggest MMA promotion in 2019.
#1 We won’t see either Diaz brother in action
2018 was a landmark year for the UFC for a number of reasons. Ben Askren finally signed with the UFC, Demetrious Johnson’s incredible title reign finally came to an end, and the UFC’s 7-year relationship with Fox also ended with the promotion moving to ESPN for 2019.
But the more some things changed, the more others remained the same, and so 2018 marked another year in which neither Diaz brother competed in the UFC. It was all of the usual stuff, too – both Nick and Nate were linked with big-time fights – Nate even had a match with Dustin Poirier signed for UFC 230 – but in the end, they all fell through with the brothers complaining online about their treatment by the promotion.
2019 already looks to be following the same pattern, with Nick trashing an apparently confirmed fight with Jorge Masvidal in March. At this stage, it looks like the Diaz brothers are simply over-playing their hand. Both men seem to believe they’re entitled to huge payouts and/or shots at UFC titles, but realistically they haven’t earned either and the longer they sit out, the more the fans will forget about them, closing their window even further.
Personally, I’m viewing both brothers as semi-retired now and I’d be gobsmacked if either one of them appears in the Octagon in 2019. They’re simply too demanding for the UFC to want to deal with them, especially as younger – and more agreeable – stars like Israel Adesanya and Brian Ortega are emerging through the ranks.