Elite XC’s lightweight division has been held hostage for the better part of this past year by an ongoing feud between division champion KJ Noons and consensus number one contender Nick Diaz.

However, this was a fued that never made its way back into the cage after one controversial finish between the two last November at Elite XC: “Renegade.” It was that night that Noons defeated Diaz by doctor stoppage because of cuts sustained in the first round to earn the first-ever Elite XC lightweight championship.

The decision never sat right with Diaz and he wasn’t shy about voicing his disapproval. His desire for an immediate rematch, however, was denied when company officials opted instead to give Yves Edwards a crack at Noons’ belt.

There weren’t too many people who thought KJ would get past Yves, and it looked like a rematch with Nick Diaz might be lost along with Noons’ title in that fight. But Noons prevailed … impressively. And right away the rematch talks were back on.

In fact, it was after that fight that the infamous in-cage post-event scuffle between the two camps went down, leading everybody who was watching to believe the rematch was not only going to happen, but that it was more than likely right around the corner.

But it never happened.

KJ Noons or his management, whichever it may be, never signed the bout agreement to compete on either the July 26 or October 4 CBS events, leaving the lightweight division on hold.

All three parties involved — Diaz, Noons and Elite XC — have all spoken publicly about why the fight wasn’t happening, but none of the reasons given were good enough for the fans who just wanted to see this fight finally happen after almost a full year’s worth of hype.

For Elite XC, its fighting for survival. The struggling promotion can’t afford to have champions holding out and not defending their titles, especially if it’s a fight the fans are begging to see.

It needed Noons to step up and fight.

But for whatever reason it wasn’t going to happen, not against Nick Diaz, anyway, so yesterday Elite XC finally put it’s foot down and stripped Noons of his lightweight championship belt.

For me personally, I was disappointed, but only because that decision was probably the final nail in the coffin on whatever chance there was left in ever seeing a rematch between the two.

It appears that that ship has now sailed.

So where does that leave Elite XC’s lightweight division?

The only thing we know for certain is that the company believes Nick Diaz is the top contender. So that means there isn’t much doubt that he’ll be a part of the vacant title fight. Who his opponent will be is another story.

Noons had always maintained it was Eddie Alvarez who should have been next in line instead of Diaz. It’s hard to argue against that opinion with the way the Philadelphia native stormed through the DREAM Lightweight Grand Prix before getting hurt earlier this year.

In fact, there was a report on FiveouncesOfPain.com earlier that suggested there were already talks taking place in hopes of setting up a bout between the two men for the vacant division crown as early as November 8.

If those reports do indeed turn out to be true, fans will finally get to see the two best 160-pound fighters in Elite XC face off after all.

Looking at the Elite XC lightweight roster, there isn’t really anyone else other than Alvarez who would deserve to be fighting for the belt with the exception of maybe Fabricio Camoes. But he still needs some seasoning and exposure.

Right now, the best thing for Elite XC to do to deflect all of this negativity coming from the KJ Noons and Nick Diaz drama would be to give the fans an even better, more competitive fight. The only option they have is Nick Diaz vs. Eddie Alvarez … and that ain’t a bad option at all.

Make it happen Elite XC.