5 bold predictions for the UFC in 2019

#5 Jon Jones won’t lose a fight

Could Jon Jones go through 2019 undefeated?

His return fight might’ve been shrouded in controversy following some questionable drug test results, but few could argue with how effective Jon Jones looked inside the Octagon at UFC 232, as he dealt with Alexander Gustafsson with aplomb, finishing him in the third round via TKO to regain his UFC Light-Heavyweight title. After the win, question marks surrounded Jones’ future, but those questions now seem to have been answered.

Jones will defend his title against Anthony Smith at UFC 235 in March in what is a somewhat surprising booking – Smith is on a winning streak, but he’s definitely not a superstar, nor a fighter who will be expected to beat Jones.

That means that – contrary to what I suggested in a recent article predicting the UFC champions at the end of 2019 – it looks like ‘Bones’ is content to stick around at 205lbs and defend his title.

If that’s the case, then I just can’t see him losing a fight in 2019. I predicted that Dominick Reyes would hold the Light-Heavyweight title by the end of the year, but that was when I suspected Jones would move to Heavyweight.

With the Smith booking now official, I think it’s far more likely that he’ll stay at 205lbs and continue to dominate his competition there. He’s essentially on another level to every other fighter in the division.

Of course, Jones could still move to Heavyweight, but even there I don’t really see many fighters giving him issues; he’d likely receive an instant title shot once Daniel Cormier likely retires, and the only man I could see him having problems with would be a prime Cain Velasquez – a fighter who may well no longer exist.

Personally, though I think Jones will be more than content to just dominate proceedings at 205lbs – like he did between 2011 and 2015 – and so I can see him ending the year with that questionable DQ against Matt Hamill remaining his only loss.