mma / Columns
411 MMA Rankings 01.19.16: Bantamweight Division
All of a sudden, the bantamweight division is looking impressive from plenty of angles. The top story and perhaps what will be the most endearing story of 2016 come the end of the year was Dominick Cruz regaining the UFC bantamweight championship Sunday night. He is as skilled as any other fighter and had T.J. Dillashaw guessing wrong with his attempts to hurt Cruz. Dominick was sliding all over the cage, ducking and dodging, but still managed to land more strikes than T.J. (who has been vocal in criticizing his style over the years).
Now, with Cruz back atop this division, you can also look ahead to the growing number of fresh fighters climbing up the UFC ranks. Undefeated fighters like Thomas Almeida (20 wins) and Aljamain Sterling (12 wins) are right up there. You have Cody Garbrandt (7 wins) with the potential to earn his way into debate when he fights John Lineker (27 career wins) next month. There’s Jimmie Rivera (18 wins) fighting Iuri Alcantara in his next bout, plus ‘ol Urijah Faber looking to through a blanket on them all and stomp out the growing fire they present to his declining relevance as a bantamweight title contender.
Bellator champion Marcos Galvao will look to defend his title for the first time and avenge a previous loss to good friend Eduardo Dantas next month on Spike TV. This weekend in China, One FC champion Bibiano Fernandes returns to action and defends his gold against Kevin Belingon.
WSOF champion Marlon Moraes is not leaving that promotion (unfortunately, only because it’s obvious he has proven everything he can while competing under their banner), but remains one of the more exciting fighters in the entire division. He signed a multi-year extension last summer, went on to choke out Sheymon da Silva Moraes and so far in the new year, there’s no word on when he’ll return to action.
Consider all these great fighters and the bantamweight class has all of a sudden arguably become the deepest division in the sport.
411’s MMA Rankings Guidelines
– Which fighters are eligible for these rankings? They must meet the following qualifications: fight at least once in the past 365 days or if they have not, be officially scheduled for an upcoming fight.
– A fighter serving a disciplinary suspension will not be ranked. They can return when they have served their suspension or in the event it is rescinded. This includes fighters who may disregard their suspension locally to fight overseas.
– If a fighter appears on just one single ballot, and in the top ten, five points will be deducted to balance between other fighters who may be ranked lower, but appear on a greater amount of ballots.
– Want to complain about a fighter’s ranking in the comments section? Please include an objective reason why you despise the list, and try your best to bring the rest of us to your way of thinking.
411’s Official MMA Rankings
Bantamweight Division (135 pounds)
1) Dominick Cruz (21-1)
Height: 5’8
Birthday: September 3, 1985
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. T.J. Dillashaw – Win via decision (split) – UFC Fight Night – January 17, 2016
– vs. Takeya Mizugaki – Win via TKO (punches) – UFC 178: Alvarez vs. Cerrone – September 27, 2014
– vs. Demetrious Johnson – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC on Versus: Cruz vs. Faber – October 1, 2011
– vs. Urijah Faber – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 132: Cruz vs. Faber – July 2, 2011
– vs. Scott Jorgensen – Win via decision (unanimous) – WEC 53: Henderson vs. Pettis – December 16, 2010
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
Comment: The greatest bantamweight fighter in MMA history is back and regained the UFC championship he never lost. It was an endearing sight to see Cruz celebrate his win over T.J. Dillashaw when he did so after overcoming three separate ACL tears that have cost him combined at least three years of his career. Amazingly, despite an apparently significant left foot injury he had going into Sunday night, he looked no worse for wear until the final rounds. Cruz still maintained the style that made him champion in 2010, showcasing speed, agility and elusiveness.
Without knowing just yet how serious his foot injury may be, hopefully he can return to action sometime in 2016 because he has some options for intriguing matchups. A rematch with Dillashaw is the obvious choice but how about a match with Renan Barao?
2) T.J. Dillashaw (12-3)
Height: 5’6
Birthday: February 7, 1986
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Dominick Cruz – Loss via decision (split) – UFC Fight Night – January 17, 2016
– vs. Renan Barao – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC on Fox: Dillashaw vs. Barao 2 – July 25, 2015
– vs. Joe Soto – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 177: Dillashaw vs. Soto – August 30, 2014
– vs. Renan Barao – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 173: Barao vs. Dillashaw – May 24, 2014
– vs. Mike Easton – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night: Rockhold vs. Philippou – January 15, 2014
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
Comment: It was another great fight involving T.J. and another fight many will use to bludgeon the state of judging in MMA. Three official Massachusetts judges watched the fight and the final scores were 48-47, 46-49 and 49-46. However they came to those scores, Dillashaw suffered his first loss since his split decision defeat to Raphael Assuncao in 2013.
3) Urijah Faber (33-8)
Height: 5’6
Birthday: May 14, 1979
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Frankie Saenz – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 194: Aldo vs. McGregor – December 12, 2015
– vs. Frankie Edgar – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night: Faber vs. Edgar – May 16, 2015
– vs. Francisco Rivera – Win via submission (bulldog choke) – UFC 181: Hendricks vs. Lawler – December 6, 2014
– vs. Alex Caceres – Win via submission (rear naked choke) – UFC 175: Weidman vs. Machida – July 5, 2014
– vs. Renan Barao – Loss via TKO (strikes) – UFC 169: Barao vs. Faber 2 – February 1, 2014
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
Comment: Faber wanted to see T.J. Dillashaw retain the UFC championship so he could potentially get another title fight. With Cruz’s big win, that dashes any hope for Faber considering he has already lost to the man in a fight that was not too close. What Faber’s next fight may be is unclear.
4) Aljamain “The Funk Master” Sterling (12-0)
Height: 5’7
Birthday: July 31, 1989
Currently Fighting With: Free Agent
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Johnny Eduardo – Win via submission (guillotine choke) – UFC Fight Night – December 10, 2015
– vs. Takeya Mizugaki – Win via submission (arm triangle choke) – UFC on FOX: Machida vs. Rockhold – April 18, 2015
– vs. Hugo Viana – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night: Cerrone vs. Miller – July 16, 2014
– vs. Cody Gibson – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 170 – February 22, 2014
– vs. Joel Roberts – Win via submission (rear naked choke) – CFFC 30 – November 2, 2013
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
Comment: Sterling is a free agent as his UFC contract ended with his December fight. He’s arguably the hottest up-and-coming bantamweights in the sport (Thomas Almeida may have something to say about that) and should be able to make a decent sized payday assuming the UFC and Bellator (potentially even One FC) will be bidding for his services.
5) Renan Barao (33-3, 1 No Contest)
Height: 5’6
Birthday: February 27, 1987
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. T.J. Dillashaw – Loss via TKO (strikes) – UFC on Fox: Dillashaw vs. Barao 2 – July 25, 2015
– vs. Mitch Gagnon – Win via submission (arm triangle choke) – UFC Fight Night: Machida vs. Dolloway – December 20, 2014
– vs. T.J. Dillashaw – Loss via TKO (strikes) – UFC 173: Barao vs. Dillashaw – May 24, 2014
– vs. Urijah Faber – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 169: Barao vs. Faber 2 – February 1, 2014
– vs. Eddie Wineland – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 165: Jones vs. Gustafsson – September 21, 2013
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
Comment: It appears Barao is not done with the bantamweight division yet (any talk about a potential move up to featherweight seems more like a one-and-done situation). However, there was enough consideration that Barao’s days as a bantamweight are over that he slid all the way to five.
6) Marlon Moraes (16-4-1)
Height: 5’6
Birthday: April 26, 1988
Currently Fighting With: World Series of Fighting
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Sheymon da Silva Moraes – Win via submission (rear naked choke) – WSOF 22 – August 1, 2015
– vs. Josh Hill – Win via decision (unanimous) – WSOF 18: Moraes vs. Hill – February 12, 2015
– vs. Cody Bollinger – Win via submission (rear naked choke) – WSOF 13: Moraes vs. Bollinger – September 13, 2014
– vs. Josh Rettinghouse – Win via decision (unanimous) – WSOF 9: Carl vs. Palhares – March 29, 2014
– vs. Carson Beebe – Win via KO (strikes) – WSOF 6: Burkman vs. Carl – October 26, 2013
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
7) Thomas Almeida (20-0)
Height: 5’7
Birthday: July 31, 1991
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Anthony Birchak – Win via KO (punch) – UFC Fight Night – November 7, 2015
– vs. Brad Pickett – Win via KO (knee) – UFC 189: Mendes vs. McGregor – July 11, 2015
– vs. Yves Jabouin – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 186: Johnson vs. Horiguchi – April 25, 2015
– vs. Tim Gorman – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night: Shogun vs. St. Preux – November 8, 2014
– vs. Caio Machado – Win via KO (body punch) – LFC 32 – June 20, 2014
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
Comment: The 24-year-old Brazilian scored his 20th consecutive professional win in November with a first round knockout against Anthony Birchak. He keeps moving up he ranks and shows no signs of slowing down.
8) Bibiano Fernandes (18-3)
Height: 5’7
Birthday: March 30, 1980
Currently Fighting With: One Fighting Championship
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Toni Tauru – Win via KO (punch) – One FC 29: Kingdom of Warriors – July 18, 2015
– vs. Dae Hwan Kim – Win via submission (rear naked choke) – One FC 23: Warrior’s Way – December 5, 2014
– vs. Masakatsu Ueda – Win via decision (unanimous) – One FC 15: Rise of Heroes – May 2, 2014
– vs. Soo Chul Kim – Win via decision (unanimous) – One FC: Total Domination – October 18, 2013
– vs. Koetsu Okazaki – Win via decision (unanimous) – One FC: Rise to Power – May 31, 2013
Next scheduled appearance:
– vs. Kevin Belingon – One FC 37 – January 23, 2016
9) Marcos Galvao (17-6-1)
Height: 5’3
Birthday: June 23, 1982
Currently Fighting With: Bellator MMA
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Joe Warren – Win via submission (kneebar) – Bellator 135 – March 27, 2015
– vs. Thomas Vasquez – Win via decision (unanimous) – Bellator 118 – May 2, 2014
– vs. Tim McKenna – Win via TKO (strikes) – Bellator 108 – November 15, 2013
– vs. Shely Santana – Win via TKO (strikes) – Shooto: Brazil 40 – June 24, 2013
– vs. Eduardo Dantas – Loss via KO (punches) – Bellator 89 – February 14, 2013
Next scheduled appearance:
– vs. Eduardo Dantas – Bellator 150 – February 26, 2016
10) Michael “Mayday” McDonald (17-3)
Height: 5’8
Birthday: January 15, 1991
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Masanori Kanehara – Win via submission (rear naked choke) – UFC 195: Lawler vs. Condit – January 2, 2016
– vs. Urijah Faber – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC on FOX: Johnson vs. Benavidez 2 – December 15, 2013
– vs. Brad Pickett – Win via submission (triangle choke) – UFC Fight Night: Shogun vs. Sonnen – August 17, 2013
– vs. Renan Barao – Loss via submission (arm-triangle choke) – UFC on Fuel: Barao vs. McDonald – February 16, 2013
– vs. Miguel Torres – Win via KO (strikes) – UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans – April 21, 2012
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
Comment: McDonald just turned 25-years-old and went more than two years without fighting due to a series of injuries. He returned two weeks ago and scored an impressive submission win over Masanori Kanehara. Watch the highlight above and you can see McDonald escape defeat, transitioning to a rear naked choke for his eventual win. He’s back.
11) Eduardo Dantas (17-4)
Height: 5’10
Birthday: February 3, 1989
Currently Fighting With: Bellator MMA
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Mike Richman – Win via decision (unanimous) – Bellator 137 – May 15, 2015
– vs. Joe Warren – Loss via decision (unanimous) – Bellator 128 – October 10, 2014
– vs. Anthony Leone – Win via submission (rear naked choke) – Bellator 111 – March 7, 2014
– vs. Marcos Galvao – Win via KO (punches) – Bellator 89 – February 14, 2013
– vs. Tyson Nam – Loss via KO (punch) – Shooto Brazil 33 – August 25, 2012
Next scheduled appearance:
– vs. Marcos Galvao – Bellator 150 – February 26, 2016
12) Jimmie “El Terror” Rivera (18-1)
Height: 5’4
Birthday: June 29, 1980
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Pedro Munhoz – Win via decision (split) – UFC Fight Night – November 7, 2015
– vs. Marcus Brimage – Win via KO (punches) – UFC Fight Night: Bisping vs. Leites – July 18, 2015
– vs. Carson Beebe – Win via KO (punch) – CFFC 48: Good vs. Burrell – May 9, 2015
– vs. Anthony Durnell – Win via TKO (punch) – CFFC 43: Webb vs. Good – November 1, 2014
– vs. Cody Stevens – Win via decision (unanimous) – CFFC 35: Heckman vs. Makashvill – April 26, 2014
Next scheduled appearance:
– vs. Iuri Alcantara – UFC on Fox – January 30, 2016
Comment: Rivera came out on top in a fight of up-and-coming UFC bantamweights when he took a split decision from Pedro Munhoz in November. Coming up later this month is a big test when he fights gatekeeper extraordinaire Iuri Alcantara in under two weeks.
13) John Lineker (27-7)
Height: 5’3
Birthday: January 1, 1990
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Francisco Rivera – Win via submission (guillotine choke) – UFC 191 – September 5, 2015
– vs. Ian McCall – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 183 – January 31, 2015
– vs. Alptekin Ozkilic – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night: Cerrone vs. Miller – July 16, 2014
– vs. Ali Bagautinov – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC 169 – February 1, 2014
– vs. Phil Harris – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night: Machida vs. Munoz – October 26, 2013
Next scheduled appearance:
– vs. Cody Garbrandt – UFC Fight Night – February 21, 2016
Comment: Lineker/Garbrandt is the fight I’m most intrigued by at next month’s Fight Night show in Pittsburgh. Lineker is 7-2 in the UFC while Garbrandt is undefeated as a pro with 7 wins.
14) Bryan Caraway (20-7)
Height: 5’8
Birthday: August 4, 1984
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Eddie Wineland – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC on Fox: Dillashaw vs. Barao 2 – July 25, 2015
– vs. Raphael Assuncao – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night: MacDonald vs. Saffiedine – October 4, 2014
– vs. Erik Perez – Win via submission (rear naked choke) – UFC Fight Night: Henderson vs. Khabilov – June 7, 2014
– vs. Johnny Bedford – Win via submission (guillotine choke) – UFC 159: Jones vs. Sonnen – April 27, 2013
– vs. Takeya Mizugaki – Loss via decision (split) – UFC on Fuel: Silva vs. Stann – March 3, 2013
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
15) Rani Yahya (21-8, 1 NC)
Height: 5’6
Birthday: September 12, 1984
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Masanori Kanehara – Win via decision (split) – UFC Fight Night: Mir vs. Duffee – July 15, 2015
– vs. Johnny Bedford – Win via submission (kimura) – UFC Fight Night: Bigfoot vs. Arlovski – September 13, 2014
– vs. Johnny Bedford – No Contest (headbutt) – UFC Fight Night: Nogueira vs. Nelson – April 11, 2014
– vs. Tom Niinimaki – Loss via decision (split) – UFC TUF 18 Finale – November 30, 2013
– vs. Josh Clopton – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 163: Henderson vs. Pettis 2 – August 3, 2013
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
Closing Comments: Frankie Saenz, Iuri Alcantara and Takeya Mizugaki received additional votes.
Raphael Assuncao was not eligible because it’s been more than one year since he competed and he has not signed to return.
Joe Warren is scheduled to return in Bellator in March for the first time since his 90-day suspension due to a positive marijuana test in October. He will fight 8-0 Darrion Caldwell in the main event of Bellator 151.