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The UFC light heavyweight division has been one to watch in recent weeks. Jamahal Hill put the weight class on notice with his knockout win over Johnny Walker not so long ago. Another big-time fight at 205 lbs will go down this Saturday when Thiago Santos faces Magomed Ankalaev.
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The 205 lb division saw some big moments in 2021, most notably Glover Teixeira winning gold to become the oldest first-time UFC champion. At the same time, however, there is somewhat of a logjam at the top of the division.
Jiri Prochazka, Aleksandar Rakic, and Dominick Reyes have not competed since the first half of last year. While you can understand their reasoning, it would be nice to get some big-time fights going in the division.
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With that in mind, here are five fights to make in the UFC light heavyweight division:
#5. Johnny Walker vs. Da Un Jung - UFC light heavyweight division
Johnny Walker's recent performances have shown that he needs a step down in the level of competition he is facing, at least for the moment. Losing three fights in a row can be bad news for fighters in the UFC. Now seems like the right time for the Brazilian to fight someone outside of the rankings.
The light heavyweight division in the UFC is surprisingly deep, so there aren't too many easier options out there. Da Un Jung seems the most deserving of this opportunity as he has not been defeated since 2015. Now five fights into his UFC run, it looks like a good time to see if he can be a contender.
Jung's split decision draw with Sam Alvey is likely a result that would give Walker confidence that he could defend his spot in the rankings. If the Brazilian were to lose, it would be time to seriously review his standing in the UFC. However, at the same time, it could be just what the Brazilian needs to get back on track.
#4. Ryan Spann vs. Ion Cutelaba - UFC light heavyweight division
The UFC scheduled this fight for February 26th, and while it fell through then, it still seems like an appropriate bout for these two light heavyweights. With the No.13 Ryan Spann losing last time out and Ion Cutelaba winning but recently dropping out of the rankings, a fight between both men makes sense.
Spann likely had the more decorated resume of the two but was out-classed in his most recent bout against Anthony Smith. While Cutelaba has suffered more losses, he has taken on some of the very best in the division, including the current champion, Glover Teixeira.
With the pair deserving of their ranked status but struggling to break through into the upper echelons of the division, this would be an important fight for both men. The winner would earn themselves another shot at taking on the bigger names at 205 lbs, while the loser may risk dropping out of the rankings.
#3. Volkan Oezdemir vs. Dustin Jacoby - UFC light heavyweight division
Dustin Jacoby is the newest addition to the UFC light heavyweight rankings. He defeated Michał Oleksiejczuk this past Saturday, and it will now be interesting to see how he fairs against more established fighters in the division. Perhaps the man to welcome him to life as a ranked fighter is Volkan Oezdemir.
Oezdemir may not have won a fight since 2019, but he remains one of the most intriguing fighters in the light heavyweight division. The Swiss fighter has lost his last two fights but should not be overlooked as he is a former title challenger with some big wins, including Aleksander Rakic.
While Oezdemir has been calling out Jamahal Hill on Twitter, this bout seems to make a little more sense given his recent losses. For him, this fight could see him get back on track with an important ranked win. As for Jacoby, a win would put the division on notice and extend his undefeated run to nine straight fights.
#2. Jamahal Hill vs. Anthony Smith - UFC light heavyweight division
Jamahal Hill appears to be a legitimate contender in the UFC light heavyweight division. He has broken into the division's top ten and competed in his first main event, taking on an established contender in Anthony Smith makes sense.
While Hill has been going back and forth with Volkan Oezdemir over Twitter, Smith seems like a more appropriate next fight for the surging talent. In fact, 'Lionheart' has gone on record to say he would accept this particular bout should the UFC offer it to him.
Smith has been busy lately, winning three consecutive first-round finishes to re-enter the title picture. He hasn't been afraid to fight lower-ranked opponents during this run and is clearly keen on this match-up with Hill. If he were able to win this, a title shot could conceivably await him.
A flash new contender flying up the rankings versus an established veteran trying to get back to the belt would be a fun narrative in this one. Both men have made quick work of their recent opponents, so this fight would be a great way of seeing which fighter is ready for the very top of the division.
#1. Dominick Reyes vs. Paulo Costa - UFC light heavyweight division
Dominick Reyes appeared to be the heir apparent to the light heavyweight division when Jon Jones announced he was moving up to heavyweight. Reyes had just narrowly lost to Jones in a fight many people felt he won and was immediately inserted into a bout for the vacant title.
However, he was finished in that bout by Jan Blachowicz and then suffered another defeat at the hands of Jiri Prochazka in his last bout. That fight left him on a three-fight losing streak, and we haven't seen Reyes since this bout back in May 2021.
Paulo Costa has gone through a similar arc in the middleweight division. However, after failing to make weight against Marvin Vettori, he could be headed to 205 lbs. Nonetheless, he remains a very dangerous competitor and could easily become a player in the division very quickly.
This fight would be a good way to create hype around one of these fighters who might have lost some steam recently. Either Costa arrives in the light heavyweight division with a bang, or Reyes proves he is still one of the best in the world at 205 lbs.
