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Featherweight
1. Alexander Volkanovski (22-1) [1]
Volkanovski improved to 2-0 against Max Holloway at UFC 251, but victory in the rematch came by a much slimmer margin than it did in their first meeting. After Holloway rocked the Australian featherweight champion at the end of Rounds 1 and 2 to take an early lead on the scorecards, Volkanovski finished strong over the bout’s final 15 minutes to earn a contentious split-decision triumph in Abu Dhabi. That makes nine consecutive UFC victories and 19 straight professional triumphs overall for the City Kickboxing representative, who can now move past his rivalry with Holloway and focus on other contenders at 145 pounds.2. Max Holloway (21-6) [2]
Holloway had an improved strategy and performance in his rematch with Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 251, but unfortunately for the talented Hawaiian, it still didn’t result in victory. After nearly dropping the Australian champion in both the first and second rounds, Holloway saw Volkanovski rally down the stretch for a contentious split-decision triumph in Abu Dhabi. While many observers thought “Blessed” deserved the nod, the ex-titlist is now 0-2 against Volkanovski and has lost three of his last four Octagon appearances overall.3. Jose Aldo (28-7) [3]
Aldo appeared to be on the right track through three rounds against Petr Yan in their bantamweight title clash at UFC 251, but the Russian took over in the championship frames for a fifth-round TKO triumph. Aldo has been competitive in bouts against Yan and Marlon Moraes since dropping to 135 pounds but is still looking for his first victory since dropping down a division.4. Yair Rodriguez (12-2, 1 NC) [4]
Rodriguez had high expectations fighting on home soil, but his UFC Mexico City headlining matchup with Jeremy Stephens ended in just 15 seconds when “El Pantera” connected with an accidental eye poke. It was hardly the ending Rodriguez anticipated coming off a “Knockout of the Year” finish against Chan Sung Jung in November 2018, but but he was able to settle the score with Stephens in their rematch at UFC on ESPN 6 in Boston, as he rode a multi-faceted kicking attack to a unanimous decision victory on Oct. 18. “The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America” Season 1 winner has lost just one of his 10 Octagon appearances. A matchup with Zabit Magomedsharipov was targeted for Aug. 29 before Rodriguez had to pull out due to injury.5. Chan Sung Jung (16-5) [5]
Jung may have ushered Frankie Edgar out of the featherweight division for good at UFC Fight Night 165. Competing in front of a raucous crowd in Busan, South Korea, “The Korean Zombie” rattled Edgar with punches from the outset, took his foe’s back and then sealed the deal with a powerful combination at the 3:18 mark of Round 1. Since his heartbreaking last-second defeat against Yair Rodriguez at UFC Fight Night 139, Jung has scored consecutive first-round finishes of Edgar and Renato Carneiro. Jung will next get a chance to settle his feud with Brian Ortega in the main event of a UFC card on Oct. 17.6. Zabit Magomedsharipov (18-1) [6]
Magomedsharipov earned his sixth straight Octagon triumph at UFC Fight Night 163, as he outpointed fellow contender Calvin Kattar in Moscow. The Dagestani fighter slowed down the stretch against Kattar in the impromptu three-round headliner, but he had already banked the first two rounds on the scorecards. The Ricardo Almeida Jiu-Jitsu product owns a 14-fight professional winning streak dating back to 2013 and has emerged as one of the top contenders in the UFC at 145 pounds. A proposed clash with Yair Rodriguez on Aug. 29 was scrapped after the Mexican standout withdrew from the fight due to injury.7. Patricio Freire (30-4) [7]
Bellator’s reigning lightweight and featherweight champion has consistently been one of the top fighters in the California-based promotion for nearly a decade now. The younger “Pitbull” brother extended his current winning streak to five when he took a clear-cut five-round verdict over Juan Archuleta in the opening round of the featherweight grand prix at Bellator 228. The 32-year-old Brazilian was supposed to face SBG Ireland product Pedro Carvalho in the quarterfinals of the bracket at Bellator 241, but that event was canceled due to coronavirus concerns.8. Renato Carneiro (14-3-1) [8]
Carneiro had a successful lightweight debut, submitting Damir Hadzovic in 44 seconds at UFC Fight Night 170 in Brasilia, Brazil. In victory, “Moicano” rebounded from a tough 2019 in which he suffered back-to-back TKO defeats at the hands of Jose Aldo and Chan Sung Jung. Still, the 30-year-old had a largely successful UFC run at featherweight, compiling a 5-3 mark with wins over the likes of Jeremy Stephens, Calvin Kattar and Cub Swanson.9. Calvin Kattar (22-4) [9]
Kattar become the first fighter to go 2-0 during the COVID-19 pandemic, as snapped Dan Ige’s six-bout winning streak in the UFC on ESPN 13 headliner on July 15. Couple that with a spectacular elbow KO of Jeremy Stephens at UFC 249, and “The Boston Finisher” is making the most of his 2020 thus far. The 32-year-old Team Sityodtong representative has won four of his last five UFC appearances dating back to October 2018.10. Frankie Edgar (24-8-1) [10]
After years of contending at both lighweight and featherweight in the UFC, Edgar has swiftly established himself as a person of interest at bantamweight, as well. In typical gritty fashion, Edgar edged Pedro Munhoz via split-decision in his 135-pound debut at UFC on ESPN 15 on Aug. 22. While the scorecards might have been debatable, Edgar’s ability to remain competitive throughout the contest was not, and he will likely be looking at another Top 10 foe for his next Octagon appearance.Other Contenders: Jeremy Stephens, Josh Emmett, Shane Burgos, A.J. McKee, Arnold Allen.
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