Jose Aldo's next hurdle is two-time UFC title challenger Kenny Florian. | Photo: Dave Mandel
Featherweight
Aldo is slowly starting to gain a greater measure of parity with his heavier weight contemporaries. However, if the gifted Brazilian is to continue that emergence, he will need to knock off former UFC lightweight title challenger Kenny Florian in his next title defense at UFC 136 on Oct. 8.
2. Hatsu Hioki (24-4-2)
Perhaps Japan's most outstanding MMA fighter, Hioki is finally set for his Octagon debut. After racking up titles in TKO, Shooto and Sengoku, Hioki will make his first Octagon appearance in Las Vegas at UFC 137, meeting George Roop on the Oct. 29 bill.
3. Chad Mendes (11-0)
Mendes was clinical in taking out Brazilian grappling standout Rani Yahya with his powerful wrestling. Better still, the potentially broken hand he faced turned out not to be fractured at all, boding better for his chances to meet the winner of the Jose Aldo-Kenny Florian fight in October.
4. Kenny Florian (14-5)
Kenny Florian had two chances to capture the UFC lightweight title but could not seize the moment. On Oct. 8, he will have a third chance, this time at 145 pounds, as he squares off with UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo at UFC 136.
5. Pat Curran (16-4)
He started slowly, but Curran finished brutally in his Aug. 20 showdown with former Sengoku and Pancrase champion Marlon Sandro in the final of Bellator's Summer Series tournament. With his head kick knockout of Sandro, Curran earns the right to challenge the winner of the eventual Joe Warren-Patricio Freire featherweight title fight in the coming months.
6. Marlon Sandro (19-3)
Sandro looked good early against Pat Curran, but in the second round, the Brazilian was wasted by a brutal head kick. It stopped the gritty Sandro for the first time in his MMA career and took away his chance to vie for Bellator's featherweight title.
7. Diego Nunes (16-2)
After exceeding expectations against Kenny Florian in June, Nunes was scheduled to take on another former UFC lightweight in Manny Gamburyan at UFC 135 on Sept. 24. However, Gamburyan’s recurring shoulder issues forced him out of the fight, leaving Nunes without an opponent. Nunes eventually withdrew from the bout himself, citing physical and personal problems, but plans to be back in December and has expressed his desire to face Gamburyan at that time.
8. Joe Warren (7-1)
The Bellator featherweight champion will return to action on Sept. 24 but not at 145 pounds. Instead, the former Greco-Roman wrestling world champion will drop down to the bantamweight division to compete in Bellator's Season 5 tournament. In the quarterfinals, he will meet fellow former FILA world champion Alexis Vila.
9. Tyson Griffin (15-5)
In June, Griffin cut to 145 pounds and found success by defeating Manny Gamburyan. On Oct. 29, he will return the favor, as he welcomes Bart Palaszewski to the featherweight division at UFC 137.
10. Manny Gamburyan (11-6)
Coming off a loss to Tyson Griffin in June, Gamburyan was slated to get back to action at UFC 135 in September before his ongoing shoulder issues forced him to pull out of a slated bout with talented Brazilian Diego Nunes. Gamburyan stated in late-August that he expects to return to the Octagon by year’s end.
Other contenders: Darren Elkins, Patricio Freire, Mark Hominick, Erik Koch, Dustin Poirier.
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