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Lightweight
1. Islam Makhachev (25-1) | UFC [1]
Makhachev made a statement at UFC 294, knocking out featherweight king Alexander Volkanovski with a head kick and follow-up punches in the opening round of their lightweight title clash at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. The Dagestani standout has won 13 straight fights in the Octagon and thanks to consecutive title defenses against Volkanovski, can close the book on his rivalry with the Australian star. Makhachev’s next assignment will come against Dustin Poirier in the UFC 302 headliner.2. Arman Tsarukyan (22-3) UFC [2]
Tsarukyan relied on a strong top game and submission defense to earn a split-decision triumph over ex-lightweight champ Charles Oliveira at UFC 300. The American Top Team product has won four straight and nine of his last 10 UFC appearances overall, potentially setting the stage for a title shot in his next outing.3. Charles Oliveira (34-10, 1 NC) | UFC [3]
Oliveira had his moments against Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 300 — including a pair of tight submissions in Rounds 1 and 3 — but “do Bronx” ultimately didn’t do enough to sway the scorecards in his favor, as he dropped a split decision in a No. 1 contender’s bout at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The Brazilian showed why he remains one of the division’s top talents, but the setback moves his dream of a rematch with Islam Makhachev further away from becoming a reality.4. Max Holloway (26-7) | UFC [4]
Concerns for Holloway’s health against Justin Gaethje proved to be misguided, as “Blessed” authored an all-time classic knockout victory to claim the BMF belt at UFC 300 on April 13. Options abound for the Hawaiian, who remains a top contender at 145 pounds and is now also a person of interest at lightweight after vanquishing Gaethje, who would have been in line for a title shot with a victory. Holloway has won five of his last six Octagon appearances, with victories over the likes of Gaethje, Chan Sung Jung, Arnold Allen, Yair Rodriguez and Calvin Kattar adding to his considerable resume.5. Justin Gaethje (25-5) | UFC [5]
Gaethje relinquished his BMF crown to Max Holloway at UFC 300, suffering a knockout loss at the 4:59 mark of Round 5 in what will go down as one of the most memorable bouts in the history of the Las Vegas-based promotion. The Colorado native struggled after having his nose broken at the end of Round 1, and outside of a late surge in the fourth frame, was largely outgunned by his Hawaiian adversary. While Gaethje is one of the sport’s most beloved all-action fighters, one must wonder how much of a toll a career of battles has taken on him at this point in time.6. Dustin Poirier (30-8, 1 NC) | UFC [6]
Poirier accepted a risky fight and reaped the rewards at UFC 299, rallying for a second-round knockout victory against surging Frenchman Benoit St. Denis in the evening’s co-main event at the Kaseya Center in Miami. It was a much-needed bounceback effort on the heels of a KO loss to Justin Gaethje last summer, and it propelled “The Diamond” to his third lightweight title shot — this time against Islam Makhachev — in the UFC 302 headliner.7. Beneil Dariush (22-6-1) | UFC [7]
Dariush probably didn’t know what hit him in the UFC on ESPN 52 headliner, where he fell victim to an Arman Tsarukyan right hand and follow-up punches just 64 seconds into the opening round of their clash at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas on Dec. 2. Dariush has now suffered back-to-back first-round KO/TKO defeats at the hands of Tsarukyan and Charles Oliveira, pushing him down the ranks of contenders at 155 pounds.8. Mateusz Gamrot (24-2, 1 NC) | UFC [8]
Gamrot survived some adversity in the opening stanza against Rafael dos Anjos before rallying to impose his will through relentless wrestling in a unanimous decision triumph at UFC 299. The former KSW title holder has won seven of his last eight Octagon appearances and could be just a victory or two away from serious title contention in the loaded lightweight division.9. Michael Chandler (23-8) | UFC [9]
Once again, Chandler had an opponent reeling but couldn’t finish the job, as he was submitted by Dustin Poirier in a featured lightweight affair at UFC 281. Although he has lost three of his last four UFC outings, Chandler remains a favorite with promotional brass thanks to his penchant for all-action fights. That status was reflected by his next assignment, which was a coaching stint on “The Ultimate Fighter 31” opposite Conor McGregor. Though it took some time to materialize, Chandler is finally expected to lock horns with the Irish star at UFC 303.10. Rafael Fiziev (12-3) | UFC [10]
In what was shaping up to be an intriguing clash of lightweight contenders, Fiziev suffered an unfortunate knee injury early in the second round of his headlining clash against Mateusz Gamrot at UFC Fight Night 228. Not only is Fiziev mired in the first two-bout skid of his professional career, but he’ll likely face a fairly lengthy recovery process before he can return to action within the Las Vegas-based promotion.Other Contenders: Dan Hooker, Bobby Green, Renato Carneiro, Jalin Turner, Grant Dawson.
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