Predicting the 2019 UFC Hall of Famers

Modern Era Wing

Forrest Griffin: Was inducted into the Modern Era wing in 2013

Brock Lesnar

Brock Lesnar: UFC bound in 2019?

Brock Lesnar has been heavily linked with a UFC return in 2019; possibly in a Heavyweight Championship versus Daniel Cormier. However, if he does not return to the Octagon, he could well return to be inducted into the Hall of Fame instead.

Lesnar only competed for UFC eight times in total, but more than made his mark. He dominated former Heavyweight Champion, Frank Mir in his UFC debut in February 2008, before getting caught with a heel hook and being forced to tap out.

Lesnar then won his next four bouts, over the who's who of MMA legends; Heath Herring, Randy Couture, Mir in a re-match and Shane Carwin. That run saw Lesnar become Heavyweight Champion and successfully defend that title twice before he dropped the bout to Brazilian prodigy, Cain Velasquez, temporarily retiring from the sport when he dropped a second consecutive fight with Alistair Overeem.

Lesnar is the second greatest draw in UFC history with five of his headline or co-headline bouts drawing over a million pay per view buys. He may be hated by much of the MMA world but Lesnar certainly cannot be ignored. His Hall of Fame credentials are real.

Michael Bisping

Michael Bisping: Deserving of a UFC Hall of Fame berth

Michael Bisping, at the time of his 2018 retirement, held two impressive UFC records. He has the joint most number of wins in company history, 20, with Donald Cerrone and George St. Pierre. Cerrone made it 21 in November 2018. He also held the record for most number of fights with 29; a feat matched this year by Cerrone and Jeremy Stephens and surpassed by Jum Miller with 30 in September 2018.

You don't win 20 times inside the Octagon unless you are a true legend of MMA. The British born Bisping rose to fame when he won the third season of The Ultimate Fighter reality show and embarked on an early winning streak in the promotion, winning his first four official fights.

His first defeat was a memorable one, coming on the historic UFC 100 card when he was knocked out cold by rival, Dan Henderson. That loss was one he would avenge seven years later at UFC 206 in 2016.

Bisping, despite his plethora of Octagon wins only won one title in the company; the Middleweight Championship which he won from Luke Rockhold and defended for 18 months before losing the belt in a classic encounter with the returning GSP at UFC 214 in November 2017.

Bisping's entertaining striking game and outrageous microphone skills made him one of the most memorable characters to ever set foot inside the Octagon. 2019 should be the year of "The Count."