Bantamweight
1. Cody Garbrandt (11-0)
Garbrandt had a brilliant 2016 campaign that ended with him as UFC bantamweight champion, as he humiliated rival Dominick Cruz to take the title after a nasty war of words. It does not get any less personal for Garbrandt going forward: “No Love” will coach “The Ultimate Fighter 25” against former Team Alpha Male stablemate and onetime UFC bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw to set up a showdown of ex-training partners at UFC 213 on July 8 in Las Vegas.2. Dominick Cruz (22-2)
Having not lost a pro MMA fight in nearly 10 years and with a career full of success against Team Alpha Male, Cruz looked to be in the driver’s seat headed into his bantamweight title defense against Cody Garbrandt at UFC 207. The sentiment was further enhanced when Cruz’s pre-fight trash talk seemed to truly rattle and upset his challenger. Instead, Garbrandt put on an incredible display, as he bested Cruz in his own trademark style, dropping “The Dominator” over 25 minutes and earning a unanimous decision to take Cruz’s 135-pound crown.3. T.J. Dillashaw (14-3)
Dillashaw may have preferred to regain the UFC bantamweight title from the man that took it from him in January 2016: Dominick Cruz. While that hope is no longer possible, he is going to get another crack at UFC gold, and it still has a profoundly personal element to it. Dillashaw will coach opposite former Team Alpha Male compatriot Cody Garbrandt on the 25th season of “The Ultimate Fighter” to set up another 135-pound title challenge at UFC 213 on July 8 in Las Vegas.4. Raphael Assuncao (24-5)
Assuncao is 8-1 as a bantamweight, with all nine of those bouts coming in the UFC. His lone loss came at UFC 200 in July to former divisional ruler T.J. Dillashaw, a man over whom he owns a prior win. In spite of the Atlanta-based Brazilian's undeniable success, he will need to keep acing stiff tests if he wants a UFC title shot. Next up for Assuncao is a particularly intriguing bout, as he will welcome fellow top-five talent and former World Series of Fighting champion Marlon Moraes to the promotion at UFC 212 on June 3 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.5. Marlon Moraes (18-4-1)
Given World Series of Fighting's dubious-but-lucrative pay structure for some fighters, former WSOF bantamweight champion Moraes is likely sacrificing some coin in making the leap to the UFC. However, Moraes has repeatedly expressed his desire to fight the best in the world. He will get a baptism by fire in his UFC debut: Moraes will square off with fellow elite Brazilian Raphael Assuncao in a contest with considerable merit at UFC 212 on June 3.6. Jimmie Rivera (20-1)
Following his breakout win over Urijah Faber at UFC 203 in September, Rivera was primed for a bout with even higher stakes at 135 pounds. Unfortunately, his slated contest with Bryan Caraway fell apart due to injury. Rivera opted against facing agreed-upon replacement Marlon Vera, preferring instead to wait for a bigger name in the division in the near future.7. Bryan Caraway (21-7)
With back-to-back wins over Eddie Wineland and Aljamain Sterling, Caraway put himself in bantamweight title contention. However, ahead of his scheduled bout with Jimmie Rivera on Jan. 15, Caraway was once again struck by the injury bug, leading him to pull out of the fight and take a familiar place on the sideline.8. Thomas Almeida (22-1)
When Cody Garbrandt sent him to sleep in less than three minutes in May, it marked the first time Almeida had lost a pro fight. How would the 25-year-old prospect respond to his first loss when he returned to action in front of his hometown crowd in Sao Paulo, Brazil? Almeida put on a show on Nov. 19, battering Alberto Morales en route to a brutal second-round stoppage.9. John Lineker (29-8)
A win at UFC 207 over former bantamweight king T.J. Dillashaw likely would have punched Lineker’s ticket to a title bout in the Octagon. Instead, the massive-hitting Brazilian had his six-fight winning streak snapped by Dillashaw, who grounded and savagely pounded on Lineker for 15 minutes. Though soundly defeated, Lineker remains one of MMA’s most devastating punchers; and in a lopsided defeat to Dillashaw, he showed off exactly the kind of physical toughness that figures to make him an elite 135-pound fixture for the foreseeable future.10. Aljamain Sterling (13-2)
When he started his career 11-0 and looked sensational over his first four UFC bouts, it seemed like the sky was the limit for Sterling. However, the hot Serra-Longo Fight Team prospect had his heels cooled by back-to-back split decision losses to Bryan Caraway and Raphael Assuncao. Undeterred, “The Funkmaster” bounced back nicely at UFC on Fox 24, breaking his skid with a unanimous decision over grappling ace Augusto Mendes on April 15.Other Contenders: Iuri Alcantara, Darrion Caldwell, Eduardo Dantas, Joe Taimanglo, Eddie Wineland.
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