Sherdog’s Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings

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Flyweight

1. Demetrious Johnson (22-2-1)

Johnson continues to reign supreme over the 125-pound division. His latest feat came at UFC 186, where the 28-year-old defended his belt for the sixth time with a trouncing of Japanese prospect Kyoji Horiguchi which ended with the latest finish in UFC history. In less than three years as champion, “Mighty Mouse” has taken out all contenders in his division, and he has done so in convincing fashion.

2. Joseph Benavidez (22-4)

Team Alpha Male’s stud flyweight continues to top all 125-pounders not named Demetrious Johnson. At UFC 187, Benavidez used heavy top control and ground-and-pound to earn a unanimous decision over fellow former title challenger John Moraga. Benavidez is 7-2 since moving to the flyweight division but remains in a tough spot thanks to his pair of losses to reigning champ Johnson.

3. John Dodson (17-6)

It was not a flashy showing, but “The Magician” got the job done in his return from a nearly year-long layoff at UFC 187. Dodson edged out Zach Makovsky across three rounds in a performance that could net the Jackson-Wink MMA product a rematch with Demetrious Johnson in a challenger-starved division.

4. Ian McCall (13-5-1)

McCall got off to a strong start in his rescheduled bout with John Lineker at UFC 183, but the Brazilian turned up the heat in rounds two and three, eventually taking a unanimous decision over “Uncle Creepy.” While the loss stopped any immediate thought of McCall earning a third bout with Demetrious Johnson, it did not impact the 30-year-old’s ranking due to Lineker weighing in at 130 pounds.

5. Jussier da Silva (17-3)

The grappling chops which make “Formiga” a formidable foe for any flyweight were on full display in his Aug. 16 outpointing of former Bellator champ Zach Makovsky. Riding back-to-back wins over tough opponents, da Silva was forced to withdraw from a December clash with John Moraga. He will be back in action on May 30, when he collides with Wilson Reis at a UFC Fight Night event in Brazil.

6. Zach Makovsky (19-6)

Makovsky’s left hand found its target throughout his UFC 187 meeting with John Dodson, but the former Bellator champion failed to do enough to earn the judges’ nod. Since a hot 2-0 start to his Octagon run, “Fun Size” has dropped two of his last three, with all five of his UFC bouts going to the scorecards.

7. John Moraga (16-4)

Despite finding some success on the feet at UFC 187, Moraga was ultimately overwhelmed by the takedowns and ground-and-pound of Joseph Benavidez, who pocketed a unanimous decision after three rounds. “Chicano John” continues to be a tough out for most flyweights but has come up short against the division’s elite during his 5-3 Octagon run.

8. Kyoji Horiguchi (15-2)

Horiguchi looked sensational in his first four Octagon appearances but had little to offer champ Demetrious Johnson, who repeatedly took down the Japanese import at UFC 186 before winning via last-second armbar. The loss snapped a nine-fight winning streak for the 24-year-old student of Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto and marked the first time Horiguchi has been finished in 17 pro bouts.

9. John Lineker (25-7)

Lineker put on a strong performance against Ian McCall at UFC 183, mixing submission attempts with his trademark power punches to earn a unanimous decision. The win was bittersweet, however, as “Hands of Stone” missed weight for the fourth time in eight Octagon appearances; according to UFC President Dana White, Lineker will now be forced to move up to bantamweight.

10. Henry Cejudo (8-0)

Two years into his MMA career, Cejudo is finally where he belongs. The Olympic gold medalist made his long-delayed flyweight debut at UFC 185 and used his world-class wrestling to grind out Chris Cariaso over three rounds. Cejudo, the son of Mexican immigrants, will be featured on the UFC 188 card in Mexico City, where he will clash with Chico Camus.

Other Contenders: Ray Borg, Adriano Moraes, Yuki Motoya, Dustin Ortiz, Wilson Reis.

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