Faber is proven better than anyone in the division other than Dillashaw and Barao, although he has looked like he may be slowing down recently. The guy has literally never lost to anyone who wasn't a champion in the past 10 years and even then Tyson Griffin in 2005 is his only other blemish. In fact Edgar, who's still a beast and IMO never really should have lost his belt, is the only guy who's beat him in a non title fight. When you further consider that some of those losses have come at a higher weight class, Aldo x2 and Edgar, it's hard to suggest that anyone other than Barao or Dillashaw (even then they never fought) is for sure better.
Barao obviously hasn't looked the same since losing his title and has had issues making weight so i don't think anyone thinks he's in the running for a title shot just yet and although Dillashaw probably deserves a rematch, i think he won, he likely won't get it. Who's left other than Faber? Assuncao? Yeah he probably deserves to be in the mix but he hasn't fought since 2014 and has been injured. I don't think Faber is ideal but it's hard to argue that he isn't a legit contender and one of the clear top guys. I'd say him or Dillashaw should be Cruz's next fight. It's not like Faber's loss to Cruz wasn't a close fight either.
