Sherdog’s Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings

Bantamweight

1. T.J. Dillashaw (15-3)

Dillashaw lost his UFC bantamweight title by the slimmest of margins in January 2016, dropping a split decision to two-time champion Dominick Cruz. It took him nearly two years, but now “Killashaw” is back on top of the bantamweight world: At UFC 217, he finally got his showdown with former Team Alpha Male training partner Cody Garbrandt and overcame nearly being stopped in the opening round to knock out “No Love” and take back the UFC title. A Garbrandt rematch or a showdown with someone like Jimmie Rivera seemed most apt, but the newly minted champ called out flyweight kingpin Demetrious Johnson for what would be a monumental superfight.

2. Cody Garbrandt (11-1)

Through five minutes of his UFC 217 co-main event on Nov. 4, Garbrandt looked well on his way to both defending his UFC bantamweight title for the first time and knocking out former teammate turned rival T.J. Dillashaw. Then, Round 2 came and Dillashaw cracked him with a right hand, pounded him out, took his title and handed him the first loss of his career. Whether or not “No Love” gets an immediate title rematch in 2018 remains to be seen.

3. Dominick Cruz (22-2)

How quickly we forget how intimate a role injuries play in Cruz’s career. After a slew of knee and groin injuries limited Cruz to just one fight in over four years, we were blessed when he stepped into the Octagon three times in 2016. However, in the wake of his UFC title loss to Cody Garbrandt in December, he complained of plantar fasciitis limiting his mobility; and when he was lined up in a title eliminator situation against Jimmie Rivera at UFC 219, he sustained a broken arm that knocked him out of the cage once again.

4. Raphael Assuncao (26-5)

Few men in the entire sport, let alone the UFC, are a less desired opponent than Assuncao. If you want to see why, look at the veteran’s handiwork in his Nov. 11 bout with little-known prospect Matthew Lopez, whom he dominated for nearly 12 minutes before savagely knocking him out. The Atlanta-based Brazilian is now 10-1 as a UFC bantamweight, and the only man to beat him is current champion T.J. Dillashaw -- someone over whom Assuncao also owns a win. Naturally, Assuncao called out the new champ following his Lopez triumph, though a rubber match between the two is hardly on the priority list for Dillashaw or the UFC.

5. Jimmie Rivera (21-1)

With 20 straight victories and an exciting, high-volume style that is emblematic of the bantamweight division, it seemed like Rivera’s rise to 135-pound prominence was only matter of time. “El Terror’s” thrilling July win over Brazilian hitter Thomas Almeida put him in position for a Dec. 30 showdown with Dominick Cruz in what amounted to a UFC title eliminator, but Cruz suffered a broken arm, leaving Rivera without a dance partner for UFC 219. Rivera could instead wind up facing former World Series of Fighting champion Marlon Moraes in that spot, which would still be an outstanding fight worthy of establishing an imminent title challenger.

6. Marlon Moraes (19-5-1)

In his Octagon debut in June, Moraes’ style did not impress the judges and left him on the wrong end of a split decision against Raphael Assuncao, snapping his 13-bout winning streak. In his sophomore effort, the cookie crumbled in his favor, as Moraes’ forward aggression and volume striking earned him a split nod over the ever-dangerous John Dodson. The “Magic” one then used his post-fight interview time to make an impassioned plea to replace the injured Dominick Cruz against tristate area rival Jimmie Rivera at UFC 219 on Dec. 30.

7. Bryan Caraway (21-7)

Following back-to-back decision wins over Eddie Wineland and the previously undefeated Aljamain Sterling, Caraway was in a plum position -- he was lined up to face red-hot contender Jimmie Rivera -- when 2017 began. Unfortunately, Caraway suffered an undisclosed injury and spent most of the year on the sideline. Now, Rivera is off to have a virtual title eliminator against former two-time UFC champ Dominick Cruz, while Caraway has accepted a risky fight with once-beaten prospect Luke Sanders at UFC Fight Night 123 on Dec. 9.

8. John Lineker (30-8)

Lineker sustained a broken jaw in his decision loss to former UFC champ T.J. Dillashaw in December, the injury sidelining him for most of 2017. Thankfully for MMA fans and violence lovers, Lineker returned to the Octagon at UFC Fight Night 119 in Sao Paulo on Oct. 28, hammering out a unanimous verdict over the much improved Marlon Vera. “Hands of Stone” is now 5-1 in his last six Octagon appearances.

9. Thomas Almeida (22-2)

Sure, Almeida has lost two of his last three bouts, but those defeats came to former champion Cody Garbrandt and perhaps a soon-to-be title challenger in Jimmie Rivera; there is no shame in those defeats. With that said, coming off of his wild, woolly brawl with Rivera in July, you would think “Little Tom” might want a tune-up bout or something. Well, perish the thought. Almeida, 26, has signed on to face fellow fight-ending threat Rob Font at UFC 220 on Jan. 20 in the latter’s own Boston backyard.

10. Darrion Caldwell (11-1)

Caldwell is no longer just an NCAA Division I national wrestling champion; he is a serious MMA champ, too. At Bellator 184 on Oct. 6, “The Wolf” used his wrestling and sublime suplexing skills to stymie Eduardo Dantas for five rounds and take the Bellator 135-pound title. It is possible his first title defense will come against another Brazilian, Leandro Higo. He defeated the only man to ever beat Caldwell, “Baby” Joe Taimanglo, as part of the Bellator 184 main card.

Other Contenders: Eduardo Dantas, John Dodson, Shintaro Ishiwatari, Pedro Munhoz, Aljamain Sterling.

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