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Featherweight
1. Alexander Volkanovski (21-1)
Volkanovski became the fourth featherweight champion in promotion history with a masterful performance against Max Holloway at UFC 245 in Las Vegas. The City Kickboxing representative kept his opponent at bay with a steady diet of leg kicks and as a result, never allowed Holloway to land with his usual volume. Volkanovski’s eight-fight winning streak includes triumphs over two of the greatest 145-pound talents ever in Holloway and Jose Aldo, and it appears that the 31-year-old Aussie is only getting better with time.2. Max Holloway (21-5)
Holloway could never get going at UFC 245, losing a unanimous decision and his featherweight title to Alexander Volkanovski in the evening’s co-main event at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas Holloway picked up the pace in the championship rounds, but it wasn’t enough to prevent him from losing his first featherweight bout since August 2013. “Blessed” has lost two of his last three promotional outings when you include his decision loss to Dustin Poirier in an interim lightweight title bout at UFC 236. Still just 28 years old, there’s plenty of time for Holloway to make another championship run.3. Brian Ortega (14-1)
Ortega was plenty game, but he was ultimately overwhelmed by the cumulative damage inflicted by featherweight champion Max Holloway in the UFC 231 headliner. “T-City” was ruled unable to come out before the fifth round and with that, his undefeated record was no more. Although Ortega hit Holloway with some solid shots in the third frame, the contest was dominated by the Hawaiian’s relentless offense. Ortega was supposed to make his long-awaited return to the Octagon against Chan Sung Jung in the UFC Fight Night 165 headliner, but he was forced to withdraw from the bout due to a knee injury.4. Jose Aldo (28-6)
Aldo didn’t show any negative effects from the cut to 135 pounds, as he moved well and attacked throughout his bout against Marlon Moraes at UFC 245. Unfortunately for the Nova Uniao standout, he dropped a somewhat contentious split decision in his bantamweight debut. Aldo may be in line for a rematch against Moraes, but regardless of what the future holds, it seems that he can be competitive if he chooses to remain at 135 pounds.5. Frankie Edgar (22-7-1)
Edgar may have seen his last best chance at capturing championship gold come and go in the UFC 240 main event. “The Answer” gave his usual gritty effort against Max Holloway at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, but it wasn’t enough to wrest the title from the talented Hawaiian. He’ll attempt to make another title run in a new division when he makes his bantamweight debut against Cory Sandhagen at UFC Raleigh on Jan. 25. Before Edgar tests himself in a new division, he will step in for Brian Ortega against Chan Sung Jung in the UFC Busan featherweight headliner on Dec. 21. Depending on how that fight goes, Edgar will attempt to remain on the UFC Raleigh card, as well.6. Zabit Magomedsharipov (18-1)
Magomedsharipov earned his sixth straight Octagon triumph at UFC Fight Night 163, as he outpointed fellow contender Calvin Kattar in Moscow. The Dagestani fighter slowed down the stretch against Kattar in the impromptu three-round headliner, but he had already banked the first two rounds on the scorecards. The Ricardo Almeida Jiu-Jitsu product owns a 14-fight professional winning streak dating back to 2013 and has emerged as one of the top contenders in the UFC at 145 pounds.7. Chad Mendes (18-5)
Mendes flashed his heavy hands early against Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 232, but ultimately wilted under the Australian’s relentless offensive pressure in losing via second-round technical knockout. While the former featherweight title challenger looked sharp in stopping Myles Jury following a two-year USADA suspension, “Money” has lost three of his last four fights in the Octagon — all by KO or TKO. After plenty of rumors and speculation, Mendes officially announced his retirement in July.8. Yair Rodriguez (12-2, 1 NC)
Rodriguez had high expectations fighting on home soil, but his UFC Mexico City headlining matchup with Jeremy Stephens ended in just 15 seconds when “El Pantera” connected with an accidental eye poke. It was hardly the ending Rodriguez anticipated coming off a “Knockout of the Year” finish against Chan Sung Jung in November 2018, but but he was able to settle the score with Stephens in their rematch at UFC on ESPN 6 in Boston, as he rode a multi-faceted kicking attack to a unanimous decision victory on Oct. 18. “The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America” Season 1 winner has lost just one of his 10 Octagon appearances.9. Chan Sung Jung (15-5)
Coming off a last-second KO loss to Yair Rodriguez this past November, “The Korean Zombie” showed no ill affects from that heartbreaking defeat at UFC Greenville. Jung rocked Renato Carneiro with a two-punch combination at the outset and then finished his reeling foe with ground-and-pound from mount just 58 seconds after the contest began. Since returning from a lengthy hiatus due to military service, the 32-year-old South Korean has sandwiched first-round KO victories over Dennis Bermudez and Carneiro around the aforementioned setback to Rodriguez. Jung was supposed to square off against Brian Ortega at UFC Fight Night 165 but will instead square off against Frankie Edgar after Ortega pulled out of the bout due to a knee injury.10. Renato Carneiro (13-3-1)
Carneiro stumbled out of the gate and was never given a chance to recover at UFC Greenville, as he fell to Chan Sung Jung via technical knockout in just 58 seconds in their headlining encounter. After winning five of his first six appearances within the Las Vegas-based promotion, “Moicano” has suffered consecutive TKO defeats at the hands of Jung and Jose Aldo.Other Contenders: Patricio Freire, Calvin Kattar, Shane Burgos, Jeremy Stephens, Josh Emmett.
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