Ben Duffy/Sherdog.com illustration
Flyweight
1. Henry Cejudo (16-2)
After a shaky first round, Cejudo turned up the heat on Marlon Moraes in the UFC 238 main event, winning via third-round technical knockout to become the fourth simultaneous two-division champion in the history of the Las Vegas-based promotion. It’s difficult to deny the Olympic gold medalist as one of the sport’s pound-for-pound best given recent wins over Demetrious Johnson, T.J. Dillashaw and Moraes. “The Messenger” plans on defending on both his flyweight and bantamweight belts – and he even has designs on making an eventual move to 145 pounds. All those plans will likely have to wait until 2020 as Cejudo recovers from shoulder surgery.2. Demetrious Johnson (29-3-1)
“Mighty Mouse” punched his ticket to the One Championship flyweight grand prix final with a unanimous verdict over former Deep champion Tatsumitsu Wada at “Dawn of Heroes” on Aug. 2. Johnson will square off with Danny Kingad in the championship round in Tokyo on Oct. 13. It’s important to note that the AMC Pankration product is essentially fighting at bantamweight given One Championship’s weight class specifications. The former UFC flyweight titlist has lost just once in 17 professional appearances dating back to 2011.3. Joseph Benavidez (28-5)
If such a thing still exists in the UFC, it appears that Benavidez is once again the No. 1 contender in the flyweight division. The 34-year-old won his third straight — and ninth out of 10 overall — at UFC on ESPN 3, where he improved to 2-0 against Jussier da Silva with a second-round technical knockout victory. Benavidez remains an interesting potential foe for reigning flyweight king Henry Cejudo considering he already has defeated the Olympic gold medalist.4. Jussier da Silva (23-6)
By losing to Joseph Benavidez for a second time, “Formiga” may have seen his last best chance at flyweight title contention slip through his fingers. The 34-year-old Brazilian’s second-round TKO defeat to Benavidez at UFC Minneapolis snapped a four-bout winning streak for da Silva. He remains one of the top flyweights in the world, but a climb to a long-desired title shot could prove extremely difficult now.5. Sergio Pettis (18-5)
A versatile standup attack propelled Pettis to a relatively easy decision victory over replacement foe Tyson Nam at UFC Fight Night 159 in Mexico City on Sept. 21. That triumph halted a two-bout skid for the Roufusport product and marked his return to flyweight after a one-bout stint at 135 pounds. The division, once rumored to be on the brink of demise, seems to have new life. If so, the 26-year-old Pettis could emerge as one of the division’s top contenders with a few quality wins.6. Deiveson Figueiredo (16-1)
After suffering the first loss of his professional career to Jussier Formiga at UFC Nashville this past March, Figueiredo rebounded nicely against another one of his countrymen at UFC 240, taking an entertaining unanimous verdict over Alexandre Pantoja. With wins in five of his six Octagon appearances, the 29-year-old Marajo Brothers Team representative remains a strong contender in what appears to be a rejuvenated flyweight division. Next, Figueiredo will lock horns with Tim Elliott at UFC Tampa on Oct. 12.7. John Moraga (18-7)
Moraga had a three-fight winning streak snapped at UFC Fight Night 135 in Lincoln, Nebraska, where he ran into unbeaten Brazilian Deiveson Figueiredo. While “Chicano John” rocked his counterpart early, Figueiredo gradually took control down the stretch, ultimately earning a stoppage via second-round technical knockout. At the very least, the battle-tested Moraga figures to be a tough gatekeeper for the division as his career progresses.8. Dustin Ortiz (19-8)
While he was certainly improved, Ortiz still couldn’t get the best of Joseph Benavidez in their rematch at UFC Fight Night 143 in Brooklyn, N.Y. The 30-year-old Combat Sports Academy was competitive in all aspects of the fight, but ultimately lost a narrow unanimous decision. Ortiz saw a three-bout winning streak come to an end, but he remains a difficult test for virtually anyone at 125 pounds. Ortiz completed his UFC contract in Brooklyn and could be competing elsewhere if he chooses to continue fighting at flyweight.9. Alexandre Pantoja (21-4)
A trio of victories against Brandon Moreno, Yuta Sasaki and Wilson Reis helped Pantoja gain entry into the flyweight Top 10. His ascent was slowed at UFC 240, where he dropped a decision to Deiveson Figueiredo in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, on July 27. “The Cannibal” was swept by identical 30-27 counts on the scorecards against Figueiredo and is now 5-2 within the Las Vegas-based promotion since his debut in January 2017. Next up: a showdown with Matt Schnell at UFC Fight Night 165 in South Korea on Dec. 21.10. Matt Schnell (14-4)
Schnell won his third straight flyweight bout — and fourth Octagon contest overall —at UFC on ESPN 5, dispatching the previously No. 10-ranked Jordan Espinosa with a triangle choke 1:23 into the opening stanza in Newark, N.J. “Danger” has rebounded nicely since dropping his first two appearances in the Las Vegas-based promotion. Schnell will face his most difficult test to date when he meets Alexandre Pantoja at UFC Fight Night 165 in South Korea on Dec. 21.Other Contenders: Rogerio Bontorin, Jordan Espinosa, Brandon Moreno, Ali Bagautinov, Kai Kara-France.
Continue Reading » Women’s Featherweight