Roundtables
ROUNDTABLE: Who should get the next shot at Anthony Pettis if Khabib Nurmagomedov isn't ready in time?
Dec 10, 2014 - 4:25:52 PM ROUNDTABLE: Who should get the next shot at Anthony Pettis if Khabib Nurmagomedov isn't ready in time?

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If Khabib Nurmagomedov isn't ready to return until late April or May, and Anthony Pettis wants to return by March, who should get the next title fight against him, and why?


RICH HANSEN, MMATORCH COLUMNIST

IF Pettis fights before Nurmagomedov is ready to return, or if the UFC decides that Nurmagomedov needs to win one more fight before getting a title shot, then Rafael dos Anjos and Nate Diaz are each one victory away from getting the next shot at dethroning Pettis. Dos Anjos' resume is impeccable, short of losing to Nurmagomedov in April 2014. But with a win over Diaz this weekend he'd have a three fight win streak, which includes an impressive smashing of Benson Henderson. If Diaz wins, he's going to sell tickets and PPV buys, and the trash talk will be epic.

Obviously the best solution from a sporting perspective would be if Nurmagomedov would return in time to be Pettis' next fight. Because other than him or the winner of dos Anjos and Diaz, there aren't many challengers worthy of a title fight. Using our official rankings, check this out:

Lightweight

2-tie Khabib Nurmagomedov - Injured
2.tie Gilbert Melendez - Sorta kinda not getting a rematch
4 Rafael dos Anjos - See? If he beats Diaz and if Nurmagomedov isn't ready...
5 Benson Henderson - Hasn't he lost enough to Pettis? Leave the poor man alone
6 Donald Cerrone - No reason to believe he lasts 4 minutes
7 Eddie Alvarez - Lost to Cerrone. Zero UFC victories
8 Will Brooks - Fights for Bellator
9 Edson Barboza - Fun fight, but title shot not warranted.
10 Josh Thomson - Semi-retired, lost to Bobby Green. Place in line is behind Barboza
11 Nate Diaz - See? If he beats dos Anjos and if Nurmagomedov isn't ready...

Pettis holds a win over #2, #5 (twice) and #6. There's no other choice but Nurmagomedov, dos Anjos, or Diaz. Unless of course Jose Aldo hurts his leg, can't work out, and decides 145 lbs. is too difficult to make anymore...


FRANK HYDEN, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

I don't think a Nurmagomedov title shot should be thought of as automatic. He's beaten one top 10 guy. I don't think that makes him that much more deserving of a title shot than Donald Cerrone, for example. If Cerrone beats Myles Jury next month I would give him the next title shot even if Nurmagomedov is healthy. If Cerrone can't go, then I'd be fine with Nurmagomedov getting the next title shot. If Cerrone can fight, though, I would definitely give him that fight.


BRAD WALKER, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

The best choices are the winner of Alvarez-Bendo or the winner of Dos Anjos-Diaz. A Diaz vs Pettis fight would be a lot of fun, as would a shot for Alvarez despite coming up short in his debut. Honestly, we are more likely to see the Dos Anjos-Diaz winner face Pettis should Khabib not be ready to go. I don't mind any of those match ups; they all look fun on paper, and each of the fighters would match up interestingly against Anthony Pettis. I don't see a name on the horizon outside of Khabib who has a faint shot to beat him, but sometimes a fun fight is just as rewarding as a tense one.


ALVIN CARTER, MMATORCH SPECIALIST

If he wins his next fight against Myles Jury, Donald Cerrone getting a rematch would be interesting, even though Pettis stopped him with that liver shot. That is just the fight I want to see; the reality is that Pettis-Dos Anjos will probably happen if Dos Anjos makes it past Nate Diaz. He recently beat the former champ Benson Henderson and looked impressive doing it. It all really depends on who wins in the next two months.


DAN MOORE, MMATORCH UK COLUMNIST

If Nurmagomedov is good to go anytime before the end of April, it has to be the Russian who gets the next shot. That's only five months away and a perfectly acceptable layoff for a Champ. What needs to be determined now is the timeframe given to Nurmagomedov for confirmation of his availability in March or April. To market the fight, and sell tickets, the UFC will need guarantees from his camp at least a couple of months before the fight.

What is in Nurmagomedov's favour is the lack of alternative opponents who might be available. Diaz vs. dos Anjos (Dec 13), Cerrone vs. Jury (Jan 3) and Henderson vs. Alvarez (Jan 18), all take place over the next 4-5 weeks. There's no guarantee any of the eventual winners will be available to fight again in March, or, even want to, knowing it could be the only title shot they ever get.

Of those mentioned, dos Anjos has the longest recovery time, and is more deserving. We all know Cerrone would turn up to fight on two minutes notice, but Pettis beat him easily last year. The rest don't deserve it yet. So I would wait as long as possible to enable Nurmagomedov to fight. If he isn't good to go by late April, the title shot goes to dos Anjos providing he overcomes Nate Diaz this weekend.