Featherweight
1. Max Holloway (19-3)
Holloway briefly had a chance to join Conor McGregor as the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s only simultaneous two-division champions when he stepped in on six days’ notice to replace Tony Ferguson against Khabib Nurmagomedov in a lightweight title bout UFC 223. Alas, the weight cut proved too difficult, as “Blessed” was deemed medically unfit to compete by the New York State Athletic Commission one day before the event. Instead, Holloway’s next appearance will come in a 145-pound title defense against No. 1 contender Brian Ortega at UFC 226 on July 7.2. Brian Ortega (14-0)
There is no doubt about who is the No. 1 contender in the featherweight division following Ortega’s emphatic first-round knockout of two-time title challenger and former lightweight king Frankie Edgar at UFC 222. A standing elbow stopped Edgar in his tracks and an uppercut lifted “The Answer” off his feet and onto the canvas, giving “T-City” his sixth consecutive UFC victory. Ortega has now secured himself a date with reigning 145-pound king Max Holloway at UFC 226 in Las Vegas.3. Jose Aldo (26-4)
Aldo’s second effort in six months against Max Holloway was less successful than the first, as the Brazilian legend was battered for three rounds and stopped by the Hawaiian once again at UFC 218 on Dec. 2. “Scarface” has now lost three of his last four bouts. Up next for the all-time featherweight king is a co-headlining date with the hard-punching Jeremy Stephens at UFC on Fox 30 on July 28 in Calgary, Alberta.4. Frankie Edgar (22-6-1)
It was not quite as dominant as the first time around, but Edgar nonetheless appears to have Cub Swanson’s number. Shaking off concerns about a quick turnaround following a devastating knockout loss to Brian Ortega at UFC 222, “The Answer” was back to his usual form, as he pressured and outpointed Swanson for three rounds at UFC Fight Night 128 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Edgar will continue to be a tough out for anyone looking to work their way to the top of the division.5. Cub Swanson (25-8)
Swanson forced Frankie Edgar to stay upright for their rematch at UFC Fight Night 128, but it was to no avail, as the Palm Springs, California, native lost a unanimous decision to fall to 0-2 against “The Answer.” Having recently signed a new contract with the UFC, Swanson will look to bounce back from the second two-fight losing streak of his promotional tenure against Renato Carneiro at UFC 227.6. Darren Elkins (24-5)
Elkins was getting pieced up by Michael Johnson in the latter’s featherweight debut at UFC Fight Night 124. Then, in a scene reminiscent of his 2017 comeback against Mirsad Bektic, “The Damage” dug deep, took Johnson’s back and choked him out in the second round. With six straight wins, Elkins now has the longest winning streak at 145 pounds in the UFC outside of champion Max Holloway. He will continue his climb toward title contention when he faces Australian prospect Alexander Volkanovski at UFC Fight Night 133 in Boise, Idaho, on July 14.7. Jeremy Stephens (28-14)
Now 28 fights into his Ultimate Fighting Championship tenure, Stephens may be in the best position of his lengthy career after a resounding second-round knockout of Josh Emmett in the UFC on Fox 28 main event gave “Lil’ Heathen” his third consecutive triumph at 145 pounds. Although it seems as if he has been around forever, Stephens is still just 31 years old and could be primed for featherweight title contention. A win over Jose Aldo at UFC on Fox 30 in July could get Stephens one step closer to making his championship dreams a reality.8. Chan Sung Jung (15-4)
With Jung back from two and a half years of mandatory military service in his native South Korea, the MMA world was thrilled when “The Korean Zombie” returned in February 2017 and lanced Dennis Bermudez in mere minutes. It was then quickly heartbroken when Jung’s slated UFC 214 bout with Ricardo Lamas fell apart after he was injured. Jung took to social media to angle for a showdown with Jeremy Stephens, but with “Lil’ Heathen” booked against Jose Aldo this summer, the South Korean has recently set his sights on Frankie Edgar.9. Josh Emmett (13-2)
Emmett could not capitalize on the momentum of his big knockout victory over ex-title challenger Ricardo Lamas in December, as he fell victim to the heavy hands and elbows of Jeremy Stephens in the UFC on Fox 28 headliner. The Team Alpha Male product now finds himself with some work to do in a deep and talented 145-pound division.10. Ricardo Lamas (18-6)
Your heart breaks for Lamas. After impressive back-to-back stoppages of Charles Oliveira and Jason Knight, “The Bully” earned a second crack at all-time featherweight king Jose Aldo, only to the lose the fight when the Brazilian stepped in for an injured Frankie Edgar against Max Holloway at UFC 218. Lamas accepted a high-risk, low-reward bout with replacement Josh Emmett on Dec. 16 and wound up on the wrong end of one of 2017’s most devastating knockouts. He will attempt to bounce back at UFC 225 on June 9, when he confronts Mirsad Bektic in Chicago.Other Contenders: Renato Carneiro, Doo Ho Choi, Patricio Freire, Calvin Kattar, Yair Rodriguez.
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