Lightweight
1. Anthony Pettis (17-2)
Pettis needed five rounds and the remarkable “Showtime” kick to take the World Extreme Cagefighting belt from Benson Henderson in 2010, but he required far less time to earn his second victory over “Smooth” and become the lightweight king at UFC 164. The only thing that went wrong for Pettis, who submitted Henderson with a first-round armbar, was a knee injury he suffered while checking a kick. While the ailment was only diagnosed as a sprain, the Roufusport standout was forced to withdraw from a title defense against Josh Thomson when the knee did not heal as quickly as anticipated. Pettis is coaching opposite Gilbert Melendez on Season 20 of “The Ultimate Fighter” before defending his title against “El Nino” at UFC 181 in December.2. Gilbert Melendez (21-3)
One bout removed from a narrow and controversial loss to then-lightweight champion Benson Henderson, “El Nino” teamed with Diego Sanchez to produce one of 2013’s most memorable fights at UFC 166. Melendez recently flirted with a move to Bellator MMA before re-signing with the UFC. He is coaching opposite lightweight champion Anthony Pettis on Season 20 of “The Ultimate Fighter” before challenging “Showtime” for his title at UFC 181 on Dec. 6.3. Khabib Nurmagomedov (22-0)
Nurmagomedov continues to look like the next big thing in the UFC’s lightweight division. “The Eagle” dismantled fellow contender Rafael dos Anjos at UFC on Fox 11, grinding down his adversary through takedowns, clinches and ground-and-pound. The surging Dagestani has won six straight bouts inside the Octagon. However, a knee injury forced the 26-year-old to withdraw from a match with Donald Cerrone the same day bout agreements were signed.4. Rafael dos Anjos (22-7)
Dos Anjos formally announced himself as a major threat in the UFC lightweight division on Aug. 23, when he exploited ex-champ Benson Henderson’s defensive holes to score a first-round knockout. With wins in seven of his last eight outings, dos Anjos figures to be closing in on title contention -- a notion he will have the chance to affirm with a win against Nate Diaz at UFC on Fox 13 in December.5. Donald Cerrone (25-6, 1 NC)
The “Cowboy” wrangled himself yet another quality lightweight at UFC 178, this time spoiling the debut of former Bellator champion Eddie Alvarez. Cerrone rode out a punishing first round and dragged his opponent into deep waters, where he gradually picked apart Alvarez with low kicks and body blows. In the end, Cerrone was unable to secure a fifth straight stoppage win, but his unanimous decision victory over one of the division’s best was just as impressive. Unbeaten Myles Jury will be the next man to try and halt Cerrone’s momentum, as the two have been paired for a Jan. 3 meeting at UFC 182.6. Benson Henderson (21-4)
A former UFC and World Extreme Cagefighting champ, “Bendo” suffered the first knockout loss of his 25-fight pro career at the hands of surging Brazilian Rafael dos Anjos on Aug. 23 in Tulsa, Okla. A left hook to the jaw ended Henderson’s night, along with his immediate hopes for title contention after back-to-back wins against Josh Thomson and Rustam Khabilov. Henderson will continue to meet top-tier talent when he takes on former Bellator ace Eddie Alvarez in January.7. Nate Diaz (17-9)
Diaz once again demonstrated his ability to entertain by avenging a 2010 loss to Gray Maynard at “The Ultimate Fighter 18” Finale. The Cesar Gracie disciple rocked Maynard with a left and kept “The Bully” on his heels with a flurry of accurate punches to earn a stoppage 2:38 into round one. Diaz made headlines for a rant regarding his current contract with the UFC, but he eventually came to terms with the organization and will go up against Rafael dos Anjos on Dec. 13.8. Eddie Alvarez (25-4)
The grit and technical capabilities that made Alvarez a hot commodity during his Bellator run were on full display at UFC 178. Unfortunately for the Philadelphian, he was up against one of the lightweight division’s toughest outs in Donald Cerrone, who spoiled Alvarez’s long-awaited Octagon debut and earned a unanimous decision by way of punishing leg kicks and body work. Alvarez will again go in search of his first UFC win when he meets former champ Benson Henderson on Jan. 18 in Boston.9. Bobby Green (23-5)
Fighting on only two weeks’ notice, Green parlayed a last-minute assignment into a spot in the lightweight top 10 with a split-decision victory over former Strikeforce champion Josh Thomson. The “King” remains unbeaten at 4-0 in his UFC run with wins against Thomson, Pat Healy, James Krause and Jacob Volkmann. He will look for a ninth consecutive win when he steps into the cage against Brazilian muay Thai specialist Edson Barboza on Nov. 22.10. Josh Thomson (20-7, 1 NC)
American Kickboxing Academy’s resident “Punk” briefly considered retirement after a controversial loss to Benson Henderson, only to return to the Octagon a few months later. Thomson fought hard against late replacement Bobby Green on July 26 but could not overcome the former King of the Cage champion’s diverse striking attack, falling via split decision after three rounds.Other Contenders: Will Brooks, Michael Chandler, Myles Jury, Rustam Khabilov, Jorge Masvidal.
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