UFC 136: 5 Lightweights Next in Line to Fight the Edgar/Maynard 3 Winner

Arguably the most talent-rich weight class in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, the lightweight division is home to some of the most memorable battles in recent history.

The lightweights are often criticized for a lack of finishes, but they have always been a staple for exhilarating bouts regardless of whether or not they are able to secure a knockout or a submission.

The unforgettable rematch between lightweight champion Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard at UFC 125 earlier this year is proof of that. Neither Edgar nor Maynard were able to finish the fight, and due to the fact that they were so evenly matched, the judges ruled the contest a draw after 25 minutes of jaw-dropping MMA action.

Just a mere three days away from settling the score in what can only be described as one of the most anticipated trilogies in the history of the sport, Edgar and Maynard are eager to prove who is truly the best in the world at 155 lbs.

However, as hungry as they are, there are challengers behind them with even bigger appetites.

The division is so stacked right now that a clear cut contender has yet to be determined, but here are five lightweights worthy of the next title shot.

*Note: Do not mistake this list as the official rankings of the lightweight division. Any fighter who has lost his last bout will not be considered for a title shot. Jim Miller is a top five contender, but came up short in his last trip to the Octagon, which is why he is left off the list.

Gilbert Melendez

The Stats

Record: 19-2

Camp: Skrap Pack

Last Fight: TKO victory over Tatsuya Kawajiri at Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley

Current Win Streak: Five

Notable Victories: Shinya Aoki, Clay Guida, Josh Thomson and Tatsuya Kawajiri

Strengths: Boxing, Wrestling

Weaknesses: Could be overwhelmed against a more technical striker that has the wrestling to keep it standing

Threats he poses to the Edgar/Maynard 3 Winner

Melendez is the current reining Strikeforce lightweight champion, but UFC President Dana White has been very vocal as of late in his interests in bringing the Cesar Gracie-trained fighter into the UFC. If that’s the case, White could easily bump Melendez into a title fight right off the bat, just like he did (tried to do, at least) with teammate Nick Diaz.

If you look at Melendez’s style on paper, he has everything necessary to defeat both Edgar and Maynard. This includes an overwhelming wrestling base, endless cardio, solid hands, elite submission defense and an incredibly durable chin.

However, some could argue that Melendez has been dominant with his wrestling only because he has yet to compete against an athlete with equal or greater credentials in wrestling than that of his own.

This is a valid point, and one that would be tested against Edgar or Maynard, both of which have better on-paper NCAA credentials than “El Nino."

Ben Henderson

The Stats

Record: 14-2

Camp: MMA Lab

Last Fight: Unanimous decision over Jim Miller at UFC on Versus 5

Current Win Streak: Two

Notable Victories: Jim Miller, Mark Bocek and Donald Cerrone

Strengths: Wrestling, Kickboxing, BJJ, Athleticism

Weaknesses: Capable on the feet but not overly skilled in that department; could get picked apart against an elite striker with takedown defense

Threats he poses to the Edgar/Maynard 3 Winner

Jim Miller was being looked at as the next contender to the lightweight title by both his employers and the fans. Everyone had Miller slated to get the sloppy seconds after Edgar and Maynard completed their trilogy. That was, until Henderson came along and shook everything up.

Henderson absolutely dominated Miller, and if there was any sort of legit approach to determining title contenders, Henderson would already be signed on to fight the lightweight champion in his next fight.

Unfortunately, nothing is ever set in stone when it comes to UFC title shots, but if it is, Henderson, who is next in line, definitely presents problems for either Edgar or Maynard.

Henderson is the most athletic fighter in the entire division, and his technical skills are rapidly improving on a daily basis. It is nearly impossible to knock the former WEC champion out and an even harder task to finish Henderson with a submission.

He’s fast, he’s powerful and he has the conditioning to maintain a constant pressure on his opponents for the entire duration of a 25-minute title fight.

Clay Guida

The Stats

Record: 29-11

Camp: Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts

Last Fight: Unanimous decision over Anthony Pettis at the TUF 13 Finale

Current Win Streak: Four

Notable Victories: Anthony Pettis, Takanori Gomi, Rafael Dos Anjos and Nate Diaz

Strengths: Wrestling, Conditioning, Durability

Weaknesses: Not a very good striker, usually loses when up against the elite of the division, doesn’t have great submission defense

Threats he poses to the Edgar/Maynard 3 winner:

Nobody ever questioned Guida’s toughness or his ability to put on an exciting fight, but many doubted if “The Carpenter” had what it took to be a contender. After a streak of winning some and losing some, Guida aligned himself with Greg Jackson and has been unbeaten since.

Jackson and striking coach Mike Winkeljohn have refined Guida’s game and essentially forced the caveman to evolve. Guida now has the toolset necessary to become a world champion and the brilliant game-planning of Master Yoda and Obi Wan Kanobi in Jackson and Winkeljohn to back him up.

Edgar and Maynard are going to be tough matchups for Guida on paper, but his coaching staff alone makes Guida dangerous to them.

Melvin Guillard

The Stats

Record: 29-8-2

Camp: Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts

Last Fight: TKO victory over Shane Roller at UFC 132

Current Win Streak: Five

Notable Victories: Evan Dunham, Jeremy Stephens, Gleison Tibau and Dennis Siver

Strengths: Boxing, Explosiveness, Speed, Judo, Wrestling

Weaknesses: BJJ, tends to get over-relentless at times, leaves himself open against technical fighters

Threats he poses to the Edgar/Maynard 3 winner:

UFC commentator Joe Rogan has often described Guillard as a fighter with all of the potential to become the baddest man on the planet someday, but not enough skills in his arsenal to follow through.

Guillard would destroy an opponent in devastating fashion in one fight but then get submitted due to a careless mistake in the next one. It was an inconsistent streak that Guillard struggled with in the UFC for quite some time until he aligned himself with Greg Jackson and the entire team over in Albuquerque, N.M.

Against the champion, whether it will be Edgar or Maynard, Guillard’s explosive striking will present a problem. On paper, it is easy to assume that Guillard would just get taken down and dominated on the ground, but we cannot forget about Guillard’s underrated credentials in wrestling and Judo.

If Guillard can effectively defend takedowns from Edgar or Maynard, he could absolutely put a hurting on them with relentless striking combinations. Talk all you want about the technical boxing of Edgar and Maynard; neither of them are as deadly as Guillard is on the feet.  

Of course, Guillard first has to get past Joe Lauzon at UFC 136 before being propelled into a title fight.

Dennis Siver

The Stats

Record: 19-7

Camp: Kiboju

Last Fight: Unanimous decision over Matt Wiman at UFC 132

Current Win Streak: Four

Notable Victories: Matt Wiman, George Sotiropoulos and Spencer Fisher

Strengths: Unorthodox Kickboxing

Weaknesses: Easy to control on the ground if up against anyone with a capable ground game

Threats he poses to the Edgar/Maynard 3 winner:

If MMA judges truly understood how to call the sport, Matt Wiman would be the fifth contender on this list. In my eyes and in the eyes of several fans and even Justin Bieber, Wiman should have earned a decision victory over Siver at UFC 132.

Nevertheless, worse decisions have been made, and according to the record books, Siver won the fight. The German lightweight has gathered up enough wins as of late to be considered a potential contender, but realistically, it’s difficult to favor him against any top tier lightweight, including the lightweight champion and current challenger.

Siver’s unorthodox style of striking, especially his spinning back kick, will always pose threats to any opponent, but until he develops his ground game, he will not hold a UFC title.

Defeating Sotiropoulos (who was previously unbeaten in the UFC) was definitely an eye-opener, but Sotiropoulos was also recently knocked out by Rafael Dos Anjos, so perhaps the win wasn’t as impressive as originally thought.

Mitch Ciccarelli is the sexiest columnist in MMA and the undisputed Sexyweight champion of the world. Enough said.

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