Flyweight
1. Demetrious Johnson (18-2-1)
“Mighty Mouse” has proven himself as the cream of the crop in the 125-pound division, besting all three of the fighters ranked directly below him. At UFC on Fox 9, Johnson will rematch Joseph Benavidez, the man he defeated to capture the promotion’s inaugural flyweight title at UFC 152. Considering their first meeting was a split verdict, another closely contested scrap is practically inevitable.
2. Joseph Benavidez (19-3)
Benavidez was completely dominant in dispatching Jussier da Silva at UFC Fight Night 28, overwhelming the Brazilian with punches and a knee to the body en route to a first-round stoppage. By posting victories over Ian McCall, Darren Uyenoyama and da Silva thus far in 2013, Benavidez built a strong case for another shot at current flyweight ruler Demetrious Johnson. He will receive that opportunity at UFC on Fox 9 on Dec. 14.
3. John Dodson (15-6)
After failing in his bid for the flyweight title against Demetrious Johnson at UFC on Fox 6, “The Magician” showed there would be no post-title shot hangover. Showcasing the numbing power that has made him one of the division’s top contenders, Dodson floored Darrell Montague twice en route to a dominant first-round stoppage at UFC 166. The Jackson’s MMA product will return to the Octagon on Dec. 14, when he faces Scott Jorgensen at UFC on Fox 9.
4. Ian McCall (12-4-1)
It took four tries, but “Uncle Creepy” finally secured his first Octagon win at UFC 163. Good conditioning, leg kicks and fancy footwork carried McCall to a unanimous decision against Iliarde Santos in Rio de Janeiro and likely saved him from the Zuffa chopping block. McCall’s next move is uncertain, as an injury forced him out of a scheduled bout with Scott Jorgensen at UFC on Fox 9.
5. Jussier da Silva (15-3)
Once thought to be the No. 1 flyweight in the world, “Formiga” has faced cruel reality since joining the UFC. The Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt has suffered knockout losses in two of his three Octagon appearances, most recently falling to Joseph Benavidez inside of a round at UFC Fight Night 28. While losing to the likes of Benavidez and John Dodson is nothing to be ashamed of, a limited standup arsenal puts a cap on how far da Silva can go in the division.
6. John Lineker (23-6)
Lineker continued to showcase his considerable firepower at UFC Fight Night 30, overwhelming Phil Harris with heavy punches to the head and body en route to a first-round technical knockout. Unfortunately, “Hands of Stone” also missed weight for the third time in his five-fight UFC tenure. Until those issues are resolved, his status as a serious contender remains in doubt.
7. Darrell Montague (13-2)
Prior to signing with the UFC, Montague was largely recognized as one of the top flyweights in the world for his work outside the Las Vegas-based promotion. At UFC 166, “The Mongoose” learned what it meant to face the Octagon’s elite, as he suffered a first-round TKO loss to John Dodson in Houston. While he might not be ready for title contention, Montague has the tools to cause problems for plenty of fighters in the division.
8. John Moraga (13-2)
Moraga was fast-tracked to title contention after stopping established flyweights Chris Cariaso and Ulysses Gomez in his first two Octagon appearances, but the step up proved too much. The Arizonan was thoroughly dominated by UFC champ Demetrious Johnson for 23 minutes on July 27 before tapping to a fifth-round armbar.
9. Will Campuzano (13-5)
Just one month after picking up his fifth straight win by outpointing Hideo Tokoro in Japan, Campuzano got the call back to the big show. The former Legacy Fighting Championship flyweight titlist came up just short against blue-chip prospect Sergio Pettis in a bantamweight bout at UFC 167, but Campuzano turned in a tough performance which should earn him an Octagon appearance at his natural weight.
10. Josh Sampo (10-2)
Sampo has made a name for himself in the past year by upsetting former big-show fighters. First it was Antonio Banuelos who had his Legacy Fighting Championship debut spoiled by “The Gremlin,” and then Bellator MMA vet Alexis Vila succumbed to a fifth-round guillotine choke from Sampo in their January title bout for the Championship Fighting Alliance promotion. Now in the role of the hunted, the Missouri native successfully defended his CFA belt against Sam Thao on Oct. 12.