Light Heavyweight
1. Jon Jones (21-1)
Jones is the consensus No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter for a reason, and “Bones” displayed his next-level fighting prowess once again in outworking challenger and rival Daniel Cormier at UFC 182. Flashy striking combined with grinding clinch work and surprising takedowns won the day for Jones, who secured his eighth straight title defense and 12th consecutive win overall. The 27-year-old champ subsequently made headlines for the wrong reasons when it was revealed that he tested positive for cocaine metabolites in a December drug screen. Jones also has a new challenger about whom to worry: newly crowned No. 1 contender Anthony “Rumble” Johnson. The two will meet at UFC 187 in May.2. Anthony Johnson (19-4)
Johnson added a major knockout to his résumé on Jan. 24, punching out Alexander Gustafsson in front of a 30,000-strong crowd on the Swede’s home turf. “Rumble” is currently riding a nine-fight winning streak, including victories over Gustafsson, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Phil Davis since rejoining the UFC last year. Now the clear-cut No. 1 contender at 205 pounds, Johnson will attempt to dethrone divisional king Jon Jones at UFC 187 on May 23.3. Alexander Gustafsson (16-3)
Gustafsson was one win away from his desired rematch with Jon Jones -- and then he ran into Anthony Johnson. “The Mauler” became the mauled before a hometown crowd in Stockholm on Jan. 24, as Gustafsson fell victim to Johnson’s heavy hands and succumbed to first-round punches in the main event of UFC on Fox 14. After winning seven of his first eight Octagon appearances, Gustafsson has now dropped two of his last three, prompting the Swede to tell reporters that he needs to “get back and work harder” if he is to vie for the title again. That work will start with hard-hitting Brazilian Glover Teixeira on June 20 in Berlin.4. Daniel Cormier (15-1)
Cormier threw everything he had at Jon Jones in their highly anticipated UFC 182 main event, but it seems there is just no breaking “Bones.” Despite winning round two, Cormier was overtaken in the latter frames of the five-round affair, bending under constant pressure, clinch work and takedowns from the rangy champion. The former Olympic wrestler saw his unblemished MMA record tarnished after 15 consecutive wins, including finishes against the likes of Dan Henderson and Antonio Silva. Cormier will attempt to rebound on June 6, when he tangles with fellow wrestler Ryan Bader.5. Ryan Bader (19-4)
While it was hardly a crowd-pleasing performance, Bader picked up his fourth straight win Jan. 24 in Stockholm, this time edging fellow wrestler Phil Davis in a split decision. All four of the former “Ultimate Fighter” winner’s recent victories have been awarded by the judges, including a five-round grinder against Ovince St. Preux in August. Bader will look to cement his status as a legitimate contender against Daniel Cormier on June 6 in New Orleans.6. Phil Davis (13-3, 1 NC)
Davis narrowly outstruck Ryan Bader in their Jan. 24 meeting, but it was not enough to sway the judges. “Mr. Wonderful” dropped a split decision to Bader in the lackluster three-rounder, marking Davis’ second loss in three appearances -- the first such stretch of his MMA career. Still, the former Penn State Nittany Lion holds some significant victories at 205 pounds, like his decisions over Lyoto Machida and Glover Teixeira.7. Glover Teixeira (22-4)
Teixeira struggled to find his range and to stay upright against Phil Davis at UFC 179, succumbing to multiple takedowns and chippy range striking from the former NCAA Division I wrestling champion over the course of a three-round decision loss. After racking up 20 straight wins between 2006 and 2013, Teixeira has now suffered back-to-back defeats for the first time in his career. Scheduled to take on Rashad Evans in February, Teixeira was forced to withdraw from his bout with the former champion after suffering a knee injury in training. The Marco Ruas pupil will return in Germany in June, when he will meet fellow former title challenger Alexander Gustafsson.8. Ovince St. Preux (17-6)
Fighting on less than two weeks’ notice before a hostile crowd who backed a bona fide MMA icon, “OSP” scored the biggest win of his career in shocking fashion. On Nov. 8, St. Preux needed only 34 seconds to punch Mauricio “Shogun” Rua senseless and send the Brazilian faithful home stunned. The former University of Tennessee Volunteer will try to halt the momentum of Patrick Cummins on April 18 in New Jersey.9. Liam McGeary (10-0)
McGeary became the first Englishman to wear Bellator MMA gold when he dethroned Emanuel Newton in a tight, five-round decision on Feb. 27. The unbeaten submission specialist moved to 10-0 by keeping Newton in constant danger on the ground with triangle chokes and armbars. The bout was the first of McGeary’s seven Bellator appearances which he did not finish in the opening round.10. Emanuel Newton (25-8-1)
When Newton fell behind early in his October title defense against Linton Vassell, “The Hardcore Kid” managed to mount a gritty comeback and secure a fifth-round finish. He could not repeat the feat on Feb. 27, when Liam McGeary repeatedly threatened Newton with submissions en route to snatching the Bellator 205-pound strap in a narrow decision. Newton tested positive for marijuana following the loss and received a three-month suspension.Other Contenders: Jan Blachowicz, Quinton Jackson, Muhammed Lawal, Jimi Manuwa, Attila Vegh.
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