It’s time for an update to our UFC Championship Rankings. Since our last update, there have been a few notable events to consider, like Miesha Tate snagging the title and Conor McGregor losing at welterweight. As always, this list measures how far ahead a champion is ahead of the pack in their respective division.
UFC odds available at BookMaker.eu
Please note, BookMaker updates their odds on a daily basis, so the listings here may have changed since the time this article was written.
No. 1: Demetrious Johnson
Men’s flyweight champion
Next fight: UFC 197, April 23
Demetrious Johnson -400 vs. Henry Cejudo +325
Nobody is as far ahead of their respective division as Demetrious Johnson. He’s handily defeated all challengers - twice in some cases - and has cleared out the weight class. Next up for DJ is Olympic gold medalist Henry Cejudo. If Johnson runs through Cejudo, perhaps a champion vs. champion matchup against the bantamweight kingpin is in order.
No. 2: Joanna Jedrzejczyk
Women’s strawweight champion
Next fight: July 8, TUF 23 Finale
Joanna Jedrzejczyk -190 vs. Claudia Gadelha +150
Jedrzejczyk-Gadelha might be the best grudge match in the UFC, and it also happens to pit the two best fighters in the division against each other. The rest of the weight class has some catching up to do. If Joanna Champion can beat Gadelha a second time, it’s tough to see anyone really giving her a challenge in the near future.
No. 3: Dominick Cruz
Men’s bantamweight champion
Next fight: UFC 199, June 25
Urijah Faber vs. Dominick Cruz
A healthy Dominick Cruz has yet to lose inside the Octagon and is unbeaten in his last 12 fights. Coincidentally, his last loss came against came was to his next opponent, Urijah Faber. However, nobody is really giving Faber much of a shot, and Cruz looks poised for a long title reign -- with the only legitimate threat coming from T.J. Dillashaw.
No. 3: Luke Rockhold
No. 4: Luke Rockhold
Men’s middleweight champion
Next fight: UFC 199, June 25
Chris Weidman +165 vs. Luke Rockhold -190
Like Jedrzejczyk, Luke Rockhold appears to have raised the bar in his division, separating himself from the pack in the process. If he beats Weidman again, the waiting contenders - like Jacare Souza or Michael Bipsing - don’t seem like credible threats to the belt.
No. 5: Rafael dos Anjos
Men’s lightweight champion
Next fight: TBA
Benson Henderson. Nate Diaz. Anthony Pettis. Donald Cerrone. That’s the last four opponents that Rafael dos Anjos has beaten. When you factor in that he thrashed every one of those elite fighters, you have to question whether he could be the best lightweight champion since B.J. Penn.
No. 6: Conor McGregor
Men’s featherweight champion
Next fight: TBA
Although McGregor lost a fight at welterweight, one can’t help but think Nate Diaz exposed some pretty big holes in the Irishman’s game. All of a sudden, he doesn’t seem so unbeatable, and for that reason he drops a few spots.
No. 7: Fabricio Werdum
Men’s heavyweight champion
Next fight: UFC 198, April 23
Fabricio Werdum -185 vs. Stipe Miocic +160
If Werdum can beat a very dangerous Stipe Miocic, we’ll have to move him a few spots up. It’s just hard to believe a 38-year fighter can sustain a long run as the best heavyweight in the world. I know it’s a thin division, but there’s a reason nobody has been able to defend the belt more than three times.
No. 8: Miesha Tate
Women’s bantamweight champion
Next fight: Future Events
Miesha Tate +350 vs. Ronda Rousey -500
Dana White has confirmed that Tate will face Rousey a third time, and she’s already a huge underdog to the fighter she has already lost to twice. What’s different this time is that Holm laid out a blueprint to beat Rousey. Miesha can’t follow the exact same gameplan, but she can improvise a new one based on it.
No. 9: Robbie Lawler
Men’s welterweight champion
Next fight: TBA
Lawler cannot sustain a championship run with epic five-round wars where both fighters are beaten to respective pulps. It’s physically impossible, or is it? That’s two straight title defenses were he was minutes away from losing his belt, which doesn’t inspire much confidence in a prolonged title reign.
No. 10: Daniel Cormier
Men’s light heavyweight champion
Next fight: UFC 197, April 23
Daniel Cormier +265 vs. Jon Jones -325
Can we all agree that Cormier is just keeping the belt warm until the best fighter alive comes back? No offense to DC, but Jones will probably top this list after recapturing the title.
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