Sherdog’s Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings

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Bantamweight

1. Sean O’Malley (18-1, 1 NC) UFC [1]

O’Malley avenged his lone career defeat in the UFC 299 headliner, putting on a striking masterclass for five rounds in a clear-cut unanimous decision triumph against Marlon Vera. “Suga” is unbeaten in his last seven Octagon appearances, and a challenging title defense looms against top contender Merab Dvalishvili. However, if O’Malley gets his way, his next assignment will be a crack at two-division dominance against Ilia Topuria in Spain.

2. Aljamain Sterling (24-4) | UFC [2]

While it wasn’t the most thrilling performance, Sterling enjoyed a successful featherweight debut, as he stifled Calvin Kattar with grappling and control en route to a clear-cut decision triumph at UFC 300. The former bantamweight king looked strong in his new division, but he’ll likely need a more impressive effort before he can be considered a serious contender at 145 pounds.

3. Merab Dvalishvili (17-4) | UFC [3]

Dvalishvili extended his winning streak to 10 at UFC 298, as he pulled away over the final 10 minutes for a unanimous decision triumph against Olympic gold medalist Henry Cejudo. “The Machine” would seem to be the obvious No. 1 contender at 135 pounds, and with his blend of relentless cardio and wrestling, Dvalishvili figures to be a nightmare matchup for reigning champ Sean O’Malley.

4. Patrick Mix (20-1) | Bellator [4]

Mix’s aura of invincibility took at hit at Bellator Champions Series, where he frequently struggled in a split-decision triumph against Magomed Magomedov at the Accor Arena in Paris. After rendering Magomedov unconscious with a second-round guillotine in their first meeting in December 2022, “Patchy” was unable to unlock his vaunted submission game the second time around. That led to plenty of exchanges on the feet, and the New York native looked vulnerable on more than a few occasions in a contentious triumph. Nonetheless, Mix has won seven straight under the Bellator banner and set his sights on a title defense against Leandro Higo next.

5. Petr Yan (17-5) | UFC [5]

Yan shook off a slow start to outduel Yadong Song over the final 10 minutes to win a unanimous decision in their featured clash at UFC 299 in Miami on March 9. With the victory. the former bantamweight champion snaps a three-fight skid and re-establishes himself as one of the top talents in the UFC at 135 pounds. “No Mercy” should be in line for another marquee matchup for his next Octagon appearance.

6. Henry Cejudo (16-4) | UFC [6]

Cejudo started well against Merab Dvalishvili, but he couldn’t hold up against his opponent’s relentless pressure, losing a unanimous decision at UFC 298 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, on Feb. 17. Cejudo is 0-2 in the Octagon since ending a three-year retirement this past May, but for the time being it appears that the Olympic gold medalist plans to continue moving forward with the latest phase of his MMA career.

7. Cory Sandhagen (17-4) | UFC [7]

After a scheduled clash with rising star Umar Nurmagomedov fell through, Sandhagen took out his frustrations on Rob Font, using takedowns and top control to cruise to a clear-cut five-round verdict in the UFC on ESPN 50 headliner in Nashville. Since the bout was contested at a 140-pound catchweight, it doesn’t affect Sandhagen’s place in these rankings. Sandhagen’s fight against Nurmagomedov has since been rebooked, this time at UFC on ABC 7 in a headlining bout that could do big things for the winner.

8. Kyoji Horiguchi (32-5, 1 NC) Rizin [8]

Horiguchi got revenge for a loss to Sergio Pettis under the Bellator banner in 2021, as he secured a clear-cut decision triumph against “The Phenom” in the Rizin 47 headliner. The American Top Team product remains Rizin’s reigning flyweight king and has proven himself capable of enjoying success at both 125 and 135 pounds. While it’s unclear what will be his weight class of choice going forward, Horiguchi has made no effort to hide the fact that a return to the UFC is his ideal next move.

9. Jose Aldo (32-8) UFC [9]

In his first fight since August 2022, Aldo looked quite sharp, as he ended Jonathan Martinez’s six-bout winning streak with a unanimous decision triumph in the UFC 301 co-main event. At 37 years old, Aldo seems more than capable of competing at a high level — it’s just a matter of where, since that marked the final bout on his existing UFC deal. The former featherweight king is 4-1 in his last five UFC appearances at bantamweight, so he still has plenty of options if he elects to remain in the Las Vegas-based promotion.

10. Sergio Pettis (23-7) Bellator [10]

This time, Pettis’ late rally wouldn’t be enough against Kyoji Horiguchi, as the former Bellator champ lost a unanimous decision to his Japanese rival in the Rizin 47 headliner. Though Pettis floored Horiguchi in Round 3, it wasn’t enough to overcome the early lead his opponent had built on the scorecards. After compiling a six-bout winning streak from September 2019 to June 2023, “The Phenom” has dropped back-to-back outings against Patrick Mix and Horiguchi.

Other Contenders: Marlon Vera, Yadong Song, Deiveson Figueiredo, Raufeon Stots, Umar Nurmagomedov.

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