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#3 Best: Cult hero Latifi picks up a signature win

Powerhouse Ilir Latifi picked up a big win last night

Swedish powerhouse Ilir Latifi has long been a cult favourite with UFC fans, and it’s largely because of his out-of-cage persona – a powerlifter’s physique mixed with fascinating videos of him deadlifting insane weights and riding horseback while shirtless. However, he’d also slowly been climbing the ranks at 205lbs as well. Going into last night’s fight with Ovince St. Preux he was 4-1 since the start of 2015, and had recently beaten prospect Tyson Pedro.

Last night’s win over OSP was his biggest one to date, particularly as St. Preux was ranked #5 coming in. Latifi rocked and dropped him with punches before leaving him unconscious following a guillotine choke. It was the kind of signature win that the Swedish powerhouse had been missing, but following it nobody can deny he’s a true title contender in the UFC’s thinnest division.

While he’s unlikely to receive the title shot he craves in 2018 – champ Daniel Cormier has his hands full with Heavyweight champ Stipe Miocic – it could put him in line for a shot against a true top contender like Glover Teixeira. And with Cormier unlikely to return to the division (he claims he’s likely retiring after the Miocic fight) it could mean that another big win might put him in line for a shot in 2019.