Jeremy Stephens has had a rough time lately. From jail to court dates to a brutal knockout loss, things just haven't tipped in the Lightweight's favor over the last few months.

Following his devastating knockout loss to Yves Edwards at UFC on FOX 5 on Dec. 8, 2012, "Lil' Heathen" announced through his Twitter account that he's planning to drop a weight class and make his Featherweight debut in 2013.

Here's the Tweet:

"My manager wants me to start 2013 as a featherweight (145) and working with @ufc to make it happen. Sounds interesting!"

With the weight change, Stephens follows the paths of notable fighters like Frankie Edgar, Kenny Florian and Dennis Siver, who also dropped from the UFC's 155-pound division to 145 pounds after losses. Whether or not this will mean success in his future is unknown, as there have been some pitiful stories of this weight drop, too (see Tyson Griffin).

It's certainly no cure-all.

However, with the weight change, many new fights open up for Stephens in the near term. Middle of the pack featherweights like Pablo Garza, Antonio Carvalho and Charles Oliveira all seem like interesting match ups for him, but there are many others in the pipeline who would most certainly want a crack at Stephens.

Who would you like to see face Stephens in his featherweight debut? Will the weight drop mean a change in fortune for this former lightweight?

Make us a match, Maniacs.