MMA Fighter Rankings: Lightweight

On the first Wednesday of every month, theScore's MMA editors compile a list of the top 10 fighters in each of the major weight classes.

Rankings
Heavyweight | Light Heavyweight
Middleweight | Welterweight
Lightweight | Featherweight
Bantamweight | Flyweight
Women: Bantamweight | Strawweight

Lightweight

• Rafael dos Anjos is set to defend his lightweight title for the first time against Donald Cerrone at UFC on FOX 17 in December. The 155-pound division's foremost purveyor of violence, Cerrone hasn't tasted defeat since 2013, when he lost a decision to dos Anjos at UFC Fight Night 27.
• After knee injuries kept him on the shelf since early 2014, Khabib Nurmagomedov is set to finally make his return to the Octagon against Tony Ferguson at the TUF 22 Finale in December. In his last bout at UFC on FOX 11, Nurmagomedov hung a completely lopsided decision victory on current UFC 155-pound overlord dos Anjos. Nurmagomedov isn't getting a soft touch in his return, though, as Ferguson, fresh off a demolition of Josh Thomson, is on a six-fight winning streak.
• Beneil Dariush busted into the top 10 with a controversial split decision victory over Michael Johnson at UFC Fight Night 73. The victory was the 26-year-old Dariush's fifth straight in the Octagon, while Johnson had a four-fight winning streak halted. Johnson isn't staying on the sidelines for long, however, as he's scheduled to welcome Nate Diaz back to the cage at UFC on FOX 17. The outspoken Diaz hasn't set foot in the Octagon since last December, losing a lopsided decision to dos Anjos.