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FIGHT ODDS

Predicting Every UFC Champion in 2019

Jacob DebetsJan 03, 2019


Featherweight


Incumbent Champion: Max Holloway

Prediction: Hollway beats Frankie Edgar in the first half of 2019 and retires the former lightweight champion, before losing to Alexander Volkanovski in a close decision. A rematch is scheduled for the first quarter of 2020.

Explanation: Holloway is currently being discussed as perhaps the greatest featherweight ever, but the fact is he’s only defended the title twice and has yet to face a high-calibre wrestler. So long as “Blessed” can safely make the weight, he has plenty of work to do to clear out 145-pounds, and atop the list of deserving contenders is Frankie Edgar followed closely by Alexander Volkanovski, who announced himself to the world on Saturday night with his second round TKO of three-time title challenger Chad Mendes.

My prediction is that Holloway fights Edgar relatively early in 2019 and stops “The Answer” in the later rounds, but faces a bigger challenge in Volkanovski in the second half of the year, ultimately losing a close decision and setting up a rematch.

Read More » Bantamweight and Flyweight