What's at Stake in UFC's Light Heavyweight Division at Fight Night 153

The UFC's light heavyweight division used to be its bell cow. It was the I Ching of the UFC with Tito Ortiz, Chuck Liddell and Randy Couture. It was one of the linchpins during the explosion of the company's popularity, and it is still helmed by one of the sport's top stars in Jon Jones.

Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, the division thinned out. It's been a shallow and stagnant weight class for several years. On Saturday, the UFC will take four of its top stars and attempt to reinvigorate the ranks and provide a little clarity to the top end.

The main and co-main bouts on the bill are both in the 205-pound division. What's at stake Saturday at UFC Fight Night 153 is not just their status in the division but also an attempt to regain some of the past glory of the 205-pound class.

It is a crucial time to try to regain its past glory as the premier weight division in the company.

No. 2-ranked contender Alexander Gustafsson meets No. 4-ranked Anthony Smith in the main event, while No. 11-ranked Jimi Manuwa takes on one of the division's hottest prospects, Aleksandar Rakic, in the co-main event. These fights have to deliver action.

No matter the results Saturday, no immediate title shot awaits anyone. Champion Jon Jones will meet Thiago Santos later this year. Assuming he wins, he still holds wins over both main event competitors, while Manuwa and Rakic are on the backend of the top 10.

But if these fights don't deliver, the light heavyweight division sputters along without interest. Few fans buy into anyone giving Jones a real challenge, and no one is clamoring for any other 205-pound fight to be put together. In past eras, even in non-title bouts, fans were wanting to see Rampage Jackson, Rashad Evans, Forrest Griffin and Shogun Rua—and the list goes on. Now? Silence comes when it is mentioned.

The event was also supposed to feature No. 7-ranked Volkan Oezdemir vs. No. 9-ranked Ilir Latifi. However, the UFC announced Latifi had to withdraw because of a back injury days before the contest. Even still, it's worth noting their position in the division moving forward and that the UFC was trying to spotlight this weight class.

What good does it do Jones, the UFC or any contender if fans aren't excited about the matchups?

If UFC Fight Night 153's top two tilts light the arena on fire, people will begin to talk more about what is happening. They will talk about the winners more and start actively wanting to see them return to the Octagon. Lay an egg, and fans will quickly forget.

None of the light heavyweights can afford to drop further out of the public consciousness. If the trajectory of the division continues its downward slide, these talented fighters will soon be thrust on to preliminary cards because no one will be paying to see them.

While many may focus on titles, the loss of an identity to the public is even more important. And that is up for grabs on Saturday. The pieces are in place for Saturday's event to have an exciting conclusion and reinvigorate the division's public perception.

Manuwa vs. Rakic is set up to be a barn-burner with a violent finish, and Smith's style should force Gustafsson to engage in an exciting manner. The UFC has done well with its matchmaking to try to make the division exciting once again.

Now it's time to deliver.