Light Heavyweight
1. Jon Jones (20-1)
The UFC worked hard to build Glover Teixeira as Jones’ most dangerous challenger to date. Once the Octagon doors closed, however, “Bones” put on yet another clinic, battering his Brazilian foe with a variety of strikes and devastating clinch work to earn a lopsided unanimous verdict in the UFC 172 headliner. With top contender Alexander Gustafsson injured, Jones will defend his belt against Daniel Cormier at UFC 178 on Sept. 27.2. Alexander Gustafsson (16-2)
After narrowly missing out on UFC gold in his September unanimous decision loss to Jon Jones, Gustafsson was clearly hungry to prove himself worthy of a rematch. “The Mauler” made his case on March 8 by blasting undefeated British puncher Jimi Manuwa with heavy strikes in a decisive second-round knockout and then calling out Jones in his post-fight interview. Gustafsson signed on for a rematch with “Bones” at UFC 178 but was forced to withdraw after suffering a knee injury.3. Rashad Evans (19-3-1)
It had been more than two years between stoppage wins for Evans, but he fixed that with a first-round finish at UFC 167. The former champion blew the doors off of fellow Fox Sports analyst Chael Sonnen, smashing the loud-mouthed Oregonian with ground punches and keeping Evans’ name in the discussion as one of the division’s elite. “Suga” was expected to welcome Daniel Cormier to the 205-pound division at UFC 170, but a knee injury will keep the Blackzilians member on the shelf for a minimum of six months.4. Daniel Cormier (15-0)
Cormier was absolutely dominant in throttling former two-division Pride Fighting Championships titlist Dan Henderson in the UFC 173 co-main event. The American Kickboxing Academy product scored takedowns and moved into mount in all three rounds before rendering “Hendo” unconscious with a rear-naked choke at the 3:53 mark of the final stanza. Cormier was expected to undergo surgery for a torn LCL and partially damaged ACL in his right knee, but he will instead step up to challenge Jon Jones at UFC 178 in place of the injured Alexander Gustafsson.5. Glover Teixeira (22-3)
Teixeira did his best to bring the fight to Jon Jones at UFC 172, but in the end, the hard-hitting Brazilian simply lacked the diversity to truly threaten the champion. While a five-round decision defeat to Jones ended Teixeira’s 20-fight unbeaten streak, the 34-year-old still figures to be a handful for the rest of the light heavyweight division.6. Anthony Johnson (18-4)
Johnson was a heavy favorite going into his July 26 bout with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, but few expected the walloping that “Rumble” put on his veteran opponent. The Blackzilians representative used vicious uppercuts to deal Nogueira a 44-second knockout and propel himself to contender status, though Johnson will need at least one more quality win to make his case for a title shot.7. Dan Henderson (30-12)
Henderson was finished for just the fifth time in his professional career at UFC 173, as he succumbed to a rear-naked choke in the third round against American Kickboxing Academy standout Daniel Cormier. “Hendo” had no answers for the powerful wrestling game of Cormier, who ragdolled his undersized foe for most of the bout.8. Phil Davis (12-2, 1 NC)
Trash talking with Jon Jones seemed to be Davis’ main priority leading up to UFC 172. Perhaps his focus should have been on Anthony Johnson. “Rumble” bullied the former NCAA-All American wrestler for three rounds in the co-main event, landing heavy punches on the feet and thwarting all of Davis’ takedown attempts. “Mr. Wonderful” now has some serious work to do before he can be considered as a challenger for Jones again.9. Ryan Bader (17-4)
While Bader’s performance at UFC 174 may not have been a thriller, it did prove that the former “Ultimate Fighter” winner is adept at handling dangerous opponents. The Arizonan implemented a heavy wrestling game to shut down former Strikeforce champion Rafael Cavalcante and earn a unanimous decision, giving him his third win in four outings. Bader next has a date lined up with the surging Ovince St. Preux on Aug. 16 in Maine.10. Emanuel Newton (23-7-1)
It was not pretty, but Newton unified Bellator’s light heavyweight crown with a split decision triumph over Attila Vegh at Bellator 113. “The Hardcore Kid” relied on superior output and aggression during exchanges to get the better of his opponent. Based on Bellator’s tournament format, Newton’s next foe should be Quinton Jackson, who topped Muhammed Lawal to capture the promotion’s Season 10 bracket. However, common training ground between the two could make the situation more complicated.Other Contenders: Rafael Cavalcante, Jimi Manuwa, Mauricio Rua, Ovince St. Preux, Attila Vegh.
Continue Reading » Middleweight