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)
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 (rumored)
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: TBA
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) (4) Cody Garbrandt – UFC – 25 points
Record: 10-0
Last Five Fights: 5-0
Record vs Top 10: 1-0 (W-Almeida)
Next Fight: vs #1 Dominick Cruz – UFC 207 – Dec 30th (rumored)
No Love is starting to get plenty of love. Winning your first 10 fights and knocking suckas out will do that.
4) (NR) Jimmie Rivera – UFC – 21 points
Record: 20-1
Last Five Fights: 5-0
Record vs Top 10: 1-0 (W-Faber)
Next Fight: TBA
The biggest win of his career has propelled El Terror high into the top 10.
5) (6) John Lineker – UFC – 19 points
Record: 29-7
Last Five Fights: 5-0
Record vs Top 10: 0-0
Next Fight: TBA
Will weight issues slow Lineker’s roll to a title shot?
6) (5) Bibiano Fernandes – ONE Championship Bantamweight Champion – 16 points
Record: 19-3
Last Five Fights: 5-0
Record vs Top 10: 0-1 (L-Faber)
Next Fight: TBA
The Flash hasn’t lost since 2010.
7) (7) Bryan Caraway – UFC – 11 points
Record: 21-7
Last Five Fights: 4-1
Record vs Top 10: 0-1 (L-Assuncao)
Next Fight: TBA
Caraway is on the rise.
8) (tied) (7) 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: vs Aljamain Sterling – UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs Abdurakhimov – Dec 9th
Assuncao is looking for his first win in over two years.
8) (tied) (3) 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.
10) (tied) (NR) Thomas Almeida – UFC – 7 points
Record: 21-1
Last Five Fights: 4-1
Record vs Top 10: 0-1 (L-Garbrandt)
Next Fight: vs Albert Morales – UFC Fight Night: Bader vs Nogueira 2 – Nov 19th
The Terminator will try to rebound from his first career loss next time he steps in the cage in November.
10) (tied) (NR) Eduardo Dantas – Bellator Bantamweight Champion – 7 points
Record: 18-4
Last Five Fights: 4-1
Record vs Top 10: 0-0
Next Fight: vs Joe Warren – Bellator 166 – Dec 2nd
Who’s next for the new Bellator champ?
Dropped off: (8) John Dodson
Bubbling Under: John Dodson, Marlon Moraes, Aljamain Sterling, Iuri Alcantara
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
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