It’s lastly right here. After 12 months of pleasure and controversy inside and outdoors the cage, one other yr of MMA has come and gone. With the passage of one other yr comes one other annual custom.
Right now of yr, individuals everywhere in the sport typically make predictions about what the brand new yr holds. That’s what we’ll do right here and the subsequent time we meet. That is the primary a part of a two-part collection on prognostication for 2024 within the sport.
Your thrilling (OK, perhaps “thrilling” isn’t the operative phrase to make use of proper right here) conclusion to the collection will drop early subsequent week after the ball drops in Instances Sq.. Keep tuned to MMA Sucka for the remainder of the predictions.
Let’s Peer Into The Crystal Ball!
There’s no time to waste. Happily, my brother situated the crystal ball used for prognostication final weekend when he visited the household and positioned it on the desk at my workspace.
It’s time for us to have a look into our crystal ball. Let’s look intently now.
Colby Covington Received’t Primary Occasion a UFC Card in ’24
Of all of the predictions from this collection, the primary one is the likeliest slam dunk. Two weeks in the past Saturday, Colby Covington (17-4 MMA, 12-4 UFC) made an unsuccessful bid on the promotion’s welterweight championship within the UFC 296 primary occasion.
Over 25 minutes of motion, Covington was outsmarted in embarrassing style by incumbent champion Leon Edwards (22-3, 1 NC MMA, 14-2, 1 NC UFC). The December sixteenth combat was Covington’s lowest level within the famed Octagon.
Although Covington’s heel persona served him very nicely previously, it’s worn skinny now. The adoption of Covington’s dangerous man character was created to maintain him on the roster, one thing that Joe Rogan talked about on his podcast a couple of years in the past.
“The story’s fascinating. That is what occurred,” Rogan recalled. “They’d him scheduled to be minimize and he was about to combat Demian Maia, and so they instructed him, ‘Pay attention, your model sucks’”.
Colby Covington won’t seem in any UFC primary occasion all through 2024.
Covington’s Time in Limelight Has Handed
Within the aftermath of UFC 296, this Web site ran a take on Covington’s antics and behaviors main as much as and after the combat. Two weeks faraway from the combat, one certainty is obvious. Colby Covington is now not a viable star on the promotion’s roster.
His efficiency within the UFC 296 primary occasion was a far cry from Covington’s effort on the UFC Apex within the fall of 2020. That night time within the headlining contest, he was headed for a probable victory by the use of resolution earlier than Tyron Woodley injured his rib lower than 90 seconds into the fifth and remaining spherical of the competition.
Lots can occur in three years. Because the combat in opposition to Woodley, Covington is a shell of his former self. With Covington having political aspirations for his future, perhaps his time in MMA is nearly up.
ESPN Properties Received’t Air or Stream Bellator Occasions
2024 marks the sixth yr that ESPN will air MMA as a part of a seven-year media deal with the UFC. After the settlement was inked, the Disney-owned community acquired rights to air PFL playing cards following the expiration of that promotion’s pact with NBC Sports activities Group.
Late final month, ESPN and the PFL agreed on an prolonged pact to maintain the promotion’s occasions on The Worldwide Chief’s properties over a number of years. No point out of Bellator MMA occasions was made when the deal was consummated proper after Thanksgiving.
Whereas ESPN has made a reputation for itself in fight sports activities all through the many years and has develop into an influence participant in MMA, count on them to run one thing apart from Bellator occasions on their household of networks. Merely put, ESPN already has sufficient fight properties on the air and ESPN+ .
No sports activities community ought to depend on one property or a set of properties to herald rankings, although ESPN’s detractors have stated that they spend an excessive amount of time on gridiron soccer programming, even airing each day studio exhibits throughout the offseason.
Search for YouTube to Stream Bellator Schedule
At press time, there’s but to be a phrase as to which property is slated to select up Bellator’s schedule of occasions in 2024. There’s but to be an official slate for subsequent yr’s occasions on-line. When Bellator’s slate does drop, count on YouTube to stream it.
There’s a easy rationale behind this prediction: In previous years, Bellator’s undercard fights have streamed on YouTube forward of, and on some events, instantly following, primary playing cards of occasions. With Showtime out of the image, YouTube is the most secure wager to make when discovering the exhibits.
With YouTube, you wouldn’t have to pay an additional charge to look at Bellator playing cards reside. Pay-per-view occasions have by no means actually been a part of Bellator’s enterprise mannequin, solely going that route twice within the promotion’s life.
Cyborg/ Harrison Battle (Lastly!) Occurs
To finish half one among this collection, how a couple of prediction that might come to fruition in the end? For years, a brilliant combat matching Cris Cyborg (27-2, 1 NC MMA, 6-0 Bellator) with Kayla Harrison (16-1 MMA, 15-1 PFL) has been mentioned.
With the PFL buying Bellator again in November, each MMA fan’s dream might develop into actuality. The trail to this combat is so simple as it’s ever going to get.
Placing Pen to Paper Final Impediment
As a part of the PFL shopping for Scott Coker’s promotion, a blockbuster occasion matching the very best fighters from each firms might be held in 2024. Whereas the concept of a Cyborg/Harrison pairing misplaced a few of its attraction because of the latter’s failed championship bid in 2022, one has to consider that that is nonetheless a combat that a number of MMA followers will wish to see.All that’s holding the combat again is the signing of contracts. The countdown can start as quickly as Cyborg and Harrison agree to satisfy within the cage. What an evening that’ll be if and when this match involves cross.If this combat occurs, it’ll be the largest single contest in MMA historical past.
Glad New 12 months, Everyone!
On behalf of all of us right here at MMA Sucka, right here’s to a contented and secure 2024.
