With the most recent season of the Ultimate Fighter TV series behind us, the UFC lightweight division has never looked better. Current UFC lightweight champion Sean "The Muscle Shark" Sherk is defending his belt at UFC 73 "Stacked" on July 7th, 2007. The challenger is Hermes Franca. Hermes is a submission specialist with extremely heavy hands. Just ask Spencer Fisher who was on the receiving end of one of those strikes during a January UFC event this year. Fisher was getting the upper hand, but one solid shot from Franca can change a fight.
Not only do Sherk and Franca need to worry about facing each other, the winner of this fight may very well face BJ Penn who showed that he can still make 155 and still look great in that division. BJ has been fighting well above 155 ever since his legendardy bout with Takanori Gomi in 2003. Penn just avenged his first ever loss (to Jens Pulver) at the Ultimate Fighter 5 Finale and if he decides to stay at lightweight is a nightmare for all who challenge him. BJ Penn has excellent stand up, heavy hands (ask Caol Uno who suffered an 11 second KO at the hands of Penn) and may very well be the best BJJ guy in MMA.
Ultimate Fighter newcomers Nate Diaz and Manny Gamburyan may not be quite ready for a title shot yet, but their time is coming. Manny is a pit bull, compact, lean and mean while Diaz fights a whole lot like his older brother Nick.
Of course, Spencer Fisher got over that loss to Hermes Franca and scored a unanimous decision against Sam Stout in what might be the fight of the year so far. Don't forget about Din Thomas who is also on fire in the octagon. Also, I'm still waiting for Matt Serra to decide to cut down to 155. Of course Matt Serra is a little busy right now holding on to the UFC welterweight belt that he won from Georges St Pierre. Serra's next defence comes against Matt Hughes in late December of this year. Before that fight though, Matt and Matt are coaches on the Ultimate Fighter season 6.
There is no way that the above is a complete list, but it's a start and a primer to what you'll see in terms of UFC title action for the next little while. Enjoy!
