The best and worst from UFC on ESPN: Ngannou vs. Dos Santos

#2 Best: 205lbs is becoming interesting again

Could Alonzo Menifield be the next big thing at 205lbs?

Light-Heavyweight was traditionally the UFC’s ‘glamour division’ thanks to the presence of legends like Randy Couture, Tito Ortiz, and Chuck Liddell, but recently it’s become the poor man of the promotion. Controversial champion Jon Jones has dominated all competition and as veterans like Mauricio Rua and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira have slid down the ladder, it’s been journeymen like Anthony Smith and Thiago Santos who have risen up to take their spots.

Well, we might finally be seeing a new generation emerging at 205lbs, and we saw exciting finishes for two of them last night. The afore-mentioned Dalcha Lungiambula put a beating on late replacement Dequan Townsend, finishing him in violent fashion in the third round. Sure, the Congolese fighter looked raw, but he showed hugely impressive power and athleticism, and with the right guidance, he could easily develop into a contender.

Alonzo Menifield meanwhile looked fantastic in the opener, shrugging off Paul Craig’s attempts to grapple before destroying him with a heavy right hand. It was Menifield’s second UFC win and while it’d be ludicrous to suggest he’s the ‘next big thing’ after two wins, with his punching power and apparently strong fight IQ, he’s got a lot of potential.

Throw the two men in with Eryk Anders – who also won last night – and other rising talents like Johnny Walker, Dominick Reyes, Aleksandar Rakic, Michal Oleksiejczuk, and Magomed Ankalaev and – whisper it – the future of 205lbs might not be as bleak as we once thought.