Former Contender Tyson Griffin meets Nik Lentz, UFC 123

It wasn’t all that long ago that Tyson Griffin appeared in the front lines of a short list of contenders for the UFC lightweight title.

However following consecutive losses (the first in his career) to standouts Evan Dunham and former Pride Lightweight champion Takanori Gomi (who knocked out the Xtreme Couture product in the first round), respectively, Griffin finds himself fighting for his spot not only in the lightweight division, but in the UFC.

Griffin now finds himself in an unfamiliar territory, as he is now in the bottom of the heap, so to speak. Though competitive in his loss to Dunham, a split decision defeat this past June at UFC 115, it was the loss to Gomi that was the most devastating of his career. Garnering a 14-4 record currently, it was the loss to “The Fireball Kid” that sent him face mat on the ground when Gomi uncorked a vicious hook and knocked out the former Gladiator Challenge Champion at a little over one minute inside of the first round at “UFC Live: Jones versus Matyushenko” this past August.

Tyson will have a chance to reclaim his status in the division when he meets up and comer Nik Lentz, a fellow dynamic wrestler at UFC 123, which is expected to take place in November at Auburn Hills, Michigan.

Lentz, who is unblemished so far in his UFC career, picked up a win over season 9 finalist of “The Ultimate Fighter” Andre Winner most recently at UFC 118, in Boston, Mass.

Nik is the product of the Minnesota Martial Arts Academy who has produced the likes of UFC stars Jon Madsen, former WEC contender Brock Larson, former UFC lightweight title holder Sean Sherk, and most notably current heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar.

A win for “The Carny” would spell contenders status should he pull an impressive victory from Griffin, while Tyson is looking to remain relevant in a stacked weight class, which is now ruled with an iron fist by a former foe in Frankie Edgar–the two fought over three years ago and claimed “Fight of the Night” honors at UFC 67.

So, MMA fans, what do you think of this lightweight match up? Lentz has made a case for himself as a fighter with loads of potential, though his last outing with Winner would indicate anything but that–where he rode out a unanimous decision with continuous take down attempts and not much else. Should Griffin remain at lightweight if he loses, or is 145 calling his name? Let your opinions be heard below.