Fighting Forecast: UFC Champions as of December 2012

Who will become or remain champions by this time next year? Will a neo-Jones rise from obscurity to destroy his competition? Will an aging warrior regain his crown? Or will the belts stay put around the waists of the UFC's current champs?

With a rash of injuries to current champs, interim titles are being offered and contenders are slating each other on a weekly basis. Who will climb the hill of their respective weight class?

Flyweight

Ian McCall has gone from WEC castoff to the No. 1 midget on the planet in the 125-pound weight class. Recently signed to the big show for the purposes of competing in the inaugural flyweight tourney, he draws the always tough Mighty Mouse in the semis.

McCall will establish his dominance with a win over the Mouse, then Joseph Benevidez in the finals. His first defense will occur in the fall against TUF winner John Dodson to cap off a breakout year.

Bantamweight

Dominick Cruz is on a run. And the run will continue.

At the finale of TUF 15, he will defeat Faber in another scorcher, leaving The California Kid to either drop 10 pounds or add a dime to contend in another weight class. Dom defends again late summer against Eddie Wineland, who makes a comeback run in 2012, leaving the year with three more successful decision victory defenses.

Featherweight

Money Mendes will defeat Jose Aldo in Brazil in the New Year, bringing a title back to Team Alpha Male. With his preference to stay active, Chad makes another two successful defenses against The Korean Zombie and Eric Koch. Jose Aldo, beefing up too much for the weight cut, is unable to meet Mendes in an immediate rematch...

Lightweight

Sucking weight, well, sucks. After gassing in round three of a decision loss to Chad Mendes, Jose Aldo drinks water and heads to the lightweight division.

Facing reigning champion Frankie Edgar after Jersey Shore defends in a legendary fight against Benson Henderson in Japan. Aldo takes a contender fight against Henderson while Edgar recovers from an injury and waits until Summer 2012 to face Edgar. Aldo pulls a Gray Maynard and rocks Edgar early, finishing him in Round 3. A subsequent defense against Donald Cerrone at year's end keeps the strap around Aldo's waist.

Welterweight

A whirlwind 2012 is ahead for the welterweight division. GSP is out indefinitely. And the the "mix" will get thick.

Diaz and Condit will settle things early 2012, with Diaz winning by TKO. Ellenberger destroys Diego Sanchez. Koscheck takes out Pierce. Fitch blankets Hendricks. Fitch and Koscheck refuse to fight, leaving Ellenberger to fight Martin Kampmann in a No. 1 contender fight in the spring.

Come Memorial Day, Diaz is itching and Ellenberger obliges. With Kos and Fitch blacklisted, Ellenberger defends against Condit in the fall, setting up a match with a rebuilt GSP in January 2013.

Middleweight

In a whirlwind move, Dana White grabs Lombard from Bellator with the sole purpose of settling an Internet beef.

Silva defeats Chael Sonnen with ease mid year, followed by a thrashing of Michael Bisping in the fall. Lombard jumps ship in the summer, knocking out Anthony Johnson and calling out Silva. They clash in December, with Lombard manhandling Silva in the clinch, judo-tossing him into the cage and pounding him out in the third.

Light-Heavyweight

Jon Jones. I say again, Jon Jones.

Heavyweight

Overeem and Brock clash in a few days, with Overeem emerging the victor via guillotine. Overeem waits on JDS until spring, getting KTFO by the Brazilian bomber in Round 2.

In the meantime, Mir racks up another impressive victory over Lesnar, winning the trilogy and setting up a fall clash with JDS. In a one-sided drubbing, Mir barely makes it to the third round, where he catches JDS with a straight right, follows him down and choking him senseless via brabo.