After UFC Abu Dhabi, questions have revolved around what is next for the championship picture and where Magomed Ankalaev fits into things.

On one hand, Ankalaev has proven he can be violent and get the job done in the Octagon. Some of his victories in the UFC against Ion Cutelaba, Anthony Smith, and Johnny Walker prove this. On the other hand, Ankalaev can have some stinkers. And even though he ultimately got a decent finish of Bogdan Guskov in the fifth round, that UFC Abu Dhabi fight stunk like a post-game locker room.

The thing is, plenty of voices talk about how rough a shape the UFC’s heavyweight division is in. But the UFC’s light heavyweight division isn’t that much better. And with Carlos Ulberg still on the shelf after tearing his ACL in his vacant title fight win over Jiri Prochazka a few months ago, the UFC more than likely needs to pick two guys to fight for an interim title sooner or later.

So, who are the options? Let’s look at the UFC Meta Rankings’ top 10 at 205 entering UFC Abu Dhabi.

Alex Pereira – This one’s interesting. Pereira vacated the title to move up to heavyweight, losing to Ciryl Gane at the White House last month in an interim heavyweight title fight. Considering the options of new opponents for him at heavyweight, including Josh Hokit’s callout, it looked like he’d stay there. But he very recently teased Ankalaev that he could come back down and take the 205-pound title back? Maybe the UFC’s looking at this list and wondering if they need Pereira at 205.

Jiri Prochazka – Jiri is lovable, and he really could’ve beaten Ulberg if he didn’t hold back. But three unsuccessful title fights, even if two were against Pereira, is three unsuccessful title fights.

Paulo Costa – This is the most intriguing option. Costa fought once at light heavyweight during 2021, and then he formally jumped up to the weight class this year. And what did he do? He knocked out an unbeaten, dangerous up-and-comer in Azamat Murzakanov. Considering that and Costa’s status as a former middleweight title challenger, he probably makes for a noteworthy interim title fight candidate.

Jamahal Hill – He’s a former champion, but he’s lost three straight and hasn’t fought in over a year now.

Khalil Rountree Jr. – A former title challenger who put up a spirited battle with Pereira. He was on a winning streak but has lost two of three, most recently getting finished by Prochazka at UFC 320. He was supposed to fight Anakalev but withdrew two weeks ago due to injury.

Dominick Reyes – He’s had a career resurgence since 2024 but hasn’t put himself in a true title position compared to some of the others on here.

Azamat Murzakanov – Costa knocked him out and ruined his chances of being a worthy name on this list.

Bogdan Guskov – He lost at UFC Abu Dhabi.

Dustin Jacoby – He lost at UFC Abu Dhabi.

Here’s a wild card everyone is forgetting as well – around the time Khamzat Chimaev lost the middleweight title to Sean Strickland a couple of months ago, there were talks about Chimaev possibly moving up to light heavyweight, too. And when this writer looked at UFC CEO and President Dana White’s face when those plans were brought up, something seemed to twinkle in his expression that said: “I’m interested in this possibility.”

Now, is Chimaev going to go through with this? Or is he going to pursue a rematch with Strickland? That’s what we’ll have to wait on – and it’s a decision that can affect middleweight, light heavyweight, AND heavyweight.

Unless Chimaev or Pereira make things interesting by debuting or returning, respectively, to the division, the best fight the UFC could make for an interim light heavyweight title at this point is Ankalaev vs. Costa. Would it be the most popular? Maybe not. But the former champ vs. a former title challenger from another division who made a lot of noise in his true 205 debut? That smells like a decent co-main event for a numbered card under a true title headliner.

As portions of a WNBA All-Star record crowd booed her introduction Saturday night, Caitlin Clark maintained her smile and focus.

“Don’t lose that joy,” a former sitting U.S. President had reminded her one day earlier.

Clearly, Clark listened.

Of course, Barack Obama might not have approached Clark individually if she weren’t already tough enough to be transcendent. With the ball in her hands – and then quickly spinning through the air at the United Center in Chicago – Clark embraced and seized a moment she aims to experience regularly.

“You’re kind of just like a young kid running around out there and having fun and shooting whatever shots and being creative and playing with flow, and I really enjoy that about the game of basketball,” she said. “So, it was really fun for me to get back out there.”

Clark was an All-Star months after the Indiana Fever selected her with the top pick of the 2024 WNBA Draft. Still, she reflected Saturday that the format influenced the feeling of that game seeming less like a usual midseason showcase.

The U.S. Women’s National Team faced a team of league All-Stars including Clark in a leadup to the 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games.

Two years later, a WNBA All-Star Game-record 19,783 fans packed an NBA venue to watch teams that were drafted by Hall of Famers and league pioneers Cynthia Cooper and Teresa Weatherspoon as the “W” hailed its 30th anniversary.

Clark was one of eight Team Spoon players to finish in double figures in a 129-122 victory. She scored 11 of the team’s first 13 points on the way to a 17-point, four-rebound, five-assist effort.

She delivered a trio of deep 3-pointers in the first 2:23, connecting from a few feet inside the half-court line with the final trey of that sequence.

Grinning and occasionally sticking her tongue out as she jogged back down the floor in a familiar gesture, Clark channeled the jubilation of the moment plus some on reserve.

An injury kept her from the 2025 All-Star Game hosted by the Fever. The rival Chicago Sky last summer also shifted two regular-season games against Indiana from Wintrust Arena to United Center, but Clark was sidelined for those, too.

“Obviously, last year really stunk in it being in our home city. Like, you never want to miss that for the fans,” Clark said. “So, you know, I love to show up and get to compete and play.”

Clark’s popularity after a stellar collegiate career at Iowa has helped drive a surge in WNBA interest. Chicago also hosted the 2022 All-Star Game but kept it at Wintrust, where 9,572 fans showed up.

With fame comes what Obama called “immersion in nonsense” in a candid conversation with Clark that an observer shared to social media. The former president surprised All-Stars on Friday during practice at the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago. Obama also playfully attempted to defend New York Liberty center Jonquel Jones, later the All-Star MVP.

Clark was set to travel back to Indiana after the game with the team flying to Seattle on Sunday ahead of Tuesday’s second-half opener.

With Indiana on a 5-1 tear entering the break, the joy figures to follow. Clark became the first player in league history to notch a 45-point, 10-assist game on July 17.

She and the Fever are set to return to the United Center when they face the Sky on Aug. 8.

“The reality is that that young lady brought so many people and so many eyes,” said Indiana’s Kelsey Mitchell, who scored 28 points for Team Coop, “but I think the transformation for us and the Indiana Fever was that we brought culture back. We brought a sense of purpose and the game.”