MMA fans have been treated to another epic year filled with wild knockouts and slick submissions.
2026 promises to be one of the biggest years in the history of the sport. The UFC will hold an event at the White House, Conor McGregor is set to make his long-awaited comeback, and pay-per-view will be all but dead when the $7.7 billion Paramount deal kicks in.
Plenty more things that we don’t have a clue about yet are bound to happen. But what could they be?
Here are some bold MMA predictions from each of the Bloody Elbow staff writers ahead of 2026.
Jordan Ellis: “I think Ronda Rousey will make a comeback in 2026. It’s been rumored and teased for much of 2025, but it’s definitely going to happen in the next 12 months. ‘Rowdy’ may not return to the UFC, and she might not even compete in MMA, but she will have some form of fight in the near future.”
PREDICTION: RONDA ROUSEY FIGHTS AGAIN
Donagh Corby: “If Islam Makhachev maintains the activity he has claimed will be possible with minimal weight cuts, Ian Machado Garry doesn’t even have to get the next title shot, he just has to wait his turn. As far as I’m concerned, he beat Shavkat Rakhmonov and, as such, has taken out a huge chunk of the top five, and deserves the chance at the belt. And with his length, elite striking, and ability to stop the takedown, Ian Machado Garry has everything it takes to build on what Dustin Poirier did in his effort against Makhachev that almost yielded results.
PREDICTION: IAN MACHADO GARRY WINS UFC GOLD
Jamie Theodosi: “In 2025, we saw Joe Rogan take what seemed to be a big step back from the UFC after years of work in the commentary booth. My bold prediction for 2026 is that Rogan will eventually leave behind his duties and retire from the UFC for good.”
PREDICTION: JOE ROGAN RETIRES
Kyle Dimond: “Kayla Harrison will retire in 2026 as the Fighter of the Year. Kayla Harrison only fought once in 2025, so predicting her to fight and win three times in 2026 seems like a long shot, but here’s how she does it. It’s been recently reported that her clash with Amanda Nunes is being targeted for January. I believe she wins that and is then a guarantee on the White House card, where she’ll welcome Valentina Shevchenko back to the bantamweight division. After beating the two fighters in the GOAT conversation, the former PFL star will cap off the year by fighting in November or December against the only woman to beat her, Larissa Pacheco. After Pacheco, it really doesn’t feel like there’s much else out there for her in the sport, aside from her long-awaited clash with Cris Cyborg, which seems unlikely to ever happen. Thus, she announces her retirement inside the Octagon while earning the Fighter of the Year award.”
PREDICTION: KAYLA HARRISON WINS FIGHTER OF THE YEAR
Harvey Leonard: “No year goes by without UFC titles changing hands in shocking fashion. Khamzat Chimaev will be the victim of one such surprise in 2026, with the middleweight champion being handed his first loss by Anthony Hernandez. While unstoppable in most fights, Chimaev has shown areas that can be exploited. Sure, his cardio held up across 25 minutes last time out, but Dricus du Plessis offered little to no resistance. ‘Fluffy’ certainly would not follow suit. Hernandez usually arrives at fight week (seemingly without a care in the world), beats somebody up while showing zero sign of slowing, gets paid, and goes home. In 2026, he will do that to Chimaev, with the addition of the middleweight gold to his luggage when he exits.”
PREDICTION: KHAMZAT CHIMAEV LOSES
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