Eric Nolan cites an oddity in the UFC welterweight top 15 before Court McGee fight

Eric Nolan has seemingly drawn attention to something that a few fans believe is an oddity in the UFC welterweight division, which sets it apart from most other weight classes. 

The U.S. Marine Corps veteran has suggested that the UFC's 170-pound weight class's top 15-ranked fighters are all capable of beating one another on a given day. That, in turn, is believed to be in stark contrast to some of the other divisions, wherein the given division's upper echelons usually feature the same fighters for lengthy periods of time. 

Eric Nolan heaps praise on the UFC welterweight top 15, citing its apparent oddity

During a recent conversation with Jake Noecker of Home of Fight, former Cage Fury FC welterweight champion Eric Nolan addressed his imminent return to the Octagon and much more. 

"Night Time" was asked about the rumors that reigning UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev is likely to defend his title against striking maestro Carlos Prates next. 

Upon being asked whether Prates has the tools to defeat Makhachev, Nolan indicated that the current UFC welterweight top 15 are unique and quite evenly matched, as any one of them could outdo the other on a given night. 

The 29-year-old stated, "I mean, I think, honestly, everybody in that -- in the top 15 rankings of welterweight, and maybe even some guys outside the top 15 -- have the tools to beat anybody on any given day." 

He, citing the unpredictability of the sport, added, "You know, that's why we love this sport. Anybody could win on any given day. Anybody could get got." 

Watch Eric Nolan laud the UFC welterweight division's top 15 fighters below (*comments at the 15:30-minute mark of the video): 

Eric Nolan returns against Court McGee at UFC 332, Islam Makhachev is seemingly on collision course with Carlos Prates

Eric Nolan's UFC run thus far has witnessed him deal with a few challenges in the grappling department. His promotional debut came in the form of a submission defeat against Baisangur Susurkaev last year. That was followed by his most recent MMA matchup, which was a unanimous decision loss at the hands of Farman Hasanov back in June. 

Presently, Nolan is booked to take on UFC welterweight staple Court McGee at UFC 332 in Salt Lake City, Utah, on October 3. 

Meanwhile, former UFC lightweight champion and reigning UFC welterweight champ Islam Makhachev is fresh off his first defense of the welterweight throne. The Dagestani combatant outpointed Ian Machado Garry on August 15. He's eyeing his next welterweight title defense in January 2027, which many foresee being a matchup against either Carlos Prates or Michael Morales. 

Furthermore, per the official Meta UFC rankings, the UFC welterweight division's top 15 comprise Carlos Prates (No. 1), Ian Machado Garry, Michael Morales, Jack Della Maddalena, and Sean Brady in the top five in that order. 

Ranked No. 6 to 10 are Gabriel Bonfim, Belal Muhammad, Joaquin Buckley, Uros Medic, and Leon Edwards, respectively. Additionally, ranked No. 11 to 15 are Mike Malott, Kamaru Usman, Yaroslav Amosov, Kevin Holland, and Daniel Rodriguez, in that sequence.