Who Will Still Be a UFC Champion at the End of the Year?

Surfing on the net and looking on Sherdog.com, I found a very interesting article in which they took each UFC champion and predicted if he would still be champion at the beginning of 2010. I decided to do the same concept but with my own predictions on every current UFC champion. Will he retain or not and if not, who will be champion at the beginning of 2010.

UFC Lightweight Champion BJ Penn

Yes.

I think BJ is in a category of his own in the lightweight division. I can't see anybody on the horizon that could possibly win the title from him. Sean Sherk was the only guy I thought could possibly pose a threat, but we all know what happened. I really don't see Kenny Florian beating BJ either.

The only way BJ could no longer be champion when 2010 begins, is if he beats GSP at UFC 94 and decides to stay at 170. Unfortunately, I think GSP will beat Penn at 94 and keep the welterweight tile, which would send BJ back down to lightweight where he would rule with an iron fist.

UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St-Pierre

Yes.

Like I said before, my prediction is he will beat BJ Penn at UFC 94 and then it seems he will have to fight Thiago Alves. The Alves fight will be very interesting because I think Thiago has all the tools to beat GSP. With that said, having the tools is one thing and using them the right way is another.

Experience will surely win the fight and GSP has that experience, I'm expecting a war but a St-Pierre win at the end. After victories over BJ Penn and Thiago Alves, St-Pierre will have cleaned up the welterweight division and not many guys will be left. Maybe Swick or Koscheck if they perform well in 2009.

UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva

No.

It crushes me to say this because I would love to see Silva still the champion at the end of the year but too many things are getting in the way. I'm not saying he'll lose the title, I'm saying he won't have it anymore.

My guess is, he'll either retire from MMA or move up to 205 and leave the middleweight title behind for lack of competition, but I still don't see anybody in the division who could take the title away from Anderson, unless he really doesn't feel too well.

With that said, I think Rich Franklin or Dan Henderson will be the middleweight champion when 2010 starts. One of them will lose at UFC 93, he will coach on TUF 9 fight and beat Bisping, the other will try his luck at light-heavyweight. Whoever drops back down to 185 will reign without Silva there.

UFC Light-Heavyweight Champion Rashad Evans

Yes.

This undefeated fighter has all it takes to dominate the 205 division in 2009. He's fast and strong something not everybody has. His main competition is the winner of Thiago Silva/Lyoto Machida and probably Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. Still, none of those three names would take the title away from Evans in my opinion.

The only guy that could possibly take it away from him is Anderson Silva, if he dedicates himself to MMA and moves up to 205. If not, Evans stays champion.

UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar

No.

He has the size, the power and the hype but not the experience. Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge Brock Lesnar fan, probably before any of you since I am a HUGE wrestling fan and he was one of my favorites. His next fight is against Frank Mir and let's just say he wins, look at who he has to fight next, Kongo, Carwin, Gonzaga. I think Lesnar will lose the UFC heavyweight title in 2009 but don't worry, he'll win it again in the future.

My pick to be the new champion by 2010 is "Napao" Gonzaga. He's slated to fight Shane Carwin soon and I think he'll beat him. After maybe a fight with Kongo for the No. 1 contender spot and voila! Gonzaga vs Lesnar at the end of the year. I'm expecting Gonzaga to be too much for Brock Lesnar if they fight this year.

There you have it, my picks as to who will retain and lose their championships in 2009, now what do you guys think?