Flyweight
1. Demetrious Johnson (27-2-1)
If you are going to break one of Anderson Silva’s marks, you ought to do it in style. This certainly was not lost on Johnson at UFC 216. In a title defense the world knew he would win, “Mighty Mouse” dominated challenger Ray Borg before hitting a breathtaking slam-into-armbar sequence. With the victory, Johnson earned his 11th straight UFC title defense, surpassing “The Spider’s” record of 10. After a targeted superfight against T.J. Dillashaw failed to become a reality, Johnson has been scheduled for his next title defense in a rematch against Henry Cejudo at UFC 227 in August.2. Henry Cejudo (13-2)
Back-to-back losses to champion Demetrious Johnson and perpetual top challenger Joseph Benavidez have not hampered Cejudo. “The Messenger” bounced back from his first two career defeats in style in 2017, clobbering Wilson Reis in September and then dominating Sergio Pettis on the floor on Dec. 2 to nab consecutive Top-10 wins. That quality work has earned him another crack at Johnson at UFC 227 in August in a rematch of a UFC 197 bout the Olympic gold medalist lost via first-round TKO.3. Kyoji Horiguchi (24-2)
If you thought a showdown with fellow UFC veteran Ian McCall would slow Horiguchi’s momentum, think again. The Japanese standout needed just nine seconds to score a knockout victory against “Uncle Creepy” in a 134-pound affair at Rizin Fighting Federation 10 on May 6. Horiguchi has now won nine fights in a row, and the only person to defeat him in his last 19 contests is reigning UFC flyweight king Demetrious Johnson. The American Top Team representative will get back to work when he faces Hiromasa Ogikubo in a 132-pound contest at Rizin 11 on July 29.4. Sergio Pettis (17-3)
Although it seems like Pettis has been around forever, it is easy to forget that the Roufusport product is still just 24 years old. That was evident at UFC 225, where a much-improved Pettis showed surprising pop in his hands and stout takedown defense in taking a split decision victory over two-time flyweight title challenger Joseph Benavidez. With 11 Octagon appearances under his belt, the best may be yet to come for Pettis as he continues to develop with experience.5. Joseph Benavidez (25-5)
Whether it was rust due to a lengthy recovery from ACL surgery or the natural slippage of a fighter who is nearly 34 years old, Benavidez was not his usual self at UFC 225. As a result, the two-time flyweight title challenger suffered his first loss in the Octagon to an opponent not named Demetrious Johnson, dropping a split verdict to Sergio Pettis in a preliminary clash in Chicago. The defeat ended a six-fight winning streak for Benavidez, who battled back admirably after being wobbled in the early stages but could not do enough to sway the scorecards down the stretch.6. Ray Borg (11-3)
Borg was hoping to erase the memory of being on the wrong end of 2017’s “Submission of the Year” in a title bout defeat to Demetrious Johnson, but with one destructive act, Conor McGregor erased that opportunity. Originally booked to face Brandon Moreno on April 7 in Brooklyn, New York, Borg was pulled from the UFC 223 card after glass shards from McGregor’s infamous dolly throw landed in his eye while he was being transported on a fighter bus. Borg and Moreno were rebooked for UFC Fight Night 129, but the New Mexican withdrew from that contest to care for his newborn son, who recently underwent brain surgery.7. Jussier da Silva (21-5)
“Formiga” showcased a different aspect to his game at UFC 221, where he walloped 125-pound prospect Ben Nguyen with a perfectly timed spinning backfist before locking in his signature rear-naked choke at the 1:43 mark of the third round. The 33-year-old Brazilian has won three of his last four inside the Octagon and called for UFC President Dana White to “give me my shot” at flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson after his latest victory. He may still have more work to do, however, as a rematch with Henry Cejudo is up next for “Mighty Mouse.”8. John Moraga (18-6)
Native Arizonan “Chicano John” earned a hard-fought victory on home soil over former fellow title challenger Wilson Reis at UFC on Fox 29, giving him three consecutive victories at 125 pounds. In addition to Reis, Moraga owns an impressive first-round knockout of prospect Magomed Bibulatov during his current run, and he could be inching his way back to title contention after initially challenging for flyweight gold in just his third Octagon appearance in July 2013. Next, Moraga will square off against Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC Fight Night 135 on Aug. 25 in Lincoln, Nebraska.9. Alexandre Pantoja (19-3)
Pantoja accepted a fight with Brandon Moreno on short notice at UFC Fight Night 129, but you would not have known by his performance. The former Resurrection Fighting Alliance champion battered his former “Ultimate Fighter 16” castmate for the better part of three rounds, busting open Moreno’s nose en route to earning a unanimous verdict. Pantoja has been victorious in three of his four UFC appearances.10. Brandon Moreno (14-5)
After having a proposed bout with Ray Borg fall through on three separate occasions, Moreno was matched with former “Ultimate Fighter 16” opponent Alexandre Pantoja at UFC Fight Night 129. While Moreno’s submission loss to Pantoja on the reality show was merely an exhibition, a clear-cut decision defeat to “The Cannibal” in Santiago, Chile, left no doubt as to who was the superior fighter. After beginning his UFC tenure with three straight wins, Moreno has dropped back-to-back fights.Other Contenders: Magomed Bibulatov, Ben Nguyen, Hiromasa Ogikubo, Dustin Ortiz, Wilson Reis.
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