Bantamweight
1. T.J. Dillashaw (15-3)
Dillashaw finally got his showdown with former Team Alpha Male training partner Cody Garbrandt at UFC 217 and overcame nearly being stopped in the opening round to knock out “No Love” and take back the bantamweight title. After a brief flirtation with a superfight against reigning flyweight king Demetrious Johnson, Dillashaw will instead settle for a return date with Garbrandt at UFC 227 on Aug. 4 in Los Angeles.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. The good news for “No Love” is that he will get to run it back against Dillashaw at UFC 227 in August.3. Dominick Cruz (22-2)
How quickly we forget the intimate 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)
Assuncao improved to 10-1 as a UFC bantamweight with a savage knockout of Matthew Lopez at UFC Fight Night 120. That resume, of course, includes a win over current bantamweight king T.J. Dillashaw. The Brazilian will return to the Octagon this summer, when he faces Rob Font at UFC 226 on July 7.5. Marlon Moraes (20-5-1)
After dropping a narrow-split decision to Raphael Assuncao in his UFC debut, Moraes found his footing in the Octagon with quality victories over John Dodson and Aljamain Sterling. The former World Series of Fighting champion will look to further cement himself as a top 135-pound contender when he locks horns with Jimmie Rivera in the UFC Fight Night 130 headliner on June 1 in Utica, New York.6. Jimmie Rivera (21-1)
Rivera missed out on a major opportunity when Dominick Cruz pulled out of their proposed UFC 219 bout due to injury. However, Rivera’s 20-fight winning streak -- which includes five triumphs inside the Octagon -- has him poised for big things in the division. After a public feud on social media, “El Terror” will return to action against Marlon Moraes in the UFC Fight Night 130 main event on June 1 in Utica, New York.7. John Lineker (30-8)
An infected tooth cost Lineker a high-profile bout with 135-pound contender Jimmie Rivera at UFC 219 on Dec. 30. With Rivera booked against Marlon Moraes at UFC Fight Night 130 on June 1, “Hands of Stone” will instead square off against Brian Kelleher at UFC 224 in Rio de Janeiro on May 12.8. Darrion Caldwell (12-1)
Other than one perplexing hiccup against Joe Taimanglo, Caldwell has been nearly flawless since transitioning to MMA in 2012. The former NCAA national champion wrestler from North Carolina State University authored one of his finest performances to date at Bellator 195, as he submitted Leandro Higo inside of a round to defend his bantamweight crown. It was the first time Higo had been forced to tap in 22 professional bouts.9. Kyoji Horiguchi (23-2)
Horiguchi is unquestionably one of the finest flyweights in the world, but lest you forget he began his career as a Shooto 132-pound world champion, the Japanese standout was made the focal point of Rizin’s bantamweight grand prix. During the New Year’s season, in the span of 48 hours, Horiguchi demolished three solid opponents. The only man to defeat the two-division standout over his last 18 bouts is Demetrious Johnson, the best fighter in the sport. Horiguchi will return to action against fellow UFC veteran Ian McCall in a 134-pound contest at Rizin Fighting Federation 10 on May 6.10. John Dodson (20-9)
Dodson finally managed to win one of the close ones at bantamweight. After dropping split verdicts to John Lineker in 2016 and Marlon Moraes in 2017, “The Magician” prevailed in a split decision triumph over Pedro Munhoz at UFC 222. Assuming Dodson elects to re-sign with the UFC -- that was the final fight on his deal -- he will continue to be a tough out for anyone at 135 pounds, though his preferred style could also lead to a few more too-close-for-comfort scorecards.Other Contenders: Bryan Caraway, Brett Johns, Pedro Munhoz, Cody Stamann, Aljamain Sterling.
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