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Bantamweight

1. Renan Barao (30-1, 1 NC)

Barao survived a harrowing opening round against Michael McDonald in his first interim title defense, but from there, the Brazilian’s multifaceted attack took control, as he submitted the Californian with an arm-triangle choke in the fourth round of their UFC on Fuel TV 7 conflict. With champion Dominick Cruz still on the shelf, the Nova Uniao fighter will defend his interim strap again on June 15, this time against hard-hitting former WEC titleholder Eddie Wineland.

2. Urijah Faber (28-6)

Faber keeps steamrolling all but the most highly ranked competition. At UFC 157, “The California Kid” made short work of Ivan Menjivar, submitting his opponent with a rear-naked choke in the opening frame. The popular Californian followed that performance by choking out good buddy Scott Jorgensen at “The Ultimate Fighter 17” Finale to keep himself in contention for meaningful fights in the second half of 2013.

3. Michael McDonald (15-2)

McDonald was able to throw a scare into Renan Barao early in their interim 135-pound title tilt at UFC on Fuel TV 7, but in the long run, the Brazilian proved to be too seasoned for the Modesto, Calif., native. If his skills continue to progress, the future looks bright for the 22-year-old Last Stand Fight Team product, especially in a division that needs star power beyond Urijah Faber.

4. Eddie Wineland (20-8-1)

The rangy former WEC champion surprised many observers by outboxing and bloodying Brad Pickett en route to a three-round decision win at UFC 155. The win was impressive enough to net Wineland a shot at interim champion Renan Barao in the main event of UFC 161 in June.

5. Brad Pickett (23-7)

After a disappointing loss to Eddie Wineland at UFC 155, Pickett rebounded in a big way on April 6, scoring a split-decision victory over the talented Mike Easton. In a contest that earned “Fight of the Night” honors, Pickett used a diverse attack to outwork the Alliance MMA representative over the course of three action-packed frames.

6. Scott Jorgensen (14-7)

While he remains a difficult matchup for anyone in the bantamweight division, three losses in his last four outings have Jorgensen at a crossroads in his career. Most recently, “Young Guns” was submitted by Urijah Faber in the fourth round at “The Ultimate Fighter 17” Finale. Jorgensen has fallen to only the toughest of opposition in the Octagon, also losing to Renan Barao and Eddie Wineland during his UFC tenure.

7. Raphael Assuncao (19-4)

Stepping in on short notice seldom pays off with a victory, but it sure did for a game Assuncao. After notching two wins in his first two bantamweight outings, the Atlanta-based Brazilian stepped up to face the once-beaten Mike Easton on two weeks’ notice at UFC on Fox 5 and earned the most significant win of his career via workmanlike decision.

8. Eduardo Dantas (15-3)

Dantas needed to erase the sting of an upset loss to Tyson Nam over the summer, and he did so at the expense of Nova Uniao stablemate Marcos Galvao. In dispatching Galvao via second-round knockout, “Dudu” showcased the hand speed and precise striking that made him a highly regarded prospect. As it stands, Dantas remains the class of Bellator’s 135-pound division.

9. T.J. Dillashaw (8-1)

After knocking out Issei Tamura just one month prior, Dillashaw again flashed power in his April 20 meeting with Brazilian import Hugo Viana. The Team Alpha Male representative punched out Viana inside the first round, marking Dillashaw’s fourth straight win and third consecutive stoppage.

10. Marlon Moraes (10-4)

In a high-stakes duel between bantamweight up-and-comers, Moraes proved himself the top 135-pound talent on the World Series of Fighting roster. The Brazilian striker, who recently began training with former UFC champion Frankie Edgar, drubbed Tyson Nam in the first round of their March 23 encounter, an impressive follow-up to Moraes’ November win over Miguel Torres.

Other contenders:

Bibiano Fernandes, Marcos Galvao, Ivan Menjivar, Takeya Mizugaki, Tyson Nam.

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