1. Sergey Kovalev: He’s not dead yet! Reports of Krusher’s demise were greatly exaggerated, it seems. He wasn’t washed, and he pitched a near-shutout over the man who KO’d him to take his title, Eleider Alvarez, in their rematch to become world champion again.
2. Petchpanomrung Kiatmookao: Pitched a five-round shutout in a rematch with Serhiy Adamchuk for the Glory Featherweight crown, moving to 2-0 against the Ukranian.
3. Marlon Moraes: After dropping a split-decision to Raphael Assuncao in his UFC debut, Moraes avenged that with his third-straight finish, this time a first-round guillotine, and if he isn’t next up for a bantamweight shot after whatever Dillashaw and Cejudo get figured out, then slap my dick and call me Timmy.
4. Richard Commey: On his second attempt, and at 31 years old, Commey is finally a world champion, absolutely battering Isa Chaniev inside of the second round in a bout that probably should have stopped in the first. Next up is Loma, so best of luck!
5. Jose Aldo: Speaking of not dead yet, the greatest featherweight in MMA history proved he’s not ready to have dirt poured on him yet after a one-round shellacking of Renato Moicano, absolutely bombing him with fists and knees until it was stopped. Was it a tad early? For me, yes, but Aldo showed no signs of slowing, and Moicano may have been spared some nastiness.
6. Teofimo Lopez: Absolutely starched Diego Magdaleno to win a pile of secondary titles and is gearing towards a world title shot very young in his professional career.
7. Sergio Garcia: Handed Ted Cheeseman his first loss, improving to 29-0 and is creeping towards the top-ten at 154lbs in the main event of DAZN’s card from the O2 in London.
8. Oscar Valdez: I really don’t believe in giving champions tune-up fights, or really, tune-up fights at all, but it was what it was, and Valdez battered and dispatched Carmine Tommasone, paper contender and “fixer” for the Genco Olive Oil company, in the seventh round to make his fifth defense of the WBO Featherweight championship.
9. Demian Maia: 41 years old, still tapping fools out. Snapping a three-fight losing stream, Maia submitted Lyman Good to a very happy Brazilian crowd. When asked about his future by Michael Bisping, Maia revealed he has two fights left on his contract, so we can count on seeing Maia at least twice before he hangs his gloves up.
10. DeAndre Ware: Slid by Ronald Ellis by majority decision in a crazy-close fight in the main event of Friday’s ShoBox card in a bounceback fight after suffering his first career defeat.
11. Will Madera: Madera, who was as low as a 10-1 underdog, upset Thomas Mattice to improve to 13-0-2 in the co-main of ShoBox.
12. Gordon Ryan: Squaked by Joao Gabriel Rocha 1-0 in the main event of KASAI Super Series.
13. Troy Jones: Defeated fellow American welterweight Omari Boyd in the co-main event of Glory 63 by UD.
14. David Michaud: In the main event of LFA 59, Michaud took less than a round to dispatch Christian Aguilera and that’ll about make him due for a welterweight title shot now.
15. George Groves: If that’s truly a career for Saint George, then congratulations and smooth sailing for someone who always gave it his all in the ring, and was as gracious in defeat as he was in winning, and was never afraid to laugh at himself.
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