Image: John Brannigan/Sherdog.com illustration
Bantamweight
1. Sean O’Malley (18-1, 1 NC) UFC [1]
O’Malley avenged his lone career defeat in the UFC 299 headliner, putting on a striking masterclass for five rounds in a clear-cut unanimous decision triumph against Marlon Vera. “Suga” is unbeaten in his last seven Octagon appearances, and a challenging title defense looms against top contender Merab Dvalishvili in the UFC 306 headliner at The Sphere.2. Aljamain Sterling (24-4) | UFC [2]
While it wasn’t the most thrilling performance, Sterling enjoyed a successful featherweight debut, as he stifled Calvin Kattar with grappling and control en route to a clear-cut decision triumph at UFC 300. The former bantamweight king looked strong in his new division, but he’ll likely need a more impressive effort before he can be considered a serious contender at 145 pounds. He’ll get that chance when he locks horns with the undefeated Movsar Evloev at UFC 307. Sterling’s rankings eligibility at 135 pounds will expire on Feb. 19, 2025.3. Merab Dvalishvili (17-4) | UFC [3]
Dvalishvili extended his winning streak to 10 at UFC 298, as he pulled away over the final 10 minutes for a unanimous decision triumph against Olympic gold medalist Henry Cejudo. “The Machine” is the obvious No. 1 contender at 135 pounds, and with his blend of relentless cardio and wrestling, Dvalishvili figures to be a nightmare matchup for reigning champ Sean O’Malley when they square off in the UFC 306 main event on Sept. 14.4. Patrick Mix (20-1) | Bellator [4]
Mix’s aura of invincibility took at hit at Bellator Champions Series, where he frequently struggled in a split-decision triumph against Magomed Magomedov at the Accor Arena in Paris. After rendering Magomedov unconscious with a second-round guillotine in their first meeting in December 2022, “Patchy” was unable to unlock his vaunted submission game the second time around. That led to plenty of exchanges on the feet, and the New York native looked vulnerable on more than a few occasions in a contentious triumph. Nonetheless, Mix has won seven straight under the Bellator banner and set his sights on a title defense against Leandro Higo next.5. Petr Yan (17-5) | UFC [5]
Yan shook off a slow start to outduel Yadong Song over the final 10 minutes to win a unanimous decision in their featured clash at UFC 299 in Miami on March 9. With the victory. the former bantamweight champion snaps a three-fight skid and re-establishes himself as one of the top talents in the UFC at 135 pounds. “No Mercy” should be in line for another marquee matchup for his next Octagon appearance.6. Umar Nurmagomedov (18-0) UFC [15]
Nurmagomedov put forth a masterful effort in the UFC on ABC 7 headliner, as he outstruck and outgrappled Cory Sandhagen en route to a clear-cut unanimous decision triumph at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. While there were questions regarding the Dagestani’s strength of schedule after first five Octagon appearances, those doubts have been quieted thanks to a complete performance against one of the division’s top contenders. With six consecutive wins to begin his promotional tenure — including five at 135 pounds — Nurmagomedov appears to be on the verge of a championship opportunity.7. Henry Cejudo (16-4) | UFC [6]
Cejudo started well against Merab Dvalishvili, but he couldn’t hold up against his opponent’s relentless pressure, losing a unanimous decision at UFC 298 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, on Feb. 17. Cejudo is 0-2 in the Octagon since ending a three-year retirement this past May, but for the time being it appears that the Olympic gold medalist plans to continue moving forward with the latest phase of his MMA career.8. Cory Sandhagen (17-4) | UFC [7]
Sandhagen’s postponed date with Umar Nurmagomedov finally took place at UFC on ABC 7 on Aug. 3. Unfortunately for the Denver native, the undefeated Nurmagomedov kept on rolling, defeating Sandhagen by decision after outpacing him in all phases of the fight. While Sandhagen’s stock does not fall far after losing to one of the sport’s most dominant rising stars, he faces a harder road than ever back to the title picture.9. Kyoji Horiguchi (33-5, 1 NC) Rizin [8]
Horiguchi got revenge for a loss to Sergio Pettis under the Bellator banner in 2021, as he secured a clear-cut decision triumph against “The Phenom” in the Rizin 47 headliner. The American Top Team product remains Rizin’s reigning flyweight king and has proven himself capable of enjoying success at both 125 and 135 pounds. While it’s unclear what will be his weight class of choice going forward, Horiguchi has made no effort to hide the fact that a return to the UFC is his ideal next move.10. Jose Aldo (32-8) UFC [9]
In his first fight since August 2022, Aldo looked quite sharp, as he ended Jonathan Martinez’s six-bout winning streak with a unanimous decision triumph in the UFC 301 co-main event. At 37 years old, Aldo seems more than capable of competing at a high level — it’s just a matter of where, since that marked the final bout on his existing UFC deal. The former featherweight king is 4-1 in his last five UFC appearances at bantamweight, and after apparently re-signing with the promotion, he’ll next face Mario Bautista at UFC 307.Other Contenders: Deiveson Figueiredo, Sergio Pettis, Marlon Vera, Yadong Song, Raufeon Stots.
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