Bantamweight
1. Dominick Cruz (22-1)
It was a slower start than we have grown accustomed to for “The Dominator,” but in his championship rubber match with Urijah Faber at UFC 199, Cruz effectively shut out his main rival, dropping “The California Kid” partway through the second round before cruising to a unanimous decision after 25 minutes. The bantamweight division continues to improve as its young guns work their way up the ladder, but until one of those prospects can emerge as a viable title contender, the MMA world will keep its figurative fingers crossed for Cruz to rematch UFC flyweight champ Demetrious Johnson -- a man he defeated via unanimous verdict in October 2011.2. T.J. Dillashaw (13-3)
Many thought Dillashaw won his first fight with Raphael Assuncao back in October 2013, but the former UFC bantamweight champion gained revenge at UFC 200, soundly outworking and outpointing Assuncao in his first performance since losing the UFC title to Dominick Cruz in January. With the UFC 135-pound division lacking many viable contenders at the top of the division, the win may firm up Dillashaw for a rematch with Cruz later this year.3. Marlon Moraes (17-4-1)
In Moraes’ first encounter with Josh Hill back in February 2015, the WSOF bantamweight champion dominated his challenger for 25 minutes with his counterpunching and brutal leg kicks. In their rematch at WSOF 32 on July 30, Moraes was even more impressive, clobbering the Canadian with a nasty head kick and punches at just 38 seconds of round two. Moraes has now won 12 straight bouts and has not lost in nearly five years. However, he remains a massive fish in a tiny pond, and it remains questionable if the WSOF can continue to provide worthwhile opposition for the Brazilian.4. Urijah Faber (33-9)
Faber at UFC 199 started fast against Dominick Cruz, but ultimately, the fourth UFC title challenge for “The California Kid” morphed into the bout we expected, as Cruz danced and delivered volume punching for 25 minutes. The 37-year-old Faber is now 3-3 in his last six bouts dating back to February 2014. He will be back in the cage at UFC 203 on Sept. 10, when he confronts the surging Jimmie Rivera.5. Raphael Assuncao (23-5)
Assuncao returns to these rankings after spending nearly two years away from the cage. However, his re-eligibility comes on account of a loss, as he could not replicate his close decision win over T.J. Dillashaw at UFC 200, getting outworked by the former champion over 15 minutes. Nonetheless, Assuncao remains one of the sport’s top bantamweights, with recent wins over divisional standouts Bryan Caraway and Pedro Munhoz.6. Bryan Caraway (21-7)
Through his eight bouts inside the Octagon, Caraway has gotten a little bit better each time out. Those incremental improvements finally turned into a big payoff for “Kid Lightning,” as he overcame a tough first five minutes to come back and take a split decision over the previously unbeaten Aljamain Sterling on May 29, vaulting him into these rankings.7. Aljamain Sterling (12-1)
For the first five minutes of his May 29 bout with Bryan Caraway, Sterling looked every bit a dominant, undefeated prospect. However, when Caraway battled back over the final 10 minutes, he managed to outwrestle and outhustle the Serra-Longo Fight Team product, handing “The Funkmaster” the first loss of his pro career.8. Cody Garbrandt (9-0)
With his brutal first-round knockout of Thomas Almeida on May 29, Garbrandt announced himself not just as a hot prospect but a fighter ready to tangle with the bantamweight division’s elite. Most observers expected Garbrandt to walk into a showdown with veteran Bryan Caraway for his next bout, but instead, “No Love” will take on rugged divisional gatekeeper Takeya Mizugaki in a contest penciled in for UFC 202 on Aug. 20 in Las Vegas.9. Takeya Mizugaki (21-9-2)
Mizugaki is unlikely to ever get a UFC bantamweight title bid, but the scrappy Shooto product remains the de facto “gatekeeper to the stars” at 135 pounds. Mizugaki’s UFC career has been predicated on sorting out the contenders from the pretenders at bantamweight. Next, he will serve as the acid test for unbeaten Cody Garbrandt at UFC 202 on Aug. 20, with hopes of dismissing “No Love” as a not-ready-for-primetime player.10. Thomas Almeida (21-1)
Almeida entered his May 29 showdown with Cody Garbrandt, not just as a slight favorite but as favorite to earn a UFC bantamweight title shot in the near future if he stayed on his current trajectory. Garbrandt rejected that narrative wholesale, socking up Almeida from the outset before crushing him unconscious with a right hook early in the first round and handing “Thominhas” the first loss of his career.Other Contenders: Eduardo Dantas, John Lineker, Jimmie Rivera, Joe Taimanglo, Eddie Wineland.
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