The fight card for the Season 15 finale of The Ultimate Fighter on Friday night features a matchup between two of the top 10 welterweight fighters in the world, as Jake "The Juggernaut" Ellenberger will face Martin "Hitman" Kampmann in the main event at the Pearl at the Palms in Las Vegas.

The matchup is an intriguing one, with Ellenberger's heavy hands and NCAA wrestling background pitted against Kampmann's kickboxing skills and array of chokes. Still, Ellenberger, riding a six-fight win streak that includes victories over Diego Sanchez and former No. 1 contender Jake Shields, is considered the favorite.

The problem, as some have pointed out, is that the UFC has a logjam in its 170-pound division, with champion Georges St-Pierre rehabbing an ACL injury, interim champion Carlos Condit waiting for his return, and Johny Hendricks promising to wait it out until he gets the title shot he was promised after defeating Josh Koscheck last month at the UFC on Fox fight card in East Rutherford, N.J. Even if Ellenberger bolsters his credentials with a win over Kampmann, there doesn't seem to be much of anywhere for him to go.

In reality, that really shouldn't be much of a problem at all.

There's no question that Ellenberger is a fast-rising star, but while his performances in the Octagon have been impressive, he's not exactly a household name yet. This is his third straight main event on a free TV card, and it's clear the UFC is interested in building him up, but even with a win over Kampmann, he won't quite be there as a name, even if he's proven himself as a fighter.

That's just fine, though, as the welterweight division has several high-profile fighters who could be viable opponents for the Ellenberger-Kampmann winner as stepping stones to an eventual title shot. Jon Fitch, for example, is a former No. 1 contender who's currently out of the title picture, and while he has a date with Aaron Simpson next month at the UFC on Fuel TV 4 fight card in San Jose, he's a viable opponent with a win there. Fitch's former teammate, Josh Koscheck, is already available for a fight, as evidenced by his recent unsuccessful effort to call out B.J. Penn. If Ellenberger is successful on Friday night, a battle with Koscheck or Fitch - ideally on a pay-per-view undercard - would be a great stepping stone to true main event status.

Still, it may be hasty to start talking about next opponents. Right now, Ellenberger has a "Hitman" waiting for him.