Sherdog’s Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings

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Bantamweight

1. Petr Yan (20-5) | UFC [2]

After being overwhelmed by Merab Dvalishvili’s wrestling in their 2023 matchup, Yan got his revenge at UFC 323, where he displayed stout defensive wrestling while battering and bloodying his Georgian rival en route to a unanimous decision triumph. “No Mercy” begins his second reign as bantamweight champion with the momentum of a four-fight winning streak, and the 32-year-old Russian appears to be at the peak of his powers. Given Dvalishvili’s credentials and their history, it’s entirely possible that a trilogy between the two could be on the horizon.

2. Merab Dvalishvili (21-5) | UFC [1]

As it turned out, Dvalishvili might have taken on too much by attempting to defend the bantamweight crown four times in a calendar year. In a rematch with Petr Yan in the UFC 323 headliner, the Georgian’s trademark cardio and pressure were not enough make his Russian foe wilt, as “No Mercy” emerged with a clear-cut unanimous decision triumph to reclaim 135-pound gold. That ends a 14-bout winning streak for “The Machine,” who likely has a legitimate claim to a trilogy bout with Yan in the near future.

3. Umar Nurmagomedov (19-1) UFC [3]

Nurmagomedov survived a second-round knockdown to outduel Mario Bautista at UFC 321, winning a three-round verdict at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Oct. 25. The Dagestani relied on his grappling, landing a total of 11 takedowns, to outwork his opponent and rebound from a title bout loss to Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 311. Nurmagomedov will look to get closer to another title shot when he meets Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC 324.

4. Sean O’Malley (18-3, 1 NC) UFC [4]

O’Malley repaired his ailing hip and changed his lifestyle ahead of UFC 316, but it was to no avail. Despite making some visible improvements, he was still no match for Merab Dvalishvili, who submitted “Suga” with a north-south choke in the third round of their rematch at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Once targeted by the promotion as one of its breakout stars, O’Malley is now at a crossroads — especially as long as Dvalishvili reigns atop the bantamweight division. He’ll look to get back on the winning track when he faces Yadong Song at UFC 324 .

5. Cory Sandhagen (18-6) | UFC [5]

Sandhagen started well against Merab Dvalishvili in the UFC 320 co-headliner, but he ultimately fell victim to his opponent’s renowned grappling and cardio in a unanimous decision defeat. The “Sandman” showed great heart by rallying back from a near stoppage in Round 2, but he was ultimately outstruck and taken down 20 times by the Georgian standout. At 33 years old, Sandhagen might have just seen his final championship opportunity come and go at UFC 320 — though he is likely to still have plenty of high-profile fights awaiting him in the months to come.

6. Mario Bautista (16-3) UFC [6]

Bautista saw an eight-bout promotional winning streak snapped at UFC 321, where he dropped a unanimous decision to former title challenger Umar Nurmagomedov at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Oct. 25. Despite landing a knockdown in Round 2, the MMA Lab product was unable to combat the relentless grappling of his Dagestani foe over the course of the 15-minute affair.

7. Kyoji Horiguchi (35-5, 1 NC) Rizin [7]

Horiguchi showed why he was a top flyweight contender during his first Octagon stint, scoring a third-round submission of Tagir Ulanbekov in his promotional return at UFC Qatar. The American Top Team representative has enjoyed success at both 125 and 135 pounds since leaving the UFC the first time, but it appears he will remain at flyweight for the foreseeable future. Horiguchi’s rankings eligibility at bantamweight will expire on Dec. 9, 2025.

8. Jose Aldo (32-10) UFC [8]

He did not compete at UFC Fight Night 261, but the “King of Rio” put in a royal appearance, walking out to the Octagon in street clothes and laying his gloves in the center of the cage as the Brazilian crowd roared its adulation. The emotional farewell served to confirm that his in-cage retirement at UFC 315 this May was the real deal, and if so, will leave fans with a final memory more befitting of his status as one of the greatest fighters in MMA history.

9. Deiveson Figueiredo (25-5-1) UFC [9]

“Deus da Guerra” served notice that he is far from a spent force, as he turned back red-hot rising contender Montel Jackson at UFC Rio in a clash that was much more one-sided than the split verdict implied. In snapping Jackson’s six-fight win streak and confounding the oddsmakers who had installed Figueiredo as a prohibitive underdog, the former flyweight champ righted the ship after back-to-back losses against Cory Sandhagen and Petr Yan. Figueiredo will return to action against former title challenger Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 324.

10. Yadong Song (22-8-1, 1 NC) UFC [10]

Song returned to the win column at UFC Seattle, earning a technical decision against former two-division champion Henry Cejudo on Feb. 22. The 27-year-old “Kung Fu Kid” has won six of his last eight Octagon appearances, with his only two defeats during that stretch coming at the hands of perennial contenders Petr Yan and Cory Sandhagen. He’ll get another marquee booking when he locks horns with ex-champ Sean O’Malley at UFC 324.

Other Contenders: Sergio Pettis, Vinicius Oliveira, David Martinez, Jakub Wiklacz, Aiemann Zahabi.

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