Fighters of the Week

  1. Deontay Wilder: The Bronze Bomber took Luis Ortiz’s best, got rocked, but rallied and was able to hand the Cuban his first career pro loss and retain his world title. Obviously a bout with Anthony Joshua is next.

  2. Brian Ortega: After 29 bouts, facing the likes of Jose Aldo, Benson Henderson, BJ Penn, Chad Mendes, Urijah Faber, Cub Swanson, Yair Rodriguez, Jeremy Stephens, Jim Miller, and others, Frankie Edgar got finished for the first time in his career, and it was at the hands of Brian Ortega after a nasty uppercut.

  3. Darrion Caldwell: And STILL Bellator bantamweight champion after a dominant performance over Leandro Higa. In the topsy-turvy world of Bellator’s 135-lb division, it appears Caldwell has a firm foothold of it.

  4. Alim Nabiev: Fantastic showing for the welterweight from Azerbaijan, defeating former champ and beast Cedric Doumbe to appear to punch his ticket to a Glory welterweight title shot.

  5. Badr Hari: The Bad Boy managed to make it to the ring without landing in a Turkish prison, and won a hard-fought bout against Hesdy Gerges in the main event of Glory 51.

6. Eyevan Danenberg: Won the Glory welterweight contender tournament, but might have to wait behind Alim Nabiev in line.

7. Sergey Kovalev: Absolutely toyed with Igor Mikhalkin, who didn’t really belong in the ring with him, before finally finishing him off.

8. Jose Uzcategui: Battered Andre Dirrell to become the interim IBF Super Middleweight champ, and a bout against either IBF champ Caleb Truax (if there’s no rematch with James DeGale), or as he called out, David Benavidez awaits.

9. Dmitry Bivol: Was a methodical machine, utterly beating back Sullivan Barrera at every turn and rendering him to just 75 punches landed. It was a damned-near flawless exhibition.

10. Tomasz Narkun: Narkun and Mamed Khalidov, who I’ve long said is one of the best fighters in the world not signed to a major organization and whom I’m a big fan of, clashed in the main event of KSW 42. Narkun is the best light heavyweight in Poland and Khalidov was moving up to meet him, but Narkun caught him in a triangle and was able to hand Khalidov his first loss in almost eight years to the day.

11. Cris Cyborg: Yana Kunitskaya is no Amanda Nunes, and Cyborg continues her run of defeating Invicta bantamweight champions.

12. Ognjen Topic: UFC’s first foray into muay thai came on Friday’s Friday Night Fights card from NYC, and Topic made his triumphant return to the promotion with a UD win over Travis Clay, not to be confused with Clay Travis, in the main event on UFC Fight Pass.

13. Edmaicon Moraes: Took a come-from-behind win over Gerson Atoigue in the main event of Fight To Win Pro 65 via triangle.

14. Robert Watley: Made his second LFA lightweight defense, this time over Brandon Jenkins by UD. Either he becomes a steadfast LFA champ, but more than likely, he gets the call to the UFC sooner than later.

15. Davi Ramos: Defeated Edwin Najmi in the main event of Absolute Berkut Championship BJJ 11 to claim their welterweight championship.