Sherdog’s Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings

Featherweight

1. Max Holloway (19-3)

Holloway was sterling in stopping Jose Aldo at UFC 212 in June. Six months later at UFC 218, the “Blessed” one was dominant from the outset, pulverizing the Brazilian legend en route to another third-round stoppage. With a 12-fight winning streak and one of the best resumes in the sport, Holloway’s next title defense figures to be the one that was intended for UFC 218 -- a clash with Frankie Edgar once “The Answer” heals from a broken orbital bone.

2. Jose Aldo (26-4)

Aldo’s second effort in six months against Max Holloway was less successful than the first, as the Brazilian legend was battered for three rounds and stopped by the Hawaiian once again at UFC 218 on Dec. 2. “Scarface” has now lost three of his last four bouts. What comes next for the all-time featherweight king is uncertain.

3. Frankie Edgar (22-5-1)

Edgar twice failed to take the UFC featherweight crown from Jose Aldo, but “The Answer” will not take no for an answer as a 145-pound contender, bouncing back with consecutive wins over Jeremy Stephens and Yair Rodriguez that moved him right back in the title hunt. Unfortunately, when Edgar was firmed up to challenge Max Holloway at UFC 218, he suffered an orbital bone injury. Edgar expects to now challenge the Hawaiian champ in early 2018.

4. Ricardo Lamas (18-5)

Lamas nearly had a golden opportunity at UFC on Fox 26, where he aimed to avenge his February 2014 loss to Jose Aldo. Then Frankie Edgar got injured and Aldo was pulled from the Lamas rematch to face Max Holloway in the UFC 218 headliner. As a result, Lamas will instead take a medium-risk, low-reward bout with Team Alpha Male’s Josh Emmett on Dec. 16.

5. Cub Swanson (25-7)

One of the few longstanding top-10 featherweights who has not gotten a crack at UFC gold, Swanson is on the last fight of his current UFC contract and has been vocal about fighting it out and entering free agency in hopes of getting a plum deal. The 34-year-old may get his wish come December, but it will not be easy. Swanson will main event UFC Fight Night 123 on Dec. 9, taking on the undefeated Brian Ortega in Fresno, California.

6. Darren Elkins (23-5)

Elkins’ rise to featherweight prominence has been contingent on using his hard-nosed, grinding style to thwart tough, usually favored opposition. In order for “The Damage” to push his UFC winning streak to six in a row, he will need to do it once more against another unenviable opponent. Elkins will welcome lightweight contender Michael Johnson to the featherweight division at UFC Fight Night 124 on Jan. 14. Even tougher for Elkins, it will come in “The Menace’s” backyard of St. Louis.

7. Brian Ortega (12-0, 1 NC)

After his July 2014 UFC debut, Ortega had his first-round submission of Mike de la Torre overturned after he popped for drostanolone. Since his steroid suspension, Ortega has been flawless, racking up four straight third-round stoppages over Thiago Tavares, Diego Brandao, Clay Guida and Renato Carneiro. Next time in the Octagon, Ortega gets a massive step up in competition and visibility, as “T-City” heads to Fresno, California, where he will face Cub Swanson at UFC Fight Night 123 on Dec. 9.

8. Chan Sung Jung (15-4)

With Jung returning from two and a half years of mandatory military service in his native South Korea, the MMA world was thrilled when “The Korean Zombie” returned in February and lanced Dennis Bermudez in mere minutes. It was then quickly heartbroken when Jung’s slated June bout with Ricardo Lamas fell apart after he was injured. Jung has since taken to social media to needle power-punching veteran Jeremy Stephens, angling for another potentially thrilling style matchup in the coming months.

9. Doo Ho Choi (14-2)

It is downright cruel that after closing 2016 with his raucous brawl against Cub Swanson we were denied the entertainment of Choi in 2017. Nonetheless, “The Korean Superboy” healed from a back injury that nixed his July fight with Andre Fili and has now been booked for a banger of a bout, facing Jeremy Stephens at UFC Fight Night 124 on Jan. 14 in St. Louis.

10. Patricio Freire (26-4)

It has been a rough go recently for many of Bellator MMA’s main events and co-headlining fights, and Freire now finds himself ensnared in that bad luck, too. After winning the Bellator featherweight championship for a second time in his fourth bout with rival Daniel Straus in April, Freire was set for the first defense of his second reign on Nov. 16, with a rematch against Daniel Weichel in Tel Aviv, Israel. However, a second showdown with the German MMA pioneer will have to wait until the 2018, as the Brazilian was injured in training and pulled out of the Bellator 188 headliner.

Other Contenders: Renato Carneiro, Andre Harrison, Calvin Kattar, Jason Knight, Yair Rodriguez.

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