Bantamweight
1. Cody Garbrandt (11-0)
“The Ultimate Fighter 25” may not have the ending that was initially planned: UFC bantamweight king Cody Garbrandt was due to coach opposite former Team Alpha Male training partner T.J. Dillashaw and then square off at season's end at UFC 213 on July 8 in Las Vegas. Instead, a lingering back injury stands to knock Garbrandt out of the contest and has the UFC scrambling for a backup plan.2. Dominick Cruz (22-2)
Having not lost a pro MMA fight in nearly 10 years and with a career full of success against Team Alpha Male, Cruz looked to be in the driver’s seat headed into his bantamweight title defense against Cody Garbrandt at UFC 207. The sentiment was further enhanced when Cruz’s pre-fight trash talk seemed to truly rattle and upset his challenger. Instead, Garbrandt put on an incredible display, as he bested Cruz in his own trademark style, dropping “The Dominator” over 25 minutes and earning a unanimous decision to take Cruz’s 135-pound crown.3. T.J. Dillashaw (14-3)
Dillashaw was due another shot at the UFC bantamweight title after coaching opposite Cody Garbrandt on “The Ultimate Fighter 25.” Unfortunately for Dillashaw, his former Team Alpha Male compatriot has a nagging back injury that may force him from the bout, leaving the Elevation Fight Team standout without a title shot and without a dance partner for UFC 213 on July 8.4. Raphael Assuncao (24-5)
Assuncao is 8-1 as a bantamweight, with all nine of those bouts coming in the UFC. His lone loss came at UFC 200 in July to former divisional ruler T.J. Dillashaw, a man over whom he owns a prior win. In spite of the Atlanta-based Brazilian's undeniable success, he will need to keep acing stiff tests if he wants a UFC title shot. Next up for Assuncao is a particularly intriguing bout, as he will welcome fellow top-five talent and former World Series of Fighting champion Marlon Moraes to the promotion at UFC 212 on June 3 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.5. Marlon Moraes (18-4-1)
Given World Series of Fighting's dubious-but-lucrative pay structure for some fighters, former WSOF bantamweight champion Moraes is likely sacrificing some coin in making the leap to the UFC. However, Moraes has repeatedly expressed his desire to fight the best in the world. He will get a baptism by fire in his UFC debut: Moraes will square off with fellow elite Brazilian Raphael Assuncao in a contest with considerable merit at UFC 212 on June 3.6. Jimmie Rivera (20-1)
Let Rivera provide a lesson in how to get what you want in the modern UFC. With a perfect 4-0 Octagon record and the promotion headed to Long Island, New York, the New Jersey-born, NYC-based Rivera wanted to be a part of the bill -- and prominently so. What did he do? He called out 22-1 banger Thomas Almeida for an all-action bantamweight clash on Twitter, got his would-be opponent's consent and put the heat on the UFC to make it official. Rivera got his wish and will go for his 20th straight win at UFC on Fox 25 in July.7. Bryan Caraway (21-7)
With back-to-back wins over Eddie Wineland and Aljamain Sterling, Caraway put himself in bantamweight title contention. However, ahead of his scheduled bout with Jimmie Rivera on Jan. 15, Caraway was once again struck by the injury bug, leading him to pull out of the fight and take a familiar place on the sideline.8. Thomas Almeida (22-1)
Almeida scored a nasty knockout win over Albert Morales in front of his hometown crowd in November, but Morales did not exactly represent top-10 opposition. That changes for “Little Tom” next time out: The 25-year-old Brazilian has agreed to take on fellow ranked bantamweight Jimmie Rivera at UFC on Fox 25 in Long Island, New York, on July 22. Their 135-pound clash is big on relevance and potential action.9. John Lineker (29-8)
A win at UFC 207 over former bantamweight king T.J. Dillashaw likely would have punched Lineker’s ticket to a title bout in the Octagon. Instead, the massive-hitting Brazilian had his six-fight winning streak snapped by Dillashaw, who grounded and savagely pounded on Lineker for 15 minutes. Though soundly defeated, Lineker remains one of MMA’s most devastating punchers; and in a lopsided defeat to Dillashaw, he showed off exactly the kind of physical toughness that figures to make him an elite 135-pound fixture for the foreseeable future.10. Aljamain Sterling (13-2)
When he started his career 11-0 and looked sensational over his first four UFC bouts, it seemed like the sky was the limit for Sterling. However, the hot Serra-Longo Fight Team prospect had his heels cooled by back-to-back split decision losses to Bryan Caraway and Raphael Assuncao. Undeterred, “The Funkmaster” bounced back nicely at UFC on Fox 24, breaking his skid with a unanimous decision over grappling ace Augusto Mendes on April 15.Other Contenders: Iuri Alcantara, Darrion Caldwell, Eduardo Dantas, John Dodson, Eddie Wineland.
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