There is no dead-set #1 contender in the stacked UFC featherweight division, but after UFC 162, expect the next challengers for the title to be considerably shortlisted, as four of the top 145-pounders in the world fight on the event’s main card.
In the co-main event of the evening, former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar takes on a Charles Oliveira with his UFC career on the line, and in the opening bout of the main pay-per-view card, Cub Swanson takes on Dennis Siver in what should be an exciting stand-up fight.
The winners of these two bouts will no doubt be on the shortlist to take on the winner of Jose Aldo vs. Chan Sung Jung, which takes place at UFC 163 in August. And because UFC 162 is one of the biggest cards of the year, if any of these four men pick up an ultra-impressive victory, it’s possible that he could jump past Ricardo Lamas and into that #1 contender spot.
It’s not fair to Lamas, who was scratched from the card after an injury to Anthony Pettis necessitated the Aldo vs. Jung fight, but it’s just the way the fight game works. In the fight game, whether it’s the promoters, the fans, or the fighters, everyone has a short memory, and trust me, more people are going to remember if Swanson knocks out Siver or vice versa than they will Lamas’ TKO victory over Erik Koch earlier this year.
You can tell the 145-pound division is stacked from reading this article already, but consider this isn’t even taking into account the other contenders at 145 pounds — guys like Nik Lentz, Chad Mendes, and Clay Guida. Basically the UFC is going to have a lot of options to choose from, and now it’s in the hands of the fighters to make it happen, but the featherweights fighting at UFC 162 have the added benefit of performing at the biggest show of the year, and thus have the chance to get a huge push on a huge stage before a potential title shot.
In the case of “The Answer,” Edgar thought he beat Aldo at UFC 156, and he wants to prove he’s the best 145-pounder in the world. So he needs to finish Oliveira and prove he still has what it takes to hold a UFC belt again.
Swanson, on the other hand, lost to Aldo back in the WEC, but wants to prove that fight was a fluke, and he needs to knock out Siver in order to show he should be the next guy in line.
With Siver, he dropped down to 145 after a long UFC career at 155, and is 2-0 so far at featherweight, so if he beats Swanson in impressive fashion, maybe he’s the next guy.
And as far as Oliveira goes, he’s the furthest of the bunch from a title shot, but if he finishes Edgar he’ll jump into the top 10 of the division.
It will all depend on who has the best performance, but it’s possible the UFC could build a new featherweight star at UFC 162, or at least reestablish the top-dog status of a former champ. Regardless, look for both of these featherweight fights to deliver. And with so much on the line, don’t be surprised if you see the 145ers collecting all of the bonus money at the stacked UFC 162 card, and one of them being handed a title shot by UFC president Dana White at the event’s post-fight press conference.
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UFC 162: Silva vs. Weidman is due to take place on July 6, 2013 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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