Sherdog’s Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings

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Bantamweight

1. Renan Barao (31-1, 1 NC)

With one spectacular spinning back kick to the face of challenger Eddie Wineland, Barao continued to put more distance between himself and the “temporary” label. Yes, the Brazilian remains the promotion’s interim bantamweight champion, but his second-round knockout of Wineland only furthers the notion that Dominick Cruz’s status as divisional alpha dog will be in serious jeopardy when he returns from injury.

2. Urijah Faber (28-6)

Faber continued his dominance in non-title bouts at UFC Fight Night 26, taking a unanimous decision over Iuri Alcantara; it was his third straight victory at bantamweight. The Team Alpha Male product gets a more well-known foe in December, when he faces fellow Californian Michael McDonald at UFC on Fox.

3. Michael McDonald (16-2)

Perhaps no fighter on the UFC Fight Night 26 bill was more impressive than McDonald, who scored a dominant stoppage of tough veteran Brad Pickett with a second-round triangle choke. As a reward, “Mayday” has been paired with fan favorite and perennial title contender Urijah Faber at UFC on Fox 9. A win would cement McDonald’s place among the division’s elite.

4. Eddie Wineland (20-9-1)

The hard-punching former WEC titlist was simply the latest in a long line of opponents -- 21 to be exact -- who were unable to solve the Renan Barao riddle. After a fairly competitive initial stanza with the interim bantamweight champ, Wineland was rudely separated from his title aspirations by a perfectly timed spinning back kick in the second round. Despite the loss, Wineland remains a dangerous foe for most anyone in the division.

5. Raphael Assuncao (20-4)

Assuncao continues to impress at 135 pounds, most recently adding Englishman Vaughan Lee to his list of victims with a second-round armbar win at UFC on Fuel TV 10. The Ascension MMA leader has gone 4-0 since moving to the bantamweight division in August 2011. The Brazilian’s most difficult test to date is set for UFC Fight Night 29, where he squares off with T.J. Dillashaw on Oct. 9.

6. Brad Pickett (23-8)

“One Punch” was certainly game in his UFC Fight Night 26 showdown with Michael McDonald, surviving a furious barrage of power punches in the bout’s first 90 seconds. While Pickett’s chin held up in round one, his submission defense ultimately failed him, as “Mayday” locked in a triangle choke to elicit a tap from the Brit in round two.

7. 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. With that in mind, “Young Guns” has elected to try his hand at 125 pounds. His first obstacle will be former Tachi Palace flyweight champ Ian McCall on Dec. 14.

8. Eduardo Dantas (15-3)

Dantas needed to erase the sting of an upset loss to Tyson Nam, 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. “The Ultimate Fighter 14” finalist looks to continue his ascent on the divisional ladder on Oct. 9, when he meets fellow top 10 bantamweight Raphael Assuncao in Brazil.

10. Marlon Moraes (11-4)

Victories over Miguel Torres and Tyson Nam in his first two World Series of Fighting appearances established Moraes as the top 135-pound talent on the promotion’s roster. The Brazilian striker affirmed that status at WSOF 4, where he bloodied and battered promotional newcomer Brandon Hempleman en route to a lopsided unanimous decision. Up next: Moraes meets Carson Beebe at WSOF 6 on Oct. 26.

Other contenders:

Iuri Alcantara, Bibiano Fernandes, Marcos Galvao, Takeya Mizugaki, Tyson Nam.

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