---

Flyweight

1. Demetrious Johnson (16-2-1)

Johnson’s Sept. 22 triumph over Joseph Benavidez made him the first-ever UFC flyweight champion. In order for the Matt Hume pupil to remain champion, however, he will have to thwart the challenge of “The Ultimate Fighter 14” winner John Dodson. Their bout is the main event of the UFC on Fox 6 card on Jan. 26 in Chicago.

2. Ian McCall (11-3-1)

To say “Uncle Creepy” has made headlines in his few short months in the UFC would be an understatement. After his contentious two-fight series with Demetrious Johnson, McCall’s slated bout with John Moraga fell apart due to injury. Instead, McCall’s recent action has come against the law, as he was arrested on Aug. 14 for driving with a suspended license in Irvine, Calif.

3. John Dodson (14-5)

In just about one year’s time, Dodson has gone from winning “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 14 at 135 pounds to locking up No. 1 contender status at 125. Dodson will get his crack at flyweight gold on the biggest stage of his career, challenging champion Demetrious Johnson in the UFC on Fox 6 headliner come January.

4. Jussier da Silva (14-2)

Though “Formiga” entered the Octagon looking significantly larger than his last outing, it did not help him against John Dodson. The onetime ruler of these rankings caught his second loss at the worst possible time, dropping his UFC debut -- and a chance at the company’s newly forged flyweight title -- in a second-round TKO to the “The Magician” on Oct. 5.

5. Joseph Benavidez (16-3)

Many thought the Team Alpha Male product a shoo-in for the UFC’s inaugural flyweight title, but things did not work out that way. Benavidez could not match Demetrious Johnson’s speed and consequently dropped a five-round split decision, snapping a four-fight winning streak.

6. Darrell Montague (11-2)

The Californian “Mongoose” has been dormant since picking up a pair of wins in a 12-day span this spring. Montague will get right back in the thick of things when he faces tough Japanese veteran Mamoru Yamaguchi on Christmas Eve in Tokyo.

7. Chris Cariaso (14-3)

Against Josh Ferguson in July, Cariaso showed exactly why he was pegged for flyweight success as soon as he dropped weight. Cariaso put on a workmanlike striking performance to earn a unanimous decision and announce himself as a factor in the newest UFC weight class.

8. Louis Gaudinot (6-2)

Gaudinot used his grappling to thrill in his May comeback win against Brazilian thumper John Lineker. The green-haired New Yorker was set to return against Darren Uyenoyama on Oct. 5 before an unspecified injury knocked Gaudinot from the bout.

9. John Lineker (20-6)

In May, Lineker sizzled but then stumbled in his thrilling fight with Louis Gaudinot. The second performance in the Octagon went much better for the 22-year-old Brazilian prospect, as he hammered Shooto ace Yasuhiro Urushitani for 15 minutes en route to a breakout unanimous decision win.

10. Yasuhiro Urushitani (19-6-6)

After a nasty knockout loss to Joseph Benavidez in his UFC debut in March, the Shooto standout's second stand did not go much better. Though Urushitani made it to the final bell Nov. 10 in Macau, he was blasted for 15 minutes by Brazilian upstart John Lineker and dropped a unanimous verdict.

Other contenders:

Timothy Elliott, Nam Jin Jo, John Moraga, Josh Robinson, Sean Santella.

With the entry of John Lineker, previously 10th-ranked John Moraga falls to the contenders list.