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. Arman Tsarukyan (21-3) UFC [12]
Tsarukyan made a massive statement at UFC Austin, knocking out Beneil Dariush just 64 seconds into their lightweight main event on Dec. 2. The 27-year-old American Top Team representative is 8-2 in the Octagon, with a contentious decision loss to Mateusz Gamrot and a three-round defeat to current champion Islam Makhachev as the only blemishes on his ledger. By dispatching Dariush in such impressive fashion, Tsarukyan made a strong case for a rematch with Makhachev in the near future.6. Beneil Dariush (22-6-1) | UFC [5]
Dariush probably didn’t know what hit him in the UFC on ESPN 52 headliner, where he fell victim to an Arman Tsarukyan right hand and follow-up punches just 64 seconds into the opening round of their clash at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas on Dec. 2. Dariush has now suffered back-to-back first-round KO/TKO defeats at the hands of Tsarukyan and Charles Oliveira, pushing him down the ranks of contenders at 155 pounds.7. 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.8. 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 was reflected by his next assignment, which was a coaching stint on “The Ultimate Fighter 31” opposite Conor McGregor. However, a showdown against the Irish superstar didn’t materialize in 2023, and questions remain as to whether it will happen at all.9. 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.10. 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 was to return for a five-round clash against Bobby Green at UFC Austin, but an injury suffered in sparring forced him to withdraw from the contest.Other Contenders: Jalin Turner, Bobby Green, Grant Dawson, Olivier Aubin-Mercier, Damir Ismagulov.
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