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Who should get the next Lightweight Championship fight against Ben Henderson and why?
RICH HANSEN, MMATORCH COLUMNIST
Seems pretty straight forward to me. When Anthony Pettis beats Donald Cerrone in Chicago, I'll get to celebrate my 40'th birthday in Las Vegas July 4 weekend by watching Pettis vs. Henderson 2; and everyone reading is invited to buy me a drink when the title comes back to Wisconsin. Duh.
BRAD WALKER, MMATORCH COLUMNIST
Gilbert Melendez, because not only should the titles be unified, but he's long overdue for a worthy opponent. Diaz looked awful in the cage with him on Saturday, but Melendez will step up and look great against Bendo. That's the fight to make and it would be a great draw too.
FRANK HYDEN, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR
If Anthony Pettis beats Donald Cerrone at UFC on Fox 6, he should get the title shot. He's beaten Henderson in the past for the WEC Lightweight Title so it'd be easy to market. I also think it'd be a hell of a fight.
ERIC HOBAUGH, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR
I wish we had a better system to decide the next fighter in line for titles shots at all weight classes. Currently, it seems to be whomever Zuffa and Dana White deem worthy. As a fan, I appreciate that, for the most part, the UFC puts on good cards and I am usually happy with the pay-per-view events. As a writer, though, I think this type of indiscriminate doling out of title shots cheapens the sport and the champion's belt. I am in favor of giving the next shot to Anthony Pettis if he gets by Donald Cerrone. This is a sellable and super exciting fight. I also think it is a toss-up fight either fighter can win. If the UFC books this fight, it will be a win for everyone.
ALVIN CARTER, MMATORCH SPECIALIST
I would love to see a third match between Donald Cerrone and Ben Henderson. Both have come a long way from their WEC days, and I think there would be fire works. With that said, the Anthony Pettis matchup makes the most senese as Henderson did lose his WEC Lightweight Belt to Pettis. The UFC might feel there is more flash with a Henderson vs. Pettis fight because that gives them more reason (as if any extra is needed) to replay the kick Pettis landed on Henderson when he was auditioning for a spot in the yet to be written Matrix 4, so they may be pulling for Pettis to pull out a win over Cerrone next month at UFC on Fox 6.
DAN MOORE, MMATORCH UK CONTRIBUTOR
If Anthony Pettis convincingly beats Donald Cerrone next month, then it should be him. If it's Donald Cerrone who surprisingly ends up victorious, it should be someone/anyone else, for now. It's hard, no impossible, to sell a fighter who's already lost to the champion twice before. Not only that, Nate Diaz demolished Cerrone at UFC 141, another tough sell after Diaz got schooled by the champion.
If Pettis loses (I don't expect that) then why not Gilbert Melendez? He's universally thought of as a top three lightweight, he's finally going to be contracted to the UFC and according to reports this weekend, his injury won't keep him out too long. If the UFC insist on Melendez fighting at least once before a title shot, then what the heck, give Gray Maynard another go.
[Ben Henderson art by Grant Gould (c) MMATorch.com]
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