Heavyweight
1. Stipe Miocic (18-2)
Miocic made history at UFC 220 in Boston, where he became the first heavyweight champion to defend his title three consecutive times by positively crushing acclaimed challenger Francis Ngannou over 25 minutes. In his next assignment, the Ohio native will look to further establish himself as one of the sport’s great heavyweights when he puts his belt on the line against 205-pound king Daniel Cormier in a champion-versus-champion blockbuster at UFC 226 on July 7.2. Francis Ngannou (11-2)
Ngannou might still be the Next Big Thing at heavyweight, but UFC 220 let us know that what is next is not necessarily what is now. Despite opening as a -160 favorite in the challenger’s role for his bout with champion Stipe Miocic, “The Predator” was pounded on the ground for 25 minutes and perhaps learned a valuable lesson or two. The loss snapped a 10-fight winning streak for Ngannou, who gets a chance to return to the win column in a matchup against social media foil Derrick Lewis at UFC 226.3. Alistair Overeem (43-16)
Headed into UFC 218 in Detroit, Overeem was 6-1 in his last seven bouts, was coming off of wins over Mark Hunt and Fabricio Werdum and found himself in position to land another crack at UFC champion Stipe Miocic. With just one uppercut, Francis Ngannou splattered Overeem and sent the former K-1 World Grand Prix winner back to the drawing board. “The Reem” will attempt to bounce back against another new contender when he faces the wrestling-minded Curtis Blaydes at UFC 225 on June 9.4. Alexander Volkov (30-6)
Volkov has a deceptive way of winning fights sometimes, but his methods are undeniably effective. After falling behind early against Fabricio Werdum at UFC Fight Night 127, “Drago” used his superior cardio and striking to prevail with a fourth-round knockout. The 29-year-old Russian has won four straight fights in the UFC -- the second-longest active winning streak in the heavyweight division -- and six straight overall, and he could be nearing a title shot following his signature triumph over Werdum.5. Fabricio Werdum (23-8-1)
Werdum was reportedly going to headline the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s debut in Russia against Alexey Oleynik on Sept. 15, but a potential anti-doping violation for a failed out-of-competition drug test appears to have nixed those plans. The 40-year-old Brazilian called it a “misunderstanding” in a social media post shortly thereafter, but “Vai Cavalo” will remain sidelined until the situation is resolved.6. Cain Velasquez (14-2)
After being forced out of his UFC 207 rematch with Fabricio Werdum over his use of cannabidiol, Velasquez underwent successful back surgery in early January 2017. Following his operation, Velasquez took to social media in March to state that while he was excited to get back into the Octagon, he could not commit to a date for his return, saying he was “listening to [his] body.” A timeline for his comeback remains uncertain, though American Kickboxing Academy stablemate Daniel Cormier has indicated that Velasquez was back at full strength and had resumed training.7. Junior dos Santos (18-5)
After being pulled from a proposed clash with Francis Ngannou at UFC 215 due to a potential anti-doping violation, dos Santos has been cleared to compete after it was determined a Brazilian compounding pharmacy gave the ex-champ a tainted supplement. “Cigano” will return to action at UFC Fight Night 133 in Boise, Idaho, where he welcomes former World Series of Fighting champion Blagoy Ivanov to the Octagon in the main event on July 14.8. Vitaly Minakov (21-0)
Will Bellator MMA ever want its former heavyweight champion back? Will the UFC ever make a serious offer? Minakov on Dec. 16 punched out a quality opponent in Tony Johnson in the second round, moving to 21-0 as a pro. Minakov’s exploits came under the banner of his native promotion, Fight Nights Global, igniting further questions as to whether or not the Russian heavyweight will sign another big-fight contract or stay with his home company.9. Curtis Blaydes (9-1)
Blaydes showcased his chin and his wrestling ability in garnering a signature triumph over Mark Hunt at UFC 221 on Feb. 10. After being rocked and nearly finished in the opening stanza, “Razor” Blaydes proceeded to impose his will through takedowns and ground-and-pound over the final 10 minutes to take a unanimous verdict over “The Super Samoan.” With three straight wins under his belt, the up-and-coming Chicago native will next face Alistair Overeem in his hometown at UFC 225 in June.10. Mark Hunt (13-12-1)
After a unanimous decision loss to Curtis Blaydes at UFC 221, Hunt’s days in the promotion could be numbered. He has admitted he plans to leave the UFC upon the completion of his current contract, which has two fights remaining on it. One of those bouts will reportedly occur at a UFC Fight Night event in Moscow, where “The Super Samoan” has been rumored to replace Fabricio Werdum against Alexey Oleynik in the Sept. 15 main event.Other Contenders: Blagoy Ivanov, Cheick Kongo, Derrick Lewis, Matt Mitrione, Marcin Tybura.
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