Bantamweight
1. Renan Barao (32-1, 1 NC)
Barao looked better than ever in dispatching Urijah Faber for a second time in the UFC 169 headliner. The bantamweight ruler floored “The California Kid” with a right hand two minutes into the bout and kept the pressure on with knees and punches. Once Faber recovered, “The Baron” dropped his foe yet again with an overhand right and followed-up with a barrage of unanswered hammerfists to get the victory. While the stoppage was disputed, it is hard to fault Barao, who was nearly flawless up until that point and is now firmly established as one of the sport’s pound-for-pound best.2. Urijah Faber (30-7)
Faber has now lost his last six championship bouts, but the Team Alpha Male product probably deserved a better fate at UFC 169. A subtle “thumbs up” to referee Herb Dean as Renan Barao unloaded with punches was not enough to save “The California Kid” from what many deemed an early stoppage in their bantamweight title tilt. Still, Faber remains a matchmaking conundrum -- head-and-shoulders above most of the division but not quite good enough to beat the very best.3. Michael McDonald (16-3)
For McDonald, a win over Urijah Faber at UFC on Fox 9 might have signaled the beginning of a new era. However, Faber showed he still has plenty left in the tank by submitting “Mayday” in the second round of their co-main event clash. Just 22 years old, McDonald still has plenty of time to develop his skills.4. Eddie Wineland (21-9-1)
After a disappointing knockout loss to Renan Barao in a bantamweight title bout at UFC 165, Wineland returned to his winning ways at UFC on Fox 10. The hard-punching former WEC champion was in prime form against Yves Jabouin, as he cracked the Tristar Gym member with a right hand standing before finishing the contest with a barrage of ground-and-pound.5. Raphael Assuncao (22-4)
After outpointing highly touted prospect Pedro Munhoz at UFC 170, Assuncao now quietly owns the second-longest winning streak among active UFC bantamweights at six fights. The only man ahead of him, 135-pound king Renan Barao, has won seven straight. When the champ is ready to look for win No. 8, Assuncao could very well be standing across from him in the Octagon.6. Brad Pickett (23-8)
“One Punch” was certainly game in his UFC Fight Night 26 showdown with Michael McDonald, surviving a furious volley 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. Pickett was originally slated to face Ian McCall at UFC Fight Night 38, but an injury to “Uncle Creepy” means he will meet Cage Warriors titleholder Neil Seery in his 125-pound debut instead.7. 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. Now fully recovered from an ankle injury, Dantas will defend his crown against Anthony Leone at Bellator 111.8. T.J. Dillashaw (9-2)
Dillashaw unleashed the heavy artillery against Mike Easton at UFC Fight Night 35, attacking his opponent with virtually every weapon in his arsenal en route to a lopsided decision victory. While he was unable to finish Easton, the Team Alpha Male product was more dominant against “The Hulk” than any of his previous UFC foes.9. Marlon Moraes (12-4)
The hits just keep on coming for one of the World Series of Fighting’s breakout stars. Moraes overwhelmed wrestler Carson Beebe at the promotion’s sixth event, defending all of his opponent’s takedowns before winning via knockout 32 seconds into the first round. Unbeaten in four promotional appearances, Moraes will next battle Josh Rettinghouse at WSOF 9 for 135-pound gold.10. Takeya Mizugaki (19-7-2)
From April 2009 to February 2012, Mizugaki alternated wins and losses under the Zuffa banner, solidifying his spot as a durable gatekeeper. After outpointing Nam Phan at UFC Fight Night 33, Mizugaki has won four straight inside the Octagon, raising expectations for the respected Japanese bantamweight.Other Contenders: Iuri Alcantara, Bibiano Fernandes, Marcos Galvao, Kyoji Horiguchi, Francisco Rivera.
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