Sherdog’s Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings

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Flyweight

1. Henry Cejudo (15-2)

Few fighters have authored a pair of back-to-back triumphs like Cejudo. After edging pound-for-pound great Demetrious Johnson to claim flyweight gold at UFC 227, the Olympic gold medalist needed just 32 seconds to dispatch reigning bantamweight king T.J. Dillashaw in the UFC Brooklyn headliner to retain his title. Plenty of uncertainty remains regarding the future of the flyweight division in the UFC, but Cejudo made a strong case to keep it around for a while longer. For now, however, Cejudo will pursue his dream of becoming a two-division champion when he faces Marlon Moraes for the vacant bantamweight strap at UFC 238.

2. Demetrious Johnson (28-3-1)

Johnson kicked off his One Championship tenure with a second-round guillotine choke submission of Yuya Wakamatsu in the opening round of the promotion’s flyweight grand prix. “Mighty Mouse” survived a game effort from his unheralded opponent before locking in a power guillotine choke at the 2:40 mark of the second round at One “A New Era” on March 31. A closely contested split-decision setback against Henry Cejudo in his final UFC appearance is Johnson’s only loss since 2011, and the AMC Pankration product figures to have a good opportunity continue to pad his record against lesser competition in his new home.

3. Kyoji Horiguchi (26-2)

Horiguchi was stymied by the wrestling of Darrion Caldwell for the better part of two rounds at Rizin 14, but the former UFC flyweight title challenger rallied to submit the reigning Bellator titlist with a guillotine choke in the third frame. Horiguchi’s 11th straight triumph earned him Rizin’s inaugural bantamweight crown and continued to cement his place among the world’s top lighter weight competitors. With Rizin and Bellator planning to collaborate on additional cross-promotional ventures in the future, more interesting matchups could be on the horizon for the Japanese standout. Up next will be a showdown with former UFC competitor Ben Nguyen at Rizin 15 on April 21.

4. Joseph Benavidez (27-5)

It was more competitive than their first meeting, but Benavidez nonetheless improved to 2-0 against Dustin Ortiz with a hard-fought decision victory at UFC Brooklyn. The Las Cruces, N.M., native came up short in two title bouts against Demetrious Johnson, but he’s won eight of nine Octagon appearances since that second setback — including a win over current champion Henry Cejudo. If the flyweight division remains, Benavidez looks like a No. 1 contender once again.

5. Jussier da Silva (23-5)

Da Silva continues to make a strong case for a title shot, but that’s only if the division remains active in the UFC as 2019 moves forward. “Formiga” relied on his superior grappling to hand Deiveson Figueiredo his first defeat in 16 career appearances, winning their 125-pound encounter via unanimous decision at UFC Nashville. The 33-year-old Brazilian has now won four straight in the Octagon, adding Figueiredo to a streak that also includes Sergio Pettis, Ben Nguyen and Yuta Sasaki.

6. Sergio Pettis (17-5)

Amid rumors of the flyweight division’s eventual demise in the UFC, Pettis announced his intention to return to bantamweight, where he competed during his first four Octagon appearances. The early returns weren’t promising, as the Roufusport product dropped a clear-cut unanimous verdict to Rob Font at UFC on Fox 31. Following what appeared to be a breakthrough win over Joseph Benavidez at UFC 225, the 25-year-old Pettis has lost two straight.

7. Deiveson Figueiredo (15-1)

Figueiredo tasted defeat for the first time in his professional career at UFC Nashville, as he was unable to thwart the grappling of Jussier da Silva in losing a unanimous decision. The 31-year-old Brazilian kicked off his promotional tenure with four straight triumphs, including back-to-back TKOs of Joseph Morales and John Moraga. Like everyone competing at 125 pounds, Figueiredo’s future depends on the status of the division in the UFC.

8. John Moraga (18-7)

Moraga had a three-fight winning streak snapped at UFC Fight Night 135 in Lincoln, Nebraska, where he ran into unbeaten Brazilian Deiveson Figueiredo. While “Chicano John” rocked his counterpart early, Figueiredo gradually took control down the stretch, ultimately earning a stoppage via second-round technical knockout. At the very least, the battle-tested Moraga figures to be a tough gatekeeper for the division as his career progresses.

9. Dustin Ortiz (19-8)

While he was certainly improved, Ortiz still couldn’t get the best of Joseph Benavidez in their rematch at UFC Fight Night 143 in Brooklyn, N.Y. The 30-year-old Combat Sports Academy was competitive in all aspects of the fight, but ultimately lost a narrow unanimous decision. Ortiz saw a three-bout winning streak come to an end, but he remains a difficult test for virtually anyone at 125 pounds. Ortiz completed his UFC contract in Brooklyn and could be competing elsewhere if he chooses to continue fighting at flyweight.

10. Alexandre Pantoja (20-3)

A former Resurrection Fighting Alliance champion, Pantoja has kicked off his UFC tenure with victories in four of his first five Octagon appearances, a string that includes a clear-cut decision triumph against former Top 10 flyweight Brandon Moreno at UFC Fight Night 129. The 28-year-old Nova Uniao product will get a chance to add another significant feather to his cap when he locks horns with former title challenger Wilson Reis at UFC 236.

Other Contenders: Brandon Moreno, Wilson Reis, Rogerio Bontorin, Jordan Espinosa, Kai Kara-France.

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