3. Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brock Lesnar
Obviously, there is little to no chance of this happening with the fighters signed to rival promotions, but it would definitely be an event in itself. Lesnar's still green, but give him 8-10 more months, and ... well, Fedor would still be a big favorite, but you'd be foolish not to give the massive Lesnar a puncher's chance.

2. Georges St. Pierre vs. Thiago Alves
St. Pierre has a long list of potential big-money matchups ahead of him, and the most dangerous might well be Alves, who has won seven straight with only one decision in the bunch. Alves has vastly improved his takedown defense, so this one might end up a crowd-pleasing standup war among two of the best strikers in MMA.

1. Georges St. Pierre vs. Anderson Silva
If GSP gets past B.J. Penn, this would be the next great superfight in the making. UFC President Dana White has already alluded to an interest in it. Both fighters are among the top five pound-for-pounders in the world and have very complete games. GSP is one of those athletes who thinks about his legacy, and knows that a win over a bigger champion will leave an indelible mark. Silva only wants megafights from this point on. Seems like a win-win for everyone involved.

Things that must happen in '09:

• MMA regulated in New York
  The blacklisting has lasted long enough. Once MMA is regulated in New York, it’s a game-changer with the major media and advertisers; that’s how influential the market is. It’s going to happen; it’s just a matter of time, and the time is fast approaching.
• UFC returning to Montreal
  The Bell Centre was the loudest crowd I’ve ever heard; during St. Pierre’s introduction, I couldn’t hear Bruce Buffer’s voice, that’s how electric the crowd was. They earned a return engagement, and rumors are it's in the works.
• UFC events to drop numbers after 100
  Once UFC reaches that landmark, let's subtitle the events based on the feature bout. Otherwise a few years from now, we'll be watching UFC 231, which sounds more like a license plate number than an event.
• Primetime network or ESPN TV deal
  While the reviews on the EliteXC-CBS deal were mixed, it hopefully opened the door to more exposure for the sport, whether on a primetime network or ESPN. Either one would be great for continued growth.