Light Heavyweight
1. Jon Jones (22-1)
Following 15 months of drama, arrests and court dates -- as well as the stripping of his UFC light heavyweight title -- Jones was victorious in his return to the cage at UFC 197. The 28-year-old fought a cautious but effective five rounds against late replacement Ovince St. Preux, earning “Bones” a unanimous decision and the title of interim champion. Jones will look to unify the belts against old rival and current champ Daniel Cormier when they rematch at UFC 200 on July 9.2. Daniel Cormier (17-1)
While the validity of Cormier’s title reign will be challenged for as long as Jon Jones remains inactive, there is no doubt that the American Kickboxing Academy fighter possesses the grit and tenacity of a tried and true champion. “DC” got off to a hot start against Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 192, only to be roughed up by the resurgent Swede in the middle rounds of their 25-minute encounter. The wrestler’s ever-improving offense carried him to a split decision win against Gustafsson, setting the stage for a UFC 197 rematch with Jones. However, Cormier was forced to withdraw from the event with a leg injury. The rivals will now meet in the UFC 200 headliner in July.3. Anthony Johnson (21-5)
The stunning power of “Rumble” got the job done once again on Jan. 30, when a barrage of ground punches ended the evening -- and the five-fight winning streak -- of Ryan Bader in just 86 seconds. Now two wins removed from his failed title bid, Johnson is undoubtedly aiming for a shot at the winner of the forthcoming Jon Jones-Daniel Cormier championship rematch. He will first need to get past Glover Teixeira in the UFC on Fox 20 co-main event in July.4. Alexander Gustafsson (16-4)
Gustafsson put on another spirited showing in a five-round title fight, but his bid to take the crown from Daniel Cormier at UFC 192 yielded the same result as his effort to dethrone Jon Jones. “The Mauler” came up short on the judges’ scorecards, giving the Swede his third loss in four outings and making uncertain Gustafsson’s immediate future in the upper echelon of the division.5. Ryan Bader (20-5)
Bader entered his Jan. 30 bout riding a two-year, five-fight unbeaten streak. That statistic did not help the Arizona wrestler against Anthony Johnson, who powered through an early submission attempt to punch “Darth” unconscious in just 86 seconds. It was the fastest loss in the 25-fight career of Bader, who now finds himself on the outside of the UFC light heavyweight title picture.6. Phil Davis (16-3, 1 NC)
It was not exactly a well-received victory, but at Bellator 154, Davis earned a unanimous verdict over “King Mo” Muhammed Lawal. It not only gave Davis another quality light heavyweight win but firmed up “Mr. Wonderful” for something he never got in the UFC: a shot at a championship. With his win over Lawal, Davis will meet Bellator champion Liam McGeary later this year with 205-pound gold on the line.7. Glover Teixeira (25-4)
Teixeira laid waste to former UFC light heavyweight champ Rashad Evans on April 16, clobbering “Suga” unconscious in under two minutes. Since losing back-to-back bouts for the first time in his career in 2014, the brick-fisted Brazilian has gone on a tear, finishing three opponents in the last eight months, each one quicker than the last. Teixeira will faces his next test at UFC on Fox 20, where he has been booked opposite Anthony Johnson.8. Ovince St. Preux (19-8)
Fighting on three weeks’ notice against one of the sport’s pound-for-pound greats, St. Preux hung around for five rounds but did little to trouble the returning Jon Jones in their interim title fight at UFC 197. “OSP” tasted defeat for the second time in three fights, as he was shut out by Jones in a lopsided unanimous decision.9. Liam McGeary (11-0)
Bellator MMA’s light heavyweight champion is still recovering from a knee injury, but he now knows what lies ahead. The unbeaten Brit will make the second defense of his title later this year against former NCAA Division I wrestling champion Phil Davis, who earned his shot by topping Muhammed Lawal at Bellator 154 on May 14.10. Nikita Krylov (20-4)
Krylov was once more celebrated for his “Fighting Al Capone” moniker than his actual ability. His 205-pound debut in the Octagon was a failure, lasting just 89 seconds with Ovince St. Preux before succumbing to a Von Flue choke. However, since that defeat 26 months ago, Krylov is 4-0 with four stoppages in his new division, most recently choking out Francimar Barroso in the second round. The Ukrainian is one of the few new-blood light heavyweights consistently winning bouts in the division.Other Contenders: Quinton Jackson, Ilir Latifi, Tomasz Narkun, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Mauricio Rua.
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