

Numbers that could make a difference: 3 vs. Saturday's fights are on ESPN+, with the main card starting at 7 p.m. Will this new wave come into its own over the next year, or will the old guard hold it off? One of those battles will play out on Saturday. But will new names emerge, or will the names already at the top remain huddled there? Jiri Prochazka and Aleksandar Rakic are two exciting contenders who haven't yet fought for the title, but other than that, the top of the division is occupied by a lot of familiar figures. There is certainly talent in this 205-pound division. Jamahill Hill, 30, just suffered his first defeat to veteran Paul Craig. Ryan Spann, 30, has promise, but he just lost to veteran Anthony Smith. Magomed Ankalaev, 29, has looked solid and has a big test coming next month against Volkan Oezdemir. Walker is part of a new wave of light heavyweights you can see on the horizon, but will they make it to land? Dominick Reyes, 31, looked like someone who could take the division's helm, but he's now lost three straight. After cruising to a 3-0 record with three first-round stoppages, he suffered tough losses to Corey Anderson and Nikita Krylov. His athleticism and danger factor are enticing, but he's experienced hurdles already. He signed with the UFC in 2018 at age 26. He's an exciting fighter with, presumably, plenty of years still in the tank.īut if we're talking about potential new blood, that would be 29-year-old Walker. Santos is 37, and has already fought for the title once, a loss to Jon Jones. And Saturday's UFC Fight Night main event between Thiago Santos (21-9) and Johnny Walker (18-5) will tell us more. That title matchup is a great story for the division, but it also does make one wonder: Is there any new blood coming?

Teixeira was written off amid an up-and-down spell following an unsuccessful title challenge in 2014 - and here he is again. Blachowicz was nearly cut from the UFC earlier in his career, before winning the title a year ago. 30, is 41.īlachowicz and Teixeira both have exhibited longevity and perseverance. 1 contender Glover Teixeira, who will challenge Blachowicz for the title at UFC 267 on Oct. The current champion, Jan Blachowicz, turns 39 years old in February. In the UFC's light heavyweight division, 40 is the new 30.
#Jon jones vs anthony smith fight video upgrade
You have reached a degraded version of because you're using an unsupported version of Internet Explorer.įor a complete experience, please upgrade or use a supported browserĬan Johnny Walker inject new blood into UFC light heavyweight division, or will Thiago Santos hold his ground?
