Welterweight
1. Tyron Woodley (18-3-1)
Woodley already has three successful title defenses under his belt and recently said he “would bet the house” that his fourth would come against Nate Diaz this summer. However, just as he did when Woodley referenced a bout with Diaz in December, UFC President Dana White shot down that notion, claiming the champion “couldn’t be more full of s---.” The winner of the forthcoming Rafael dos Anjos-Colby Covington interim title fight figures to be next in line once “The Chosen One” is completely healed from shoulder surgery.2. Rafael dos Anjos (28-9)
After losing the UFC lightweight title to Eddie Alvarez and dropping a five-round decision to Tony Ferguson, dos Anjos did not merely snap a two-fight losing skid. No, in the span of six months, dos Anjos has gone 3-0 as a revitalized welterweight, and on Dec. 16, he dominated former UFC titleholder Robbie Lawler for 25 minutes. With undisputed champion Tyron Woodley out until August due to shoulder surgery, the Brazilian will lock horns with Colby Covington for the interim welterweight crown at UFC 225 on June 9.3. Robbie Lawler (28-12)
Lawler’s surprising late-career resurgence was both spiriting and thrilling, but that era seems to have come to an end. The 36-year-old on Dec. 16 was dominated from start to finish by former lightweight king Rafael dos Anjos, and to make matters worse, he suffered a torn ACL in the unanimous decision defeat. While the “Ruthless” one can still crack, his days as a pound-for-pound standout appear to be done.4. Rory MacDonald (20-4)
Not all of Bellator MMA’s recent free agent acquisitions have panned out, but MacDonald’s tenure with the promotion seems to be off to a decent start. After he debuted with a submission of Paul Daley, MacDonald outlasted Douglas Lima and overcame a gnarly hematoma on his shin at Bellator 192 on Jan. 20, earning a unanimous decision and the Bellator welterweight crown. “The Red King” recently took to social media to accept a challenge from newly minted middleweight champion Gegard Mousasi.5. Douglas Lima (29-7)
Lima in June looked like a million bucks against one recent Bellator signing, dominating Lorenz Larkin for 25 minutes. Things did not go nearly as well at Bellator 192 on Jan. 20, as Lima’s leg kicks were not enough to stop the wrestling of Rory MacDonald, who wore out the Brazilian and took his welterweight title with a unanimous decision.6. Colby Covington (13-1)
While his out-of-the cage act may already be growing tiresome, Covington’s work inside the Octagon is hard to overlook. The American Top Team representative has racked up an 8-1 record in the UFC that includes notable 2017 triumphs over Dong Hyun Kim and Demian Maia. That has earned the man known as “Chaos” an interim welterweight title showdown with Rafael dos Anjos. Perhaps even better for Covington, the bout was moved from UFC 224 in Rio de Janeiro -- where the American has alienated an entire nation -- to UFC 225 in Chicago.7. Darren Till (17-0-1)
It was far from the perfect scenario, but Till nonetheless earned the biggest victory of his career to date, as he outpointed two-time title challenger Stephen Thompson in the UFC Fight Night 130 headliner. Not only were the scorecards controversial, but Till missed weight by 3.5 pounds one day prior. Still, the Liverpool, England, native has won four straight in the UFC and figures to be paired with another highly ranked opponent in his next appearance.8. Stephen Thompson (14-3-1)
While many observers -- notably most of the MMA media -- thought Thompson deserved the nod against Darren Till in the UFC Fight Night 130 headliner, the cageside judges thought otherwise. After dropping a narrow verdict to Till in a tactical but not exactly thrilling encounter, Thompson is 1-2-1 in his last four outings. “Wonderboy” remains one of the sport’s top welterweights, but he has some work to do if he wants to return to title contention.9. Kamaru Usman (13-1)
It was not the most thrilling performance, but Usman was in complete control in taking a five-round verdict over former title challenger Demian Maia in the UFC Fight Night 129 headliner in Chile. “The Nigerian Nightmare” has now won 12 consecutive bouts and owns a perfect 8-0 mark inside the Octagon. Still, he may need a more entertaining triumph over a ranked opponent before he can force himself into the title picture.10. Santiago Ponzinibbio (26-3)
The welterweight division is as hot as it has ever been, so it can be hard for any given contender to make a mark. With his Dec. 16 victory over Mike Perry, Argentina’s Ponzinibbio picked up a sixth straight win inside the Octagon and earned his spot among the welterweight elite the old-fashioned way. Unfortunately, a hand injury has slowed the ascent of “Gente Boa,” who was forced to withdraw from a meeting with Kamaru Usman in the UFC Fight Night 129 headliner on May 19 in Santiago, Chile.Other Contenders: Leon Edwards, Jon Fitch, Neil Magny, Demian Maia, Jorge Masvidal.
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