By far the biggest story of 2016 thus far has been the UFC lightweight division. We’ve already had some results that have shaked the division, as well as a gigantic superfight booked between featherweight champion Conor McGregor and lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos. Furthermore, exciting match ups loom in the distance, and up-and-coming prospects are on their way up the ladder. The UFC lightweight division has always been touted as the most “stacked” division in the UFC, but that statement could not be any more truthful than right now. Here’s a little breakdown of what is in store for fans, and what may transpire in the future.
Upcoming Fights
Diego Sanchez vs. Jim Miller (Mar 5, UFC 197) – While both Sanchez and Miller are definitey at the tail end of their illustrious MMA careers, this match up is destined to be absolute fireworks. Sanchez brings fire into the Octagon and looks to get into a slugfest every chance he gets, but Miller doesn’t back down from the heat either. Make no mistake about it, you probably won’t see either Sanchez nor Miller in the top ten, but this is still a fun match up between two real veterans of the game.
#5 Tony Ferguson vs. #7 Michael Johnson (Mar 5, UFC 197) – Currently on a 7-fight win streak, Tony “El Cucuy” Ferguson has been on a rampage tearing through the UFC lightweight division. He’s not only an exciting finisher, but he has been a real dark horse – going unnoticed until rather recently. Michael Johnson on the other hand was at one point a highly-touted UFC contender, but back-to-back decision losses put him at a pivotal moment in his UFC career. This will be a rematch of an earlier meeting which took place exactly 4 years ago where Johnson defeated Ferguson by unanimous decision.
(c) Rafael dos Anjos vs. (c) Conor McGregor (Mar 5, UFC 197) – This is the big one. It’s champion vs. champion as featherweight kingpin, icon, and rockstar Conor McGregor takes on what many are calling his biggest test to date in lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos. RDA is an absolutely wrecking machine and he has been tearing through the division’s best like nobody has ever seen before. He’s a terrifying striker with non-stop aggression and a highly respected ground game as well. Conor on the other hand is a fluid, silky smooth striker with mystical punching power in his left hand. There a lot of questions that I hope will be answered in this fight. While I can spend days talking about this match up, it’s best to shelf the discussion until it’s appropriate.
Match Ups to Make
After a successful close to 2015, and a rampant start to 2016, there are still a lot of ranked contenders in need of match ups. Of course the argument can be made for Eddie Alvarez to get the next title shot against the winner of Rafael dos Anjos and Conor McGregor, but I don’t see this happening to Alvarez quite yet – look for him to take on one more guy.
In the scenario that McGregor defeats dos Anjos and becomes a two-weight champion, he will most likely defend his featherweight belt against Frankie Edgar (or whoever the UFC gives the 145 lb title shot) at UFC 200. This means Conor wouldn’t be able to defend his lightweight belt until late-2016, and I don’t see Alvarez waiting that long. In the scenario that dos Anjos holds onto his title, then maybe a dos Anjos vs. Alvarez title fight may loom in the future.
#12 Dustin Poirier has recently called Eddie Alvarez out. I like this match up stylistically, but unfortunate #1 against #12 is a bit of a jump and I have a hard time believing the UFC would book this. However, if they do, it would certainly give Poirier the chance to leapfrog the division, and it could be a good test for Alvarez as well.
Another rumored bout is Eddie Alvarez vs. #2 Khabib Nurmagomedov, who has been out of action due to injury for nearly two years and is scheduled to return this Spring. While this match up isn’t quite as exciting as Poirier/Alvarez, it does seem to make a lot more sense, and would definitely produce a clear number one contender. While Alvarez has spoken about wanting to wait for a title shot, I just don’t think it’s realistic. Look for him to take on Nurmagomedov.
Another fighter many are looking forward to seeing again is #6 Nate Diaz who recently upset Michael Johnson earlier this year. Diaz is now back in the mix, and was very vocal about wanting to fight Conor McGregor. While that match up (no matter who exciting it is) isn’t a realistic opportunity, look for Diaz to get booked against a style that is just as entertaining. The thought of Nate Diaz vs. #3 Anthony Pettis sounds good to me. Pettis recently dropped a split decision to Eddie Alvarez, and voiced his desire to get a “real fight”. It doesn’t get much more real than Nate Diaz.
Some other fights to make are: #8 Beneil Dariush vs. #9 Edson Barboza, #10 Al Iaquinta vs. #12 Dustin Poirier, and #13 Michael Chiesa vs. #14 Evan Dunham.
As you can see, the UFC lightweight division looks like it will bring us a lot of intense, exciting action in 2016.
