The lightweight division has oftentimes resembled a piranha-infested river. Few leave its waters without a wound or two to show for their troubles.
No other weight class in mixed martial arts can match the concentration of talent present at 155 pounds. For context, take a look at the UFC 209 co-main event between Tony Ferguson and Khabib Nurmagomedov this Saturday at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Ferguson has won nine fights in a row, and Nurmagomedov carries a perfect 24-0 record. Neither man has received a shot at the undisputed Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight crown.