Lightweight
1. Conor McGregor (21-3)
As the world turns, so does the latest in the McGregor-Floyd Mayweather Jr. drama. UFC President Dana White claims he has a deal in place with the Irishman that he simply has to pitch to Mayweather, the highest paid athlete in sports; suffice to say, we remain skeptical. Complicating matters, White remains adamant that -- in addition to a potential Mayweather bout -- “The Notorious” one will be back in the Octagon by year's end. Again, we will believe it when we see it.2. Tony Ferguson (22-3)
Ferguson is stuck between a promotional rock and a hard place. He is the second banana in the best division in the whole sport but cannot buy a UFC title shot because Conor McGregor has more grandiose ideas. In the wake of the Irishman aggressively courting a Floyd Mayweather Jr. boxing blockbuster, “El Cucuy” has taken to calling out Nate Diaz, the only man to top “The Notorious” one in the UFC, pining for a big-money bout at 155 pounds, though his efforts seem strictly pro forma.3. Eddie Alvarez (28-5, 1 NC)
Alvarez has been far more good than lucky over his 13-year career, but at UFC 211, he needed some good fortune to escape without a loss. Alvarez was largely on the business end of a bustling brawl with Dustin Poirier that had him playing catch up after nine minutes; however, a series of knees to Poirier's head while he was downed drew an end to the bout. While a disqualification seemed in order, the former UFC and Bellator MMA lightweight champion escaped with a no-contest, which may lead to a rematch with “The Diamond” later in 2017.4. Khabib Nurmagomedov (24-0)
Brutal luck again struck Nurmagomedov ahead of UFC 209, nixing his slated bout with Tony Ferguson for a third time; and this time, it was for an interim lightweight title. With six pounds to go in his weight cut, Nurmagomedov’s team took him to hospital and his medical issues forced the bout’s cancellation, breaking fans’ hearts one more time.5. Rafael dos Anjos (25-9)
After losing the UFC lightweight title to Eddie Alvarez and dropping a 25-minute unanimous decision to Tony Ferguson, dos Anjos said he would only return to 155 pounds for a major payday. The Brazilian will now step up to 170 pounds to ply his trade. In his first welterweight appearance inside the Octagon, dos Anjos will face former Strikeforce champion Tarec Saffiedine at a UFC Fight Night event in Singapore on June 17.6. Edson Barboza (19-4)
Barboza on March 11 authored perhaps the best knockout so far this year, clattering Beneil Dariush with a phenomenal flying knee. With consecutive wins over Dariush, Gilbert Melendez and former UFC champ Anthony Pettis, the 31-year-old Brazilian is now trying to throw his weight around and atone for his last defeat, lobbying for a five-round main event against Tony Ferguson, who choked him out in the second round of their rollicking December 2015 clash.7. Michael Chiesa (14-2)
Chiesa could not secure the matchup he wanted with former UFC champion Eddie Alvarez, but he will still get a decent fight next time out. In fact, he will headline a UFC Fight Night bill opposite Kevin Lee on June 25 in Oklahoma City, the bout carrying with it with serious implications at 155 pounds. It has also become considerably more personal after Lee invoked the name of Chiesa's mother at the UFC Summer Kickoff press conference, leading the two lightweights to come to blows on stage.8. Michael Chandler (16-3)
The first time Bellator MMA went on pay-per-view with Bellator 120, Eddie Alvarez pulled out and Chandler wound up losing an interim lightweight title bout to Will Brooks. “Iron Mike” will hope things go a little better in his second PPV appearance, as he makes the second defense of his second Bellator reign against undefeated 7-0 Brent Primus on June 24.9. Beneil Dariush (14-3)
At UFC Fight Night 106 on March 11 in Fortaleza, Brazil, Dariush looked fantastic against Edson Barboza for a round. Unfortunately for the Kings MMA product, Barboza went vertical in the second stanza, knocking Dariush senseless in highlight-reel fashion with a flying knee. Dariush is now 2-2 over his last four bouts.10. Kevin Lee (15-2)
A winner in eight of his last nine outings, Lee has captured the gaze of the MMA world with his candor and trash talk, but he truly caught the public’s attention in March, when he rolled into Fortaleza, Brazil, and choked out Francisco Trinaldo in style. The 24-year-old’s skill -- and perhaps his mouth -- has been rewarded with a main event slot and a major opponent, as “The Motown Phenom” heads to Oklahoma City on June 25 to face Michael Chiesa in a UFC Fight Night headliner. The bout has gained even more traction after a May 12 press conference in which Lee and Chiesa came to blows over the former's maternally related trash talk.Other Contenders: Nate Diaz, Evan Dunham, Justin Gaethje, Michael Johnson, Dustin Poirier.
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