Image: John Brannigan/Sherdog.com illustration
Lightweight
1. Islam Makhachev (25-1) | UFC [1]
Makhachev made a statement at UFC 294, knocking out featherweight king Alexander Volkanovski with a head kick and follow-up punches in the opening round of their lightweight title clash at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. The Dagestani standout has won 13 straight fights in the Octagon and thanks to consecutive title defenses against Volkanovski, can close the book on his rivalry with the Australian star. Makhachev’s next assignment could come against either Charles Oliveira, who pulled out of UFC 294 due to a cut, or Justin Gaethje, who has been lobbying hard for a title shot in interviews and on social media.2. Charles Oliveira (34-9, 1 NC) | UFC [2]
After relinquishing his belt to Islam Makhachev in October 2022, Oliveira made an emphatic statement in his return, as he defeated top contender Beneil Dariush via first-round technical knockout in the UFC 289 co-main event. “Do Bronx” held his own with Dariush on the canvas, but it was on the feet that he did his best work, rattling the Kings MMA product with head kicks and heavy punches before sealing his victory with ground-and-pound. Unfortunately, a cut suffered in training forced Oliveira to pull out of a rematch against Makhachev at UFC 294.3. Justin Gaethje (25-4) | UFC [3]
Gaethje picked up a statement win — and the UFC’s BMF belt — in style at UFC 291, getting the better of Dustin Poirier for six minutes before flattening him with a head kick. In avenging his 2018 loss to Poirier, “The Highlight” reaffirmed his status as a top contender in the UFC lightweight division. Gaethje believes he should be next in line for a title shot against reigning champion Islam Makhachev, though he could still have to wait for Charles Oliveira to get his rematch first.4. Dustin Poirier (29-8, 1 NC) | UFC [4]
Poirier came up definitively short in his attempt to go 2-0 against Justin Gaethje and win the BMF title at UFC 291. Where their 2018 first meeting had been an instant classic, the rematch was a mauling, as “The Diamond” struggled with Gaethje on the feet for a round before being felled by a vicious head kick early in the second. The loss places the onetime interim champ and perennial contender perhaps further from another title shot than he has been in several years.5. Beneil Dariush (22-5-1) | UFC [5]
Seemingly on the verge of a lightweight title shot, Dariush saw those dreams come crashing down in a first-round technical knockout loss to ex-champ Charles Oliveira in the UFC 289 co-main event. The 36-year-old Kings MMA product sees an eight-bout winning streak snapped in defeat, and barring unforeseen circumstances, has more work ahead of him if he is to reach the top of the lightweight mountain before his career is done. That begins with a fight against Arman Tsarukyan at UFC Austin on Dec. 2.6. Mateusz Gamrot (23-2, 1 NC) | UFC [6]
Gamrot picked up his latest victory in anticlimactic fashion when opponent Rafael Fiziev suffered a knee injury early in the second round of their headlining encounter at UFC Fight Night 228. While it likely wasn’t the way Gamrot would have liked to win, “Gamer” has been victorious in six of his last seven promotional appearances, making him one of the top contenders in the UFC at 155 pounds.7. Michael Chandler (23-8) | UFC [7]
Once again, Chandler had an opponent reeling but couldn’t finish the job, as he was submitted by Dustin Poirier in a featured lightweight affair at UFC 281. Although he has lost three of his last four UFC outings, Chandler remains a favorite with promotional brass thanks to his penchant for all-action fights. That status is reflected in his next assignment, which is a coaching stint on “The Ultimate Fighter 31” opposite Conor McGregor before a showdown with the Irish superstar in the Octagon at some point in the future.8. Rafael Fiziev (12-3) | UFC [8]
In what was shaping up to be an intriguing clash of lightweight contenders, Fiziev suffered an unfortunate knee injury early in the second round of his headlining clash against Mateusz Gamrot at UFC Fight Night 228. Not only is Fiziev mired in the first two-bout skid of his professional career, but he’ll likely face a fairly lengthy recovery process before he can return to action within the Las Vegas-based promotion.9. Dan Hooker (23-12) | UFC [9]
Hooker’s trademark resilience shone through at UFC 290, as he rallied for a wildly entertaining split-decision victory over Jalin Turner at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. After losing four of five Octagon appearances from June 2020 to March 2022, “The Hangman” has secured back-to-back triumphs over Turner and Claudio Puelles. Hooker will return for a five-round clash against Bobby Green at UFC Austin on Dec. 2.10. Bobby Green (31-14-1, 1 NC) UFC [10]
Green spoiled Grant Dawson’s first-ever UFC main event on Oct. 7, as he dropped the heavy favorite with his first serious punch of the fight, then poured on the punishment until referee Keith Peterson was forced to rescue Dawson after just 33 seconds. The quick and brutal performance snapped a 12-fight unbeaten streak for Dawson, and reaffirmed Green’s status as one of the most dangerous fighters in the division. At 37, “King” appears focused on maximizing his remaining time to entertain the masses, as rather than calling out a particular fighter after starching Dawson, he simply requested another bout before the end of the year. The requested was granted, as he’ll meet Dan Hooker in a five-round contest at UFC Austin.Other Contenders: Grant Dawson, Arman Tsarukyan, Olivier Aubin-Mercier, Damir Ismagulov, Usman Nurmagomedov.
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