Consensus Rankings:   Official  |  Member Designed  |  This Ranking Updated 7 hrs, 34 mins ago  |  All By Hellowhosthat

1. 1

   

   Sean O'Malley

   "Suga"

   18-1-0, 1 NC

   1994 - USA - UFC Champion
   
   Continues to be better than people thought he was. Superb striking in win over Chito, excellent range management and just consistently landing throughout the fight with powerful stuff that would likely get most lesser chinned men out of there. Accuracy excellent and keeps up good workrate, good at sniping when people make mistakes. Interesting to see if tries to throw stuff up from guard or work back up in the next fight he gets taken down with some regularity in.
   

2. 2

   

   Merab Dvalishvili

   "The Machine"

   17-4-0

   1991 - Georgia - UFC
   
   Obviously the absolute king of cardio, maybe of all time. Great wrestler, sometimes struggles with top control but hardly matters as he just takes people straight back down again. Does have a habit of getting caught early which might catch him out one day if he gets hit too hard to come back from and wear the guy down.
   

3. 3

   

   Cory Sandhagen

   "Sandman"

   17-4-0

   1992 - USA - UFC
   
   Technical marvel who's always on the cusp of a title shot. Fantastic all round fighter who has options to take the fight where he's stronger against most people. Fluid and varied on the feet with really good accuracy on his strikes, good takedowns and top control, no cardio issues and good fight IQ. Feels you have to be either somehow an even better all round fighter or a specialist who can take it where you want in order to beat him.
   

4. 4

   

   Patchy Mix

   "No Love"

   19-1-0

   1993 - USA - Bellator Champion
   
   Scarily developing ways to KO people standing as well as having some of the best backpacking and finishing from there in the game. Done pretty much everything he can in Bellator and now being pushed onto a rematch cycle of guys he's beaten already.
   

5. 5

   

   Petr Yan

   "No Mercy"

   17-5-0

   1993 - Russia - UFC
   
   Significance of his losing streak was always overplayed anyway given who the fights were against and how close a lot of them were, but he reminded everyone how good he is once he gets going at 299 with his usual display of finely balanced boxing, mixed in with well timed kicks, good defence, solid wrestling offence if he wants it and good takedown defence. Figures to be relevant at the top of the division for a while yet.
   

6. 6

   

   Henry Cejudo

   "Triple C"

   16-4-0

   1987 - USA - UFC
   
   Former double champ still looks at the level where he can compete at the top of the division, losing competitive fights to the divisional elite and having his moments. Faded against Merab but everyone does and highly competitive with Aldo. Should still be considered a threat against anyone.
   

7. 7

   

   Umar Nurmagomedov

   17-0-0

   1996 - Russia - UFC
   
   Hopefully actually gets his top level fight that he's been pursuing soon. Easy to see why people avoid him as he's got the Nurmagomedov wrestling, with good range striking, nice spinny **** and decent power too. Also now proved he can fight through adversity after getting clipped. Formidable opponent.
   

8. 8

   

   Yadong Song

   "Kung Fu Kid"

   21-8-1, 1 NC

   1997 - China - UFC
   
   Performance against Yan was respectable I think, just got slightly outstruck by a superior technical guy on the feet like he did against Corey. Really good with the hands, very fast for the division, able to drive a good pace in a fight and keep pressure coming forward. Good takedown defence from time spent at TAM makes him hard to keep off you if you're a wrestler.
   

9. 9

   

   Rustam Kerimov

   19-1-0

   1992 - Russia - ACA
   
   Almost seemed to be suffering from a bit of post failing to get into the UFC depression in his loss to Borisov and a couple of his other ACA return fights. However he looked like the old Kerimov in his smashing of Charles Henrique and that guy has arguably the best timed level changes in the world, does damage on the ground, has excellent mat returns and serviceable spinny **** (if a bit spammy) on the feet.
   

10. 10

    

    Kyler Phillips

    "The Matrix"

    12-2-0

    1995 - USA - UFC
    
    Stylish as **** striker, beautifully balanced, great movement and finding of angles with huge variety on his strikes. Very fast and accurate and picks his shots well, most people aren't going to be able to stand with him. Has a decently aggressive guard too, happy to throw up decent armbars and triangles. Looked like he'd really levelled up in his fight against Pedro.
    

11+

11. 11

    

    Jonathan Martinez

    "Dragon"  |  19-4-0

    1994 - USA - UFC
    
    This guy is always better than I remember him being every time I see him. Seems to be the peak exponent of the Factory X style, great leg kicks, solid hands, good TDD solid BJJ. Very calm with a good fight IQ.
    

12. 12

    

    Raufeon Stots

    "Supa"  |  20-2-0

    1988 - USA - Bellator
    
    Very solid run aside from the Mix fight but no shame in losing to that guy. Pretty fast on the feet, doesn't really hit hard but volume decent and does have a fast and solid head kick. Good wrestler with good control and good scrambles and ability to shut down other wrestlers.
    

13. 13

    

    Deiveson Figueiredo

    "Deus da Guerra"  |  23-3-1

    1987 - Brazil - UFC
    
    Former 125 UFC champ doing well at 135 since stepping up. Seems to have carried power up and strength seems to have come with him also. Cardio and pace actually seems like it could be a little bit better without the big cut but hasn't really been pushed there yet. Very good grappler when he can get on top, good back takes and powerful squeeze on RNC's and guillotines. A little bit on the older side for someone in the lower weight classes.
    

14. 14

    

    Marlon Vera

    "Chito"  |  23-9-1

    1992 - Ecuador - UFC
    
    Title fight loss felt kind of inevitable. Probably shouldn't have been there in the first place but still a very solid guy with one of the best chins of all time and a really good work rate that can make life very difficult. Just a bit too straightforward on the feet to trouble guys that are really technically good.
    

15. 15

    

    Sergio Pettis

    "The Phenom"  |  23-6-0

    1993 - USA - UFC
    
    Improved since leaving the UFC, still wonder if he might be better as a flyweight but seems happy to stay at Bantam for now. Enjoys a speed and technical range striking over most guys and grappling is decent enough unless he's in there with a Mix or someone. Still seems to lack power despite meme spinning back fist against Kyoji but a quality point fighter who knows what to do to impress the judges.
    

16. 16

    

    Magomed Magomedov

    "Tiger"  |  20-3-0

    1991 - Russia - Bellator
    
    Great scrambler, capable of out scrambling even the likes of Sabatello. Really good squeeze on chokes and catches guillotines well. Good cage wrestling and the usual dagi trips.
    

17. 17

    

    Rob Font

    20-8-0

    1987 - USA - UFC
    
    Still a solid striker despite advancing a bit in years now. Boxing really good, can crack and is pretty patient. Takedown defence has been an achilles heel for him recently, difficult to see him really levelling up in that regard at this stage of his career.
    

18. 18

    

    Pedro Munhoz

    "The Young Punisher"  |  20-9-0, 2 NC

    1986 - Brazil - UFC
    
    Always going to be a tough challenge for up and comers and a good gauge of where they're at. Pretty much impossible to finish although you can land on him a lot and get ahead of him on points if you're quick. Leg kicks are still there and it's still hard for other leg kickers to beat him in that style of fight. BJJ really good but doesn't really use it.
    

19. 19

    

    Chris Gutierrez

    "El Guapo"  |  20-5-2

    1991 - USA - UFC
    
    Factory X guy with a Factory X style, Jonathan Martinez has surpassed him for me but he's got those great leg kicks and the timing to land them. Has a nice spinning elbow that he throws too, struggled when stepped up against higher level competition to this point though.
    

20. 20

    

    Jean Matsumoto

    15-0-0

    1999 - Brazil - UFC
    
    Handling regular step up in competition getting into the majors really well and looking like the real deal. Able to fend off a sustained wrestling attack from a cardio machine in Argueta and find a sub. Already knew he's a good, balanced striker who fights at a good pace, but showing the ability to dig deep to pull a win out shows another level to his game.
    

21. 21

    

    Cody Garbrandt

    "No Love"  |  14-6-0

    1991 - USA - UFC
    
    Chin obviously terrible, nowhere near the fighter he was when he was the UFC champ. Still fast and still carries power in his hands and if he can detonate a hook on someone's chin he can always get the KO. Good wrestler when he uses it but doesn't seem to have the gas tank to use it as a style. Not really comfortable off his back. Comments of getting vertigo on the mat after the Figgy fight a concern. More than capable of clearing up lower level UFC guys but struggle to see him beating anyone in and around the rankings again.
    

22. 22

    

    Dan Argueta

    "The Determined"  |  9-2-0, 2 NC

    1993 - USA - UFC
    
    Excellent level of workrate, brings it hard every minute of the fight. Constantly shooting and looking at getting and keeping control. Strong, striking not great but just looking to pile into clinches and shots anyway. Struggles a little to keep position sometimes but can get away with it to an extent due to cardio. Does allow guys too much opportunity to get back into a fight because of it sometimes though.
    

23. 23

    

    Caolán Loughran

    "The Don"  |  9-1-0

    1996 - Ireland - UFC
    
    Strong offensively, short which means he has to work to get into range and lacks head movement which means he can get tagged up getting there but hasn't really looked hurt yet. Strong cage wrestling and top game and throws hard when he gets in close. Really good hooks to the body to wear guys down.
    

24. 24

    

    Victor Hugo

    "Striker"  |  25-4-0

    1992 - Brazil - UFC
    
    Decent takedown defence and get ups against Falcao to expand on good DWCS win. Strikes pretty well off the back foot and has good knees. On a very solid win streak but hasn't really faced much top competition during it.
    

25. 25

    

    Pedro Falcão

    "Pedrinho"  |  16-4-0

    1992 - Brazil - UFC
    
    Little bit one dimensional but pretty good at pressing forward, trying to get a double and trying to either clinch trip off the cage or get to the back if he can't. Striking doesn't really seem to be anything special and doesn't really seem to have an alternative to his main gameplan.
    

26. 26

    

    Youssouf Binate

    5-0-0

    1997 - Ivory Coast - Ares
    
    Top prospect
    
    Recently moved down from 145 and made weight fine and showed good level of energy against an opponent who kept coming at him and shooting. Taken down a couple of times but showed an ability to work back up. Good long striking at range and uses knees to body really well in plum clinch situations, cracking the sternum repeatedly which can really impact the opponents gas tank. Keeps pace well and got finish in the third round during his first time being extended out of the first.
    

27. 27

    

    Angel Pacheco

    7-3-0

    1992 - USA - UFC
    
    Very tough but that's not always a good thing at the top level, kind of feels like he'll just take a lot of damage against tough guys.
    

28. 28

    

    Omar Arteaga

    "Codigo 50"  |  11-1-0

    1998 - Peru - Samurai Fight House Champion
    
    Pretty dynamic, very good intercepting jump knee when opponent tries to take him down. Decent long strikes in general. Ends up getting clinched against the cage a lot but works back up pretty well if taken down. Has shown he can keep safe against at least loose leg lock attempts.
    

29. 29

    

    Cameron Smotherman

    "The Baby-Faced Killer"  |  10-4-0

    1997 - USA - Fury FC
    
    Better than he showed on DWCS but still struggles with TDD a little bit, tendency to give his back up a little bit. Good power on the feet when he lands clean and has a decent habit of coming back into fights when behind.
    

30. 30

    

    Sundet Aytkul

    7-2-0

    1998 - Kazakhstan - Octagon
    
    All offence, no defence. When it goes well, it's incredibly entertaining and just an absolute torrent of exciting violence which overwhelms people. When it goes badly he gets badly slept by a random Chinese dude he really should be beating talent wise. Mistake prone in both striking and grappling but the sheer ferocity of his offence both in striking and ground and pound means I'm still holding out hope for the guy.
    

31. 31

    

    Ryan Kuse

    "Third Street Savage"  |  7-2-0

    1994 - USA - Fury FC
    
    Okayish wrestler but not really outstanding enough at it to make it work at a good level I don't think. Should be good for giving a lot of regional dudes a rough time. Striking sort of okay, doesn't really have any power but seems to train it. Can take a shot and has decent cardio. Probably going to be the kind of guy who's a gatekeeper to a DWCS shot.
    

32. 32

    

    Gabriel Martinez

    "Goro"  |  8-0-0

    2002 - Argentina - Samurai Fight House
    
    Stacked for the weight class. Seems strong, likes to get guys down and work aggressive ground and pound to get them out of there. Effective at the low level he's currently fighting at.
    

33. 33

    

    Matias Olmedo

    "Chucky Ray"  |  6-1-0

    1990 - Argentina - Samurai Fight House
    
    Tough grappler, pretty limited. Fights through being hurt pretty well but outclassed pretty thoroughly in Arteaga fight. Likes going for leg locks which look like they'll work against cans but good guys should shut them down easily enough. Doubt he ever progresses much beyond the regional Argentine scene.