Two former title contenders for the Flyweight belt are ready to get back in action. For one fighter, Ian McCall, it will have been over 18 months since he last stepped into the Octagon. McCall first entered the UFC on a 11-2 run with one of his only losses coming to two time UFC Bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz. He was matched up with Demetrious Johnson and fought to a draw even though the rules did not permit it to be that way. They rematched a few months later and he lost a decision. Since then he has gone 2-2 with losses to other top Flyweight fighters Joseph Benavidez and John Lineker and now is set to return at UFC 201 which is headlined by a Welterweight title fight between champion Robbie Lawler and contender Tyron Woodley. He will face off with Justin Scoggins who faces his biggest test in McCall. Scoggins is 4-2 int he UFC with not big name wins, but a win over the former title contender could jump him into the top ten and much bigger fights down the row.
One person that Scoggins did fight, and lost, was against John Moraga a former title contender himself. Moraga is one of the unheralded fighters at 125, but probably one of the toughest. He fought for the title in just his third UFC fight at a record of 13-1 and took the champion until the fifth round to finish him. He won his next fight and then rematch his first professional loss against John Dodson and while ti was a loss, the fight was unceremoniously stopped by the doctors even though Moraga’s injury was not as bad as they thought. He went on to finish two straight fights, including the aforementioned Scoggins, before losing to number two in the division in Joe Benavidez. Now, he will face off with Matheus Nicolau in July to look to rebound form his latest loss some 16 months after the fight. Will both these top contenders rebound or will we have new people joining the top ten ranks?