Sherdog’s Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings

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Light Heavyweight

1. Jon Jones (21-1)

Jones is the consensus No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter for a reason, and “Bones” displayed his next-level fighting prowess once again in outworking challenger and rival Daniel Cormier at UFC 182. Flashy striking combined with grinding clinch work and surprising takedowns won the day for Jones, who secured his eighth straight title defense and 12th consecutive win overall. Even scarier: Jones announced post-fight that he plans to begin training year-round and predicted his next performance -- likely against the winner of Alexander Gustafsson-Anthony Johnson -- will be his best yet.

2. Alexander Gustafsson (16-2)

Gustafsson was set to have his chance at revenge on Jon Jones after nearly taking the UFC light heavyweight title from him in Toronto in the “Fight of the Year” for 2013. However, a torn meniscus forced “The Mauler” out of the bout and put him on the shelf. With Jones now dialed into a new feud with Daniel Cormier, Gustafsson will headline UFC on Fox 14 against Anthony Johnson on Jan. 24 in Sweden.

3. Daniel Cormier (15-1)

Cormier threw everything he had at Jon Jones in their highly anticipated UFC 182 main event, but it seems there is just no breaking “Bones.” Despite winning round two, Cormier was overtaken in the latter frames of the five-round affair, bending under constant pressure, clinch work and takedowns from the rangy champion. The former Olympic wrestler saw his unblemished MMA record tarnished after 15 consecutive wins, including finishes against the likes of Dan Henderson and Antonio Silva.

4. Anthony Johnson (18-4)

Johnson was a heavy favorite going into his July 26 bout with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, but few expected the walloping that “Rumble” put on his veteran opponent. The Blackzilians representative used vicious uppercuts to deal Nogueira a 44-second knockout and propel himself to contender status. In September, Johnson was placed on indefinite suspension by the UFC after multiple allegations of domestic violence, but the suspension was lifted in early November, when the civil suit against him was dropped. Johnson will return to the Octagon on Jan. 24 in Sweden, when he collides with Alexander Gustafsson atop the UFC on Fox 14 bill.

5. Phil Davis (13-2, 1 NC)

Davis used his high-caliber wrestling to ground Glover Teixeira at UFC 179, negating the dangerous Brazilian’s heavy hands en route to a lopsided unanimous decision. With four wins in his last five outings, most figured Davis to be on the path to a potential title shot, yet “Mr. Wonderful” surprised all by calling for a fight with former middleweight ruler Anderson Silva. However, Davis will next take on Ryan Bader at UFC on Fox 14 on Jan. 24.

6. Glover Teixeira (22-4)

Teixeira struggled to find his range and to stay upright against Phil Davis at UFC 179, succumbing to multiple takedowns and chippy range striking from the former NCAA Division I wrestling champion over the course of a three-round decision loss. After racking up 20 straight wins between 2006 and 2013, Teixeira has now suffered back-to-back defeats for the first time in his career. He will return to the Octagon on Feb. 22, when he headlines a UFC Fight Night event against Rashad Evans in Brazil.

7. Ryan Bader (18-4)

Takedowns and clinch work were once again the weapons of choice for the former NCAA All-American wrestler, who made a quick turnaround from his June win over Rafael Cavalcante to meet Ovince St. Preux on Aug. 16 in Maine. In capturing a unanimous decision against “OSP,” Bader picked up his third straight win and proved himself capable of going five full rounds. The degree of difficulty will increase for Bader in his next outing, as he confronts Phil Davis at UFC on Fox 14 in Sweden.

8. Emanuel Newton (25-7-1)

Newton’s grit and strong cardio helped him overcome an early scare and fend off British challenger Linton Vassell on Oct. 24. Just six weeks after knocking out Joey Beltran, “The Hardcore Kid” retained his Bellator title once more by tapping Vassell with a fifth-round rear-naked choke. After a 3-0 run in 2014, Newton is expected to defend his belt against tournament winner Liam McGeary on Feb. 27.

9. Ovince St. Preux (17-6)

Fighting on less than two weeks’ notice before a hostile crowd who backed a bona fide MMA icon, “OSP” scored the biggest win of his career in shocking fashion. On Nov. 8, St. Preux needed only 34 seconds to punch Mauricio “Shogun” Rua senseless and send the Brazilian faithful home stunned.

10. Jimi Manuwa (14-1)

England’s light heavyweight “Poster Boy” burst onto the UFC scene with three consecutive stoppage wins before running into Alexander Gustafsson, who halted Manuwa with second-round strikes in March. Manuwa was expected to face Mauricio Rua on Nov. 8 before suffering a broken foot -- an injury which forced him out of the “Shogun” matchup less than two weeks before the bout.

Other Contenders: Jan Blachowicz, Dan Henderson, Quinton Jackson, Muhammed Lawal, Attila Vegh.

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