Featherweight
1. Jose Aldo (25-1)
Aldo maintained his stranglehold on the 145-pound division with a gritty, five-round unanimous decision against old rival Chad Mendes in the main event of UFC 179. “Scarface” persevered through knockdowns and takedowns, using superior technical striking down the stretch to earn his 18th consecutive victory. Still the first and only UFC featherweight champion, Aldo has now defended his title seven straight times against the likes of Mendes (twice), Frankie Edgar and Kenny Florian.2. Chad Mendes (16-2)
Mendes’ second encounter with Jose Aldo lasted a good deal longer than his first -- a full four rounds longer, in fact, during which the Team Alpha Male product showed off his much-improved striking and even put the featherweight king in rare levels of danger. In the end, Mendes could not overcome Aldo and fell via unanimous decision, but even in defeat, “Money” undoubtedly raised his stock.3. Frankie Edgar (18-4-1)
Edgar was simply brilliant in a dominating Nov. 22 performance against Cub Swanson, turning what most expected to be a competitive matchup into a lopsided, ground-and-pound beating. The former lightweight champion never took his foot off the gas, finishing Swanson via neck crank with only four seconds remaining in the fifth round. The victory was Edgar’s third straight at 145 pounds since losing a title bid against Jose Aldo.4. Ricardo Lamas (15-3)
Lamas looked a cut above Dennis Bermudez in their main-card showdown at UFC 180, as “The Bully” used a jab to put Bermudez on the ground before pouncing to finish with a guillotine choke in the opening round. Now two fights removed from his lackluster decision loss to Jose Aldo, Lamas remains in the title picture thanks to wins over Bermudez and Hacran Dias.5. Cub Swanson (21-6)
Just when Swanson’s long-desired rematch with Jose Aldo appeared to be within reach, Frankie Edgar came along and dominated the Jackson-Wink MMA fighter for the better part of 25 minutes before securing a fifth-round submission. The Nov. 22 defeat snapped an impressive six-fight winning streak which saw Swanson knock out the likes of Dennis Siver, Ross Pearson and Charles Oliveira.6. Conor McGregor (16-2)
All of the hype and excitement around the sport’s hottest up-and-comer appears to be well-justified. Two months after punching out Diego Brandao before a riotous Irish crowd, McGregor made his Las Vegas debut in perfect fashion at UFC 178. This time, it was Dustin Poirier who succumbed to the fast and heavy hands of the 26-year-old Irishman, giving McGregor his third first-round stoppage in four Octagon appearances. Next on McGregor’s ledger: a meeting with Dennis Siver on Jan. 18 in Boston.7. Dennis Bermudez (14-4)
After racking up seven straight wins against the likes of Clay Guida and Max Holloway, Bermudez saw his streak snapped at UFC 180. Former title challenger Ricardo Lamas proved too much for the New York native, as “The Bully” dropped Bermudez with a stiff jab and finished the fight with a first-round guillotine choke.8. Nik Lentz (25-6-2, 1 NC)
After a hiccup against No. 1 contender Chad Mendes, Lentz returned to his winning ways at UFC Fight Night “Brown vs. Silva,” taking a unanimous verdict over Manny Gamburyan in Cincinnati. “The Carny” battered Gamburyan against the fence and landed several takedowns to clinch his fourth win in five featherweight outings. Lentz was scheduled to face Charles Oliveira in a rematch on Sept. 5, but a viral infection forced the Brazilian to withdraw. Lentz will return to the cage against Thiago Tavares at a UFC Fight Night event on Feb. 14 in Colorado.9. Dustin Poirier (16-4)
Poirier vowed to silence Conor McGregor at UFC 178, but instead it was the American Top Team fighter who became the brash Irish prospect’s latest victim. The much-anticipated clash was over almost as soon as it began, and Poirier never got off the starting blocks before McGregor punched him out and ended his three-fight winning streak at 1:46 of round one. The 25-year-old Louisianan recently unveiled plans to return to the lightweight division.10. Patricio Freire (22-2)
Twenty months after his first attempt to claim the Bellator featherweight title, “Pitbull” emerged triumphant from his long-awaited rematch with Pat Curran on Sept. 5. The two-time tournament winner has surfaced as one of the organization’s most exciting and violent stars, knocking off foes like Georgi Karakhanyan, Wilson Reis and Diego Nunes on his way to gold. Freire will make his first title defense against an old foe, former champ Daniel Straus, on Jan. 16 in the main event of Bellator 132.Other Contenders: Pat Curran, Max Holloway, Charles Oliveira, Jeremy Stephens, Daniel Straus.
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