The ultimate goal when dating a special someone is the same for everybody (hopefully): marriage. At the end of the day, you have your partner with you to hold and cherish for the rest of your life. Maybe you have a couple of kids, a dog or two, a big house, and everything few and far between. It is the dream to have all of that happen for you if you are ever so lucky. But if that is the ultimate goal on everybody's mind, why doesn't everybody have the happy ever afters they strive for like we see in the endings of the classic Disney movies? Well unfortunately, life gets in the way sometimes. This isn't just the case for the common person, it also can happen a lot in the sports world as well.

Professional athletes in their 20s typically will be single and have fun. Look at somebody like Derek Jeter. He had a plethora of girlfriends who were famous celebrities before he ultimately settled down, and he's now in his 40's. But there are some athletes that find the woman they are going to marry at a very young age and go with it from there. Look at Steph Curry. He knew he was going to marry Ayesha when they were in college and he was putting Davidson on the national map. But like we said before, sometimes for one reason or another, there are reasons why couples break up. This list takes a look at some of those couples in the sports world and wondering if they will call it quits for good or if they will make it through for perhaps years to come. With that being said, we will now predict eight sports couples who will break up in 2018 and seven that will stay together.

15 15. Ezekiel Elliott and Tiffany Thompson

The Dallas Cowboys were looking for one of the best running backs in the 2016 draft. They were looking for a flash of Emmitt Smith 2.0 to control the Cowboys backfield with a solidified offensive line in front of them. That guy was Ezekiel Elliott. He rushed for over 1,600 yards and 15 touchdowns to give the Cowboys a bright future on the offensive side of the ball alongside young quarterback Dak Prescott. The future is a bit cloudy right now for Zeke as he just finished serving a six game suspension for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy. He was charged of domestic abuse of his girlfriend, Tiffany Thompson. They are rumored to still be together, but maybe not for long.

Sure, Elliott could make big money if he comes back and continues to dominate like he has been the past season and a half. But that won't be enough to keep Tiffany around. Elliott can beg, plead, and cry all he wants to convince Tiffany to stay with him long-term. But in the end, I think the pain and suffering that has come up during this whole fiasco will have these two splitting for good and Ezekiel looking elsewhere for somebody to be with long-term.

14 14. Stay Together: D'Angelo Russell and Janay Bankston

People snitching on others is the absolute worst. But then when it involves significant others, it can get really messy and affect the chemistry of an entire locker-room. That is the case with our next athlete who could learn a very valuable lesson in 2018. He may have ratted out a teammate before, but his past probably won't affect his present and his immediate future anytime soon.

D'Angelo Russell is on a Brooklyn Nets team along with recently traded Jahlil Okafor to form a tandem that could be dangerous for years to come in the NBA. But keep in mind, Russell is the same guy who ratted out Nick Young for cheating on his girlfriend and put it up on social media for all to see. He is dating beauty Janay Bankston which should last for a long time. Russell is in the big lights of New York City...well, not really, he's in Brooklyn. He isn't playing in the city every night, so it won't be hard for him to stay faithful to Janay. The only thing that could hurt Russell is somebody could catch him cheating one night and put it up on social media as revenge for Nick Young. But that seems very unlikely as Russell seems to be maturing and learning from his past mistakes.

13 13. Break Up: Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez

Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez officially announced they were dating early in 2017 and seemed to get along very well throughout the year. However with both A-Rod and J-Lo's dating history full of breakups, and even divorces in J-Lo's case, it doesn't seem like this a couple that's going to last long term. Rodriguez has broken up with the likes of Torrie Wilson, Cameron Diaz and Anne Wojcicki and still hasn't managed to settle down. A-Rod's retired but it seems to be more of a character issue of hanging up his dating shoes. Back in September, J-Lo had this to say about their relationship:

"I’m in a good relationship. I feel like I can say that for the first time – I don’t know – maybe ever,” she said. “And not that I didn’t have great relationships, full of love and adventure, but this is the first relationship I’ve been where I feel like we really make each other better. We complement each other, and there’s really pure, true love. Just wanting to support the other person and make them happy. So there’s a different selflessness in the love that’s beautiful and different. And healthy!”

This prediction is based solely on the two's dating histories.

12 12. Stay Together: Luke Kennard and Anna Castro

The Detroit Pistons have been one of the most pleasant surprises in the NBA thus far in the season. They are looking at a top four seed in the Eastern Conference when everyone thought they would still be a doormat to most teams in the NBA. But with a trade of Avery Bradley, they have become a force so far. They also drafted a shooting guard out of Duke University with the 12th pick in the 2017 draft to bring some depth off the bench. His name is Luke Kennard. Kennard has a beautiful girlfriend in Anna Castro, which should last for a very long time.

Kennard is playing in the NBA in the city of Detroit. Detroit is a tough and hard city to perform in. He might succumb to the pressure of playing in the NBA, but at least he will have a sweet, beautiful girl to come home to every night. Anna Castro couldn't find anybody potentially better while Luke is on the court, battling every day, trying to get more minutes for a playoff caliber team. Look for these two to be getting more serious with their relationship once the new year rolls around.

11 11. Break Up: Zach Collins and Angelica Payne

The Portland Trail Blazers were looking for a big man in the 2017 NBA draft to go along with the back court duo that is Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum. They have a rising player in Pat Connaughton that has given them good minutes, but they wanted to add some height. With the 10th pick in the draft, they took Gonzaga big man Zach Collins. Collins helped Gonzaga make it all the way to the NCAA Championship game before bowing out to the University of North Carolina. He currently dates Angelica Payne, but it might not be that way for long.

Portland, Oregon may not have the style or flair or big city feeling of a Boston, New York, Chicago, etc. But Collins could be making millions in a few years and feel like he could upgrade. We definitely hope this isn't the case because they seem like such a nice looking couple. But like we mentioned before, life might just get in the way for these two which will lead to these two being done with the relationship in 2018.

10 10. Stay Together: Myles Garrett and Gabby...?

There are a lot of mysteries that might never be solved in today's world. What is the meaning of life? When will the Cleveland Browns ever be good again? Does Myles Garrett's girlfriend have a last name we can look up and find more on about her? Wait, what!? That is the case in this next sports couple that could be bound to be together for a very long time. Myles Garrett was the big defensive end out of Texas A&M that went number one overall in 2017. Though the Browns have not won a game so far in 2017, Garrett seems to be winning off of the field with his lady friend, Gabby.

We do not know a lot about this Gabby. Myles Garrett and Gabby are very private and mysterious about their lives. For that reason, these two will probably stay together come 2018. Gabby definitely will be sticking around to see how Myles's career unfolds, and besides, they seem to be living a good life in secrecy. That would truly be a double win for Myles Garrett. He will be making a good salary in the NFL and won't have to worry about his lady friend moving on to somebody else.

9 9. Break Up: Julius Peppers and Claudia Sampedro

Sometimes in the NFL, players just have certain connections with particular teams. It is almost like a fan base in football, no matter how hard a fan might like another team, they always will have that initial connection with their first team. Julius Peppers had a special connection with the Carolina Panthers during the first part of his career. After a few pit stops with other teams, found his way back "home" to Carolina for the 2017 season. Another feeling of home for him is coming into the arms of his four year partner, Claudia Sampedro.

They have been partners for four years and look like they could be together forever. Well a funny feeling inside tells me that this relationship will take a turn for the worse in 2018. Whatever the case may be, this long partnership will finally split because of a fluke one time ordeal that could cost them years together for the foreseeable future.

8 8. Stay Together: Ronda Rousey and Travis Browne

Newlyweds are the most likely couples to stay together forever as the wedding vibes wear off and reality sets in that they will be with each other in every phase of life. To add to that, newlyweds that have a lot in common are even more of a stretch to break up immediately after taking vows. This particular UFC couple tied the knot in August of 2017. Their love of MMA, working out, and aggressiveness could prove to be the main reasons as to why this couple is staying together for the long haul.

Ronda Rousey was one of the most feared female fighters at the peak of her career. Now, she is married to fellow UFC fighter Travis Browne. It seems like they are a match made in heaven. In reality, they are two people with very similar interests and schedules, which is why this relationship can work very well. Like we said, they are both very passionate and aggressive people. So, one small disagreement could be a very minor problem. But a minor disagreement won't be enough to keep these two from loving each other through thick and thin.

7 7. Break Up: Christian Vazquez and Gabriela Otero

The Boston Red Sox do not have a lot to be happy about these days. They have been eliminated from the American League Division series two years in a row. They are also 1-6 in those two series combined. They just lost out on slugger Giancarlo Stanton to their arch-rivals, the New York Yankees. So thing are looking bleak. One bright spot is catcher Christian Vazquez will continue to look to make strides to being their everyday catcher like the Red Sox envisioned when they first got him. He also has a beautiful girlfriend in Gabriela Otero. But do not look for that to continue in 2018.

Vazquez is still fairly young and a very good looking guy as well. He can get pretty much any lady he wants. Especially in Boston where there are beautiful women everywhere, he might reconsider his priorities. It also could just be a situation where he wants to focus on himself and get himself ready to have a big 2018 season. Whatever the case is, look for these two to potentially be done with each other in 2018 even before the season kicks off in April.

6 6. Stay Together: Mookie Betts and Brianna Hammonds

Sticking with the Boston Red Sox for another player in a relationship, this man was supposed to be the one to pick up the slack in 2017 power wise after David Ortiz retired. He fell a little short of expectations, especially after finishing second in the MVP voting to Mike Trout after the 2016 season. The Red Sox will once again look at Mookie Betts to provide the offensive power spark they were clearly missing last season. He has also been dating girlfriend Brianna Hammonds for a very long time now which looks like will be continuing strongly in 2018.

Mookie is a nice guy from Tennessee with down south values and morals. He is just trying to have fun and enjoy playing professional baseball while trying to win a World Series before his career is over. His season last year was lackluster for sure, maybe because he had some problems with Brianna. If that was the case, he should definitely try to reconcile things with her in 2018 to get his star-studded career back on track. Even if he doesn't, she still can go home to him and vice versa at the end of the day.

5 5. Break Up: Carson Wentz and Melissa Uhrich

Carson Wentz's life was looking pretty good throughout 2017. He was leading the Philadelphia Eagles to one of the best records in the NFL and even had people saying the Eagles were the favorite to come out of the NFC for the Super Bowl. But unfortunately, he tore his ACL and is now out for the rest of the season. He has to sit back and watch Nick Foles take the reigns and hope he can repeat the performance Wentz did to lead the Eagles. But the injury to the ACL might not be the only thing that hurts Carson Wentz. He is dating Melissa Uhrich, but that might not be for long either.

Wentz and Ulrich stayed together throughout college and into Wentz's early career, but we've seen many young NFL stars hit the market shortly after their rise to fame. With Wentz having just gone through a breakout year, it's possible his time on the shelf results in him hitting the market again.

4 4. Stay Together: Auston Matthews and Jordyn Johnson

The NHL is full of young stars these days. Look at the Toronto Maple Leafs, they acquired a perennial superstar in the 2016 draft with the first overall pick in center Auston Matthews. Matthews is giving the Maple Leafs relevance again to the city of Toronto. He also is winning off of the ice with current girlfriend Jordyn Johnson, and that could definitely last beyond just 2018.

Matthews might have been looking elsewhere to find a girl that will last with him forever in his past. There were even rumors that he was seeing a college student by the name of Emily Ruttledge before he started dating Johnson. However, we would not put it past Matthews if he said see you later to Emily forever and be committed to Jordyn for good. Keep an eye out on Auston Matthews within the next few months to see what happens with his love interest going on with Jordyn Johnson. Emily may try to enter back into his life, but Auston's love for Jordyn is sure to drive Emily away which would benefit everyone in this situation.

3 3. Break Up: Connor McDavid and Lauren Kyle

Besides Matthews, the other superstar in Canada that comes from Edmonton is named Connor McDavid. McDavid was the number one overall pick in the 2015 draft and he has not disappointed. Sure, he missed some time in 2015 with a broken collarbone. But, he has shown that not even a broken bone will slow down his career. He became one of the youngest captains in NHL history and looks to lead the Oilers back to the Western Conference playoffs. But off of the ice, Connor McDavid is dating beauty Lauren Kyle. But that might not last through 2018 either.

McDavid is a young, great hockey player who isn't lacking for looks or confidence. Lauren Kyle probably knows how incredibly lucky she is to be dating somebody of McDavid's status. He has shown he is mature and down to earth in post-game interviews. But one fight or one argument that cannot be fixed will lead to McDavid and Kyle calling things off and looking in different directions for companionship. Meanwhile, Connor McDavid will still be pursuing Stanley Cup championships as well.

2 2. Stay Together: Aaron Judge and Jen Flaum

Aaron Judge found himself becoming the king of New York really quickly during the 2017 MLB season. He won Rookie of the Year and was runner up in the MVP race, behind Astros second baseman Jose Altuve. He currently also is dating the beautiful Jen Flaum. They even show how fun they can be together with a little Clark Kent and Lois Lane costumes during Halloween. As much fun as they are having now, the fun could just be beginning as their relationship looks to get more serious, as soon as 2018 potentially.

Yes, Judge had a huge year last year for the Yankees and is one of the most desirable men living in New York. But if they are in love as much as the pictures and information tell us, these two should have no problems getting through every obstacle, no matter how big each one might be.

1 1. Break Up: Lonzo Ball and Denise Garcia

We end this list with one of the most pressured players to come out of the 2017 NBA draft, Lonzo Ball. It isn't necessarily Lonzo that gets the most attention in the Ball family, but his father Lavar. Lonzo has a lot of heat on him because of his dad making outrageous comments about his son. While we commend Lavar for having the utmost confidence in his son, we can't help but laugh at it. To take Lonzo's mind off of all the craziness, he dates high school sweetheart Denise Garcia. But this is a relationship that could end faster than LiAngelo Ball's time at UCLA.

There is so much going on in the Ball family right now that Lonzo might need some time to himself. His mom is going through cancer treatment, his dad is trying to launch Big Baller Brand, and his two little brothers just signed to go play ball in Lithuania professionally. A break might be best for Lonzo in this case. Look for them to split up in 2018. But do not be surprised if they get back together at some point down the line...unless Lavar has anything to say about that which he probably will.