Since the WEC merger in October of 2010, the featherweights and bantamweights have been rapidly solidifying their presence in the octagon, as it was anything but slow and steady as the wildly exciting fighters quickly got in the swing of things. The featherweight division has been a breeding ground for some of the world’s most vicious strikers, grapplers and well-rounded scrappers. And now, with or without Frankie Edgar, the 145-pound weight class is stacked, positively foreshadowing the future of UFC’s lighter weight fighters.
It takes a truly proven champion for a division to be as popular and talented as the featherweight class is. Jose Aldo has time and time again been considered at the top of MMA’s pound for pound list, as he is a critical component in the success of the UFC’s featherweights. He is like a Georges St. Pierre, or Anderson Silva in that every time the doubt or suspicion of Aldo (21-1) being overrated arises, he somehow proves his talent and solidifies all the hype. His knockout of Chad “Money” Mendes was a perfect reminder that Mr. Aldo is one of the world’s best. Having Aldo not only provides guaranteed fireworks in title fights, but it makes the division that much more competitive, as the young 145 pound fighters see what lies ahead, and sharpen themselves in preparation to slay the beast.
The competition is always fierce in the UFC and the fighters know how important each and every fight is. The featherweight talent pool is now dangerously deep and there are a number of participating factors. Season 14’s Ultimate Fighter cast recently made a monster splash with all eight featherweight participants now on the UFC’s roster. Diego Brandao (19-7) was impressive the entire season, and performed when it counted when he grabbed the title of Ultimate Fighter, two bonuses, and some nice coin for his mom.
While the new live format of the Ultimate Fighter grabs the MMA spotlight, TUF: Brazil in one episode has given the U.S. talent a run for its money. Even with high expectations of explosive Brazilian talent to jumpstart the first purely international version of the show, the fighters still delivered. There were wild striking battles, relentless wrestling and grappling on display, and a number crazy finishes that made the entry fights a promising indicator for the upcoming season. Regardless of the show’s winner, TUF: Brazil will ultimately supplement the UFC’s featherweight division even more.
With the young talent mainly originating from the ‘TUF-route’ to the big show, there are still a number of other featherweights that have been making their title runs for some time. Dustin “The Diamond” Poirier (12-1) has proven himself as a top striker and grappler in the division. One of the most crucial components to Poirier’s success is his toughness, and he continues to prove himself worthy of a title shot. Also in the mix there is Eric “New Breed” Koch (13-1) who recently took down TUF 12 winner Jonathan Brookins (14-4), chalking up his second win in the UFC. Ross “The Real Deal” Pearson (15-5) who, coming of a razor thin decision loss to undefeated lightweight Edson Barbosa (10-0), jumped right back in the win column by beating Junior Assuncao.
The featherweights constantly wowed fans and UFC brass, as the young division began its lighting quick development, and it isn’t slowing down. The newcomers from TUF 14, current TUF: Brazil participants, and the rest of the division continues to bring the featherweight division atop the UFC. If the division’s success is any indicator of the potential of the new 125-pound weight class, the flyweights are looking at a bright future.
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