Sherdog’s Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings

Lightweight

1. Eddie Alvarez (28-4)

Alvarez blossomed from a welterweight prospect to an elite lightweight over eight years ago. In that period, he went from Dream to Bellator MMA in search of the biggest money at any given time before entering the UFC, and when he did, he found himself outmatched by Donald Cerrone over three rounds. However, lightweight remains the most talented, volatile division in the sport. Back-to-back wins over Gilbert Melendez and Anthony Pettis earned Alvarez a title shot, and when he got it, the Philadelphia native went to town on Rafael dos Anjos, ripping the Brazilian with devastating standing punches in under four minutes to take the UFC lightweight crown.

2. Rafael dos Anjos (25-8)

Dos Anjos’ five-fight winning streak at 155 pounds ranks among the finest runs in MMA history, as he rose above the best incarnations of Benson Henderson, Nate Diaz, Anthony Pettis and Donald Cerrone with one-sided ease. However, it did not matter that he was one of MMA’s most accomplished fighters over the last two years. In his second title defense, dos Anjos could not overcome the quick and potent punching of Eddie Alvarez, who stormed the Brazilian on the feet and snatched his title in less than four minutes.

3. Donald Cerrone (29-7, 1 NC)

Due to his any-opponent, anytime, any-weight-class philosophy, Sherdog has decided to rank Donald Cerrone potentially in two weight classes for the time being. However, with dominant wins over Alex Oliveira and Patrick Cote in his last two fights, Cerrone is now scheduled to meet up with welterweight fringe contender Rick Story at UFC 202 on Aug. 20 -- a third straight welterweight contest which could spell Cerrone's long-term place in the 170-pound division.

4. Khabib Nurmagomedov (23-0)

Nurmagomedov on April 16 returned from a two-year hiatus and looked as though he had never left, slamming and pummeling late replacement Darrell Horcher for a second-round stoppage in what amounted to a tune-up bout. Now a perfect 7-0 in his UFC campaign, Nurmagomedov is looking to jump in line to get the first crack at brand new UFC lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez.

5. Tony Ferguson (20-3)

Ferguson has recently seen bouts with Khabib Nurmagomedov and Michael Johnson fall apart due to injuries on both sides of the equation. He overcame a lung issue that forced him to pull out of the Nurmagomedov fight in order to get a July 13 date with Michael Chiesa lined up for the UFC Fight Night in South Dakota. However, everything fell apart again, with Chiesa sustaining a back injury and forcing Ferguson into a replacement bout with UFC newcomer Landon Vannata.

6. Edson Barboza (17-4)

Fighting in his most important bout to date, Barboza executed a near-flawless game plan on April 23 against former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis. “Junior” kept the fight standing and Pettis at arm’s length, using his vicious muay Thai arsenal to chop down the American with leg kicks and sharp punches all the way to a unanimous decision. Barboza will look to continue his climb at 155 pounds on July 23, when he confronts former Strikeforce champ Gilbert Melendez at UFC on Fox 20.

7. Anthony Pettis (18-5)

After establishing himself as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, Pettis took three straight losses to Rafael dos Anjos, Eddie Alvarez and perennial fringe contender Edson Barboza. Surprisingly, “Showtime” has opted to drop a weight class to get a new lease on life: Pettis will take on Charlies Oliveira in his featherweight debut at UFC on Fox 21 on Aug. 27.

8. Will Brooks (17-1)

Despite holding the Bellator MMA lightweight title, it was clear when his promotional contract was up that Brooks would be testing the waters of free agency. The minute he was free to do so, he signed a deal with the UFC and walked into a July 8 date with Ross Pearson. Brooks prevailed with unanimous 29-28 scorecards, and even if he did not set the world on fire, he planted his flag in the division and now has the opportunity to fight the best lightweights in the world.

9. Michael Chiesa (14-2)

Chiesa’s path to a UFC lightweight title shot figured to run through top contender Tony Ferguson in their scheduled five-round showdown on July 13. Unfortunately, Chiesa was forced out of the fight with a back injury and will be replaced by Landon Vannata, as the Washingtonian waits to heal and expand on his three-fight winning streak in the ultra-difficult UFC lightweight division.

10. Beneil Dariush (13-2)

Less than two months after having a five-fight winning streak snapped by Michael Chiesa, Dariush righted his course by blasting through James Vick at UFC 199. The Kings MMA product sustained multiple eye pokes, but the fouls seemed only to antagonize Dariush, who upped his aggression late in the first round and punched Vick out cold.

Other Contenders: Nate Diaz, Evan Dunham, Justin Gaethje, Dustin Poirier, Francisco Trinaldo

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