With Johny Hendricks Injured, Two Big Fights Make Sense At Welterweight
The UFC welterweight division is a very busy and exciting place right now; Johny Hendricks is the new champion after beating Robbie Lawler at UFC 171, and as always there are plenty of awesome match ups to be made.
Nick Diaz has been hinting at a return, Rory MacDonald got back on track with an exciting win over Demian Maia, and then there are the winners at 171. Tyron Woodley is in the mix at number four, Hector Lombard now occupies the number six spot.
The thrills and spills of last Saturday’s event have been somewhat dampened by Hendricks’ recent announcement of an injury he sustained in training. The potential is there for a lay off period for the newly crowned champion, but that also leads to the possibility of some great fights.
In ‘Bigg Rigg’s’ absence, there are some fights that I’d be very keen to see. First off, Hector Lombard vs. Nick Diaz. The semi-retired Diaz is always looking to get back in the mix, but a return title shot would be ridiculous. ‘Lightning’ is very dangerous, and an impressive win against a top level guy like Diaz would work wonders for his title hopes.
On the other hand, Diaz would be back with a legitimate shout for a title fight if he can come back from a year-plus layoff and beat a top 10 guy. Also, there is the ‘styles make fights’ angle; Diaz with his plodding forward boxing style, and Lombard with his heavy-handed KO approach would be great to see.
Another bout that I feel would make sense is Rory MacDonald vs. Tyron Woodley. ‘The Chosen One’ beat Carlos Condit and really boosted his stock at 171, and MacDonald is currently the number two at 170 pounds. With ‘The Natural Born Killer’ out of commission, this fight could very well be a great option for a #1 contender bout.
Of course we have to consider that Robbie Lawler is still at the top end of the division, Jake Ellenberger resides at number five, so there are so many fights to make at ww right now. The truth is, as well as being the most stacked category; welterweight could well prove a lot of work for UFC matchmaker Joe Silva.
Who knows, maybe Diaz walks straight back to yet another title shot? The rankings are becoming more like an employee recording system by the day, and the big money fights seem to take primacy over the more legitimately deserved ones. How do you think the immediate future for welterweight will shape up?
Photo: Stephen R. Sylvanie for USA TODAY Sports
