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Light Heavyweight
1. Vadim Nemkov (16-2, 1 NC) | Bellator [1]
Nemkov was largely dominant in his latest title defense, as he earned a clear-cut unanimous verdict over former UFC title challenger Yoel Romero in the Bellator 297 main event. The Fedorteam representative battered his adversary with straight punches and an arsenal of kicks while surviving a late Romero takedown in the final stanza. While a finish would have been an ideal punctuation to the night, Nemkov still had to respect the explosive ability of his opponent. The Russian standout is unbeaten in his last 12 professional outings, a stretch that also includes a victory in the Bellator 205-pound grand prix.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, the Polish veteran will welcome ex-middleweight champ Alex Pereira to the division at UFC 291.6. Corey Anderson (17-6, 1 NC) | Bellator [6]
Anderson edged former light heavyweight champion Phil Davis via split decision in a featured light heavyweight contest at Bellator 297, rebounding from a five-round defeat to reigning title holder Vadim Nemkov at Bellator 288. It wasn’t an emphatic victory, but few expected it would be given the skill sets of the two grappling-minded combatants. While “Overtime” has yet to capture championship gold in the UFC or Bellator, he has built a solid resume that includes victories over the likes of Davis, Ryan Bader, Glover Teixeira and Jan Blachowicz.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 (30-9) UFC [8]
After an illness forced Krylov out of a proposed headlining clash against Ryan Spann at UFC Fight Night 220, the bout was rescheduled two weeks later as a 215-pound catchweight affair. “The Miner” showcased his grappling chops in the rebooking, submitting Spann with a triangle choke in the opening stanza of their UFC Fight Night 221 matchup. Krylov has won three straight outings, a run that includes wins over Spann, Volkan Oezdemir and Alexander Gustafsson.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:Johnny Walker, Phil Davis, Anthony Smith, Antonio Carlos Jr., Rob Wilkinson.
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