Ben Duffy/Sherdog.com illustration
Light Heavyweight
1. Jon Jones (25-1)
For the second time this year, Jones needed five rounds to retain his 205-pound belt in a matchup with a converted middleweight. Unlike his five-round beatdown of Anthony Smith in March, Jones did experience some adversity against Thiago Santos in the UFC 239 main event. The Brazilian striker punished Jones’ legs with low kicks and attacked with aggression throughout their 25-minute encounter but ultimately dropped a split decision to Jonny “Bones.” Upon further examination, Jones might have been more in control than it initially appeared, as he was the far more efficient striker throughout the contest, while Santos often struggled to navigate the reach of his foe. Still, losing a scorecard is a first for Jones, and only time will tell if it’s the beginning of a decline or simply the product of a cautious performance against a dangerous foe.2. Daniel Cormier (22-2, 1 NC)
For three rounds, Cormier waded forward with total disregard for Stipe Miocic’s power in the UFC 241 headliner. That approach ultimately failed him in the fourth stanza, however, as Miocic began to dig to the body. Those blows gradually accumulated until Miocic was able to hurt “DC” and flurry for the finish at the 4:09 mark of the period. Now, instead of contemplating a trilogy bout with Jon Jones, Cormier will sit down with his family to make an “educated decision” regarding his fighting future. With no belt in his possession, any possible matchup with Jones would almost certainly have to occur at 205 pounds.3. Anthony Smith (32-14)
If you thought Smith was going to fade into also-ran status following his loss to Jon Jones at UFC 235, think again. “Lionheart” rebounded in a big way at UFC Stockholm, submitting Alexander Gustafsson with a rear-naked choke at the 2:38 mark of the fourth round in the evening’s headliner. Smith, a proven finisher, has won four of his five Octagon appearances since moving to 205 pounds – taking out Gustafsson, Volkan Oezdemir, Mauricio Rua and Rashad Evans inside the distance. Smith will be sidelined until some time in 2020 as he recovers from hand surgery.4. Alexander Gustafsson (18-6)
Gustafsson suffered a disappointing loss on home soil in the UFC Stockholm headliner, falling to Anthony Smith via rear-naked choke in the fourth frame. “The Mauler” left his gloves in the Octagon following the defeat, announcing to the crowd at Ericsson Globe, “The show is over, guys.” Gustafsson further clarified his decision in later post-fight interviews, and it seems like, at least for now, that the Swedish star is intent on following through with retirement. After falling short in three title bouts – twice against Jon Jones, it’s quite possible that he stays true to his word. However, Gustafsson is only 32, and retirements often don’t stick in MMA.5. Ryan Bader (27-5)
Bader etched himself into history when he knocked out Fedor Emelianenko in the Bellator 214 headliner to become the first two-division champion in promotion history. After vanquishing “The Last Emperor,” Matt Mitrione and Muhammed Lawal to claim the vacant heavyweight crown, Bader, also the reigning 205-pound king, will make his first heavyweight title defense against Cheick Kongo in the Bellator 226 headliner in San Jose, Calif., on Sept. 7.6. Thiago Santos (21-7)
Santos gave Jon Jones all he could handle for five rounds at UFC 239. “Marreta” punished the legs of his opponent throughout the contest, so much so that Jones needed assistance returning to the locker room after their bout. Still, Jones was the more efficient fighter for most of the contest, which allowed him to capture a narrow split-decision triumph. Santos had a four-fight winning streak snapped in defeat, but he must nonetheless feel encouraged by the fact that he was the first Jones foe to win a scorecard against the pound-for-pound great. The Brazilian will be out for an extended period of time after undergoing surgery on both knees following the bout.7. Corey Anderson (12-4)
Anderson’s superior conditioning and pressure won the day at UFC 232, as he outworked fellow contender Ilir Latifi to win a unanimous decision. After a brief slump saw him lose three of four fights from 2016 to 2017, “Overtime” has authored a three-fight winning streak that also includes triumphs over Glover Teixeira and Patrick Cummins. Anderson could propel himself into title contention with a victory over Johnny Walker at UFC 244 on Nov. 2.8. Jan Blachowicz (24-8)
Blachowicz entered UFC 239 as a betting underdog, but he gave Luke Rockhold a rude welcome to the light heavyweight division. The Polish fighter defended multiple takedown attempts, rocked his foe with a head kick at the end of round one and put Rockhold away with a left hook and follow-up punches on the mat at the 1:39 mark of the second frame. The 36-year-old Blachowicz has won five of his last six UFC bouts, with his only defeat coming at the hands of Thiago Santos.9. Dominick Reyes (11-0)
Reyes passed his most significant test to date at UFC London, taking a split decision over Volkan Oezdemir in a featured light heavyweight bout. While Reyes did enough to get the win, he doesn’t appear ready to threaten Jon Jones’ title reign just yet. As an unbeaten 29-year-old fighter with plenty of athleticism to spare, “The Devastator” will remain a person of interest in the division as long as he continues to develop his skills. Reyes will welcome former middleweight champ Chris Weidman to 205 pounds in the UFC Boston main event on Oct. 18.10. Volkan Oezdemir (16-4)
Virtually everything went right for Oezdemir at UFC Uruguay, as he battered Ilir Latifi with a steady diet of knees and punches to the head en route to a second-round TKO victory. Additionally, the Swiss fighter’s takedown defense held up nicely as he halted a three-fight skid within the Las Vegas-based promotion. That makes 12 career KO/TKO victories for “No Time,” including three such triumphs inside the Octagon.Other Contenders: Aleksandar Rakic, Ilir Latifi, Johnny Walker, Vadim Nemkov, Nikita Krylov.
Continue Reading » Middleweight