mma / Columns
411 Bantamweight MMA Rankings: Aljamain Sterling, Jose Aldo, More
411’s Official MMA Rankings
Bantamweight Division (135 pounds)
1) Aljamain “Funk Master” Sterling (19-3)
Height: 5’7
Birthday: July 31, 1989
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Cory Sandhagen – Win via submission (rear naked choke) – UFC Fight Night – May 16, 2020
– vs. Pedro Munoz – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 238 – June 8, 2019
– vs. Jimmie Rivera – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC on ESPN – February 17, 2019
– vs. Cody Stamann – Win via submission (kneebar) – UFC 228 – September 8, 2018
– vs. Brett Johns – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – April 21, 2018
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
Comment: Despite not being the reigning UFC champion, Sterling is the top bantamweight in the world. His current win streak (5) features opponents who were 15-0, 17-1, 22-2, 18-3, 12-1 before losing to Sterling. All signs point to a fight before the end of the year between new champion Petr Yan and Sterling to settle any debate.
Whether Yan, Moraes or Sterling in the top spot depends on who’s recent string of wins is most impressive. In Moraes’ favor is his knockout win over Sterling in 2018 and his only loss came against retired champion Henry Cejudo. Yan is unbeaten in the UFC, although his most recent two wins came against Urijah Faber and new bantamweight (who does not have a win in the division) Jose Aldo. Take you pick of the three.
2) Petr Yan (15-1)
Height: 5’7
Birthday: February 11, 1993
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Jose Aldo – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 251 – July 12, 2020
– vs. Urijah Faber – Win via KO (head kick) – UFC 245 – December 14, 2019
– vs. Jimmie Rivera – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 238 – June 8, 2019
– vs. John Dodson – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – February 23, 2019
– vs. Douglas Silva de Andrade – Win via TKO (corner stoppage) – UFC 232 – December 29, 2018
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
Comment: Yan is the new UFC champion and did so after impressively battering Jose Aldo to earn the win. It’s his first championship in the UFC and he earned it by knocking out Urijah Faber last year and Jose Aldo, two of the most famous featherweights/bantamweights in history.
3) Marlon Moraes (23-6-1)
Height: 5’6
Birthday: April 26, 1988
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Jose Aldo – Win via decision (split) – UFC 245 – December 14, 2019
– vs. Henry Cejudo – Loss via TKO (strikes) – UFC 238 – June 8, 2019
– vs. Raphael Assuncao – Win via submission (rear naked choke) – UFC Fight Night – February 2, 2019
– vs. Jimmie Rivera – Win via KO (head kick) – UFC Fight Night – June 1, 2018
– vs. Aljamain Sterling – Win via KO (knee) – UFC Fight Night – December 9, 2017
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
Comment: How much would things be different right now if Moraes beat Jose Aldo more definitively in December?
4) Cory Sandhagen (12-2)
Height: 5’11
Birthday: April 20, 1992
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Aljamain Sterling – Loss via submission (rear naked choke) – UFC Fight Night – May 16, 2020
– vs. Raphael Assuncao – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 241 – August 17, 2019
– vs. John Lineker – Win via decision (split) – UFC Fight Night – April 27, 2019
– vs. Mario Bautista – Win via submission (armor) – UFC Fight Night – January 19, 2019
– vs. Iuri Alcantara – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – August 25, 2018
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
5) Pedro Munhoz (18-4, 1 NC)
Height: 5’6
Birthday: September 7, 1986
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Aljamain Sterling – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC 238 – June 8, 2019
– vs. Cody Garbrandt – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 235 – March 2, 2019
– vs. Bryan Caraway – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – November 30, 2018
– vs. Brett Johns – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 227 – August 4, 2018
– vs. John Dodson – Loss via decision (split) – UFC 222 – March 3, 2018
Next scheduled appearance:
– vs. Frankie Edgar – UFC 252 – August 15, 2020
6) John Lineker (32-9)
Height: 5’3
Birthday: January 1, 1990
Currently Fighting With: One Championship
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Muin Gafurov – Win via decision (unanimous) – ONE Championship – October 25, 2019
– vs. Cory Sandhagen – Loss via decision (split) – UFC on ESPN – April 27, 2019
– vs. Brian Kelleher – Win via KO (punch) – UFC 224 – May 12, 2018
– vs. Marlon Vera – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – October 28, 2017
– vs. T.J. Dillashaw – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC 207 – December 30, 2016
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
7) Kyoji Horiguchi (28-3)
Height: 5’5
Birthday: October 12, 1990
Currently Fighting With: Rizin Fighting
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Kai Asakura – Loss via KO (punches) – Rizin FF – August 18, 2019
– vs. Darrion Caldwell – Win via decision (unanimous) – Bellator 222 – June 14, 2019
– vs. Ben Nguyen – Win via KO (strikes) – Rizin FF – April 21, 2019
– vs. Darrion Caldwell – Win via submission (guillotine choke) – Rizin 14 – December 31, 2018
– vs. Hiromasa Ogikubo – Win via decision (unanumous) – Rizin FF – July 28, 2018
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
8) Cody Garbrandt (12-3)
Height: 5’7
Birthday: July 7, 1991
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Raphael Assuncao – Win via KO (punch) – UFC 250 – June 6, 2020
– vs. Pedro Munoz – Loss via KO (strikes) – UFC 235 – March 2, 2019
– vs. T.J. Dillashaw – Loss via TKO (strikes) – UFC 227 – August 4, 2018
– vs. T.J. Dillashaw – Loss via KO (strikes) – UFC 217 – November 4, 2017
– vs. Dominick Cruz – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 207 – December 30, 2016
Next scheduled appearance:
-Unknown
9) Jimmie “El Terror” Rivera (23-4)
Height: 5’4
Birthday: June 29, 1980
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
vs. Cody Stamman – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC on ESPN – July 15, 2020
– vs. Petr Yan – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC 238 – June 8, 2019
– vs. Aljamain Sterling – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC on ESPN – February 17, 2019
– vs. John Dodson – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 228 – September 8, 2018
– vs. Marlon Moraes – Loss via KO (head kick) – UFC Fight Night – June 1, 2018
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
10) Jose Aldo (28-7)
Height: 5’7
Birthday: September 9, 1986
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Petr Yan – Loss via TKO (strikes) – UFC 251 – July 11, 2020
– vs. Marlon Moraes – Loss via decision (split) – UFC 245 – December 14, 2019
– vs. Alexander Volkanovski – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC 237 – May 10, 2019
– vs. Renato Moicano – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – February 2, 2019
– vs. Jeremy Stephens – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC on Fox – July 28, 2018
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
11) Cody Stamann (19-3-1)
Height: 5’6
Birthday: November 9, 1989
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Jimmie Rivera – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC on ESPN – July 15, 2020
– vs. Brian Kelleher – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 250 – June 6, 2020
– vs. Yadong Song – Draw via decision (split) – UFC on ESPN – December 7, 2019
– vs. Alejandro Perez – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 235 – March 2, 2019
– vs. Aljamain Sterling – Loss via submission (kneebar) – UFC 228 – September 8, 2018
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
12) Bibiano Fernandes (24-4)
Height: 5’7
Birthday: March 30, 1980
Currently Fighting With: One Championship
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Kevin Belingon – Win via submission (rear naked choke) – ONE Championship – October 13, 2019
– vs. Kevin Belingon – Win via DQ (illegal elbows) – One Championship – March 31, 2019
– vs. Kevin Belingon – Loss via decision (split) – One Championship – November 9, 2018
– vs. Martin Nguyen – Win via decision (split) – One Championship – March 24, 2018
– vs. Andrew Leone – Win via submission (rear naked choke) – One Championship – August 5, 2017
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
13) Sean O’Malley (12-0)
Height: 5’11
Birthday: October 24, 1994
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Eddie Wineland – Win via KO (punch) – UFC 250 – June 6, 2020
– Jose Alberto Quinonez – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 248 – March 7, 2020
– vs. Andre Soukhamthath – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 222 – March 3, 2018
– vs. Terrion Ware – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC TUF Finale – December 1, 2017
– vs. Alfred Khashakyan – Win via KO (punch) – DW Tuesday Contender Series – July 18, 2017
Next scheduled appearance:
– vs. Marlon Vera – UFC 252 – August 15, 2020
14) Kevin Belingon (20-7)
Height: 5’5
Birthday: October 30, 1987
Currently Fighting With: One Championship
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Bibiano Fernandes – Loss via submission (rear naked choke) – ONE Championship – October 13, 2019
– vs. Bibiano Fernandes – Loss via DQ (illegal elbows) – One Championship – March 31, 2019
– vs. Bibiano Fernandes – Win via decision (split) – One Championship – November 9, 2018
– vs. Martin Nguyen – Win via decision (unanimous) – One Championship – July 27, 2018
– vs. Andrew Leone – Win via TKO (spinning back kick) – One Championship – April 20, 2018
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
15) Rob Font (17-4)
Height: 5’8
Birthday: June 25, 1987
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Ricky Simon – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC on ESPN – December 7, 2019
– vs. Sergio Pettis – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC on Fox – December 15, 2018
– vs. Raphael Assuncao – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC 226 – July 7, 2018
– vs. Thomas Almeida – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 220 – January 20, 2018
– vs. Pedro Munhoz – Loss via submission (guillotine choke) – UFC Fight Night – October 28, 2017
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
