Welcome to the final UFC Champions Rankings of 2016. It’s been a wild ride for titleholders, which has kept us extremely busy - but it’s sure been a ton of fun keeping up. There’s still two more title fights left for the year, both taking place at UFC 207 on December 30, and we’ll make sure to update our rankings next month to include the results.
As a reminder, these rankings answer one simple question: Which champ is the “safest” in their respective divisions? Any odds for upcoming title fights are also listed for your convenience. Let’s get to it.
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1. Demetrious Johnson
Flyweight Champion
Next Fight: TBD
After knocking off Tim Elliott, “Mighty Mouse” stands just one win away from tying Anderson Silva’s record for most title defenses. Kudos to Elliot for storming out to steal the first round in a matchup where everyone expecting him to get smoked. Fighting bigger guys is obviously an issue for DJ, but it’s still tough to see anyone really challenging him in the near future.
2. Joanna Jedrzejczyk
Women’s Strawweight
Next Fight: TBD
Like Johnson, Jedrzejczyk survived a slight scare from her last opponent, Karolina Kowalkiewicz, in a fight that many thought was going to be a cakewalk. J-Check still dominated the scorecards though, and figures to be a sizeable favorite against any fighter not named Claudia Gadelha. Jessica Andrade is also starting to look like a real threat as well, but not enough to drop the title’s ranking.
3. Dominick Cruz
Bantamweight Champion
Next Fight: UFC 207, December 30
Cruz -215 vs. Cody Garbrandt +180
Cruz will defend his title next week against Cody Garbrandt, but his status as more than a 2-1 favorite over an undefeated knockout artist is just evidence of how difficult he is to beat. T.J. Dillashaw is still a real threat to Cruz, but he’s really the only one in the division that can make that claim. That props up Cruz’s ranking a lot.
4. Conor McGregor
Lightweight Champion
Next Fight: TBA
It would make sense to drop McGregor now that he’s dropped the 145-pound strap and solely resides over a division of killers. But his performance against Eddie Alvarez, one of the best 155ers on the planet, was beyond sensational. The question is no longer how Mystic Mac will fare against a wrestler/grappler/insert specialist, it’s how will they deal with his otherworldly timing, power and accuracy.
5. Daniel Cormier
Light Heavyweight Champion
Next Fight: TBA
It really sucks that DC had to pull out of the UFC 206 main event, and it raises some questions about how he’ll recover from injuries at age 37 - especially given the toll a lifetime of high-level combat sports has taken on his body. But the injury was not a major one, and it’s too soon to assume he’ll be hampered in any way. The fact still remains that as long as Jon Jones remains sidelined, DC has beaten every other top light heavyweight and would be favored against the rest of the division.
6. Jose Aldo
Featherweight Champion
Next Fight: TBA
Now that McGregor has “relinquished” the featherweight belt, Aldo is now the undisputed champ at 145 pounds. It’s largely the same division he ruled over for so many years, which moves him up a ton without him having to do anything. There’s just one big change: the emergence of Max Holloway, who is one of the UFC’s hottest fighters over the past year.
7. Stipe Miocic
Heavyweight Champion
Next Fight: TBD
A healthy Cain Velasquez is the only heavyweight that Miocic would be an underdog against. That says a lot. But Cain just revealed that he was already scheduled for surgery after his rematch with Werdum at UFC 207. With each new injury and surgery for Velasquez (and there’s been a lot), Miocic’s reign over the division becomes a bit more secure. There doesn’t seem to be any other major threats on the horizon in this aging weight class.
8. Amanda Nunes
Women’s Bantamweight
Next Fight: UFC 207, December 30
Amanda Nunes +140 vs. Ronda Rousey -165
Nunes and Miocic are probably interchangeable right now, as they’re both champions who have yet to defend the belt. But since Nunes is actually an underdog in her upcoming title defense against Ronda Rousey, we have to dock her a bit. She could move up extremely quick with a win, as the Brazilian is already one of the best bantamweights in the world and quickly evolving.
9. Tyron Woodley
Welterweight Champion
Next Fight: TBA
Woodley drops a few spots after coming up with a majority draw in his first title defense against Stephen Thompson. An immediate rematch is likely, and Woodley will likely be the underdog again. If he can get through Wonderboy, he’ll move up a few spots as his explosiveness would make him a favorite against most of the other top contenders.
10. Michael Bisping
Middleweight Champion
Next Fight: TBD
Bisping Cinderella run to the title is most likely coming to an end against Yoel Romero, who murdered Weidman at UFC 205. It’s easy to argue that Romero, Luke Rockhold, Jacare Souza or even Chris Weidman could take the belt from Bisping - they’d all be huge favorites against the unlikely British champ.
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