Featherweight
1. Max Holloway (19-3)
Holloway’s first UFC featherweight title defense was supposed to come against Frankie Edgar on Dec. 2 in Detroit. However, when the former UFC lightweight champ suffered a broken orbital bone, it resulted in Holloway facing and defeating Brazilian legend Jose Aldo for a second time. Holloway-Edgar was rebooked for UFC 222 on March 3 before the 145-pound champion was forced to withdraw due to injury. As a result, Edgar took on surging contender Brian Ortega at the event and was on the receiving end of a spectacular first-round knockout. Holloway will presumably defend his title against Ortega at a future date later this year.2. Brian Ortega (14-0)
There is no doubt about who is the No. 1 contender in the featherweight division following Ortega’s emphatic first-round knockout of two-time title challenger and former lightweight king Frankie Edgar at UFC 222. A standing elbow stopped Edgar in his tracks and an uppercut lifted “The Answer” off his feet and onto the canvas, giving “T-City” his sixth consecutive UFC victory. Barring injury or unforeseen circumstances, Ortega has secured himself a date with reigning 145-pound king Max Holloway.3. Jose Aldo (26-4)
Aldo’s second effort in six months against Max Holloway was less successful than the first, as the Brazilian legend was battered for three rounds and stopped by the Hawaiian once again at UFC 218 on Dec. 2. “Scarface” has now lost three of his last four bouts. What comes next for the all-time featherweight king is uncertain, though a rumored clash with the hard-hitting Jeremy Stephens seems to have legs.4. Frankie Edgar (22-6-1)
It appears that a third title shot at 145 pounds was not meant to be for Edgar. Originally scheduled to face Max Holloway at UFC 222, “The Answer” instead found himself paired with Brian Ortega in a No. 1 contender’s bout after the champion pulled out of the contest due to injury. While Edgar has shattered the championship dreams of more than a few contenders, he ran into a buzzsaw in Ortega, who became the first person to finish the Toms River, New Jersey, native in 29 professional bouts with a resounding first-round knockout.5. Cub Swanson (25-8)
At 34 years old and riding a four-fight winning streak into the last bout on his UFC contract, Swanson was in a bit of a make-or-break position headed into UFC Fight Night 123 on Dec. 9. Unfortunately for Swanson, things broke, as undefeated prospect Brian Ortega choked him out in the second round and sent him into free agency on the heels of a loss.6. Darren Elkins (24-5)
Elkins was getting pieced up by Michael Johnson in the latter’s featherweight debut at UFC Fight Night 124. Then, in a scene reminiscent of his 2017 comeback against Mirsad Bektic, “The Damage” dug deep, took Johnson’s back and choked him out in the second round. With six straight wins, Elkins now has the longest winning streak at 145 pounds in the UFC outside of champion Max Holloway.7. Jeremy Stephens (28-14)
Now 28 fights into his Ultimate Fighting Championship tenure, Stephens may be in the best position of his lengthy career after a resounding second-round knockout of Josh Emmett in the UFC on Fox 28 main event gave “Lil’ Heathen” his third consecutive triumph at 145 pounds. Although it seems as if he has been around forever, Stephens is still just 31 years old and could be primed for featherweight title contention. The man himself believes that to be true, as he called for a championship opportunity after his win over Emmett.8. Chan Sung Jung (15-4)
With Jung returning from two and a half years of mandatory military service in his native South Korea, the MMA world was thrilled when “The Korean Zombie” returned in February and lanced Dennis Bermudez in mere minutes. It was then quickly heartbroken when Jung’s slated June bout with Ricardo Lamas fell apart after he was injured. Jung has since taken to social media to needle power-punching veteran Jeremy Stephens, angling for another potentially thrilling style matchup in the coming months.9. Josh Emmett (13-2)
Emmett could not capitalize on the momentum of his big knockout victory over ex-title challenger Ricardo Lamas in December, as he fell victim to the heavy hands and elbows of Jeremy Stephens in the UFC on Fox 28 headliner. The Team Alpha Male product now finds himself with some work to do in a deep and talented 145-pound division.10. Ricardo Lamas (18-6)
Your heart breaks for Lamas. After impressive back-to-back stoppages of Charles Oliveira and Jason Knight, “The Bully” earned a second crack at all-time featherweight king Jose Aldo, only to the lose the fight when the Brazilian stepped in for an injured Frankie Edgar against Max Holloway at UFC 218. Lamas accepted a high-risk, low-reward bout with replacement Josh Emmett on Dec. 16 and wound up on the wrong end of one of 2017’s most devastating knockouts.Other Contenders: Renato Carneiro, Doo Ho Choi, Patricio Freire, Calvin Kattar, Yair Rodriguez.
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