The Rankings: The Bantamweights: Dec 5, 2016

anderson-silvas-middleweight-title-belt bantamweight rankings

The Rankings are just that – The MMA Manifesto’s rankings of the best fighters in mixed martial arts today.  Check back every Monday and Friday for our rankings of a different weight class.  Next up: The Bantamweight Rankings. 

Voting Panel: Jeff Fox, Daniel Vreeland, Ryan MacDonald, and Ricky Leone

 

*stipulations: 1) any fighter currently suspended or 2) inactive for at least 12 months (without an upcoming fight scheduled) are excluded from the rankings

(click on fighter’s name for detailed scouting report)

 

The Bantamweight Rankings

 

1) (Last ranking: 1) Dominick Cruz – UFC Bantamweight Champion – 40 points (out of a possible 40)

Jan 17, 2016; Boston, MA, USA; Dominick Cruz (blue) punches TJ Dillashaw (red) during a world bantamweight championship bout at UFC Fight Night at the TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 17, 2016; Boston, MA, USA; Dominick Cruz (blue) punches TJ Dillashaw (red) during a world bantamweight championship bout at UFC Fight Night at the TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

            Record: 22-1
            Last Five Fights: 5-0
            Record vs Top 10: 3-1 (W-Faber, W-Dillashaw, W-Faber, L-Faber)
            Next Fight: vs #3 Cody Garbrandt – UFC 207 – Dec 30th

Cruz hasn’t missed a beat after all that time on the shelf.  Impressive.

 

2) (2) T.J. Dillashaw – UFC – 36 points
            Record: 13-3
            Last Five Fights: 4-1
            Record vs Top 10: 1-2 (W-Assuncao, L-Cruz, L-Assuncao)
            Next Fight: vs #5 John Lineker – UFC 207 – Dec 30th

Dillashaw avenged his earlier loss to Raphael Assuncao, but he’ll have to wait longer for the chance to do the same with Dominick Cruz.

 

3) (3) Cody Garbrandt – UFC – 24 points
            Record: 10-0
            Last Five Fights: 5-0
            Record vs Top 10: 0-0
            Next Fight: vs #1 Dominick Cruz – UFC 207 – Dec 30th

No Love is starting to get plenty of love.  Winning your first 10 fights and knocking suckas out will do that.

 

4) (4) Jimmie Rivera – UFC – 21 points
            Record: 20-1
            Last Five Fights: 5-0
            Record vs Top 10: 1-0 (W-Faber)
            Next Fight: vs #7 Bryan Caraway – UFC Fight Night: Bermudez vs Korean Zombie – Feb 4th

The biggest win of his career has propelled El Terror high into the top 10.

 

5) (5) John Lineker – UFC – 18 points
            Record: 29-7
            Last Five Fights: 5-0
            Record vs Top 10: 0-0
            Next Fight: vs #2 T.J. Dillashaw – UFC 207 – Dec 30th

Will weight issues slow Lineker’s roll to a title shot?

 

6) (6) Bibiano Fernandes – ONE Championship Bantamweight Champion – 15 points

bibiano-fernandes
              

Record: 20-3
Last Five Fights: 5-0
Record vs Top 10: 0-1 (L-Faber)
Next Fight: TBA

The Flash hasn’t lost since 2010.

 

7) (tied) (7) Bryan Caraway – UFC – 11 points
                        Record: 21-7
                        Last Five Fights: 4-1
                        Record vs Top 10: 0-1 (L-Assuncao)
                        Next Fight: vs #4 Jimmie Rivera – UFC Fight Night: Bermudez vs Korean Zombie – Feb 4th

Caraway is on the rise.

 

7) (tied) (8) Raphael Assuncao – UFC – 11 points
                        Record: 23-5
                        Last Five Fights: 4-1
                        Record vs Top 10: 2-2 (L-Dillashaw, W-Caraway, W-Dillashaw, L-Faber)
                        Next Fight: TBA

Assuncao is looking for his first win in over two years.

 

7) (tied) (8) Urijah Faber – UFC – 11 points
                        Record: 33-10
                        Last Five Fights: 2-3
                        Record vs Top 10: 3-3 (L-Rivera, L-Cruz, L-Cruz, W-Assuncao, W-Cruz, W-Fernandes)
                        Next Fight: vs Brad Pickett – UFC on Fox: VanZant vs Waterson – Dec 17th

The California Kid has lost back-to-back fights for the first time in his 13 year career.

 

7) (tied) (10) Eduardo Dantas – Bellator Bantamweight Champion – 11 points
                          Record: 19-4
                          Last Five Fights: 4-1
                          Record vs Top 10: 0-0
                          Next Fight: TBA

One title defense in the books for DuDu.

 

Dropped off: (10) Thomas Almeida 

Bubbling Under: Thomas Almeida, Marlon Moraes, John Dodson,  Aljamain Sterling, Darrion Caldwell, Iuri Alcantara, Pedro Munhoz

 

Rankings:

Heavyweights
Light Heavyweights
Middleweights
Welterweights
Lightweights
Featherweights
Flyweights
Women’s Bantamweights
Women’s Strawweights
Pound for Pound
Non-UFC Fighters

 

Check back on Friday for our Flyweight rankings

 

Arrow to top