One look at the latest UFC lightweight rankings should tell you immediately what a snake pit of a division it truly is. Despite doubts that he hasn’t yet beaten a true top-ranked lightweight, Khabib Nurmagomedov sits pretty at the top of the lightweight food chain. With reports surfacing that Khabib will meet ‘He Who Can’t Be Punished’ later this year, the rest of the talented lightweight contenders will have to bide their time if they want a title shot.
The rankings do throw up issues around McGregor and Nate Diaz, should they even been ranked as they haven’t fought in the UFC for so long. McGregor last competed in the Octagon in November 2016, for Diaz it’s even longer since McGregor beat him in their rematch in August of the same year. But I guess depending on who you are, anything goes I suppose.
For Tony Ferguson, it’s a case of when he will return after his knee operation at 34, time away from the ring could be problematic, especially after such a serious injury. Ferguson will return probably next year, but will he be the same fighter on his return, Kevin Lee thinks not.
Eddie Alvarez and Dustin Poirier should do it again, after the controversy from their first fight, almost certainly it would be to determine who would be next in line after Khabib and McGregor inevitably square off. Poirier wants it, Alvarez I’m not so sure, but both and Lee have a choice to fight or sit and wait and hope for a title shot. All 3 will need to fight one of the other 2, to remove the other from the title picture, out of the 3 Alvarez is probably in pole position, but the way McGregor blew him away, would that go against him.
Whatever happens and who fights who, it will be some 2018 for the lightweight division.
UFC Lightweight Rankings:
C Khabib Nurmagomedov 26-0-0
1 Conor McGregor 21-3-0
2 Tony Ferguson 24-3-0
3 Eddie Alvarez 29-5-0
4 Dustin Poirier 23-5-0
5 Kevin Lee 17-3-0
6 Edson Barboza 19-6-0
7 Justin Gaethje 18-2-0
8 Nate Diaz 20-11-0
9 Michael Chiesa 14-3-0
10 Al Iaquinta 13-4-1
11 James Vick 13-1-0
12 Anthony Pettis 20-7-0
13 Alexander Hernandez 9-1-0
14 Paul Felder 15-3-0
15 Olivier Aubin-Mercier 12-2-0
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