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Welterweight
1. Tyron Woodley (19-3-1)
Woodley continues to make his case to be known as the “Greatest of All Time” at welterweight. In the UFC 228 headliner, “The Chosen One” dispatched Darren Till via second-round submission, tapping out his English opponent with a brabo choke in the second frame. Unbeaten in his last seven Octagon appearances and the owner of the longest active title defense streak in the UFC, Woodley is in a great spot right now — regardless of how history currently sees him.2. Kamaru Usman (14-1)
“The Nigerian Nightmare” made a statement at “The Ultimate Fighter 28” finale, dominating former lightweight king and 170-pound interim title challenger Rafael dos Anjos for five rounds in Las Vegas. While Usman’s resume lacks finishes — he has only two during his nine-fight winning streak — he has rarely been challenged during his run in the Octagon. Usman’s victory sets himself up nicely as potential No. 1 contender in the division.3. Colby Covington (14-1)
Love him or hate him, Covington is not going anywhere. The American Top Team representative claimed interim welterweight gold at UFC 225, taking a hard-earned five-round verdict over Rafael dos Anjos in the co-main event. The victory presumably set up a title unification bout against reigning 170-pound king Tyron Woodley, but Covington was stripped of the interim crown after electing undergo sinus surgery. Covington now awaits a showdown with Woodley, who soundly defeated replacement foe Darren Till at UFC 228.4. Rafael dos Anjos (28-11)
It appears that wrestlers are Dos Anjos’ kryptonite at 170 pounds. After dropping a five-round verdict to Colby Covington in an interim title bout at UFC 225, the 34-year-old Brazilian was largely dominated for five more rounds by Kamaru Usman at “The Ultimate Fighter 28” finale. Dos Anjos’ lack of size and reach were evident against a natural welterweight, and after kicking off his 170-pound tenure with wins over Tarec Saffiedine, Neil Magny and Robbie Lawler, dos Anjos finds himself looking up at a deep pool of contenders.5. 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. The ex-champ has a high-profile matchup for his next appearance, as he will welcome former Bellator and One titlist Ben Askren to the Octagon at UFC 233 on Jan. 26 in Anaheim.6. Rory MacDonald (20-5)
MacDonald was never competitive in his bid for middleweight gold against Gegard Mousasi, losing via technical knockout 3:23 into the opening stanza in the Bellator 206 headliner. “The Red King” absorbed a barrage of punches and elbows in defeat, which could be problematic considering that he is expected to face Jon Fitch in the opening round of the Bellator welterweight grand prix.7. Douglas Lima (30-7)
Lima was patient and clinical in an impressive victory over Andrey Koreshkov in the opening round of Bellator’s welterweight grand prix. “The Phenom” wore his foe down with kicks to the legs and body, all while defending repeated takedown attempts from the Russian. In round five, the ex-champ found his moment, sinking in a rear-naked choke for the finish in the rubber match between two former champions. Assuming things hold up, Lima will move on to face the winner of the clash between Paul Daley and Michael Page.8. Darren Till (17-1-1)
It was a humbling experience for Till at UFC 228, as he was a non-factor in falling to Tyron Woodley by second round submission at American Airlines Arena in Dallas. The 25-year-old Liverpool native was thrust into a title bout earlier than expected, and he still has plenty of time to improve as a mixed martial artist. Don’t be surprised if “The Gorilla” ends up in a similar position down the road. If that moment arrives, it could very well come at middleweight, as Till recently revealed his fight with Woodley was “probably” his last at 170 pounds.9. 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” was briefly linked to a bout against Robbie Lawler, but with “Ruthless” now scheduled to face Ben Askren at UFC 233, the South Carolina native’s dance card is free at the moment.10. Santiago Ponzinibbio (27-3)
Ponzinibbio made it seven victories in a row at UFC Fight Night 140, as he knocked out Neil Magny in the fourth round of the evening’s headliner to delight his countrymen in Argentina. “Gente Boa” may still be a victory away from a title shot in a deep welterweight division, but he should be in line for a matchup with a Top 5 foe in his next Octagon appearance.Other Contenders: Leon Edwards, Jon Fitch, Demian Maia, Neil Magny, Jorge Masvidal.
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