Sherdog's Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings

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Lightweight

1. Anthony Pettis (17-2)

Pettis needed five rounds and the remarkable “Showtime” kick to take the World Extreme Cagefighting belt from Benson Henderson in 2010, but he required far less time to earn his second victory over “Smooth” and become the lightweight king at UFC 164. The only thing that went wrong for Pettis, who submitted Henderson with a first-round armbar, was a knee injury he suffered while checking a kick. While the ailment was only diagnosed as a sprain, the Roufusport standout was forced to withdraw from a title defense against Josh Thomson when the knee did not heal as quickly as anticipated. Pettis will coach opposite Gilbert Melendez on Season 20 of “The Ultimate Fighter” before defending his title against “El Nino,” likely in December.

2. Gilbert Melendez (21-3)

One bout removed from a narrow and controversial loss to then-lightweight champion Benson Henderson, “El Nino” teamed with Diego Sanchez to produce one of 2013’s most memorable fights at UFC 166. Melendez recently flirted with a move to Bellator MMA before re-signing with the UFC. He will coach opposite lightweight champion Anthony Pettis on Season 20 of “The Ultimate Fighter” before challenging “Showtime” for his title.

3. Eddie Alvarez (25-3)

At Bellator 106, Alvarez showed the world why the promotion fought so hard to retain his services by regaining the lightweight title he lost in November 2011 with a hard-fought split decision over Michael Chandler. In August, new Bellator boss Scott Coker granted Alvarez his unconditional release from the organization, leading the lightweight star to an immediate UFC contract and a highly anticipated booking opposite Donald Cerrone at UFC 178.

4. Khabib Nurmagomedov (22-0)

Nurmagomedov continues to look like the next big thing in the UFC’s lightweight division. “The Eagle” dismantled fellow contender Rafael dos Anjos at UFC on Fox 11, grinding down his adversary through takedowns, clinches and ground-and-pound. The surging Dagestani has won six straight bouts inside the Octagon. However, a knee injury forced the 25-year-old to withdraw from a match with Donald Cerrone the same day bout agreements were signed.

5. Rafael dos Anjos (22-7)

Dos Anjos formally announced himself as a major threat in the UFC lightweight division on Aug. 23, when he exploited ex-champ Benson Henderson’s defensive holes to score a first-round knockout. With wins in seven of his last eight outings, the Kings MMA fighter figures to be part of the title picture once that picture clears up at the end of the year.

6. Benson Henderson (21-4)

A former UFC and World Extreme Cagefighting champ, “Bendo” suffered the first knockout loss of his 25-fight pro career at the hands of surging Brazilian Rafael dos Anjos on Aug. 23 in Tulsa, Okla. A left hook to the jaw ended Henderson’s night, along with his immediate hopes for title contention after back-to-back wins against Josh Thomson and Rustam Khabilov.

7. Nate Diaz (17-9)

Diaz once again demonstrated his ability to entertain by avenging a 2010 loss to Gray Maynard at “The Ultimate Fighter 18” Finale. The Cesar Gracie disciple rocked Maynard with a left and kept “The Bully” on his heels with a flurry of accurate punches to earn a stoppage 2:38 into round one. Diaz recently made headlines for a rant regarding his current contract with the UFC, asking for more money or to be released.

8. Bobby Green (23-5)

Fighting on only two weeks’ notice, Green parlayed a last-minute assignment into a spot in the lightweight top 10 with a split-decision victory over former Strikeforce champion Josh Thomson. The “King” remains unbeaten at 4-0 in his UFC run with wins against Thomson, Pat Healy, James Krause and Jacob Volkmann. He will look for a ninth consecutive win when he next steps into the cage.

9. Josh Thomson (20-7, 1 NC)

American Kickboxing Academy’s “Punk” briefly considered retirement after a controversial loss to Benson Henderson, only to return to the Octagon a few months later. Thomson fought hard against late replacement Bobby Green on July 26 but could not overcome the former King of the Cage champion’s diverse striking attack, falling via split decision after three rounds.

10. Donald Cerrone (24-6, 1 NC)

In the 11 months since his decision defeat to Rafael dos Anjos, the “Cowboy” has ridden roughshod over all those in his path. Cerrone has notched four consecutive finishes inside the Octagon, most recently blasting through Jim Miller with a head-kick knockout on July 16 in Atlantic City, N.J. Cerrone’s fourth fight of the year will come in a high-profile match against Bellator import Eddie Alvarez at UFC 178.

Other Contenders: Will Brooks, Michael Chandler, Myles Jury, Rustam Khabilov, Jim Miller.

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