Featherweight
1. Jose Aldo (25-1)
Aldo maintained his stranglehold on the 145-pound division with a gritty, five-round unanimous decision against old rival Chad Mendes in the main event of UFC 179. “Scarface” persevered through knockdowns and takedowns, using superior technical striking down the stretch to earn his 18th consecutive victory. Still the first and only UFC featherweight champion, Aldo has now defended his title seven straight times against the likes of Mendes (twice), Frankie Edgar and Kenny Florian. A rib injury took Aldo out of his UFC 189 bout with Conor McGregor, the new interim titleholder with whom the Brazilian will have to contend upon his return. They will square off in the UFC 194 main event on Dec. 12.2. Conor McGregor (18-2)
Although he did not get to do it against Jose Aldo, “The Notorious” backed up his braggadocio at UFC 189 with a second-round stoppage of late replacement Chad Mendes. In just over two years as a UFC fighter, McGregor has racked up six wins -- including five knockouts -- and is now the organization’s interim featherweight champion. He will attempt to unify his belt with that of Aldo at UFC 194.3. Chad Mendes (17-3)
Mendes started strong in a short-notice July 11 assignment against Conor McGregor, but the lack of a full training camp -- combined with McGregor’s dynamic striking -- soon took its toll on the Team Alpha Male product. “Money” succumbed to strikes late in the second round, marking only the third defeat of Mendes’ 20-bout MMA career. All three of those losses have come in UFC title fights. The road will get no easier for the Californian at “The Ultimate Fighter 22” Finale on Dec. 11, when he matches skills and wits with Frankie Edgar in Las Vegas.4. Frankie Edgar (19-4-1)
Edgar continued to make his case for another UFC title shot on May 16, when he topped former featherweight ruler Urijah Faber in a five-round unanimous decision. Since coming up short in his bid to dethrone Jose Aldo in 2013, “The Answer” has won four straight bouts, including a third triumph over B.J. Penn in July and a dominant November victory against Cub Swanson. Edgar will next face Team Alpha Male’s Chad Mendes in “The Ultimate Fighter 22” Finale main event on Dec. 11 in Las Vegas.5. Ricardo Lamas (16-4)
After being stopped for the first time in his UFC career during an April encounter with Chad Mendes, Lamas sought to get back on track against Diego Sanchez on Nov. 21 in Mexico. “The Bully” earned a hard-fought decision with measured striking and nasty low kicks which left Sanchez hobbled midway through the fight.6. Max Holloway (14-3)
Holloway was the beneficiary in one of the scariest scenes in recent memory. He was awarded a technical knockout against Charles Oliveira in their UFC Fight Night main event on Aug. 23, when the Brazilian was cut down by a torn esophagus just 99 seconds into the first round. Holloway, 23, has rattled off seven consecutive victories since his decision loss to Conor McGregor in August 2013. He will carry that momentum into a UFC 194 matchup with Jeremy Stephens on Dec. 12.7. Cub Swanson (21-7)
Previously on the cusp of title contention, Swanson has tumbled down the rankings after suffering a pair of setbacks in the past five months. First, the 31-year-old was ground out and submitted by former lightweight ace Frankie Edgar in November, and on April 18, Swanson succumbed to a third-round guillotine choke from rising star Max Holloway. Prior to those losses, the Jackson-Wink MMA fighter had won six in a row.8. Charles Oliveira (20-5, 1 NC)
A freak injury cost Oliveira in his anticipated showdown with Max Holloway under the UFC Fight Night marquee on Aug. 23. The talented Brazilian suffered a slight tear to his esophagus 1:39 into the first round, forcing an immediate stoppage and bringing a sudden end to his four-fight winning streak. Fortunately, the injury will not keep “Charles do Bronx” out of action for long, as Oliveira is already booked to face Myles Jury on Dec. 19.9. Hacran Dias (23-3-1)
Dias used takedowns and a string of submission attempts to out-grind Levan Makashvili and nab a split decision in their June 27 meeting. The Nova Uniao product has won two straight bouts on the judges’ scorecards to rebound from consecutive losses against Ricardo Lamas and Nik Lentz.10. Jeremy Stephens (24-11)
Longtime UFC lightweight Stephens got his 145-pound campaign off to a hot start with three straight wins over quality opposition, but that momentum was slowed by back-to-back losses against Cub Swanson and Charles Oliveira. “Lil’ Heathen” got back on track with a July knockout of Dennis Bermudez, though Stephens missed weight for the bout by more than three pounds. He will next face Max Holloway at UFC 194 on Dec. 12.Other Contenders: Dennis Bermudez, Patricio Freire, Nik Lentz, Chas Skelly, Daniel Straus.
Continue Reading » Bantamweight