Imagine being 4-0 in the UFC, 4-0 at featherweight, (undefeated, in fact) and 8-2 since entering Zuffa with multiple big, knockout of the night-level wins… And you get passed over for a title shot that for all intents and purposes – should be yours. That’s the possible reality for contender Ricardo Lamas, even after defeating top fighter Cub Swanson, dominating perennial #1 or #2 featherweight for years in Hatsu Hioki and then defeating one time number on contender Erik Koch on FOX in stunning and gory fashion.
With one text from Anthony Pettis to Dana White, that scenario became entirely possible.
This could be one of the more grievous matchmaking errors in the last few years, all while middleweights get light heavyweight title shots coming off losses. Then again, Pettis is a hell of a fighter, but Lamas has done everything he needs to do to be at the top of the featherweight heap. To let Pettis cut a few pounds and thus skip over Lamas’ hard work would be a damn shame. They should fight, if anything.
Nah, give Lamas Aldo, Pettis takes winner of Henderson/Melendez, then work on going dual weigh classes, Anthony.
Lamas pleaded his case on MMAJunkie Radio.
“He stole ‘Knockout of the Night’ from me, and then he had to send that text out,” Lamas today told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio).
“I’m kind of sitting here like, ‘What am I, a mirage?’ That’s exactly what I tweeted Dana White, actually,” “I’m just sitting here trying to figure out where I fit in in all of this.”
“I’ve put in the work at 145 pounds,” “I’ve done everything I need to do, and I should be next in line for that shot.”
Hopefully everything works out for everyone, but one thing is for certain – the fight fan makes out like a rich kid on Christmas in this whole scenario.
