🥊 The UFC Info and Prediction Thread

[TopTort777]

If each state has its own little rules, then it is hard to prepare for the fight. If it is so hard to have a one single rule for knee to the head, why not simply forbit it? Allow only knees to the body or jumping knees. Then there wont be such cases like with Evloev, Walker, Aljo. Btw, I have recently found out that in PFL, any kind of elbow strikes are illegal. Just any, not controversial 6-12 elbow, but every elbow is illegal. This narrows fighters arsenal, but it is simply to follow that rule. If PFL managed to have such rule, then no knee to the head can be introduced in UFC easily.

[1714235970]

1714235970

[1714235970]

1714235970

[1714235970]

1714235970

[CryptoBuds]

If each state has its own little rules, then it is hard to prepare for the fight. If it is so hard to have a one single rule for knee to the head, why not simply forbit it? Allow only knees to the body or jumping knees. Then there wont be such cases like with Evloev, Walker, Aljo. Btw, I have recently found out that in PFL, any kind of elbow strikes are illegal. Just any, not controversial 6-12 elbow, but every elbow is illegal. This narrows fighters arsenal, but it is simply to follow that rule. If PFL managed to have such rule, then no knee to the head can be introduced in UFC easily.

^ Yes, it will be easy for the fighters to follow simple rules. Because in the heat of the moment, it is very easy to actually do something that you are not supposed to. So I also think that the rules like 90-degree elbow or shit like that should actually not exist. Either he can throw and connect elbow or he can't. There should not be any in-between. But we don't make the rules so the fighters will have to actually follow the rules. The sad part is we have seen a lot of fighters lose the belt because of these rules. And many of the times if not all, they were unintentional.

[tokeweed]

Few more lines about Adesanya. He was a champ, lost his title, regained it back and lost again. This does not look like he really deserve another chance. For instance there is Brendan Allen, who will fight Vettori in April. If he wins, he will be in a 7 win streak, he will move to 5th place in top. Perfect candidate for a title fight. Above him is Whittaker with zebra record, Cannonier with a bit better record. With be reasonable to make DDP vs Allen.

Chimaev

I think it wasnt posted here, but he recently had a surgery. He was fixing hand injury that he has got in a fight against Usman. It is gonna take some time to record.

That and therapy could take a while.  Prolly 6 months minimum depending on the damage.  These guys fight in MMA, the announcements made by the UFC of getting fully healthy in three months or so shouldn't be taken seriously.  How is Jon Jones injury btw?  I think he'll take it as long as it takes before going back in there vs Miocic.  And if it's a year, I don't think we'll see him and Aspinall anytime soon.  Maybe a couple of years more of waiting.  :/

[TopTort777]

How is Jon Jones injury btw?

Dunno, he hasnt called me yet

By knowing how Bones like to stretch out time, maybe by the end of 2024 we will see Bones fighting. If Bones fight November 11 on UFC 295 against Miocic, and the fight was replaced with Aspinal vs Pavlovich, as a start. Then add "We had a two-hour surgery shaving down some bone spurs. The good news is it's about a 10-week healing process, and I'm out for months anyway, because of this pec surgery," said Jones.. Add probably a one month camp. End of 2024 looks real.

[pawel7777]

OK, so apparently, according to Tom Aspinall, the UFC had plans to match him and Stipe for the UFC 300 in April, but Stipe turned it down.
Shame, because it would be an interesting fight, but we all know who will win it and so does Stipe.
I can't really blame Stipe though, he probably has one more fight in him, so will be going for the most profitable option available. And if he loses to Jones, he could still be matched with Aspinall later, but if he was to lose to Tom, Jones will not want to fight him anymore.

Source: https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/other-sports/mma/tom-aspinall-stipe-miocic-ufc300-31958493

"While we are talking about Stipe Miocic, my manager was contacted by the UFC asking if I’d like to fight him on April 13th," Aspinall tweeted. "I, of course, accepted. A little while later we were told that Stipe doesn’t want to fight me, and he is only interested in fighting Jones.

[notblox1]

Izzy doesn't really deserve the title shot, as he lost to Strickland, who got defeated by Dricus, so he should be having at least one more fight, but there are no better options right now, so things are stacking in his favour.

He deserves the title shot again because of his previous fight record and Strickland to me is just a wild card, he can lose from anyone and beat anyone, not really a long term champ material.
In the end it doesnt matter who deserves what, when Dana is the one deciding, and they are looking for someone who can bring more money.

Did you guys say saw a new trailer for movie Road House starring Conor McGregor?
Now it is official, he is not an mma fighter anymore, he is now an actor  
https://youtu.be/Y0ZsLudtfjI

[TopTort777]

OK, so apparently, according to Tom Aspinall, the UFC had plans to match him and Stipe for the UFC 300 in April, but Stipe turned it down.
Shame, because it would be an interesting fight, but we all know who will win it and so does Stipe.
I can't really blame Stipe though, he probably has one more fight in him, so will be going for the most profitable option available. And if he loses to Jones, he could still be matched with Aspinall later, but if he was to lose to Tom, Jones will not want to fight him anymore.

I wonder what were Stipe thoughts when he refused to fight Aspinal. Was he afraid to lose? Because honestly, right now Stipe is not match for Aspinal. Stipe wanted to have an easier opponent (probably to retire). Stipe is simply not interested in Aspinal, because a possible win over Bones worth more. Or it is simply because of money. He will earn in a fight against Bones, then against Aspinal.

If I was Stipe, I would have though about retirement and making as much as possible last time. Bones is a great chance to do that. It wont be shameful to lose him. With Bones recovery from injury, it might give Stipe more time to do nothing, then go out in the octagon, got submitted and go home with a cheque With Aspinal it is getting punched in the face in 2 months

Did you guys say saw a new trailer for movie Road House starring Conor McGregor?
Now it is official, he is not an mma fighter anymore, he is now an actor 
https://youtu.be/Y0ZsLudtfjI

Never though I would see McGregor as main antagonist of a movie

[tokeweed]

I think we have a decent event for the weekend after this one folks.    And I'm not really sure why Dolidze is the underdog vs Imavov.  Yeah Imavov is a better fighter but Dolidze is kinda huge and has powerrr.  Not to mention he has the grappling upside here.  Dolidze via leg lock imho.    And yeah he lost his last match but that was against Vettori.  No shame in that as Vettori is pretty good himself.

And the other one is Drew Dober...  He's a live underdog.  Moicano hasn't fought in over a year due to injury and the UFC gives him Dober?  Oof.  Moicano will get starched.

Here's the roster.

Date:  Saturday, Feb 3
Main Card (ESPN/ESPN+):  7:00pm EST
Preliminary Card (ESPN/ESPN+):  4:00pm ET
Venue:  Apex Center, Las Vegas, Nevada
Live Streams:  



Main Card (ESPN/ESPN+)
Roman Dolidze vs Nassourdine Imavov            
Renato Moicano vs Drew Dober            
Randy Brown vs Muslim Salikhov            
Aliaskhab Khizriev vs Makhmud Muradov            
Gilbert Urbina vs Charles Radtke            
Viviane Araújo vs Natalia Silva

Preliminary Card (ESPN/ESPN+)
Luana Carolina vs Julija Stoliarenko            
Molly McCann vs Diana Belbita         
Azat Maksum vs Charles Johnson            
Themba Gorimbo vs Pete Rodriguez            
Lee Jeong-yeong vs Blake Bilder            
Landon Quiñones vs Marquel Mederos            
Thomas Petersen vs Jamal Pogues

[Synchronice]

Did you guys say saw a new trailer for movie Road House starring Conor McGregor?
Now it is official, he is not an mma fighter anymore, he is now an actor  
https://youtu.be/Y0ZsLudtfjI

I came here to post that and seems you are the first one who found it. While this is just a trailer and we saw McGregor for a few seconds, I have to admit that he already left an amazing impression on me as a person who tried acting in the Hollywood movie for the first time. He would be a very cool actor. By the way, his UFC pre-fight events was always full of acting.

[cabron]

Did you guys say saw a new trailer for movie Road House starring Conor McGregor?
Now it is official, he is not an mma fighter anymore, he is now an actor  
https://youtu.be/Y0ZsLudtfjI

I came here to post that and seems you are the first one who found it. While this is just a trailer and we saw McGregor for a few seconds, I have to admit that he already left an amazing impression on me as a person who tried acting in the Hollywood movie for the first time. He would be a very cool actor. By the way, his UFC pre-fight events was always full of acting.

I thought it was the rumor about him being the next James Bond. But in this movie, he is the villain which suits him though. This must be the next career choice since he can't go back to fighting. That's why people doubt his comeback fight with Chandler

This is the video he posted after snorting 10 grams of coke. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylx_hV648J0 which is also the source of that rumor as well.

[Rampagoe004]

^ Yes, it will be easy for the fighters to follow simple rules. Because in the heat of the moment, it is very easy to actually do something that you are not supposed to. So I also think that the rules like 90-degree elbow or shit like that should actually not exist. Either he can throw and connect elbow or he can't. There should not be any in-between. But we don't make the rules so the fighters will have to actually follow the rules. The sad part is we have seen a lot of fighters lose the belt because of these rules. And many of the times if not all, they were unintentional.

That's why apart from practicing fighting skills, UFC fighters also need to know several rules set by the UFC to avoid violations and point deductions. Each promoter has slightly different rules. Yes, as said, in the PFL all elbow attacks are illegal and that will make Muaythai fighters a little difficult because elbows are one of their main weapons. In the UFC, attacking with the feet while both fighters' knees are on the canvas is a violation and I found out about that rule during Aljo vs Yan which caused Yan to lose his belt.

[vennali]

No dull moment in the UFC as they released the UFC 300 matchups. Oh, boy.. It will be a banger!!! and guess what?? the main event is still to be decided according to UFC's main twitter feed. HYPE IS REAL! What are your fav matchups? and predictions?

[YuginKadoya]

If each state has its own little rules, then it is hard to prepare for the fight. If it is so hard to have a one single rule for knee to the head, why not simply forbit it? Allow only knees to the body or jumping knees. Then there wont be such cases like with Evloev, Walker, Aljo. Btw, I have recently found out that in PFL, any kind of elbow strikes are illegal. Just any, not controversial 6-12 elbow, but every elbow is illegal. This narrows fighters arsenal, but it is simply to follow that rule. If PFL managed to have such rule, then no knee to the head can be introduced in UFC easily.

Having different rules across states does indeed make preparation for fights challenging, particularly when it comes to specific techniques like knee strikes. The suggestion to outright forbid knees to the head and allow only knees to the body or jumping knees is an interesting proposal, aiming to prevent situations like those involving Evloev, and Walker, or Aljo's fight against Petr Yan, Comparing it to PFL's approach of making all elbow strikes illegal, regardless of type, showcases a simpler and more straightforward rule. While this may limit a fighter's arsenal, it ensures clarity and consistency, and could potentially serve as a model for standardization across organizations like the UFC, or maybe ban all knee strikes to the head perhaps?

OK, so apparently, according to Tom Aspinall, the UFC had plans to match him and Stipe for the UFC 300 in April, but Stipe turned it down.
Shame, because it would be an interesting fight, but we all know who will win it and so does Stipe.
I can't really blame Stipe though, he probably has one more fight in him, so will be going for the most profitable option available. And if he loses to Jones, he could still be matched with Aspinall later, but if he was to lose to Tom, Jones will not want to fight him anymore.

Source: https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/other-sports/mma/tom-aspinall-stipe-miocic-ufc300-31958493

"While we are talking about Stipe Miocic, my manager was contacted by the UFC asking if I’d like to fight him on April 13th," Aspinall tweeted. "I, of course, accepted. A little while later we were told that Stipe doesn’t want to fight me, and he is only interested in fighting Jones.

It's very intriguing to hear that the UFC had plans to match Tom Aspinall against Stipe for UFC 300 in April, but Stipe reportedly turned down the opportunity, While it's disappointing for fans anticipating an interesting matchup, there's a pragmatic view that Stipe may be prioritizing his options for the most profitable fight, especially considering he might have one more bout left in him, The strategic move makes sense, as a loss to Jones could still open the door for a future match with Aspinall, whereas a loss to Tom might alter the dynamics for a potential fight against Jones, The fight game's strategy and decision-making always add another layer to the excitement and for sure Stipe Miocic knows what he is doing, Jon Jones is still a bigger fish than Tom Aspinall,

I came here to post that and seems you are the first one who found it. While this is just a trailer and we saw McGregor for a few seconds, I have to admit that he already left an amazing impression on me as a person who tried acting in the Hollywood movie for the first time. He would be a very cool actor. By the way, his UFC pre-fight events was always full of acting.

I have watched the trailer and I was Stunned while watching it, Conor McGregor seems pretty much normal as a villain, and a good one for movies maybe next time on Expendables, but for sure why not pursue getting on-board on movies then fitting himself back into the UFC, I really think he nailed it the role of a villain,

[Hirose UK]

-snip-

~snip~

It suggests that Dana White's approach may be a strategy to maintain the popularity of each fighter. The concern about fairness arises if belt releases were permanent, potentially depriving other fighters of opportunities. The mention of interim titles in case of injuries adds another layer to the discussion, acknowledging that Dana White's decisions aim to avoid negative sentiment from UFC fans, and Jon Jones can surely choose to not vacate the said title belt but because the UFC is backing him up they choose to be champion, and this might be the UFC is surely keeping their cash cow safe and Jon Jones is that kind of a fighter,

Well, one of the cases that previously happened was Jon Jones and we all know how with the championship belt he has.
Various problems have occurred and Dana is able to make decisions and also every step that will be taken to continue to achieve popularity and not single fighter who is at loss.
Dana is the president of the UFC and he must be able to take advantage of every condition and situation so that there are no negative thoughts from all UFC fans, now all the fighters have got what they deserve.
One of the obstacles is money, some fighters are quite dissatisfied with the amount of money they get from the UFC and former UFC fighter who actually speaks quite often about the money he gets is Francis Ngannou, he was previously the UFC heavyweight champion.
But seeing some fighters who have really made name for themselves and are really pursuing their careers don't really care about money because the most important thing is being able to win the title in every class they compete in.

[tokeweed]

Did you guys say saw a new trailer for movie Road House starring Conor McGregor?
Now it is official, he is not an mma fighter anymore, he is now an actor  
https://youtu.be/Y0ZsLudtfjI

I came here to post that and seems you are the first one who found it. While this is just a trailer and we saw McGregor for a few seconds, I have to admit that he already left an amazing impression on me as a person who tried acting in the Hollywood movie for the first time. He would be a very cool actor. By the way, his UFC pre-fight events was always full of acting.

I thought it was the rumor about him being the next James Bond. But in this movie, he is the villain which suits him though. This must be the next career choice since he can't go back to fighting. That's why people doubt his comeback fight with Chandler

This is the video he posted after snorting 10 grams of coke. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylx_hV648J0 which is also the source of that rumor as well.

And if he does come back to fight Chandler, I doubt that he'll win...  Even at 185, the weight class where McGregor wants to fight him.  I think he just doesn't want to cut weight anymore and all these events he wants to headline are just for him to get as much money as he can before he calls it quits with the UFC.

With all the money he's made, he should've bought some shares of the UFC and be part of the company.

Anyway here's a replay of one of the headliners next weekend...  Dolidze vs Hermansson.

UFC Free Fight:  Dolidze vs Hermansson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6uEfU_0u0g

[OgNasty]

Did you guys say saw a new trailer for movie Road House starring Conor McGregor?
Now it is official, he is not an mma fighter anymore, he is now an actor  
https://youtu.be/Y0ZsLudtfjI

I came here to post that and seems you are the first one who found it. While this is just a trailer and we saw McGregor for a few seconds, I have to admit that he already left an amazing impression on me as a person who tried acting in the Hollywood movie for the first time. He would be a very cool actor. By the way, his UFC pre-fight events was always full of acting.

I thought it was the rumor about him being the next James Bond. But in this movie, he is the villain which suits him though. This must be the next career choice since he can't go back to fighting. That's why people doubt his comeback fight with Chandler

This is the video he posted after snorting 10 grams of coke. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylx_hV648J0 which is also the source of that rumor as well.

And if he does come back to fight Chandler, I doubt that he'll win...  Even at 185, the weight class where McGregor wants to fight him.  I think he just doesn't want to cut weight anymore and all these events he wants to headline are just for him to get as much money as he can before he calls it quits with the UFC.

With all the money he's made, he should've bought some shares of the UFC and be part of the company.

Anyway here's a replay of one of the headliners next weekend...  Dolidze vs Hermansson.

UFC Free Fight:  Dolidze vs Hermansson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6uEfU_0u0g

Word on the street is that UFC 300 will feature a fight between Chandler and McGregor. It is also rumored that they will be fighting in a new weight class at 165 lbs while the 170 lb weight class is being removed and replaced with 165 & 175 lb weight classes. Seems like the UFC wants to make more champions.

[notblox1]

Never though I would see McGregor as main antagonist of a movie

I was expecting it because he played a bad guy his whole life 
Remember that bus incident with Khabib, that looks like movie script with Dana White and UFC as main director.
Now they added him in UFC300 fight card just for promotion and I bet he is going to lose that fight, unless refs help him.

[YuginKadoya]

-snip-

Well, one of the cases that previously happened was Jon Jones and we all know how with the championship belt he has.
Various problems have occurred and Dana is able to make decisions and also every step that will be taken to continue to achieve popularity and not single fighter who is at loss.
Dana is the president of the UFC and he must be able to take advantage of every condition and situation so that there are no negative thoughts from all UFC fans, now all the fighters have got what they deserve.
One of the obstacles is money, some fighters are quite dissatisfied with the amount of money they get from the UFC and former UFC fighter who actually speaks quite often about the money he gets is Francis Ngannou, he was previously the UFC heavyweight champion.
But seeing some fighters who have really made name for themselves and are really pursuing their careers don't really care about money because the most important thing is being able to win the title in every class they compete in.

It's undeniable that Jon Jones faced various challenges, even with his championship belt. Dana White, as the UFC president, has a crucial role in decision-making, steering the organization toward continued popularity. Managing both individual fighters' concerns and overall fan sentiments is undoubtedly a complex task. Money has been a recurring issue, with fighters like Francis Ngannou expressing dissatisfaction. Despite financial hurdles, some fighters prioritize their careers and title pursuits over monetary gains, underscoring the paramount importance of achieving success in every weight class they compete in, for me personally I think fighters should focus on winning every time they fight and because the money comes next.

Never though I would see McGregor as main antagonist of a movie

I was expecting it because he played a bad guy his whole life 
Remember that bus incident with Khabib, that looks like movie script with Dana White and UFC as main director.
Now they added him in UFC300 fight card just for promotion and I bet he is going to lose that fight, unless refs help him.

It's intriguing how certain incidents in the world of MMA can sometimes feel scripted, and the bus incident with Khabib indeed is my favorite and had a cinematic quality to it. Now, it is almost like a promotional move. The anticipation of how things will unfold in the fight adds an extra layer of interest. Whether he wins or loses, the drama surrounding his involvement makes it an event to watch closely. MMA often delivers unexpected twists and turns, making each fight card a unique spectacle, and for sure because of this upcoming Movie Conor McGregor is on another hype now.

[tokeweed]

Did you guys say saw a new trailer for movie Road House starring Conor McGregor?
Now it is official, he is not an mma fighter anymore, he is now an actor  
https://youtu.be/Y0ZsLudtfjI

I came here to post that and seems you are the first one who found it. While this is just a trailer and we saw McGregor for a few seconds, I have to admit that he already left an amazing impression on me as a person who tried acting in the Hollywood movie for the first time. He would be a very cool actor. By the way, his UFC pre-fight events was always full of acting.

I thought it was the rumor about him being the next James Bond. But in this movie, he is the villain which suits him though. This must be the next career choice since he can't go back to fighting. That's why people doubt his comeback fight with Chandler

This is the video he posted after snorting 10 grams of coke. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylx_hV648J0 which is also the source of that rumor as well.

And if he does come back to fight Chandler, I doubt that he'll win...  Even at 185, the weight class where McGregor wants to fight him.  I think he just doesn't want to cut weight anymore and all these events he wants to headline are just for him to get as much money as he can before he calls it quits with the UFC.

With all the money he's made, he should've bought some shares of the UFC and be part of the company.

Anyway here's a replay of one of the headliners next weekend...  Dolidze vs Hermansson.

UFC Free Fight:  Dolidze vs Hermansson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6uEfU_0u0g

Word on the street is that UFC 300 will feature a fight between Chandler and McGregor. It is also rumored that they will be fighting in a new weight class at 165 lbs while the 170 lb weight class is being removed and replaced with 165 & 175 lb weight classes. Seems like the UFC wants to make more champions.

Lmao I don't think so.  And if McGregor thinks the UFC would let him headline such an important number, he has something else going.  Not with his record he ain't. 

Another thing is there's no belt on the line.  It wouldn't make sense doing so...  If anything just check Tapology.  The guys running it usually are the first ones to get confirmed info.

Aaand finally we're on the build up for the next event this coming weekend!  Here are a couple of replays involving the fighters.

UFC Free Fight:  Imavov vs Shahbazyan 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIPVzDYs95c

UFC Free Fight:  Moicano vs Riddel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_wXsLYX3lE
[b

[YuginKadoya]

Lmao I don't think so.  And if McGregor thinks the UFC would let him headline such an important number, he has something else going.  Not with his record he ain't. 

Another thing is there's no belt on the line.  It wouldn't make sense doing so...  If anything just check Tapology.  The guys running it usually are the first ones to get confirmed info.

Aaand finally we're on the build up for the next event this coming weekend!  Here are a couple of replays involving the fighters.

UFC Free Fight:  Imavov vs Shahbazyan 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIPVzDYs95c

UFC Free Fight:  Moicano vs Riddel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_wXsLYX3lE
[b

Yup! Conor McGregor is not going to fight at UFC 300 I also thought that he would be fighting in that event and at 1st I was wrong about it aswell I thought that the fight between Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler would be on UFC 300 but Conor McGregor had already announced their fight and that is on June 29, this year and it will be UFC 302: McGregor vs. Chandler right now there is just 1 available fight and that was the main event Conor McGregor VS Michael Chandler and so this event was made because of Conor McGregor that is for sure, and yes check on Tapology for sure I am always checking on that site for upcoming fights in the MMA and Boxing,


Because we don't have an event this week let's talk about the Champions in every Division and what is next for them this year, OK let's start with

Heavyweight Division - We have 2 champions and that is The Undisputed Champion Jon Jones and the Interim Champion Tom Aspinall, for sure we already know that Jon Jones will be fighting Stipe Miocic, for me this year I think after his fight with Miocic which he will surely win, he will retire he wants to preserve his winning and that is what I think may happen he will dodge Aspinall, while Aspinall will be champion this year,

Light Heavyweight Division - Alex Pereira is the Champion, for sure he will need a title defense, and if he said that he will have a back-to-back title defense this year that will be Jamahal Jill and Magomed Ankalaev I don't know how the UFC can do it but for me, I think that Magomed Ankalaev could win this year and be champion in my opinion,

Middleweight Division - Dricus Du Plessis is the Champion, for I think that Dricus could defend his belt this year so for sure we will end this year and still Dricus as champion,

Welterweight Division - Leon Edwards is the Champion in this division, for sure Islam Makhachev Wants to be a double champion so he will try and compete for the Welterweight belt so for sure he expresses his dismay with the fight Leon Edward and Covington so he is stepping up, and Belal Muhamad, but for sure Shavkat Rakmanov can enter into the picture for me Rakmanov for this year champion,

Lightweight Division - while in this division I still think that Islam Makhachev will dominate this year as champion or maybe end the year as double champion if the UFC gives him a chance,

Featherweight Division - Alexander Volkanovski is the champion for this division I really think that Ilia Topuria can become champion in this fight at the end of the year he is younger and more explosive and those grappling scramble is really amazing for Ilia Topuria while Volk is aging now but we still don't see a decline with his performance but maybe he is coming there

Bantamweight Division - Sean O'Malley is the champion in this division and I think that this is a hard prediction as I never thought that O'Malley is such an entertaining fighter but for me, Merab Dvalishvili could end his career because his takedowns and explosiveness in the grappling so for me he got the highest chance in becoming champion this year,

Flyweight Division - Alexandre Pantoja is the champion, and for me, he has great output and his ground game is superb I never got a glimpse of that so I was really blinded by the hype of Moreno, but for sure he will fight Amir Albazi but for me Alexandre Pantoja will remain champion this year,