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Featherweight
1. Max Holloway (19-3)
Holloway is not having much luck in 2018. Just days out from a scheduled 145-pound title defense against Brian Ortega in the UFC 226 co-main event, “Blessed” was pulled from the bout due to concussion-like symptoms. That marks the third time this year Holloway has been forced to withdraw from a fight: An injured foot forced him out of a matchup with Frankie Edgar at UFC 222 in March, and the Hawaiian was deemed medically unfit to take a short-notice lightweight title bout against Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 223 in April. Holloway has officially been rebooked against Ortega at UFC 231 on Dec. 8 in Toronto.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. However, Ortega’s opportunity to claim featherweight gold was put on hold after reigning champion Max Holloway was forced to withdraw from their UFC 226 co-headliner due to concussion-like symptoms. Ortega reportedly declined a short-notice interim title fight against Jeremy Stephens and instead will be rebooked against Holloway at UFC 231 on Dec 8.3. Jose Aldo (27-4)
He may no longer be champion, but Aldo is recognized as the greatest featherweight of all-time for a reason. The Brazilian showed he still has plenty left in the tank when he stopped rising contender Jeremy Stephens with a body shot and follow-up punches in the UFC on Fox 30 co-headliner. While the Nova Uniao standout may never match up well with current champion Max Holloway, he remains a stern test for any featherweight hoping to ascend the divisional ranks.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 was supposed to welcome Chan Sung Jung back to the Octagon at UFC Fight Night 139, but a biceps injury forced the ex-lightweight king to pull out of the matchup.5. Alexander Volkanovski (18-1)
Volkanovski officially graduated from prospect to contender at UFC Fight Night 133 in Boise, Idaho, where he ended the six-fight winning streak of Darren Elkins. Volkanovski battered and bloodied his notoriously durable foe for three rounds; perhaps even more impressively, he did not allow Elkins to pull out one of his trademark Hail Mary comebacks. “Alexander the Great” has now won five straight fights inside the Las Vegas-based promotion and 15 in a row overall. Up next: a showdown with former title challenger Chad Mendes at UFC 232.6. Chad Mendes (18-4)
In his first appearance since December 2015, Mendes cut down Myles Jury with punches in the first round of their UFC Fight Night 133 encounter in Boise, Idaho. The Team Alpha Male mainstay showed no signs of rust after serving a two-year PED-related suspension, as the two-time featherweight title challenger posted his first victory in more than three years and reinserted himself in the conversation at 145 pounds. Mendes will take on one of the division’s rising stars when he faces the streaking Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 232 on Dec. 29.7. Renato Carneiro (13-1-1)
Carneiro made a move into the featherweight division’s upper echelon at UFC 227, where he earned a first-round stoppage of Cub Swanson in a featured bout at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. “Moicano” dropped Swanson with a jab before eventually transitioning to a rear-naked choke to get the tapout with 45 seconds remaining in the opening period. The 29-year-old Brazilian has won five of six Octagon appearances, with his only defeat coming at the hands of current top contender Brian Ortega. Carneiro was scheduled to face Mirsad Bektic at UFC 231 in Toronto before his opponent withdrew from the card due to injury.8. Cub Swanson (25-9)
The days of Swanson hovering near the top of the featherweight division may have finally reached their end. The World Extreme Cagefighting veteran dropped his third consecutive bout at UFC 227, falling to rising talent Renato Carneiro via first-round submission. Swanson, who owns four- and six-fight winning streaks during his promotional tenure, still has the skill set to put on an entertaining show when matched with the right opponent.9. Jeremy Stephens (28-15)
Riding a three-fight winning streak into UFC on Fox 30, Stephens was poised to establish himself as a title challenger in waiting against ex-champ Jose Aldo. Instead, “Lil Heathen” was dropped with a body shot and finished with follow-up ground-and-pound 4:19 into the opening stanza. The Alliance MMA product fought well up to that point, but the setback keeps him just outside the division’s elite. At 32 years old, Stephens still has time to make another run.10. Yair Rodriguez (11-2)
Rodriguez was on the verge of losing his second consecutive bout at UFC Fight Night Denver until he landed the elbow heard ‘round the world with one second remaining in his headlining clash with Chan Sung Jung. Not only does “Pantera” have an all-time knockout on his resume, but he regains some of the luster he lost in a lopsided defeat to Frankie Edgar in May 2017. The 26-year-old Mexican improved to 7-1 in the Octagon with his win over “The Korean Zombie,” and should be in line for another high-profile booking down the road.Other Contenders: Josh Emmett, Chan Sung Jung, Mirsad Bektic, Ricardo Lamas, Patricio Freire.
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