Bantamweight
1. Cody Garbrandt (11-0)
Garbrandt had a brilliant 2016 campaign that ended with him as UFC bantamweight champion, as he humiliated rival Dominick Cruz to take the title after a nasty war of words. It does not get any less personal for Garbrandt going forward: “No Love” will coach “The Ultimate Fighter 25” against former Team Alpha Male teammate and onetime UFC bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw to set up a showdown of ex-training partners later in 2017.2. Dominick Cruz (22-2)
Having not lost a pro MMA fight in nearly 10 years and with a career full of success against Team Alpha Male, Cruz looked to be in the driver’s seat headed into his bantamweight title defense against Cody Garbrandt at UFC 207. The sentiment was further enhanced when Cruz’s pre-fight trash talk seemed to truly rattle and upset his challenger. Instead, Garbrandt put on an incredible display, as he bested Cruz in his own trademark style, dropping “The Dominator” over 25 minutes and earning a unanimous decision to take Cruz’s 135-pound crown.3. T.J. Dillashaw (14-3)
Dillashaw may have preferred to regain the UFC bantamweight title from the man that took it from him in January 2016, Dominick Cruz. While that hope is no longer possible, he is going to get another crack at UFC gold and it still has a profoundly personal element to it. Dillashaw will coach opposite former Team Alpha Male compatriot Cody Garbrandt on the 25th season of “The Ultimate Fighter” to set up another 135-pound title challenge later in the year.4. Raphael Assuncao (24-5)
Since dropping to 135 pounds in the UFC, Assuncao has gone 8-1, his lone loss coming against a man he had previously defeated: former champ T.J. Dillashaw. At UFC on Fox 23, Assuncao earned another crucial victory in the bantamweight hierarchy, notching a split verdict over Aljamain Sterling. However, given the lack of action in the bout and with champion Cody Garbrandt and challenger Dillashaw tied up filming “The Ultimate Fighter 25,” Assuncao will need another win or two against the division's elite to secure a title bid.5. Marlon Moraes (18-4-1)
Moraes was with the World Series of Fighting from Day 1 and went 11-0 in the promotion, but after spending four-plus years dominating WSOF’s 135-pound ranks, Moraes has opted for free agency and vacated his bantamweight title. The 28-year-old Brazilian, who has not lost a fight since November 2011, is naturally angling for a UFC deal to make his jump to the Octagon.6. Jimmie Rivera (20-1)
Following his breakout win over Urijah Faber at UFC 203 in September, Rivera was primed for a bout with even higher stakes at 135 pounds. Unfortunately, his slated contest with Bryan Caraway fell apart due to injury. Rivera opted against facing agreed-upon replacement Marlon Vera, preferring instead to wait for a bigger name in the division in the near future.7. Bryan Caraway (21-7)
With back-to-back wins over Eddie Wineland and Aljamain Sterling, Caraway put himself in bantamweight title contention. However, ahead of his scheduled bout with Jimmie Rivera on Jan. 15, Caraway was once again struck by the injury bug, leading him to pull out of the fight and take a familiar place on the sideline.8. Thomas Almeida (22-1)
When Cody Garbrandt sent him to sleep in less than three minutes in May, it marked the first time Almeida had lost a pro fight. How would the 25-year-old prospect respond to his first loss when he returned to action in front of his hometown crowd in Sao Paulo, Brazil? Almeida put on a show on Nov. 19, battering Alberto Morales en route to a brutal second-round stoppage.9. John Lineker (29-8)
A win at UFC 207 over former bantamweight king T.J. Dillashaw likely would have punched Lineker’s ticket to a title bout in the Octagon. Instead, the massive-hitting Brazilian had his six-fight winning streak snapped by Dillashaw, who grounded and savagely pounded on Lineker for 15 minutes. Though soundly defeated, Lineker remains one of MMA’s most devastating punchers; and in a lopsided defeat to Dillashaw, he showed off exactly the kind of physical toughness that figures to make him an elite 135-pound fixture for the foreseeable future.10. Aljamain Sterling (12-2)
After starting his career a perfect 12-0, Sterling has now dropped consecutive split decisions, first to Bryan Caraway in May and then to Raphael Assuncao on Jan. 28. Fortunately, at 27 years old, Sterling has plenty of time to head back to the drawing board and establish himself as a 135-pound contender.Other Contenders: Darrion Caldwell, Eduardo Dantas, Joe Taimanglo, Eddie Wineland, Rani Yahya
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