The UFC’s lightweight division is stacked, but it’s also going through some major changes at the moment.
Khabib Nurmagomedov has retired, and even if “The Eagle” is lured back by Dana White for one last fight, the 29-0 champ’s days are numbered. Arch-nemesis Conor McGregor is set to battle Dustin Poirier for the second time, with that fight going down in just a matter of weeks. The winner of that fight could very well be fast-tracked to the title. Michael Chandler is arriving that same night, at UFC 257.
Which means the 155lb division in 2021 could look very different. So who should the promotion bring into the mix? We’ve got our picks lined up.
Here’s a look at last year’s list, featuring current UFC roster members Alexander Shabliy, Guram Kutateladze, Jai Herbert, and Nikolas Motta signing with the UFC in 2020. Usman Nurmagomedov, meanwhile, signed on with Bellator MMA later in 2020.
Bruno Miranda
Mansour Barnaoui
Alexander Shabliy
Guram Kutateladze
Jai Herbert
Mateusz Rebecki
Nikolas Motta
Rafa Garcia
Tofiq Musayev
Usman Nurmagomedov
Here’s who we see as deserving of a shot in 2021.
