5 fighters who could end 2018 with a UFC title and 5 who won't

Could end 2018 with a title: Joanna Jedrzejczyk

Joanna Jedrzejczyk will look to reclaim her title in 2018

The biggest upset in the UFC in 2017 came in November, when Rose Namajunas knocked out Joanna Jedrzejczyk to win the Women’s Strawweight title – a title that Jedrzejczyk had held since March 2015, when she defeated Carla Esparza. Before the Namajunas fight, Joanna had looked like a dominant champion to compare with the likes of Georges St-Pierre, Anderson Silva and Demetrious Johnson.

She’d reeled off five successful title wins, and Namajunas should’ve been her sixth – that was until a huge left hook downed her halfway through the first round and was enough to end her two-and-a-half year reign. Since then she hasn’t fought, but the word going around right now – and the booking of a contender’s match between Tecia Torres and Jessica Andrade would seem to confirm it – is that a rematch is on the cards soon.

Despite Namajunas fighting the perfect fight against Jedrzejczyk, is there really any possibility that she’d go in as the favourite? Likely not. We’ve seen Rose lose twice before in the UFC, both to fighters that Jedrzejczyk shredded. To me this feels more like Matt Serra’s title win over GSP – one that was swiftly avenged. I see the same thing in the future for Jedrzejczyk, and I think she’ll reclaim her title in 2018.