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ROUNDTABLE: After UFC on Fuel 3 win, what must Donald Cerrone do to get into UFC's Lightweight Title picture?
May 18, 2012 - 4:30:58 PM ROUNDTABLE: After UFC on Fuel 3 win, what must Donald Cerrone do to get into UFC's Lightweight Title picture?

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With Donald Cerrone's impressive win over Jeremy Stephens, what does he need to do in order to move into the title picture at lightweight?

RICH HANSEN, MMATORCH COLUMNIST

Well, he needs to keep winning, of course. Lest we forget he's lost twice to Ben Henderson and once to Nate Diaz, so there's definitely a ceiling over him that he has been unable to break through. His win over Stephens was as impressive as his win over Siver, but ten great wins over guys at that level aren't worth one win over a top five guy. So if he wants to get into the title picture he needs to beat a top five guy. Frankly, he'll need another one after that as well. He wants to fight in August. Gray Maynard or Clay Guida won't likely be ready by then. Anthony Pettis won't be ready until September if you believe his manager (on Twitter) or October/November if you believe his brother Sergio. So Pettis is out. So Henderson, Edgar, Maynard, Pettis, and Guida won't be ready in August.

If Cerrone insists on fighting in his home state of Colorado at UFC 150, the best available options would be T.J. Grant, Jim Miller, Rafael dos Anjos, Michael Johnson, or Mac Danzig. Not one of those fights should put anyone in title contention (although Grant is criminally underrated, and Cerrone v. Grant could be great).

However, if Cerrone is willing to give up on the Denver thing and is willing to wait to fight until UFC 152 in late September, he could fight the winner of Maynard/Guida, or maybe Anthony Pettis (which would be so trippy). So the ball is in Cerrone's court. Is he willing to do everything possible to get in position for to a title shot, or is fighting at home more important than a quicker path to a title shot. It's his call.


FRANK HYDEN, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

That was a good fight, but it wasn't that long ago that Cerrone got the same, and more, from Nate Diaz. Taking that into consideration, I think Cerrone is at least two quality wins from getting a title shot. He's going to have to repeat this performance against top-level lightweights to even be mentioned among the best title contenders. If Cerrone shows that the Diaz fight was a fluke, then he can move into the title picture.


ANWAR PEREZ, MMATORCH COLUMNIST

Donald Cerrone looked phenomenal against Jeremy Stephens, but honestly, I've never been one to take stock in the skill-set or level of competition that Stephens presents. A good fighter, but nothing top-tier, or even close. I would suggest a fight against someone like Anthony Pettis, another fighter looking to move up into the title picture. Both fighters need a fight to tie them over while the UFC lightweight division sorts itself out. That would make for one hell of an entertaining fight and move the winner closer to a title fight.


ERIC HOBAUGH, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

I think Cerrone’s still two or three fights away from a legitimate title fight claim. He looked great on Tuesday, but horrible against Nick Diaz this past December. The only way he could make a quicker claim to a title fight is if he was able to convince the UFC and Anthony Pettis it is in everyone’s best interest that they fight and he wins. That is highly unlikely and Cerrone will need to fight and beat two legit top ten fighters to truly get back in the title picture at lightweight.


GRIFFIN MARSH, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Donald Cerrone needs to do two things to get back in title contention and it really as simple as that. Cowboy needs to fight two more top guys and finish these fighters. If he doesnt win impressively I'm afraid that he'll fall by the Jon Fitch wayside. If he can score a couple of impressive finishes against legit top competition, he's right back where he was.


CHRIS PARK, MMATORCH UK SPECIALIST

Well a win always takes you a step up the ladder but when it's a strong finish (Alan Belcher springs to mind) it can take you up two or three. We talked about this on The ESPN UFC Podcast and felt Cerrone could have done more to finish matters against a clearly defeated Jeremy Stephens.

A fight with Anthony Pettis would be my choice for Cerrone's next fight with the winner taking the spot behind Nate Diaz in the title shot queue. But that looks unlikely.

Without a fast track fight like Pettis I think Cerrone will need to win at least three more fights before he is teed up for a shot, and with such a log jam developing at the top of the division, there is no obvious opponent at this point. @MMATorchUK


DAN MOORE, MMATORCH UK CONTRIBUTOR

Just keep winning, and actually turn in a top performance for the big fights, when it really matters. He would have been exactly where Nate Diaz is now had he won their fight last December. Being close, and actually getting a title shot, can be decided by the thinnest of margins. Sadly that previous loss to Diaz has set him back considerably, and it will take at least two or three more fights to get back into contention. He's asked for Anthony Pettis next, who is without a future opponent, so lets get that fight booked for UFC 150 or UFC 151 if Pettis has recovered from his injury in time. That doesn't mean I believe he deserves a fight with Pettis, but it makes the most sense right now, especially if Diaz wants to wait for a crack at the Henderson vs. Edgar winner.