Middleweight
1. Luke Rockhold (15-2)
Former Strikeforce middleweight champ Rockhold added a shiny new UFC belt to his trophy case with a rousing victory over previously undefeated Chris Weidman at UFC 194. The American Kickboxing Academy stud used hellacious ground-and-pound to slice up and ultimately pound out Weidman in the fourth frame. Rockhold will look to defend the strap for the first time when he rematches Weidman in June.2. Chris Weidman (13-1)
Weidman’s reign atop the middleweight division came to an end after two and a half years when he was brutalized by Luke Rockhold at UFC 194. The “All-American” had racked up 13 straight wins to begin his career, including two now-legendary victories against 185-pound G.O.A.T. Anderson Silva. Weidman will have a chance to reclaim the UFC title in a June rematch with Rockhold.3. Yoel Romero (11-1)
Romero’s fearsome power was on full display at UFC 194, as the Cuban wrestler nearly polished off Ronaldo Souza in the opening round. In the end, Romero was forced to withstand a “Jacare” comeback in order to earn a split decision. The “Soldier of God” was notified by USADA of a potential anti-doping violation one month after the bout and recently received a six-month suspension.4. Ronaldo Souza (22-4, 1 NC)
Souza battled back from an early knockout scare but could not sway the judges at UFC 194, where “Jacare” dropped a razor-thin split decision to Yoel Romero in a likely title eliminator. The loss marked the Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace’s first stumble since he dropped the Strikeforce middleweight title to Luke Rockhold in 2011. Souza will meet countryman Vitor Belfort at UFC 198 on May 14.5. Vitor Belfort (25-11)
Belfort emerged victorious from his rubber match with Dan Henderson on Nov. 7, knocking out his fellow legend in the opening round with a head kick and follow-up punches. It was the fourth stoppage win for the Brazilian in his last five outings and his first since being blown up by Chris Weidman in their May title bout. “The Phenom” will return on May 14 for an assignment opposite Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza.6. Michael Bisping (28-7)
Although no title was up for grabs, Bisping on Feb. 27 finally got the fight he had been chasing for years: a five-round matchup against all-time great Anderson Silva. “The Count” applied nonstop pressure and withstood a few near-knockouts from Silva to capture a decision in the greatest triumph of Bisping’s 10-year Octagon career.7. Lyoto Machida (22-7)
Machida sought to implement his distance striking against Yoel Romero on June 27 but was taken down and knocked out cold by the wrestler’s elbows in round three. The defeat marked Machida’s first back-to-back losses since 2010 and brought his record in the UFC middleweight division to 3-3. “The Dragon” was set to rematch Dan Henderson on April 16, but the bout was canceled after Machida’s pre-fight admission that he had unknowingly used a banned substance.8. Derek Brunson (15-3)
Since his January 2014 loss to Yoel Romero, Brunson has emerged as one of the UFC’s most dangerous middleweights with four straight wins, including three consecutive knockouts. Brunson last saw action on Feb. 21, when he laid waste to jiu-jitsu ace Roan Carneiro with first-round punches. Next up for Brunson: a showdown with former Strikeforce and Dream champion Gegard Mousasi at UFC 200.9. David Branch (18-3)
World Series of Fighting’s two-division champion made a dominant defense of his 185-pound title on April 2 with a five-round rout of Clifford Starks. Since exiting the UFC in 2011, Branch has won 10 of his 11 outings, including his current eight-fight winning streak in the WSOF cage.10. Robert Whittaker (16-4)
Whittaker outworked Rafael Natal on the feet for three rounds to claim a unanimous decision at UFC 197, boxing with constant pressure even as the veteran attacked his legs with harsh kicks. After five straight wins against dangerous opponents like Uriah Hall and Brad Tavares, the young Australian is rapidly rising to meet the lofty expectations placed upon him when he won “The Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes” as a 21-year old in 2012.Other Contenders: Uriah Hall, Thales Leites, Gegard Mousasi, Rafael Natal, Mamed Khalidov.
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