Fight IQ: 2026 Year-End UFC Champion Predictions

Written by

Christopher Olson

Updated on January 16, 2026 9:39PM EST

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UFC end-of-year champion predictions for 2026: The Fight IQ Podcast

We are back, and we are LIVE! Welcome to a special edition of Fight IQ, where Chris, Joe, and Drake run through their picks to end 2026 as a UFC champion in each division. The boys will cover the landscape of each weight class as we head into the Paramount era and break down their process when selecting a futures bet. Tune in Saturday at 6 PM ET to toss in your own predictions and analysis in the live chat! Those looking for a deeper dive into specific divisions can also check out individual articles written by Drake and Chris.

Meet the Hosts:

Chris Olson: MMA Contributor at RotoWire. In addition to ranting on "Fight IQ, presented by RotoWire," Chris also writes about DFS Baseball and MMA fight recaps. Follow him on Twitter at @Theonliest1

Joe "SunTszu": Known more commonly by his Twitter handle @SunTszu, Joe is a Hedge Fund Executive by day and a high-volume DFS player by night. He is a 2x "Bracket Challenge" & "Gotham qualifier, who is currently ranked 13th in DFS MMA. You can also find him as one of the original contributors to "Fight IQ, presented by RotoWire." He is also a co-creator of the "Creating Alpha in DFS" podcast.

Drake Burden: Drake is a proven DFS winner with multiple four-figure paydays under his belt. He took an interest in writing MMA during the pandemic and is active in various Discords and other social media communities. Follow him on Twitter at @DBurdz.

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