The winner of a UFC 171 bout between Carlos Condit and Tyron Woodley is most likely to produce the next welterweight title challenger.
Still, a Saturday matchup between Jake Shields and Hector Lombard will also be important in sorting out the landscape of a Georges St-Pierre-less 170-pound class.
With wins over Woodley and Demian Maia since returning to the division, Shields is the No. 6-ranked contender. Because his fight with the NCAA All-American wrestler was so closely contested and due to his lack of finishes, Shields appears to have fallen behind Woodley in the race for a shot at UFC gold.
At UFC 166, Lombard made a successful move to the 170-pound class. Following a disappointing loss to middleweight Yushin Okami, Lombard rebounded by stopping Nate Marquardt with strikes in the first round.
Will the former Strikeforce champion or former Bellator MMA champion take a step closer to the UFC Welterweight Championship? Here is a closer look at how Shields and Lombard match up in all areas.
