Exciting Times Are Ahead For The UFC Lightweight Division
The UFC lightweight division has always been one of the toughest places for a fighter to make a living, but it may be reaching it’s strongest point yet. All of the top 10, barring Gray Maynard, Josh Thomson and Rafael dos Anjos, are coming off a win right now. Champion Anthony Pettis will not be short of potential contenders should he make it past Gilbert Melendez.
Benson Henderson still resides at number one and, whether you like his style or not, he will remain a legitimate force if he beats Rustam Khabilov. Jim Miller won his last bout against Fabricio Camoes and may well face Donald Cerrone now that Bobby Green is injured. TJ Grant is still out with concussion, but there is so much talent available that the Nova Scotian slugger is not holding things up.
Khabib Nurmagomedov made Rafael dos Anjos look like a novice in their UFC on Fox 11 showing, and will likely be looking at a contender fight next time out. Donald Cerrone, the former WEC lightweight champion, is 3-0 since losing to Rafael dos Anjos; ‘Cowboy’ beat and finished a very game opponent in Edson Barboza last night, and one more win would make it very hard to argue against a title shot for the Jackson’s product.
So what fights to make next? Well, firstly there is Josh Thomson vs. Rafael dos Anjos, which is if ‘The Punk’ doesn’t decide to call it quits. JT had indicated that he was done with MMA after his decision loss to Ben Henderson, but I think the former Strikeforce boss still has plenty to offer the division. Currently ranked number four and five, Thomson and RDA wouold make sense for the rankings, and would likely be a great styles match.
Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Donald Cerrone is another fight that I’d love to see happen, and that would make perfect sense for the rankings. ‘Cowboy’ never shies away from a fight, and ‘The Eagle’ is one the fieriest 155 pounders ever. Plus, while the championship is on hold for ‘El Nino’ and ‘Showtime’, there still needs to be a few more fights to keep the division active and fresh.
Nate Diaz resides at number six, and should really consider fighting soon if he ever wants a chance at title glory. It is a clear statement of the division’s depth when you have guys like Myles Jury, Michael Johnson, Bobby Green, Rustam Khabilov and Edson Barboza outside of the top 10. Lightweight is a very exciting division for the fans right now, and I look forward to seeing how this whole thing plays out.
