Sherdog’s Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings

Featherweight

1. Conor McGregor (21-3)

On a suitably monumental stage, Conor McGregor made history at UFC 205 on Nov. 12, when he strolled into Madison Square Garen and pulverized Eddie Alvarez to take the UFC lightweight title. Now the first man to simultaneously hold two UFC titles in different weight classes, the question turns back to another essential McGregor query: who will he defend against next and at what weight?

2. Jose Aldo (26-2)

After a brief power play in which Jose Aldo claimed he would retire from MMA and attempt a different professional sport if he wasn't the next man to face Conor McGregor, the all-time greatest featherweight seems to have tempered his stance. Aldo's coach and manager Andre Pederneiras recently told the media that Aldo wouldn't retire and would focus his efforts on getting a big-money rematch with the man who is now, the UFC's first simultaneous two-division champion.

3. Frankie Edgar (21-5-1)

Despite carrying a back injury and an MCL tear into his UFC 205 clash with Jeremy Stephens, as well as having to recover from a brutal knockdown, Frankie Edgar wouldn't be turned away at Madison Square Garden. Edgar won the unanimous decision over “Lil' Heathen” and successfully rebounded from his second loss to Jose Aldo at UFC 200 this past July.

4. Max Holloway (16-3)

Max Holloway has already won an unprecedented nine Octagon bouts in a row without getting a title shot, but if the Hawaiian wants a crack at UFC gold, he'll need at least one more win. Come UFC 206 on Dec. 10 in Toronto, Holloway will take on former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis, seeking a double-digit win streak that might finally earn him a day in UFC championship court.

5. Cub Swanson (23-7)

Back-to-back wins over Hacran Dias and Tatsuya Kawajiri have got Cub Swanson back into the thick of things at 145 pounds in the UFC and now, he's caught a serious dance partner. At UFC 206 on Dec. 10 in Toronto, Swanson will serve as a major step up in competition for once-beaten South Korean prospect Doo Ho Choi in what should be an all-action fight.

6. Anthony Pettis (19-5)

Former lightweight king Anthony Pettis impressed in his UFC featherweight debut against Charles Oliveira in August and has now been thrust into the fire at 145 pounds. In his second divisional outing, Pettis has a massive opportunity to vault into immediate title contention when he takes on surging contender Max Holloway, winner of nine straight in the Octagon, at UFC 206 on Dec. 10 in Toronto.

7. Ricardo Lamas (17-5)

With recent losses to Chad Mendes and Max Holloway, Ricardo Lamas was in need of a sterling win in order to keep pace in an intensifying 145-pound weight class. “The Bully” got just that on Nov. 5 in Mexico City, tapping out Charles Oliveira with a guillotine in the second round. Lamas is now 4-2 in his last six bouts.

8. Charles Oliveira (21-7, 1 NC)

It's been a rough three months for Charles Oliveira. While the 27-year-old Brazilian remains one of MMA's most thrilling and creative grapplers, he's now suffered back-to-back guillotine choke losses to Anthony Pettis and Ricardo Lamas, in addition to blowing weight for the Lamas fight, which has become a long-maligned theme in Oliveira's career. Oliveira is 1-3 in his last four bouts and he also missed weight for his lone win in that period, a first-round submission of Myles Jury last December.

9. Jeremy Stephens (25-13)

Stephens was game against Frankie Edgar at UFC 205 on Nov. 12, even nearly knocking “The Answer” out. However, Edgar prevailed via unanimous decision on the scorecards, dropping Stephens to 5-4 since he cut down to the UFC's 145-pound division.

10. Doo Ho Choi (14-1)

With three knockouts in his first three UFC bouts in less than a combined five minutes, 25-year-old Doo Ho Choi has earned himself a much bigger bout at 145 pounds. “The Korean Superboy” will get his first taste of elite featherweight competition on Dec. 10 in Toronto when he takes on perennial divisional standout Cub Swanson at UFC 206.

Other Contenders: Dennis Bermudez, Darren Elkins, Andre Fili, Brian Ortega, Yair Rodriguez

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