Predicting the Next Champion in Every UFC Weight Division

The current group of UFC champions have all shown that they can dominate the best in their respective divisions, but it is always just a matter of time before they are defeated.

Guys like Anderson Silva and Georges St-Pierre only come along every once in a while, but almost every one of the current title holders has the ability to hold the belt for a very long time.

It comes down to matchups and timing, and while Jose Aldo may seem unbeatable, all it takes is the right guy to end his reign atop his weight class.

Here are the next UFC champions in each division.

Bantamweight: Brian Bowles

Simply put, Dominick Cruz never truly beat him.

Bowles was the WEC bantamweight champion before Cruz took the title from him back at WEC 47, where Bowles was forced to retire after the second round due to a broken hand.

He has since won consecutive fights, and if he can get past Urijah Faber at UFC 139, he will get another shot to win his belt back.

Bowles has some serious power in his hands—something most of Cruz’s opponents have lacked—which will be to his advantage since Cruz is very hittable as he moves in and out during his combinations.

Featherweight: Kenny Florian

This Saturday night, we will see Dana White strapping the UFC featherweight title around the waist of a (hopefully) sobbing Kenny Florian.

Florian has been in the game for a long time, and this is his third and probably final shot to earn a UFC belt—and I don’t think he will fail again.

He is competent enough on the feet to hold his own with Jose Aldo, and he has shown that he has a knack for finishing fights on the ground late into fights.

Florian’s killer instinct on the mat, combined with Aldo’s suspect cardio, will earn him the UFC belt he has desired for so long.

Lightweight: Melvin Guillard

Melvin Guillard has always been one of the most athletic and talented fighters in the sport, but since joining Greg Jackson’s camp in 2009, he has looked unstoppable.

Guilllard has the power to knockout heavyweights and has been showing off his ability to keep fights on the feet in his last few bouts, making him a scary opponent for anyone at 155.

I fully expect Frankie Edgar to beat Gray Maynard this weekend, and possibly even Gilbert Melendez after that, but once Guillard gets his shot at gold, it’s all over for 'The Answer.”

Welterweight: Jake Ellenberger

This was the hardest division to make a prediction in, if only because Georges St-Pierre has looked so unbeatable since he won the belt back at UFC 83.

The supposed formula to beat GSP is to put pressure on him and keep the fight on the feet, and Ellenberger has a better shot than most at making this happen.

Ellenberger has some serious power in his hands and has a legitimate wrestling background. If he can actually go after GSP and be aggressive, he could land that fight-ending shot and become the new champ at 170.

Middleweight: Chael Sonnen

He almost got him last time, right?

Sonnen has the perfect skill set to beat Anderson Silva, and he showed it off the first time they met at UFC 117, before being submitted in the final round by a triangle choke.

Obviously, Sonnen got beat, but he dominated the fight up to that point, and if he gets another shot at Silva, I’ll expect the same thing.

Sonnen is the only fighter in the division who has any shot of taking out Silva, and if he beats Brian Stann this weekend, his path to back to Silva will be much shorter.

Light Heavyweight: Rashad Evans

Rashad has been looking for get his belt back since he lost it to Lyoto Machida back at UFC 98, and he’ll finally get his shot against Jon Jones, possibly as early as UFC 140.

I think Evans is going to be the next man to hold the 205lb belt, but I don’t think he beats Jon Jones.

Jones is eventually going to have to move up to heavyweight, and once he does, then it’s Rashad’s time to rule the division.

Rashad has the talent to beat anyone at 205, except, of course, Jones, and it seems likely that he’ll be one of the fighters who get a shot at the vacated title.

Heavyweight: Junior Dos Santos

There has never been a UFC title fight that will be as closely observed by fans as the UFC’s debut on FOX later this year.

The only fight on the televised card is the heavyweight title fight between Dos Santos and current champ Cain Velasquez, and Dos Santos is going to walk away with the title.

His wrestling has been impressive from what we’ve seen so far, and his boxing is the best in the division, making him a tough opponent for Velasquez to overcome.

Expect Dos Santos to get a finish in the first few rounds and become the new heavyweight champion in November.