UFC’s new period brings new prospects. The combined martial arts promotion has laid out the groundwork for its first quarter, however many essential questions stay unanswered.
Hypothesis is operating rampant about the way forward for UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall, who requires a number of eye surgical procedures earlier than he can return. Then there’s the UFC ladies’s bantamweight division, which is primed for a historic yr as Amanda Nunes returns to difficult Kayla Harrison at UFC 324. With UFC solely streaming on Paramount+ for years to return, pay-per-views are a factor of the previous, permitting for brand new matchmaking philosophies to emerge.
Final yr, CBS Sports activities’ knowledgeable panel almost swept their daring predictions. They accurately predicted Islam Makhachev conquering welterweight and former Bellator champions migrating to the UFC. If Jon Jones hadn’t vacated the heavyweight title as a substitute of preventing Tom Aspinall, it will’ve been an ideal run.
Whereas the game can really feel predictable at instances, 2025 served as a stark reminder of simply how unpredictable it truly is. With that in thoughts, our crew at CBS Sports activities took a shot at selecting some daring predictions for the brand new yr under.
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Ladies’s bantamweight turns into a hotbed for superfights
For a division that has been thought of barren and under elite requirements for years, and hasn’t held a superfight since Amanda Nunes knocked out Cris Cyborg in 2018 to change into the GOAT of girls’s MMA, enterprise is anticipated to choose up rapidly in 2026 at ladies’s bantamweight. Kayla Harrison will defend her 135-pound title in opposition to Nunes, who returns from a three-year retirement in January at UFC 324, in a real superfight between former teammates. As well as, flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko, Nunes’ longtime rival, is on the verge of a potential transfer again up in weight to not solely search the title however probably a trilogy battle in opposition to “The Lioness.”
The potential of a round-robin of fights within the new yr between all three fighters is additional intriguing as a result of every can be thought of a real superfight, particularly due to how shut Shevchenko is to matching Nunes when it comes to profession accomplishments (to not point out the truth that Harrison has lengthy mentioned her objective is to at some point retire as the ladies’s GOAT). However there’s much more than that. Not solely is two-time champion Julianna Pena nonetheless a viable contender, former two-division PFL event champion Larisa Pacheco, who delivered Harrison’s lone professional defeat of their third assembly in 2022, has been publicly pushing for the UFC to supply her a contract to return to the promotion. Cyborg, in the meantime, the 40-year-old legend who not too long ago received the inaugural PFL featherweight title, has only one extra battle on her present PFL deal. It might be a longshot contemplating Cyborg left UFC in 2019 on acrimonious phrases (and has by no means fought under 140 kilos) however it all provides to the potential of how large 2026 would possibly change into. — Brian Campbell
Heavyweight sees a minimum of two new champions
Each report on heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall makes it sound increasingly more seemingly he can be sidelined for a substantial period of time after struggling eye accidents on account of pokes from Ciryl Gane at UFC 321. Whereas some claimed Aspinall took the straightforward method out in a battle he was dropping, it has change into clear the champion’s eyes have been considerably injured. If Aspinall goes to be out for a big period of time, the promotion might want to transfer on with out him in the meanwhile.
That might create an fascinating scenario in a wide-open division. Under Aspinall, the heavyweight division is principally Gane after which a bunch of fighters who all have wins and losses in opposition to varied different contenders. This might imply a really fascinating 2026 within the division, with a title, both undisputed or interim, altering fingers a minimum of twice. Hopefully, that might result in heavyweight discovering its footing as a division and being prepared for Aspinall’s eventual return. — Brent Brookhouse
UFC legends return for Zuffa Boxing
Zuffa Boxing might breathe new life into the fight careers of getting older UFC stars. Nate Diaz, Jorge Masvidal and Anderson Silva are a small handful of high-profile names who boxed after retiring from combined martial arts. Zuffa Boxing is a handy touchdown spot ought to they, or different legends, wish to broaden their footprint in that sport. UFC and WWE have prominently cross-promoted underneath the TKO umbrella. Early indicators recommend the identical for Zuffa Boxing. There’s comfort and worth to signing former UFC champions to Zuffa, utilizing them to draw UFC followers to Zuffa’s rising boxing roster.
The UFC-Zuffa Boxing pipeline additionally presents alternatives for energetic UFC fighters. We have seen an inflow of energetic fighters, similar to Arman Tsarukyan and Bo Nickal, compete in grappling between UFC bouts. Reigning champion Alex Pereira is amongst those that have expressed curiosity in boxing professionally. Zuffa Boxing might permit the UFC roster to field with out breaking their current contractual obligations. — Shakiel Mahjouri
