Ferguson imo. Longest win streak in the division and his win over Barboza is higher quality than Khabibs nearly 3 year old win over rda imo
Go with Ferguson next and give the others a new round of fights and pick the next best streak to challenge after ferg connor needs to defend his 145 win or lose against Nate And Nate needs to win against one of these guys on your list
In fact, lightweight is rock-paper-scissors. Nate > Johnson Johnson > Ferguson Ferguson > Thomson Thomson > Nate Cerrone > Barboza Barboza > Pettis Pettis > Cerrone Cerrone > Alvarez Alvarez > RDA RDA > Cerrone And it goes on....
McGregor/Diaz winner will take precedent. If Conor wins, he might fight Aldo anyway. If Nate wins, he might not want to fight at all. If they go with Alvarez/McGregor or Alvarez/Diaz, I'd like to see Ferguson/RDA and Khabib/Barboza, but there's lots of possibilities. If they don't go with Conor or Nate, Tony Ferguson should get the shot ahead of Khabib. Khabib has faced grapplers more than strikers. I want to see him deal with a striker, especially one with good TDD like Barboza. So I'd go Alvarez/Ferguson and Khabib/Barboza, leaving someone else for RDA's rebound fight.
I voted Khabib. A win over Ferguson would have given him the title shot and it isn't his fault that Ferguson had to pull out. If that reasoning works for Woodley then it works for Khabib.
I voted Khabib, and I'm torn between him and Ferguson... Both pretty good arguments, just hope Khabib doesn't get broke or have some religious reasons not to fight any time soon... Not a fan of his at all but his record speaks for itself.
Ferguson/Khabib/Barboza are the 3 it has to be between. Ferguson deserves it with his quality win streak imo. If not him then Khabib. Then Barboza in 3rd. RDA got battered by Eddie, Cerrone has been fighting at WW, so have Natw & Conor (who will fight Aldo after this fight), and Poirer & Chiesa both need a couple more wins.
Khabib did it first. He pulled out of a fight with Ferguson in December. Ferguson then went and had a FOTY contender with Barboza instead.
Regardless, the winner of their last scheduled fight was due a title shot. Ferguson pulled out. Injuries happen. It is what it is. If Woodley earned a title shot off of basically the same circumstances then Khabib is due a title shot.
