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Light Heavyweight
1. Vadim Nemkov (15-2, 1 NC) | Bellator [1]
After struggling with the wrestling of Corey Anderson before their first meeting at Bellator 277 resulted in a no contest, Nemkov turned the tables in a major way their rematch at Bellator 288, winning a five-round verdict to retain his light heavyweight crown in the evening’s headliner. The Fedorteam representative is unbeaten in his last 11 professional appearances, a run that includes triumphs over the likes of Anderson, Phil Davis (twice) and Ryan Bader. A quick turnaround against Yoel Romero at Bellator 290 was scrapped when Nemkov withdrew from the card for undisclosed reasons.2. Jiri Prochazka (29-3-1) | UFC [2]
There were more than a few times when Prochazka appeared to be dead in the water against Glover Teixeira in their light heavyweight title bout at UFC 275, but ultimately the resilient Czech prevailed with a rear-naked choke submission at the 4:32 mark of Round 5. Had the bout gone to the scorecards, Prochazka would have likely been on the wrong end of a decision defeat. “Denisa” wanted to claim a more emphatic victory in a rematch with Teixeira at UFC 282, but a serious shoulder injury forced him to vacate the 205-pound belt, and his timetable for a return to the Octagon could be up to a year.3. Jamahal Hill (12-1, 1 NC) UFC [3]
Hill put on a clinic in the UFC 283 headliner, as he battered and bloodied a resilient Glover Teixeira en route to a convincing unanimous decision triumph in Rio de Janeiro. The UFC’s 16th light heavyweight champion figures to have an interesting year ahead of him. While Jiri Prochazka looms large over the division, it is unclear when the former champ might be ready to return from a serious shoulder injury that forced him to withdraw from UFC 282. In the meantime, Hill could be matched with any number of other contenders in what is shaping up as a wide-open division.4. Glover Teixeira (33-9) | UFC [4]
Teixeira’s trademark toughness was on display throughout the UFC 283 headliner, but he was ultimately unable to find an opening to rally against Jamahal Hill, as he lost a lopsided unanimous decision in Rio de Janeiro. After his bid to regain light heavyweight gold came up short, the beloved Brazilian veteran announced his retirement in the Octagon. Assuming the decision holds up, Teixeira’s rankings eligibility will expire on Jan. 21, 2024.5. Jan Blachowicz (29-9-1) | UFC [5]
Blachowicz appeared to be on his way to regaining light heavyweight gold in the early stages of his headlining bout against Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 282, but a late surge by the Dagestani resulted in their fight being ruled a majority draw. Most observers thought Ankalaev deserved the nod but that won’t change the fact that their fight ended with the most unsatisfying of conclusions. With Jamahal Hill now in possession of the belt and Jiri Prochazka on the shelf for most of 2023, it’s unclear what the future holds for the Polish veteran.6. Corey Anderson (16-6, 1 NC) | Bellator [6]
After using his wrestling to control the majority of his first bout with Vadim Nemkov before the fight ended prematurely due to an accidental clash of heads, Anderson had every reason to believe he’d be able to impose his will in the rematch at Bellator 288. Instead, Nemkov denied all of Anderson’s takedown attempts en route to retaining his 205-pound belt in a unanimous decision triumph. It’s another disappointing outcome for Anderson, who has been on the cusp of championships in both Bellator and the UFC but has come up short each time.7. Magomed Ankalaev (17-1-1) | UFC [7]
Ankalaev struggled to defend the leg kicks of Jan Blachowicz in the early going at UFC 282, but the Dagestani rallied for a strong finish in the championship rounds of their title bout at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. While many thought Ankalaev deserved the nod, the end result was a disappointing majority draw. To make matters worse, Ankalaev won’t be involved in the next light heavyweight title fight. Immediately following the UFC 282 headliner, the Gorets Fight Team member announced that he wanted to avoid fighting in Las Vegas for future bouts.8. Nikita Krylov (29-9) UFC [8]
Krylov proved himself to be more than simply a one-round fighter, as he blended striking and wrestling to wear down Volkan Oezdemir in a unanimous decision triumph at UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi on Oct. 22. In winning via decision for just the second time in his professional career, Krylov survived some early adversity to earn his second consecutive triumph within the Las Vegas-based promotion. Next, “The Miner” will face Ryan Spann in the UFC Fight Night 220 headliner.9. Aleksandar Rakic (14-3) | UFC [9]
Rakic was engaged in a competitive battle with Jan Blachowicz at UFC on ESPN 36 when disaster struck, as “Rocket” suffered a right knee injury while moving backward early in the third round of their light heavyweight headliner. Not only is it a missed opportunity for Rakic to make a serious statement in the division, but the Austrian figures to be sidelined for a significant period during the rehab process.10. Reinier de Ridder (16-1) | One Championship [10]
De Ridder surrendered his light heavyweight (225-pound) belt to interim heavyweight king Anatoliy Malykhin in lopsided fashion at One on Prime Video 5, falling via knockout 4:35 into Round 1 of their headlining clash. “The Dutch Knight” looked much smaller than his Russian foe, and he struggled to get the fight to the canvas as he absorbed punishing head and body work from Malykhin. De Ridder’s undefeated record is a thing of the past, but he remains the One Championship title holder at middleweight (205 pounds). It seems likely that his next bout will come with that belt on the line.Other Contenders: Phil Davis, Johnny Walker, Anthony Smith, Volkan Oezdemir, Antonio Carlos Jr.
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