Garbrandt, Whittaker or Holloway? Dana White reveals who he thinks is the UFC's next big star

UFC president Dana White believes current bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt is the organisation's most bankable future star.

Garbrandt (11-0 record in MMA) burst onto the scene in 2015, where five successive victories, including four knockouts, led to a title shot at UFC 207 against the dominant Dominick Cruz in December 2016.

"No Love" was the betting underdog going into the fight. However, he outclassed the former bantamweight kingpin to emerge victorious via a unanimous decision.

At 26 years of age, Garbrandt is just one of many current young champions in the sport.

Max Holloway, 25, became the featherweight champion after his UFC 212 win over Jose Aldo, while Robert Whittaker, 26, is the current interim middleweight champion following an impressive comeback victory against Yoel Romero at UFC 213.

However, White has singled out Garbrandt, who will make his first title defence against TJ Dillashaw at UFC 217, as the fighter who can take the mantle from the likes of Conor McGregor and Ronda Rousey.

White said, as quoted by MMA Fighting, "Our most bankable [future] star? November 4 at Madison Square Garden, this kid who's the world champion, he's gonna fight.

"His name is Cody No Love. Very marketable guy. I think Cody No Love could be the next big star."

The topic of star power turned to Jon Jones as White spoke about the former light heavyweight champion's downfall.

Jones, 30, became the youngest UFC champion in history at 23 years of age when he defeated Mauricio Rua and went on to defend his title eight times before he was stripped of the belt in 2015 for one of the many controversies that he was involved in throughout his career.

"Bones" regained the title at UFC 214 in July against Daniel Cormier but was soon stripped once again after failing another drug test and is now looking likely to be suspended for a minimum of two years.

"He'd [Jones] also go down in history as probably the greatest-ever and, if nothing ever happened, he'd probably be fighting at heavyweight right now and who knows what could have happened?" White added. "I'm in a business where when the fame happens and the money – you have to understand the crazy type of money that comes into the fight business instantly.

"Jon Jones came in and just started making millions of dollars immediately and he was, like, 24 years old. And you can go back to interviews of me saying, 'That's great, he's talented enough to win the belt. Can he handle the pressure and all the stuff that goes along with being a world champion? With being famous? With being rich?' And that question got answered."