Outlook: When Michael Chiesa controlled most of his 15-minute, unanimous decision win against Rafael Dos Anjos, he made it clear he is the real deal at 170 pounds. In fact, considering the work he put in to reform his body for the weight class, it’s pretty wild to think he ever made it to the 155-pound limit. With three good wins over Carlos Condit, Diego Sanchez and Dos Anjos, Chiesa shot his shot and called out Colby Covington, and while he might not get the fight with “Chaos” right away, he is deserving of a top 10 matchup. That eventuality carries interest if only to see how Chiesa matches up with the best of the grappling-heavy division. Speaking of grappling-inclined, “How did he make 155 pounds?” fighters, Gilbert Burns is coming off a definitive TKO win over Demian Maia in Brasilia. It was a bit of a changing of the guard moment, and Burns is as dangerous as anyone with his explosive power and ultra-slick jiu-jitsu game. And in terms of dangerous finishers, Geoff Neal is as lethal as they come. Undefeated in five UFC fights with four finishes, he showed his combination of technique and power when he knocked Mike Perry out with a head kick and follow-up punches. He earned a top 10 test, and he remains an intriguing prospect. That said, Conor McGregor could throw a wrench into any welterweight’s plans moving forward as he continues to say how much he enjoys the lack of weight cut to make 170 pounds. In the spirit of “anyone, anytime,” McGregor has the star power to launch himself into a title fight with Usman, an ultra-fun fight with Masvidal or, frankly, whatever else he wants to do. “The Notorious” looms, even with his intention to run it back with Khabib Nurmagomedov and a bevy of fun fights for him at 155 pounds.
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