The excitement of a brand new year in the world of mixed martial arts is being felt throughout the Ultimate Fighting Championship and beyond, with a series of high profile cards and title fights already being set in stone for the next few months, including the stacked UFC 247 card, scheduled for February 8 in Houston, Texas. 

in the UFC 247 main event, Jon Jones will attempt to defend his UFC Light Heavyweight Championship against the undefeated Dominick Reyes. Jones is aiming to further cement his spot as the greatest light heavyweight of all time, whereas Reyes is looking to cause what would be regarded as one of the greatest upsets in UFC history.

In addition to the main event, a number of other fights have either been rumored or announced as we count down towards the big show, including a flyweight title fight between Valentina Shevchenko and Katlyn Chookagian. 

UFC 247 Fight Card (confirmed by UFC.com):

205 lbs: Jon Jones vs. Dominick Reyes (Light Heavyweight Championship)
125 lbs: Valentina Shevchenko vs. Katlyn Chookagian (Women’s Flyweight Championship)
265 lbs: Juan Adams vs. Justin Tafa
265 lbs: Derrick Lewis vs. Ilir Latifi
145 lbs: Mirsad Bektic vs. Dan Ige
185 lbs: Trevin Giles vs. Antonio Arroyo
135 lbs: Jimmie Rivera vs. Marlon Vera
125 lbs: Lauren Murphy vs. Andrea Lee

Rumored UFC 247 Fights

170lbs: Alex Morono vs. Dhiego Lima
135 lbs: Miles Johns vs. Mario Bautista
135 lbs: Sean O’Malley vs. José Alberto Quiñónez

There is an awful lot to get excited about regarding the upcoming card in Houston from top to bottom, but of course, Jon Jones defending his belt once again is always going to draw the attention of the masses above all else.

There’s a very good chance that this could be Jones’ biggest threat to date, with Dominick Reyes continuing to prove that he is one of the most dangerous fighters in that division. Whether or not he can make the step up in competition, though, remains to be seen.

This article first appeared on BJPENN.com on 1/2/2020.