The Lightweight Division is Alive!
By Eddie Sanchez
UFC 257 was full of excitement, and disappointment, from a certain point of view. The night was full of Lightweight glory with Michael Chandler and Dustin Poirier earning key victories in their pursuit of the UFC’s Lightweight Championship of the World.
As the co-main, Michael Chandler welcomed himself to the UFC fans who tuned in and let them know that he is ready and able to compete at the highest level. He demonstrated excellent patience, strategic movement and brute strength that should translate well against any of the elite contenders that the UFC has to offer.
As if this performance wasn’t enough to captivate the crowd in attendance, and the millions who tuned in (or at least tried to – thanks ESPN+ for some disappointment), Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor gave an excellent performance in the main event.
It was clear from the jump that Conor McGregor was supremely confident. He had a wide stance which limited his lateral movement and was not phased by Dustin’s lead leg kicks, which ultimately proved to be his downfall.
There were some beautiful exchanges, especially when the two rivals were in a clinch and traded shoulder strikes. As the second round carried on, it was clear that Conor’s leg was compromised. Once he was tagged with a right hand from Dustin that knocked his equilibrium off balance, he was unable to firmly plant and evade the following onslaught which ended up with him lying on the canvas in disappointment.
The natural question everyone had after these two matchups was, “How will the rankings turn out, and what can we expect going forward in regards to the belt, that Khabib is currently holding captive?”
Fortunately, we got our answer to the first question on this fine Tuesday, January 26th. The rankings have been released, and to the surprise of many, there are some questions about the hidden intentions behind them.
As you can see, Dustin Poirieir is listed as the number one contender, and rightfully so. Since his loss to Khabib, he has two dominant victories over Dan Hooker and Conor McGregor.
There are some fans that are disappointed with Justin Gaethje being listed at number 2 coming off of a loss to Khabib. This feeling is especially felt given that Charles Oliviera is on an eight fight winning streak, including his most recent victory over Tony Ferguson.
While I agree that Oliviera should be ranked second in the division, I am okay with Justin sitting at the two spot if it secures a rematch between Poirier and Gaethje.
The two “Ustin’s” fought in 2018, where Dustin knocked out Justin in the fourth round. If this fight is scheduled, that would set up a very intriguing matchup between Charles Oliviera and Michael Chandler for the right to face the victor of Poirier-v-Gaethje. Out of the three possible matchups between these four men, this seems to be the best iteration.
Naturally, with Ferguson following in the rankings at fifth and Conor sitting at sixth, there is potential for a long-awaited crossroads matchup between the two veterans. This fight would be the best move for Conor if he is serious about remaining in the title picture.
Of course, there are also fans and media personnel clamouring for the trilogy between Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz. Given the history between the two men, and the need from the UFC to get as much excitement as possible for McGregor, this may be the most likely option.
It’s crazy to think that the UFC has a need to get Conor some positive action, but that’s the reality we face when you understand that he is 1-2 in his last three UFC fights and also lost to Mayweather in the boxing ring. Although the boxing match shouldn’t be held against him, it still represents a fact that he has only been victorious once in the last four and a half years.
It will be interesting to see how Dana and the UFC move forward with their scheduling. There are plenty of intriguing matchups and the promotion is surely grateful for this moment, even if they are naturally a little disappointed in Conor losing the way he did to kick off the first PPV of 2021.
Regardless of how the UFC decides to maneuver with their scheduling, I would like to see Khabib removed from the rankings entirely. Unless there has been more said behind the scenes to indicate that he is going to make a return, it’s not fair to hold the belt hostage in a division that is as exciting as one can possibly hope for.
If you were making the call, who would be fighting Dustin Poirier for the vacant Lightweight Championship: Justin Gaethje, Michael Chandler or Charles Oliviera?
