Sherdog’s Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings

---

Lightweight

1. Islam Makhachev (23-1) | UFC [1]

If there were any doubts regarding Makhachev’s championship worthiness prior to UFC 280, there aren’t any now. Makhachev outclassed Charles Oliveira on the feet and on the ground en route to a second-round submission victory to claim lightweight gold at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, carrying on a legacy started by retired ex-champ and coach Khabib Nurmagomedov. Now the owner of a 10-fight winning streak at 155 pounds, Makhachev can look forward to a potential first title defense against reigning featherweight king Alexander Volkanovski, who met the Dagestani in the cage following his UFC 280 triumph.

2. Charles Oliveira (33-9, 1 NC) | UFC [2]

Oliveira entered UFC 280 with the confidence of someone on an 11-fight winning streak, but in the end he simply had no answers for Islam Makhachev. The Brazilian was outgunned on the feet and outgrappled on the canvas en route to a second-round submission loss in the evening’s main event at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Oct. 22. The setback doesn’t diminish all that Oliveira has accomplished, most notably a complete turnaround from a middling featherweight to one of the top talents in the sport at 155 pounds. The defeat didn’t dampen his resolve, as “Do Bronx” was already plotting his climb back to the top in the fight’s immediate aftermath.

3. Dustin Poirier (28-7, 1 NC) | UFC [3]

Poirier entered UFC 269 as the uncrowned lightweight champion in many people’s eyes, but he left the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas empty handed following a third-round submission loss to Charles Oliveira in the evening’s headliner. The American Top Team representative started well, as he landed powerful punches and floored his opponent in Round 1, but that momentum gradually faded as the bout progressed. Poirier was on the verge of a memorable 2021 campaign that could have included two wins over Conor McGregor and a championship belt, but instead “The Diamond” comes up short for the second consecutive time in a title bout. A showdown with Michael Chandler has been booked for UFC 281 in New York.

4. Beneil Dariush (22-4-1) | UFC [4]

Though he might’ve been on the verge of a title shot already, Dariush accepted a risky fight against Mateusz Gamrot at UFC 280 and delivered, winning a hard-fought unanimous decision in Abu Dhabi on Oct. 22. The Kings MMA product has won eight consecutive bouts within the Las Vegas-based promotion and looks to have as strong a case as anyone for the next opportunity at lightweight gold. Additionally, his 16 career 155-pound triumphs are tied for third-most in division history.

5. Justin Gaethje (23-4) | UFC [5]

Gaethje appeared to have hurt Charles Oliveira on two occasions early in their headlining fight at UFC 274, but “The Highlight” ultimately missed an opportunity to capture championship gold when his opponent rallied for a submission victory at the 3:22 mark of Round 1 at Footprint Arena in Phoenix, Ariz., on May 7. Gaethje delivered another violent performance as expected, but the former World Series of Fighting title holder is now 0-2 in UFC title bouts — losing via submission on both occasions. Nonetheless, Gaethje’s penchant for all-action fights likely means he’ll have no shortage of interesting options for his next Octagon appearance.

6. Michael Chandler (23-7) | UFC [6]

Chandler submitted his entry for 2022 “Knockout of the Year” at UFC 274 with a spectacular front kick KO of Tony Ferguson — a finish that was just the ninth of its kind in the history of the Las Vegas-based promotion. While the ex-Bellator champion is only 2-2 in UFC competition thus far, each of his fights have delivered in terms of entertainment value, which will only further serve to curry favor with promotion officials. A clash with fellow former title challenger Dustin Poirier will go down in Madison Square Garden at UFC 281.

7. Rafael Fiziev (12-1) | UFC [7]

Fiziev took another major step toward title contention at UFC on ESPN 39, as he knocked out ex-champ Rafael dos Anjos in the fifth round of their headlining bout at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on July 9. In addition to his pinpoint striking, Fiziev showcased solid cardio and defensive wrestling — both vital attributes in the brutal lightweight division. With six consecutive victories to his credit, “Ataman” will be in line for another top contender. Whether that’s requested opponent Justin Gaethje or someone else remains to be seen.

8. Dan Hooker (21-12) | UFC [8]

Hooker returned to the featherweight division for the first time since December 2018 at UFC London, where he suffered a violent first-round technical knockout loss to Arnold Allen at the O2 Arena on March 19. While Hooker fights generally tend to deliver when it comes to action, “The Hangman” has been on the wrong end of too many beatings recently, with losses in four of his last five Octagon appearances. Hooker will return to lightweight against Claudio Puelles at UFC 281.

9. Rafael dos Anjos (31-14) | UFC [9]

Dos Anjos had a clear game plan in mind against Rafael Fiziev at UFC on ESPN 39, but his failure to execute it was reflected in the final statistics, as the ex-lightweight champion landed just two of 16 takedown attempts in a fifth-round knockout loss. There’s no shame in falling to a striker as talented as Fiziev, but it does short-circuit dos Anjos’ hopes of making another lightweight title run at 37 years old. The Brazilian veteran has faced a murderer’s row of opponents during his promotional tenure, and while another championship may not be in his future, at the very least he figures to settle into a gatekeeper role for as long as he continues to compete.

10. Mateusz Gamrot (21-1, 1 NC) | UFC [11]

Gamrot came up just barely short at UFC 280 on Oct. 22, dropping a unanimous decision to Beneil Dariush after a sensational three-round scrap. While the setback snapped a four-fight win streak for “Gamer,” the former two-division KSW titleholder does not figure to take much of a step back, given his high-quality wins over Arman Tsarukyan and Diego Ferreira, his penchant for exciting fights and his status as a relatively new face in the division.

Other Contenders: Arman Tsarukyan, Damir Ismagulov, Thiago Moises, Jalin Turner, Olivier Aubin-Mercier.

Jump To »
HEAVYWEIGHT
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT
MIDDLEWEIGHT
WELTERWEIGHT
LIGHTWEIGHT
FEATHERWEIGHT
BANTAMWEIGHT
FLYWEIGHT
WOMEN'S FEATHERWEIGHT
WOMEN'S BANTAMWEIGHT
WOMEN'S FLYWEIGHT
WOMEN'S STRAWWEIGHT
WOMEN'S ATOMWEIGHT