There’s been some shifting around in the candidate arena since September, and it certainly doesn’t appear to be settling down any time soon.

The political pundits have largely dug their heels into final match up predictions, but this election cycle warns the American people to expect the unexpected. So until those final days, just under a year away, all the contenders should be seen as a possibility and viewed with a grain of salt.

In the Democratic corner: Hillary “the Establishment” Clinton is still dominating the main stage with an averaged 54.5 percent in national polls. Bernie “the Democratic Socialist” Sanders continues to hang in there with 33.5 percent of the voting chunk.

Martin “the Persistent” O’Malley hasn’t managed to climb above the 3 percent mark, but so far he forges on, earning an A for stubborn effort.

In the Republican corner: Donald “the Greatness” Trump is now sharing the spotlight with Ben “the Anti-Science Neurosurgeon” Carson, with only one point separating the two at 24.3 and 23.3 percent, respectively.

Carly “the Pro-Life Avenger” Fiorina has slipped dramatically from her previously envied fourth place position to the quiet spot at number eight in the GOP pack. The rising Republican star has been Marco “the Immigration Reform Dodger” Rubio, who rocketed up to 3^rd place in polls after showing some strength during the last crowded adult-table debate.

Ted “the Green Eggs and Ham Aggravator” Cruz has pushed his way up to 10.7 percent, perhaps due his very publicized part in outing the former Speaker of the House.

According to the GOP national polling averages reported by Real Clear Politics as of Nov. 4, an additional nine candidates are still suited up and ready to rumble.

Of those, Chris “the Bridgegate” Christie has mustered up the most attention since the Huffington Post video that paints him as a man with some genuine compassion for people fighting addiction. The attention hasn’t quite parlayed into substantial poll gains, at least not yet.

Aside from the widely-held assumption that Clinton will emerge as the Democratic nominee, the rest really is completely up in the air. In the grand scheme of this lineup, it’s safe to say that nobody is quite safe in their positions, including Clinton herself. By this time next year, the American people could be just as surprised as UFC fans were this past Saturday.

Given the spectacle of this campaign, it’s easy to lose sight of the importance of the outcome. But on a serious note, America is facing some pretty serious times and the weight of it all will be on the next president’s shoulders. Let’s hope the best one wins, whoever that may be.