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Flyweight
1. Deiveson Figueiredo (19-1)
With no issues on the scale this time around, Figueiredo claimed the vacant flyweight crown with a first-round submission of Joseph Benavidez in the UFC Fight Night 172 headliner on July 18. Now a dominant 2-0 against the sport’s longtime No. 2 at 125 pounds, Figueiredo looks like a formidable champion. The 32-year-old Brazilian has won eight of his nine Octagon appearances since joining the promotion in 2017.2. Joseph Benavidez (28-7)
Benavidez fell to 0-4 in flyweight title bouts at UFC Fight Night 172, where he suffered a disheartening first-round submission loss to Deiveson Figueiredo in a rematch on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. Benavidez wasn’t competitive in either bout against the Brazilian, and he acknowledged it was likely his last shot at UFC gold. However, he wants to go out on a winning note before calling it a career, so expect to see Benavidez back in the Octagon in the not-too-distant future.3. Sergio Pettis (19-5)
Back at 135 pounds, Pettis made a statement in his Bellator debut. The Roufusport representative rocked Alfred Khashakyan with a right hook and follow-up punches before locking in a guillotine choke at the 3:07 mark of Round 1 at Bellator 238. With no flyweight division in Bellator, Pettis will continue his run at 135 pounds when he squares off against Ricky Bandejas in the Bellator 242 main event on July 24.4. Askar Askarov (12-0-1)
Relentless pace and pressure carried Askarov to his most significant victory to date at UFC Fight Night 172, as he outpointed fellow contender Alexandre Pantoja on Yas Island in Abu Dhai on July 18. Though Askarov may have been fortunate to earn a majority draw against Brandon Moreno in his UFC debut, back-to-back decision wins over Pantoja and Tim Elliott have put him on the short list of top contenders for Deiveson Figueiredo.5. Alexandre Pantoja (22-5)
Pantoja had a strong opening round but faded down the stretch against Askar Askarov’s constant pressure and solid boxing, losing a unanimous verdict at UFC Fight Night 172 in Abu Dhabi. The Nova Uniao product has sandwiched decision losses to Askarov and new-champ Deiveson Figueiredo around a first-round KO of Matt Schnell in his last three promotional appearances.6. Brandon Moreno (17-5-1)
Moreno has come a long way in a short time since a brief release from the UFC in 2018. “The Assassin Baby” secured the biggest win of his career to date at UFC Fight Night 170, where he took a closely-contested unanimous decision over perennial contender Jussier Formiga. The 26-year-old Mexico native is unbeaten in his last four bouts and owns other notable wins over Kai Kara-France and Dustin Ortiz during his UFC tenure.7. Alex Perez (24-5)
Perez was a man on a mission at UFC 250, as he targeted Jussier Formiga’s legs early and often en route to a technical knockout victory at the 4:06 mark of Round 1.In victory, the Team Oyama representative became just the 11th fighter in promotion history to finish a fight with leg kicks. Perez has won six of his seven Octagon appearances and looks like a legitimate contender at 125 pounds.8. Jussier Formiga (23-8)
After authoring a four-bout winning streak from September 2017 to March 2019, Formiga appeared to be on the verge of securing a long-awaited title shot in the UFC. Since then, the Brazilian has lost three fights in a row, including a first-round TKO loss to Alex Perez at UFC 250. The man once regarded by many as the world’s top flyweight could be looking at a gatekeeper role in the coming months.9. Rogerio Bontorin (16-2)
Bontorin tasted defeat for just the second time in his professional career at UFC Fight Night 167, as he was grounded repeatedly and outwrestled in a unanimous decision loss to Ray Borg at the Santa Ana Star Center in Rio Rancho, N.M., on Feb. 15. While Borg missed weight, it doesn’t make the setback any easier to accept for the Brazilian, who began his promotional tenure with triumphs over Raulian Paiva and Magomed Bibulatov.10. Matt Schnell (14-5)
Schnell didn’t hesitate to trade punches during a frenetic duel with Alexandre Pantoja at UFC Fight Night 165 in Busan, South Korea. While “Danger” certainly landed his share — and even buckled his opponent on one occasion — he ultimately succumbed to a counter right hand to lose by knockout in the opening stanza. The defeat halted a four-bout winning streak for the American Top representative, who was coming off consecutive submission wins over Jordan Espinosa and Louis Smolka.Other Contenders: Kai Kara-France, Jordan Espinosa, Zhalgas Zhumagulov, Joshua Pacio, Yunus Evloev.
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