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Welterweight
1. Kamaru Usman (15-1)
Even those who predicted victory for Usman couldn’t have imagined “The Nigerian Nightmare” being as dominant as he was against Tyron Woodley at UFC 235. Usman claimed the welterweight throne on the strength of five dominant rounds against Woodley, overwhelming his opponent with wrestling, clinch work and top control. In fact, Usman probably deserved more 10-8 scorecards than he received. Nonetheless, Usman has hardware for his trophy case and an ongoing 10-fight winning streak. After recovering from double-hernia surgery, Usman was expected to defend his belt against Colby Covington at UFC 244, but after a lengthy negotiating process, the two will meet in the UFC 245 headliner on Dec. 14.2. Tyron Woodley (19-5-1)
For a man laying claim to the welterweight “GOAT” title coming in, UFC 235 was a cold dose of of reality for Woodley. “The Chosen One” was overwhelmed from the outset against Kamaru Usman, as he was dominated from bell to bell in the evening’s co-main event at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Once he was unable to land his powerful right hand, Woodley had no other answers for his opponent, and his wrestling was surprisingly no match for “The Nigerian Nightmare.” The ex-champ was supposed to face Robbie Lawler in a rematch at UFC on ESPN 3 in Minneapolis but was forced to withdraw due to injury. A showdown with Leon Edwards could be in the works, but that potential bout is currently not official.3. Colby Covington (15-1)
Covington showed no adverse affects from more than a year off, as he dominated Robbie Lawler for five rounds in the UFC on ESPN 5 headliner in Newark, N.J., on Aug. 3. By overwhelming his foe with volume striking and suffocating wrestling, “Chaos” made a strong case for a title shot against reigning champion Kamaru Usman. The American Top Team standout has won seven straight bouts and 10 of 11 overall within the Las Vegas-based promotion. Covington was expected to get his opportunity against Usman at UFC 244, but the promotion was unable to come to terms with the American Top Team representative and the bout fell apart. Fortunately for the former interim king, the championship contest will headline UfC 245 in Las Vegas on Dec. 14.4. Jorge Masvidal (35-13)
If it wasn’t already obvious before, it is now: Masvidal is a bonafide star in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. “Gamebred” captured the one-off “BMF” title in an entertaining showdown with Nate Diaz in the UFC 244 headliner, winning via TKO after three rounds when a cageside doctor determined Diaz could no longer continue due to a cut above his eye. Barring some kind of improbable short-notice appearance, the victory likely caps off a memorable 2019 for the Miami native that included a record setting knockout of Ben Askren as well as an impressive stoppage of former title challenger Darren Till. While Masvidal seemed open to a rematch with Diaz, the American Top Team representative could be on the brink of even bigger things — like a welterweight title shot.5. Leon Edwards (18-3)
Edwards gave the most complete performance of his career at UFC on ESPN 4, earning convincing five-round verdict over former lightweight king Rafael dos Anjos in San Antonio on July 20. That makes eight consecutive victories for “Rocky,” the second longest active winning streak in the division behind only reigning champ Kamaru Usman. Edwards has positioned himself as one of the top contenders at 170 pounds and was reportedly in talks with the UFC to face Usman at Madison Square Garden before negotiations fell apart. A matchup with Tyron Woodley is rumored to be in the works, although a date and venue have yet to be confirmed.6. Rafael dos Anjos (29-12)
Dos Anjos was game but ultimately outmatched at UFC on ESPN 4, as he dropped a clear-cut unanimous decision to Leon Edwards in the evening’s headliner in San Antonio on July 20. The former lightweight champion struggled with his opponent’s size and range, losing for the third time in his last four outings. Dos Anjos had a strong start in his move to welterweight with a three-bout winning streak but at 34 years old could struggle to find his way to the top of the division at this point in his career.7. Douglas Lima (32-7)
It wasn’t the most thrilling performance, but Lima reclaimed the welterweight throne with a decision victory over Rory MacDonald in the grand prix finals at Bellator 232. In avenging a previous loss to “The Red King” at Bellator 192, Lima thwarted the takedown attempts of his opponent while picking him apart on the feet with crisp jabs and leg kicks. Now a three-time Bellator 170-pound king, Lima has won six of his last seven appearances within the California-based promotion.8. Rory MacDonald (21-6-1)
The entirety of the Bellator welterweight grand prix was a slog for MacDonald, and it finally caught up to him in the tournament finals, where he dropped a unanimous verdict — and the 170-pound belt — to Douglas Lima. Unlike his first meeting with Lima, the Tristar Gym representative was unable to impose his will through takedowns at Bellator 232, and as a result, “The Phenom” gradually picked him apart with quick left hands and hard leg kicks. When MacDonald finally did briefly ground his opponent, Lima was able to quickly reverse the position to put his final stamp on the fight. “The Red King” will continue to remain one of the top welterweight talents in the promotion for as long as he stays active, and perhaps a trilogy bout with Lima could be in the offing.9. Demian Maia (28-9)
Even at 41 years old, Maia remains one of the most crafty submission specialists in the sport today, and he showed it once again against Ben Askren at UFC Fight Night 162 in Singapore. The Brazilian used a heel hook to sweep into top position before transitioning to a rear-naked choke that rendered Askren unconscious 3:54 into the third round of their headlining contest. After rough outings against top-tier wrestlers Kamaru Usman, Colby Covington and Tyron Woodley, Maia has rebounded to post a three-fight winning streak within the Las Vegas-based promotion and has won 10 of his last 13 appearances overall.10. Ben Askren (19-2, 1 NC)
Askren certainly had his moments at UFC Fight Night 162, as he was able to implement his wrestling to the tune of four takedowns landed against jiu-jitsu ace Demian Maia in Singapore. However, Askren’s confidence in his ground game eventually came back to haunt him, and Maia used a heel hook to sweep into top position before securing a rear-naked choke submission at the 3:54 mark of Round 3. The former Bellator and One Championship titlist has been finished in back-to-back bouts in the Octagon after being fortunate to emerge with a victory over Robbie Lawler in his debut.Other Contenders: Robbie Lawler, Darren Till, Santiago Ponzinibbio, Nate Diaz, Anthony Pettis.
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