What a year! For some, fantastic, for others, awful, for MMA? I’d say it was pretty successful. It was the year where Conor McGregor really burst onto the scene with his two fights against Nate Diaz, and his demolition of Eddie Alvarez; the man held two titles simultaneously, albeit for a week, but he did it.
We also had a violent FOTY contender between Robbie Lawler and Carlos Condit in the first event of the year. Along with that, we had the return of Dominick Cruz, who won his title back off TJ Dillashaw before putting one of the sports biggest rivalries to bed, defeating Urijah Faber in their trilogy fight.
Then we had Cruz losing his title in an unbelievable fight with Cody Garbrandt. What about Michael Bisping stepping in on short notice and winning the middleweight championship!? Jon Jones returned, then ruined the whole UFC 200 card…After all her trials and tribulations, Miesha Tate lost her title and after one more loss hung up her gloves..
We could go all day, but instead, I’ll get into the Fighters’ New Year’s Resolutions.
Shay Walsh
“I don’t really do new years resolutions. I’m constantly setting goals to achieve no matter what the time of year. Within the next year I’m looking to win 3 fights, improving my record to 17-4. Hopefully I’ll be able to release some news on my first fight of 2017 soon.”
Alan Philpott
“I hope to be getting only big fights with the right pay. Also going to try and eat better all year around and treat myself instead of binge eating.”
Tim Wilde
“2017 work wise I will be in the UFC BEFORE the years out and if Cage Warriors give me the chance I will be world champion. Personally try to make more time for my friends as with the job I do I tend to forget about them.”
Sam Spencer
“My new years resolutions this year are to be a little bit more organised and structured with my training programmes and keep my training planned and physically written down weeks in advance. I would also like to be a lot more active on the competition BJJ scene. I feel like it is a field I could do quite well in, and in my last fight I was caught slipping and got submitted, losing for the first time. I feel more competition grappling could reduce the chances of this happening again. I hope to be signed by Cage Warriors or BAMMA by the summertime and take my career to the next level.”
Jack McGann
“I’ve grown as a fighter in 2016 more than I have in my whole career combined. I ended the year with a spectacular KO, and in 2017 I will have many more of them”
Dylan Mcloughlin
“I’m hoping to be 7-0 by the years end and let people know that I’m the next big thing in the welterweight division. I’m going to take this European circuit by storm so look forward to seeing some solid performances from me in the New Year.”
