Roundtables
ROUNDTABLE: Which of the UFC's Champions is most likely to lose their title in 2011? Hansen, Hyden, Hobaugh, Williams and Penick
Dec 27, 2010 - 10:50:10 AM ROUNDTABLE: Which of the UFC's Champions is most likely to lose their title in 2011? Hansen, Hyden, Hobaugh, Williams and Penick

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Of the current Champions in the UFC, which is most likely to lose their title in 2011, and who will take it from them?

RICH HANSEN, MMATORCH COLUMNIST

Frank Edgar is going to lose his title to Gray Maynard, approximately 23 hours into 2011 (Central Time).  I think that's a record that will stand for all time.

FRANK HYDEN, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

My first thought is to go with one of the lighter weight classes because those divisions are so stacked that's it's easy for a champion to be dethroned. However, I'll go with Cain Velasquez losing the Heavyweight Title. I think Junior Dos Santos will surprise a lot of people when he handles Velasquez and takes the belt. JDS is very underrated and he's going to prove that when he beats Velasquez.

ERIC HOBAUGH, MMATORCH SPECIALIST

Of the current Champions - Dominick Cruz at bantamweight, Jose Aldo at featherweight, Frankie Edgar at lightweight, Georges St. Pierre at welterweight, Anderson Silva at middleweight, Mauricio Rua at light heavyweight and Cain Velasquez at heavyweight - Frankie Edgar is the most likely to lose his title. I think Gray Maynard has the best chance to beat Frankie Edgar for his title because of his wrestling.  The outcome will be similar to the April 2008 fight in which Gray won a three round unanimous decision. 

ALEX WILLIAMS, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Frankie Edgar.  Even if he doesn't lose it on the first day of the new year to Gray Maynard (and my bet is he will), he appears to be the weakest of the UFC champions.  It doesn't help him either that he might fight three times in 2011 (since his first fight is so early in the year) while several other titlists will likely only fight twice.  

JAMIE PENICK, MMATORCH EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

I think Frankie Edgar is getting sold far too short heading into UFC 125 this weekend, and I think he finds a way to avenge the only loss on his record against Gray Maynard. And actually, I think the two champions most at risk to losing their title first are the UFC's two newest champions in Dominick Cruz and Jose Aldo. Cruz is likely going to meet Urijah Faber next, a man who already holds a win over him. Aldo, while he's an incredible fighter, will be returning from an injury, and will likely meet the second most dangerous fighter in the featherweight division in Josh Grispi should Grispi defeat Dustin Poirier this Saturday. It's highly possible that all of the UFC's current champions remain title holders by the end of 2011, but I think the lighter weight classes are going to present the toughest roads to retention during the year.