Image: John Brannigan/Sherdog.com illustration
Bantamweight
1. Sean O’Malley (17-1, 1 NC) UFC [1]
O’Malley silenced the doubters in emphatic fashion at UFC 292, as he finished Aljamain Sterling with an exquisite right hand and follow-up ground-and-pound in their bantamweight championship clash at TD Garden in Boston. “Sugar” already had all the makings of the promotion’s next big superstar, and now he has the hardware to go with it. Next up could be a rematch with Marlon Vera — the only man to defeat him — or a clash with Sterling training partner Merab Dvalishvili.2. Aljamain Sterling (23-4) | UFC [2]
Sterling was unable to impose his will in the UFC 292 headliner, as he fell victim to a beautiful Sean O’Malley right hand to relinquish the bantamweight crown at the TD Garden in Boston. That brings an end to Sterling’s nine-fight winning streak, but with a title reign that included three successful defenses, “Funk Master” has established himself as one of the sport’s top 135-pound talents. While Sterling indicated that UFC 292 would be his last fight at bantamweight, he admitted in the aftermath of his latest defeat that he might have to reconsider that decision.3. Merab Dvalishvili (16-4) | UFC [3]
If there was any question how Dvalishvili’s gas tank would hold up over a five-round fight heading into his UFC Fight Night 221 showdown with Petr Yan, there isn’t now. “The Machine” set a promotion record for takedowns attempted while outstriking the former bantamweight champion for 25 minutes in a clear-cut unanimous decision triumph in Las Vegas on March 11. Dvalishvili has won nine straight UFC bouts — eight at 135 pounds — but his road to the title is currently blocked by teammate and reigning bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling.4. Henry Cejudo (16-3) | UFC [4]
Returning to action after three years away and looking to win back one of two UFC belts he never lost in the cage, Cejudo came up short against Aljamain Sterling at UFC 288. By the eyeball test, however, the 36-year-old was quite competitive and appears to slot right in alongside the other top contenders in the UFC bantamweight division. “The Messenger” threatened another retirement in the wake of the loss, but it appears he will stick around. However, a relatively quick turnaround against Marlon Vera at UFC 292 was scrapped when Cejudo had to withdraw due to a shoulder injury.5. Petr Yan (16-5) | UFC [5]
Yan had no answer for Dvalishvili’s relentless pressure and pace in the UFC Fight Night 221 headliner, as he dropped a unanimous decision to “The Machine” at The Theater at Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas on March 11. Though Yan has lost four of his last five outings in UFC competition, that record is deceptive: Two of those setbacks were split decisions and another was the controversial disqualification loss to Aljamain Sterling at UFC 259. “No Mercy” remains a top-tier bantamweight, though he may now be facing a longer road if he hopes to receive another title shot in the future.6. T.J. Dillashaw (17-5) | UFC [6]
Dillashaw entered UFC 280 with a shoulder injury and was clearly affected by the ailment for the duration of his second-round technical knockout loss to Aljamain Sterling in the evening’s co-main event in Abu Dhabi. Not only was Dillashaw not competitive in the fight, but by electing to compete with an injury that had affected him since April, he risked suffering even more damage to the shoulder. The ex-champ could face a lengthy recovery process from the injury, and he informed the UFC of his retirement a little less than two months after the loss to Sterling. As a result, his rankings eligibility is set to expire on Oct. 22, 2023.7. Cory Sandhagen (17-4) | UFC [7]
After a scheduled clash with rising star Umar Nurmagomedov fell through, Sandhagen took out his frustrations on Rob Font, using takedowns and top control to cruise to a clear-cut five-round verdict in the UFC on ESPN 50 headliner in Nashville. Since the bout was contested at a 140-pound catchweight, it doesn’t affect Sandhagen’s place in these rankings. However, the UFC tends to approach things differently, and with a three-fight winning streak over Font, Marlon Vera and Yadong Song, “Sandman” appears to be sitting pretty in the bantamweight division.8. Patrick Mix (18-1) | Bellator [8]
Mix completed an impressive run through the Bellator bantamweight grand prix with a first-round knockout of Raufeon Stots in the Bellator 295 main event. In addition to Stots, “Patchy” bested the likes of Magomed Magomedov and Kyoji Horiguchi to claim the promotion’s interim 135-pound belt and a $1 million prize. The next challenge will be a title unification bout against Sergio Pettis at Bellator 301.9. Sergio Pettis (23-5) Bellator [9]
After being sidelined for 18 months due to knee surgery, Pettis didn’t miss a beat in his return, as he outdueled featherweight champ Patricio Freire for five rounds in the Bellator 297 co-main event. Pettis’ speed, countering ability and versatility were all on display in the fight as he defended the 135-pound belt for a second time. “The Phenom” has won six consecutive bouts and will look ahead to a showdown with interim bantamweight champ Patrick Mix at Bellator 301 on Nov. 17.10. Marlon Vera (23-8-1) | UFC [11]
Vera earned a closely contested three-round verdict over replacement foe Pedro Munhoz at UFC 292, relying on his skilled striking to pull away for his fifth victory in six outings. While originally scheduled opponent Henry Cejudo would have provided marquee value, the win nonetheless helps “Chito” bounce back from a split-decision loss to Cory Sandhagen at UFC on ESPN 43 this past March.Other Contenders: Yadong Song, Rob Font, Raufeon Stots, Umar Nurmagomedov, Jonathan Martinez.
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