1. Chris Weidman: Damn, where’s THAT guy been over the last couple years? Good grief. Weidman absolutely trucked Kelvin Gastelum en route to an arm-triangle choke to put himself back on the map in the middleweight division. It’ll be a small road back, but he’s on the way.
2. Roger Gracie: In a rematch a decade in the making, it was Gracie who came out on top over Marcus Buchecha via a choke to finally break the years-long stalemate between the two in the main event of Gracie Pro.
3. Vitor Oliveira: Pulled off a major upset in the main event of Fight To Win Pro 41 defeating AJ Agazarm, who’s been on a tear in the BJJ world.
4. Amanda Serrano: And still WBO Junior Featherweight champion after a third-round TKO of Edina Kiss. Serrano has now earned her last two title defenses by TKO, which most lighter-weight female boxers cannot do, and she’s due for a spotlight fight, she has everything you ask for.
5. Darren Elkins: Don’t ever bet against Darren Elkins.
6. Batraz Agnaev: At only 3-0 at that point, Agnaev finished former UFC light heavyweight monster Thiago Silva in the second round by TKO to claim the ACB Light Heavyweight championship. Agnaev is a breath of fresh air in the most stagnant division in MMA.
7. Robert Watley: Shut out Thiago Moises over five rounds to claim LFA’s inaugural lightweight title.
8. Eryk Anders: The former ‘Bama likebacker continues to impress, this time sending Rafael Natal running headfirst into the fence before putting him down shortly thereafter.
9. Dan Spohn: Picked up a win in the main event of the second week of Dana White’s Contender Series.
10. Chris Avalos: In the main event of the rare, yet appreciated, Tuesday night FS1 card, Avalos upset Miguel Flores after getting knocked down and opened up a cut that was stopped because of.
11. Movsar Evloev: And still the M-1 Bantamweight champion after defeating Pavel Vitruk in the main event of M-1 Challenge 81.
12. Brad Riddell: Avenged his 2014 loss to to fellow Aussie Steve Moxon with a main event win at Powerplay Promotions 34.
13. Dakota Cochrane: Another main event win on Fight Pass, it can’t be long before Cochrane finally gets the call.
14. Antonio Braga Neto: The former UFC fighter took the absolute division title at Gracie Pro 2017.
15. Tayane Porfirio: The BJJ ace took home another absolute gold medal, this time at Gracie Pro 2017.
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