UFC Shakeup: Three Belts That Will Change Hands Over The Next Six Months

Keeping a UFC belt these days is quite the struggle.

With media obligations, strenuous scheduling, seething contenders nipping at your heels, the need to stay healthy, and the always important decision making outside of the cage, champions are often left to live a life of perfection.

But like any elite athlete in any sport, these responsibilities as a promotional titleholder come with the territory. It’s simply protocol.

In time, many of the current divisional lords will falter as a product of a hungry wolf invading their throne. Others will crumble under the spotlight and ultimately look for a way out.

Here are three UFC belts that are due to change hands over the next six months.

1. Jose Aldo’s featherweight title

Despite his lack of mainstream stardom, his unwillingness to attack for a finish, and his recent inability to stay healthy, Jose Aldo remains the only featherweight champion in UFC history.

His seven promotional fights saw the Brazilian dismantle the likes of Frankie Edgar, Chad Mendes, and Kenny Florian. In turn, he has been rendered one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the sport today, and arguably of all-time.

But like many kings who stick around for too long, Aldo’s throne is in immediate danger, as he’s scheduled to defend his 145-pound strap opposite international dynamo and interim titleholder Conor McGregor at UFC 194 this December.

As someone who presents issues for the champ on his feet, seeing as “The Notorious” pushes forward with every strike, many people around the sport believe McGregor has what it takes to knock off a guy who hasn’t tasted defeat since a 2005 submission.

Well, those pundits are most likely right.

While McGregor isn’t going to make Aldo tap, he is going to pressure the fast-aging 29-year-old into a toe-to-toe war that he may not be ready for. Mix in the Irishman’s length, range, versatility, precision, and powerful left hand, and you have a recipe for disaster if you’re Aldo.

Some people may disagree with this assessment, but McGregor possesses the momentum, confidence, athleticism, and toughness to finally conquer what we’ve grown to know as an untouchable MMA entity.

2. Rafael dos Anjos’ lightweight title

In one of the most volatile divisions in UFC history, Rafael dos Anjos’ reign as lightweight champion may be short lived.

While RDA’s Octagon script has evolved in recent appearances, including his wrestling and punching power, he is by no means the unstoppable force that he resembled when his resurgent title run came full circle by defeating Anthony “Showtime” Pettis at UFC 185. That is why an upcoming rematch opposite Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone at UFC on FOX 17 this December, which will serve as the champ’s first title defense, could spell a quick turnaround for the 155-pound belt.

Remember, Cerrone hasn’t lost since his first defeat to dos Anjos back in 2013. His current eight-fight win streak includes five finishes, victories over Benson Henderson, Eddie Alvarez, Jim Miller, Myles Jury, and Edson Barboza, while a new found ability to land early in the first round has furthered his growth as an elite striker.

Not to mention Cerrone possesses one of the very best takedown defenses at the lightweight level.

If RDA is forced to stand with “Cowboy,” he’ll have to deal with kicks from various angles, forward combinations, and unfathomable power with each strike thrown. If he opts to take this fight to the ground, then dos Anjos had to deal with one of the most active guards in all of MMA.

It’s going to be a tough fight for both men, but Cerrone is the more well-rounded fighter at this point in time.

3. Daniel Cormier’s light heavyweight title

There’s no disputing that Jon Jones is the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet today, let alone the most dominant name in the UFC’s light heavyweight division.

But after personal decisions outside of the cage landed “Bones” on the wrong side of law back in April, his professional accolades were put on freeze. Luckily, Jones has since been cleared to resume his fighting career, making his 2016 return the most anticipated in UFC history.

Daniel Cormier, the very man who was defeated by Jones at UFC 182 then went on to win the vacant 205-pound strap after it was stripped, will be given the near-impossible task of warding off an ultra-confident, newly-focused, redetermined Jones sometime early next year.

Jones has never had a rematch to this date, so you better believe his blueprint for a reboot will be built around the strengths that the current champ showed the first time out. This includes Cormier’s ability to close distance and effectively land power punches in the clinch, which he took to a new level opposite Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 192 to capture his lone title defense.

Needless to say, at 36 years of age and with 13 rounds of UFC championship fighting under his belt in 2015 alone, Cormier is in for a rude awakening opposite the former light heavyweight king. Jones has been seen dead lifting nearly 600 pounds, fine-tuning his natural assets, and welcoming an offseason regiment that was nonexistent prior to losing his belt.

Cormier has been a great seat warmer to say the least, but daddy’s officially coming home.

Do you believe that these titles will shift to new hands in the coming weeks and months, or will the champions prove their mettle by holding onto their coveted belts? Let us know your thoughts!