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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
Nate Marquardt's expected return to the UFC following Saturday's final Strikeforce event could mark the entrance of a top five talent into the UFC's welterweight field. Though Johny Hendricks remains perhaps the most deserving challenger in the division, Marquardt will likely be in line in short order.
However, should he work his way to a title fight, and should Georges St-Pierre remain Champion until then, that could potentially be a problem for the two fighters. They've been friends and training partners for some time, so taking that fight if it were presented might not be the most appealing option; while Marquardt admitted that was the case this week, he did make it clear that it's a fight he would take if offered.
"Of course, yeah (laughs)," Marquardt said in an interview with MMAFighting.com (transcribed by MMAMania.com). "Honestly man, any one of those welterweights on that card (UFC 158), that card is stacked and any one of the three that win, that's who I want to fight. Obviously, I'd rather not fight Georges. He's my friend and training partner for a long time now. But, like I said before, I'm not in the position to be turning down fights, so. I'd rather not fight him, but, I'm not going to turn down any fights."
Penick's Analysis: St-Pierre might be wary of taking the fight as well, but if it becomes the right fight to make it becomes the right fight to make. If St-Pierre defeats Nick Diaz and Johny Hendricks in succession this year, while Marquardt works his way through a couple fights of his own, then that is going to be the best title fight for the UFC to make. Marquardt is legitimately one of the best fighters in the division despite having just one fight at 170 lbs., and a few more wins this year will more than likely put him in a position to make that fight a reality.
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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