5 UFC title fights that must happen in 2017 to restore legitimacy to the UFC

Dominick Cruz, like many other champions, is on the brink of an important year

#2 Holly Holm/Germaine de Randamie vs Cristiane Cyborg Justino

The UFC needs to fit this woman into their plans

The UFC machinery seems to be geared against undefeated Invicta Champion Cris Cyborg right now, what with them overlooking her and instead, plucking Holly Holm and Germaine de Randamie from the Bantamweight pool to contest for the inaugural Women’s UFC Featherweight title.

The comedy of errors that preceded that decision, with Cyborg allegedly turning down two fights due to weight cutting issues and then Holm turning down a proposed fight against her, has only furthered the UFC’s palpable reluctance in getting behind the most dominant female fighter in the world today.

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Unfortunately, being flagged for the December 5th out-of-competition doping violation could be the final nail in the coffin for any hopes of resuscitating her from the UFC’s doghouse in the near future.

Be that as it may - however convoluted the politics appended to the issue may be - legitimacy beckons that Cris Cyborg's name be thrown into the hat for a Championship opportunity as soon as she is cleared to make a comeback.

Holly Holm may have blown up after her spectacular knockout of Ronda Rousey and de Randamie a fearsome kickboxer in her own right, but while one has lost in her last two outings in the UFC, another one has only fought once for a promotion and that too, against unheralded opposition.

While the duo is certainly capable of putting on the right kind of fight stylistically to get the ball rolling, no amount of pretense from the UFC can conceal the fact that the winner has to face Cyborg in order to be truly recognized as the Champion.

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