MMA Fighter Rankings: Bantamweight
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
Bantamweight
| Ranking | Fighter |
|---|---|
| 1 | T.J. Dillashaw |
| 2 | Dominick Cruz |
| 3 | Renan Barao |
| 4 | Urijah Faber |
| 5 | Raphael Assuncao |
| 6 | Aljamain Sterling |
| 7 | Takeya Mizugaki |
| 8 | Thomas Almeida |
| 9 | Marlon Moraes |
| 10 | Bibiano Fernandes |
- Old king, meet the new king. The UFC bantamweight title hangs in the balance on Jan. 17, when current champion T.J. Dillashaw meets former longtime overlord Dominick Cruz. Dillashaw's lucky this bout won't be contested on the mic, as Cruz has repeatedly eviscerated the former Team Alpha Male product in several one-on-one interviews.
- Urijah Faber continues to be the division's foremost gatekeeper, picking up a hard-fought decision victory over Frankie Saenz at UFC 194 in December. Boasting a built-in rivalry with both Dillashaw and Cruz, Faber may have a chance to shed that pesky gatekeeper label at some point in 2016.
- Aljamain Sterling is a hot commodity heading into free agency. The undefeated 26-year-old submitted Johnny Eduardo via guillotine choke in the last fight of his UFC contract on Dec. 10, and should be due for a fat raise, especially if he receives offers from Bellator and Rizin.
- A violent finisher, Thomas Almeida established himself as one of the division's hottest prospects with a string of shellackings in 2015. The 24-year-old Brazilian added Yves Jabouin, Brad Pickett, and Anthony Birchak to his growing list of victims last year.