A lot of things would have to line up, but Artem Lobov may be one victory away from fighting for the UFC featherweight title.
First thing's first, he has to achieve the incredibly difficult feat of beating a resurgent Cub Swanson, who has arguably never looked better than he did in his last trip to the Octagon. The two will square off in UFC Nashville's main event on April 22.
On paper, 'the Russian Hammer' is not having his hand raised against the number four-ranked 145 lber in the world, but that hackneyed adage of 'anything can happen' rings true.
On paper, Cody Garbrandt doesn't dominate Dominick Cruz over five rounds, nor does Michael Bisping render Luke Rockhold unconscious in the opening frame. It's about time we all respect the unpredictable nature of this sport and admit that this 'paper' is a load of bollocks. Betting lines exist for a reason, but there's no such thing as a sure-thing when 4oz gloves start swinging.
https://twitter.com/SportsJOEdotie/status/845204646759161856
Whoever emerges victorious from Nashville's headliner will be keeping a close eye on UFC 210 in Rio on June 3, where the featherweight title will be unified as Jose Aldo takes on interim champion Max Holloway.
Should Aldo successfully defend his title, the UFC will have a problem lining up a fresh challenger for the belt. 'Scarface' has just been too damn dominant in the division (well, except for that one time). He's already beaten everyone in the top five except for Jeremy Stephens, who's lost four out of his last six fights.
That's right, the 'who the fuck is that guy?' guy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2hzzljxo7A
If Frankie Edgar beats Yair Rodriguez at UFC 211 and Aldo remains champion, we're probably going to have another rematch in the next featherweight title fight. That is, unless Lobov upsets the odds. With the history between his training partner Conor McGregor and Aldo, that fight would pretty much sell itself.
If that storyline alone isn't enough to spark intrigue, Lobov certainly did enough to sell the rivalry on a recent appearance on
Submission Radio.
"Jose Aldo? Let me tell you about Jose Aldo. If I was in his position, I would never have accepted that belt. What?!?! So they took a belt from the guy that knocked him out in 13 seconds, they took it off that guy and they handed him that belt, and he just takes it and he's happy, smile on his face. What? What kind of pussy do you have to be to take that?"
https://twitter.com/RusHammerMMA/status/836626474111229952
He didn't stop there either, he just kept going and going.
"There's no way in hell would I ever accept that. I would say ‘give me that guy again, and if he’s not in the division well then fuck that, I don’t want that belt. Let the other two fight for a real belt and then I’ll fight the winner and earn that belt’. Because now he’s holding a belt that Conor got off him in 13 seconds, and he will never be able to get rid of that stain.”
"Even if he beats now Max Holloway, he’ll still be holding that same belt. So how are you as a man, as a fighter that respects himself accept that belt? I would never have in my done it in my life. I don’t know why he fucking done it. So to be honest, to bring more life into this division it would be better if Holloway won that fight."
It's 2017 and Conor McGregor could be boxing Floyd Mayweather while Artem Lobov could be one fight away from a UFC title shot. What a weird and wonderful time to be alive.
