UFC’s Light Heavyweight Division is in Need of an Overhaul

(Via: UFC Twitter)

With one of the premier bouts of UFC 227 between perennial contender Alex Gustafsson and Volkan Oezdemir scrapped due to multiple injuries, the top of the light heavyweight division is in a state of flux. The last of the old guard in the division, Rashad Evans and Shogun Rua, are on their way out, which would signal a rejuvenation of talent; however, the UFC seems to be overlooking this once stacked weight class.

As of today, the average age in the top 15 of the UFC’s light heavyweight division is 32.7 years. This includes 39-year-old champion Daniel Cormier, who is most likely going to be defending his heavyweight belt later on this year against Brock Lesnar. This super-fight would likely set up an interim title fight for Gustafsson and Oezdemir at a later date, the thought of which upsets many fans.

Young talents, the likes of Tyson Pedro and Dominick Reyes have shown promise, and once the rankings are updated this week we will most likely see journeyman Anthony Smith featured in the top 15. Pedro’s 0-2 against top 15 opponents, Reyes has finished 8/9 opponents but has no wins against top talent and Smith is on a run and could pick up the term “legend killer” with successive wins over Evans and Shogun, but does this warrant a quick rise through the rankings?

With middleweight super fights being announced for UFC 230, including: Weidman-Rockhold, Romero-Costa, and Branch-Souza, the buzz around this division couldn’t be louder. Heavyweights are lining up for a shot at gold, with newcomers Alexander Volkov, and Curtis Blaydes providing a breath of fresh air in a relatively stagnant weight class. At light heavyweight we’re left to wonder what’s next? Cormier has intentions of fighting once or twice more and then calling it a career. Former contenders Jon Jones (serving USADA suspension) and Anthony Johnson (enjoying retirement) have little bearing on the future of the 205 division.

(Via: UFC Twitter)

So where do we go from here? Does Anthony Smith find future success against top 10 opponents? Do we see a return of some familiar faces, the likes of Nikita Krylov, or Jon Jones? We have a 28th season of The Ultimate Fighter on the horizon, with middleweights Robert Whittaker and Kelvin Gastelum leading a cast of heavyweights and women’s featherweights to potential UFC contracts. It appears as if for now, the light heavyweight has been placed on the back-burner with bigger fights to be made in other divisions.