Count 2016 as a pivotal year in UFC history.
For starters, longtime majority owners Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta sold the world’s largest mixed martial arts promotion to WME-IMG for an eye-popping $4.2 billion in July. That was kind of a big deal.
Aside from UFC President Dana White, the Fertitta brothers played arguably the most influential roles in weaving the fabric of modern MMA in America. With them out and honchos from the Hollywood super talent agency in, we’ve certainly passed from one era to the next.
The change of ownership came with a slew of layoffs and high-profile changes in the UFC front office. Among other well-known UFC employees, matchmaker Joe Silva and play-by-play announcer Mike Goldberg both left the organization.
We also witnessed the solidification of Conor McGregor as the UFC’s biggest star, the fall of Ronda Rousey and a significant bounce-back year for the company on pay-per-view. Titles changed hands in seven weight classes.
By the time it was all said and done, the UFC had completed its most financially successful year in its history.
Now, what will 2017 bring?
Impossible to say for sure, but here a number of Bleacher Report’s MMA writers join me to try to look into the future and forecast what the year will bring for some of the UFC’s biggest stars…