Lightweight
1. Anthony Pettis (17-2)
Pettis needed five rounds and the remarkable “Showtime” kick to take the World Extreme Cagefighting belt from Benson Henderson in 2010, but he required far less time to earn his second victory over “Smooth” and become the lightweight king at UFC 164. The only thing that went wrong for Pettis, who submitted Henderson with a first-round armbar, was a knee injury he suffered while checking a kick. While the ailment was only diagnosed as a sprain, the Roufusport standout was forced to withdraw from a title defense against Josh Thomson when the knee did not heal as quickly as anticipated. Pettis will coach opposite Gilbert Melendez on Season 20 of “The Ultimate Fighter” before defending his title against “El Nino” later this year..2. Benson Henderson (20-2)
In case anyone forgot, the former lightweight champion is a master of the high-wire act. Henderson proved it once again, taking a hotly contested -- and controversial -- split verdict over Josh Thomson in the UFC on Fox 10 headliner. “Smooth” is now 3-0 in UFC bouts that result in split decisions, with triumphs over Thomson, Gilbert Melendez and Frankie Edgar to his credit. Such efforts may not win him new fans, but he remains a fixture near the top of the weight class.3. Gilbert Melendez (21-3)
One bout removed from a narrow and controversial loss to then-lightweight champion Benson Henderson, “El Nino” teamed with Diego Sanchez to produce one of 2013’s most memorable fights at UFC 166. Melendez recently flirted with a move to Bellator before re-signing with the UFC. He will coach opposite lightweight champion Anthony Pettis on Season 20 of “The Ultimate Fighter” before challenging “Showtime” for his title later this year.4. T.J. Grant (21-5)
The 29-year-old Canadian has been unstoppable in the Octagon since dropping to 155 pounds in 2011, notching five straight wins, three of them finishes -- including a first-round blowout of Gray Maynard at UFC 160. A concussion knocked Grant from a proposed meeting with then-champion Benson Henderson at UFC 164, and a slower-than-expected recovery has further delayed his return to the Octagon. Grant has not been guaranteed a title shot when he comes back.5. Eddie Alvarez (25-3)
At Bellator 106, Alvarez showed the world why the promotion fought so hard to retain his services by regaining the lightweight title he lost in November 2011 with a hard-fought split decision over Michael Chandler. The rubber match between the two lightweights is expected to take place on a Bellator pay-per-view card sometime this spring.6. Michael Chandler (12-1)
Despite suffering the first loss of his professional career to Eddie Alvarez at Bellator 106, Chandler did little to hurt his stock. The rematch of one of 2011’s best fights lived up to the hype -- and then some. In the end, Alvarez edged Chandler in a back-and-forth, split decision triumph, setting up a trilogy at Bellator’s next planned pay-per-view in the spring.7. Josh Thomson (20-6, 1 NC)
Thomson was supposed to get a title shot. Instead, in the minds of many, he was robbed by the cageside judges in a UFC on Fox 10 meeting with ex-champ Benson Henderson. Shortly after his controversial split decision setback, “The Punk” began contemplating the end of a career that was marred by injury. Should Thomson decide to stick around, he figures to remain one of the sport’s top lightweights.8. Nate Diaz (17-9)
Diaz once again demonstrated his ability to entertain by avenging a 2010 loss to Gray Maynard at “The Ultimate Fighter 18” Finale. The Cesar Gracie disciple rocked Maynard with a left and kept “The Bully” on his heels with a flurry of accurate punches to earn a stoppage 2:38 into round one.9. Khabib Nurmagomedov (21-0)
With five consecutive Octagon triumphs under his belt, it is safe to say “The Eagle” has landed in the world’s largest mixed martial arts promotion. Following claims by UFC President Dana White that “nobody” in the division wanted to face Nurmagomedov, Rafael dos Anjos agreed to lock horns with the 25-year-old at UFC on Fox 11.10. Rafael dos Anjos (20-6)
Dos Anjos has quietly reeled off five straight victories in the Octagon, including back-to-back triumphs over promotional mainstays Evan Dunham and Donald Cerrone in his last two outings. Up next is a UFC on Fox 11 showdown with surging sambo specialist Khabib Nurmagomedov.Other Contenders: Edson Barboza, Donald Cerrone, Bobby Green, Rustam Khabilov, Jim Miller.
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