Image: John Brannigan/Sherdog.com illustration
Lightweight
1. Charles Oliveira (33-8, 1 NC) | UFC [1]
After missing weight by 0.5 pounds one day prior, Oliveira lost his lightweight crown as soon as his UFC 274 headlining bout against Justin Gaethje began. That didn’t prevent “Do Bronx” from putting together yet another masterful performance, as he survived some early adversity before rallying to drop and submit the former World Series of Fighting champion in the opening round of their bout at Footprint Arena in Phoenix, Ariz. The victory, which was Oliveira’s 11th straight, assures the Brazilian of a spot in the next 155-pound title fight. The Chute Boxe Diego Lima representative only seems to be getting better, with finishes of Gaethje, Dustin Poirier and Michael Chandler in his last three promotional appearances. Oliveira will attempt to regain the 155-pound belt when he meets Islam Makhachev in the UFC 280 headliner in Abu Dhabi.2. Dustin Poirier (28-7, 1 NC) | UFC [2]
Poirier entered UFC 269 as the uncrowned lightweight champion in many people’s eyes, but he left the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas empty handed following a third-round submission loss to Charles Oliveira in the evening’s headliner. The American Top Team representative started well, as he landed powerful punches and floored his opponent in Round 1, but that momentum gradually faded as the bout progressed. Poirier was on the verge of a memorable 2021 campaign that could have included two wins over Conor McGregor and a championship belt, but instead “The Diamond” comes up short for the second consecutive time in a title bout. A showdown with Michael Chandler is rumored for late 2022, but the date and event have not been finalized.3. Justin Gaethje (23-4) | UFC [3]
Gaethje appeared to have hurt Charles Oliveira on two occasions early in their headlining fight at UFC 274, but “The Highlight” ultimately missed an opportunity to capture championship gold when his opponent rallied for a submission victory at the 3:22 mark of Round 1 at Footprint Arena in Phoenix, Ariz., on May 7. Gaethje delivered another violent performance as expected, but the former World Series of Fighting title holder is now 0-2 in UFC title bouts — losing via submission on both occasions. Nonetheless, Gaethje’s penchant for all-action fights likely means he’ll have no shortage of interesting options for his next Octagon appearance.4. Beneil Dariush (21-4-1) | UFC [4]
Dariush smothered Tony Ferguson for the better part of three rounds in the UFC 262 co-main event, a dominant victory that included a heel hook submission in the second frame that might have done some serious damage to his opponent. The Kings MMA product has won seven straight fights within the Las Vegas-based promotion. He was supposed to meet Islam Makhachev in the UFC Fight Night 202 main event before an injury forced him to withdraw from the contest. Dariush will get a chance to propel himself to a title shot when he faces Mateusz Gamrot at UFC 280.5. Islam Makhachev (22-1) | UFC [5]
Heading into the UFC Fight Night 202 main event, there was at least some sentiment that Bobby Green could throw a scare into Makhachev in their short-notice, catchweight bout. That wasn’t the case at all, as Makhachev overwhelmed Green en route to a first-round technical knockout victory. The Dagestani grappler’s 10-fight winning streak is tied for the second-longest active streak in the promotion, and every other fighter on the list is currently a champion. Makhachev now has a date with Charles Oliveira for the currently vacant 155-pound strap at UFC 280.6. Michael Chandler (23-7) | UFC [6]
Chandler submitted his entry for 2022 “Knockout of the Year” at UFC 274 with a spectacular front kick KO of Tony Ferguson — a finish that was just the ninth of its kind in the history of the Las Vegas-based promotion. While the ex-Bellator champion is only 2-2 in UFC competition thus far, each of his fights have delivered in terms of entertainment value, which will only further serve to curry favor with promotion officials. A clash with fellow former title challenger Dustin Poirier is reportedly in the works for sometime late in 2022.7. Rafael Fiziev (12-1) | UFC [7]
Fiziev took another major step toward title contention at UFC on ESPN 39, as he knocked out ex-champ Rafael dos Anjos in the fifth round of their headlining bout at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on July 9. In addition to his pinpoint striking, Fiziev showcased solid cardio and defensive wrestling — both vital attributes in the brutal lightweight division. With six consecutive victories to his credit, “Ataman” will be in line for another top contender. Whether that’s requested opponent Justin Gaethje or someone else remains to be seen.8. Dan Hooker (21-12) | UFC [8]
Hooker returned to the featherweight division for the first time since December 2018 at UFC London, where he suffered a violent first-round technical knockout loss to Arnold Allen at the O2 Arena on March 19. While Hooker fights generally tend to deliver when it comes to action, “The Hangman” has been on the wrong end of too many beatings recently, with losses in four of his last five Octagon appearances. It might benefit Hooker to consider a quick return to lightweight.9. Rafael dos Anjos (31-14) | UFC [9]
Dos Anjos had a clear game plan in mind against Rafael Fiziev at UFC on ESPN 39, but his failure to execute it was reflected in the final statistics, as the ex-lightweight champion landed just two of 16 takedown attempts in a fifth-round knockout loss. There’s no shame in falling to a striker as talented as Fiziev, but it does short-circuit dos Anjos’ hopes of making another lightweight title run at 37 years old. The Brazilian veteran has faced a murderer’s row of opponents during his promotional tenure, and while another championship may not be in his future, at the very least he figures to settle into a gatekeeper role for as long as he continues to compete.10. Gregor Gillespie (14-1) | UFC [10]
Gillespie returned from a lengthy hiatus at UFC on ESPN 24, where he earned an impressive second-round TKO stoppage of Diego Ferreira. The former Edinboro University wrestling standout rebounded from a head kick knockout loss to Kevin Lee at UFC 244 in November 2019 and improved to 7-1 in the Octagon. Gillespie hasn’t fought twice in a calendar year since 2018.Other Contenders: Mateusz Gamrot, Arman Tsarukyan, Damir Ismagulov, Thiago Moises, Jalin Turner.
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