Image: John Brannigan/Sherdog.com illustration
Bantamweight
1. Aljamain Sterling (22-3) | UFC [1]
Sterling dominated T.J. Dillashaw in all aspects en route to a second-round technical knockout victory in the UFC 280 co-main event in Abu Dhabi. It was the performance one might expect given the fact that Dillashaw entered with fight with a dislocated shoulder that popped out of place multiple times in the bout. With that said, credit Sterling for making his opponent pay for electing to compete while compromised. With a bantamweight-record eight straight wins under his belt, “The Funk Master” will enter his next title defense with some serious momentum.2. Merab Dvalishvili (15-4) | UFC [2]
Despite failing on all 16 of his takedown attempts, Dvalishvili’s relentless pressure and grinding approach was enough to carry him to a unanimous decision triumph against ex-featherweight king Jose Aldo at UFC 278. “The Machine” has won seven straight fights at 135 pounds — and eight in a row overall — but as long as training partner Aljamain Sterling is at the top of the division, Dvalishvili won’t consider fighting for the title. Regardless of what the future holds, the Serra-Longo Fight Team representative looks like a difficult matchup for the rest of the division.3. Sean O’Malley (16-1, 1 NC) UFC [3]
In a fight he wasn’t expected to win, O’Malley displayed his mettle against Petr Yan, capturing a split-decision triumph at UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi on Oct. 22. The Dana White’s Contender Series alum kept his head against the former bantamweight champion, landing damaging shots while either defending or returning to his feet following takedown attempts. While many observers thought Yan deserved the nod, O’Malley made a strong enough impression to get the nod on two of the three cageside scorecards, potentially paving the way for a shot at 135-pound gold at a future event. A rematch against Yan isn’t out of the realm of possibility, either.4. Petr Yan (16-4) | UFC [4]
Yan entered UFC 280 as a sizable favorite against Sean O’Malley, and he executed his game plan well, blending counterstriking with takedowns for three hard-fought rounds. However, he also endured his struggles with his opponent’s rangy striking, and the end result was a narrow split-decision defeat. Yan’s stock shouldn’t fall far, especially considering many observers thought “No Mercy” deserved the nod on the scorecards. That said, the upset loss means Yan won’t be able to jump right back into another title shot, which might been the case had he defeated O’Malley.5. T.J. Dillashaw (17-5) | UFC [5]
Dillashaw entered UFC 280 with a shoulder injury and was clearly affected by the ailment for the duration of his second-round technical knockout loss to Aljamain Sterling in the evening’s co-main event in Abu Dhabi on Oct. 22. Not only was Dillashaw not competitive in the fight, but by electing to compete with an injury that had affected him since April, he risked suffering even more damage to the shoulder. The ex-champ could face a lengthy recovery process from the injury, and he informed the UFC of his retirement a little less than two months after the loss to Sterling. As a result, his rankings eligibility is set to expire on Oct. 22, 2023.6. Cory Sandhagen (15-4) | UFC [6]
Sandhagen used his precise striking arsenal to fend off a game Yadong Song in the UFC Fight Night 210 headliner, winning via doctor stoppage after four rounds when it was determined that his opponent was unable to continue due to a massive cut over his left eye. The former interim title challenger returns to the win column after dropping back-to-back five-round decisions at the hands of Petr Yan and T.J. Dillashaw. While a title shot may not be in range, Sandhagen will be in line for a highly-ranked opponent next, which he targeted with callouts of Marlon Vera and Merab Dvalishvili.7. Jose Aldo (31-8) | UFC [7]
Aldo remained upright for the duration of his showdown with Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 278, but stellar takedown defense alone wasn’t enough for the Nova Uniao representative, as he was unable to pull the trigger consistently with his striking in a unanimous decision defeat. That snaps a three-fight winning streak for the former featherweight champ, who may have seen his last best chance for another title shot at 135 pounds come to an end. Aldo announced his retirement shortly after that defeat, so if a comeback doesn’t materialize, his rankings eligibility will expire on Aug. 20, 2023.8. Marlon Vera (20-7-1) | UFC [8]
Vera is proving to be one of the heaviest hitters in the bantamweight division. While he lacked the overall striking volume of UFC on ESPN 41 opponent Dominick Cruz, “Chito” was credited with three knockdowns, including a vicious head kick that ended the headlining affair 2:17 into the fourth round. All told, Vera has scored six knockdowns in his last two fights — main event triumphs against Cruz and Rob Font — and has won four straight contests to establish himself as a person of interest at 135 pounds.9. Sergio Pettis (22-5) | Bellator [9]
Pettis snatched victory from the jaws of defeat with a spectacular fourth-round spinning backfist knockout of Kyoji Horiguchi to retain his bantamweight crown in the Bellator 272 headliner at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. Pettis has won his last five fights — including four straight under the Bellator banner at 135 pounds. Pettis was supposed to take part in the promotion’s 135-pound grand prix, but an injury forced him to withdraw from an opening round matchup with Raufeon Stots at Bellator 279. He’ll likely await the winner of the tournament, who will be crowned interim champ, at a future event.10. Patrick Mix (17-1) | Bellator [10]
Mix rolled into the bantamweight grand prix finals at Bellator 289, as he rendered Magomed Magomedov unconscious with a second-round guillotine choke in their bout at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., on Dec. 9. “Patchy” has finished 12 of his 17 career wins via submission — including three of his last four Bellator opponents. Up next is a showdown with interim 135-pound king Raufeon Stots at a future Bellator event.Other Contenders: Rob Font, Raufeon Stots, Yadong Song, Dominick Cruz, Ricky Simon.
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