Light Heavyweight
1. Daniel Cormier (19-1)
Though Anthony Johnson is trying to appeal Cormier's UFC 210 victory and have him stripped of the light heavyweight title on account of his now-infamous towel grab during weigh-ins, the American Kickboxing Academy captain is moving on. UFC President Dana White has indicated that Cormier's next title defense will come this summer against either a returning Jon Jones or big-punching Brit Jimi Manuwa. Ultimately, timing and whether or not Jones wants a tune-up fight will determine who gets the shot and on what date.2. Alexander Gustafsson (17-4)
The last time Gustafsson fought in his native Sweden, “The Mauler” was brutally knocked out and humiliated by Anthony Johnson in just over two minutes in front of an estimated 30,000 fans. Gustafsson will get the chance to exorcise some of those demons on May 28, when he main events the UFC’s return to the Ericsson Globe in Stockholm against perennial contender Glover Teixeira.3. Ryan Bader (22-5)
Bader likely would have preferred his Bellator MMA debut be as blessed as fellow UFC veteran Lorenz Larkin’s: with a title shot. While Bader will not get a crack at Phil Davis out of the gate, he will still get a major assignment, as faces Muhammed Lawal at Bellator 180 on June 24 at Madison Square Garden in New York.4. Phil Davis (17-3, 1 NC)
When Davis dethroned Liam McGeary as Bellator MMA’s 205-pound champion in November, it seemed inevitable that the promotion was angling for a Muhammed Lawal rematch, with Davis having earned a close, controversial decision over “King Mo” in May. With Lawal taking on Ryan Bader at Bellator 180 in June, the question is now whether Davis waits for the winner of that bout or has a title defense in between.5. Jimi Manuwa (17-2)
Manuwa got smashed in the less than six minutes by Anthony Johnson in September 2015. Since that loss, “Poster Boy” has bounced back admirably and excitingly, starching both Ovince St. Preux and Corey Anderson; he has also taken to harassing light heavyweight champion champion Daniel Cormier on social media to announce himself as a UFC title contender. Manuwa's immediate future is now in the hands of former champ Jon Jones, as UFC President Dana White has stated Manuwa will be Cormier's next challenger this summer if “Jonny Bones” needs a tune-up opponent before a rematch with the two-time Olympian.6. Glover Teixeira (26-5)
Teixeira at UFC 208 rebounded from his horrific, 13-second knockout loss to Anthony Johnson by dominating Jared Cannonier for 15 minutes. Now, the 37-year-old Brazilian will get a headlining assignment in a real MMA road game, as he meets Alexander Gustafsson on May 28 in Gustafsson’s native Sweden.7. Misha Cirkunov (13-2)
Cirkunov aced his first UFC contract, winning all four bouts via stoppage in increasingly impressive fashion. Nonetheless, UFC President Dana White came out in the media, called Cirkunov a “flake” and said the promotion would part ways with the Canadian-Latvian. Instead, the 30-year-old ended up signing a new deal and will now face Volkan Oezdemir in the co-feature of the UFC Fight Night event on May 28 in Sweden.8. Nikita Krylov (21-5)
After a first-round loss to Misha Cirkunov cooled his hot streak and with one fight left on his UFC contract, it seemed as if Krylov was going to need a big performance in his next fight to catch a fat contract. Incredibly, Eurasia Fight Nights made a handsome offer to the Ukrainian; and seeing the writing on the wall, the UFC decided to cut Krylov loose, clearing the way for “The Miner” to fight in EFN.9. Liam McGeary (12-1)
McGeary went through a series of less-than-desirable opponents ahead of Bellator 173 in Belfast, Northern Ireland, before ultimately facing late replacement Brett McDermott and battering him to a six-minute doctor stoppage. The former Bellator light heavyweight champion gets a much better match next time out, as he will face fellow Brit Linton Vassell at Bellator 179 in London.10. Mauricio Rua (25-10)
We are 12 years removed from “Shogun” Rua’s legendary 2005 breakout campaign, during which he stampeded through the Pride Fighting Championships 205-pound grand prix. Now, in 2017, the 35-year-old Rua is on a three-fight winning streak, with quality victories over Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Corey Anderson and Gian Villante. As a result, “Shogun” is likely to tangle with an upper-echelon light heavyweight next time out, as improbable as it seems.Other Contenders: David Branch, Ilir Latifi, Volkan Oezdemir, Ovince St. Preux, Linton Vassell.
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