The UFC has many divisions and classes in which fighters of different weights fight. One of the divisions is Bantamweight, which was introduced by the promotion in 2010. Since then, the 135-pound division has seen some of the strongest fighters in MMA. Over the past decade, some of the best fighters on the planet have come from the Bantamweight division. In this article, we will have a look at the 10 most incredible fighters who compete in this class.
10. Cody Garbrandt
Garbrandt made his UFC debut on January 3, 2015, against Marcus Brimage and won the fight via knockout in the third round. After winning the next four fights, he got a shot at the Bantamweight championship against Dominick Cruz and he won. However, Garbrandt’s career since winning the title has been disappointing. He lost the championship in his very first title defense against TJ Dillashaw. “No Love” moved to the flyweight division, where he lost his first fight against Kai Kara-France via TKO. He finally got his first win since 2020 against Trevin Jones at UFC 285 on March 4, 2023, after returning to Bantamweight.
9. Urijah Faber
Urijah began his MMA career in GC 20 and later joined the WEC, where he was a star in the bantamweight division. There was a time when he held both featherweight and bantamweight titles in the WEC and was successfully defending them as well. Faber received his first shot at the UFC bantamweight championship in 2011 against Dominick Cruz. “The California Kid” lost that bout via unanimous decision. After this, Faber got several shots at UFC’s bantamweight title, but he was never able to win it. Despite never winning the title, he still has eleven wins in the UFC bantamweight division.
8. Joseph Benavidez
Joseph Benavidez is one of the most impressive fighters to never win a UFC championship. For most of his career, Benavidez was at the top of whatever division he was a part of. During his time at the WEC, Joseph was a strong fighter in the bantamweight division. He got a shot at the bantamweight title in 2010 against Dominick Cruz, but he lost the match. He lost twice to Dominick, so it was difficult for him to earn another title shot despite defeating every other fighter he fought against.
7. Petr Yan
Petr Yan has an incredible career in MMA, with a record of 16-5. On his way to first title shot, Yan earned wins over big names like Urijah Faber and John Dodson and then defeated Jose Aldo for the vacant bantamweight title via knockout. “No Mercy” lost the title in his first defense because of disqualification, but in his next fight, the Russian defeated Cody Sandhagen to win the bantamweight title.
6. Sean O’Malley
Sean’s MMA record is so impressive, as he has only lost one fight to date, which was at UFC 252 against Marlon Vera. One of his bouts was a no-contest against Pedro Munhoz due to an accidental eye poke. O’Malley earned his first UFC title this year in the bantamweight division. He defeated Aljamain Sterling via knockout to win the championship. “Sugar” will be facing Marlon Vera at UFC 299 on March 9, 2024, for his first title defense.
5. Henry Cejudo
Henry is one of the most skilled fighters in the UFC. He has an impressive MMA record of 16 wins with just three losses. In 2018, he defeated the most dominant champion in UFC history, Demetrious Johnson and earned the flyweight title. After this, “Triple C” decided to challenge himself by trying to win the title in the bantamweight division. Cejudo defeated Marlon Moraes for the vacant title and then successfully defended it in 2020 by defeating Dominick Cruz. After this fight, he retired from the sport, but after three years, he returned and faced Aljamain Sterling on May 6, 2023, for the bantamweight title, but he lost.
4. Renan Barao
Renan Barao remained undefeated for nearly a decade, racking up 32 consecutive victories. During his winning streak, Barao won four title bouts. He defeated Urijah Faber to win the interim bantamweight title in 2012. The Brazilian defended his title three-times and lost it to TJ Dillashaw in 2015. After this fight, Barao never recovered, but his legacy will always be defined.
3. Aljamain Sterling
Sterling earned the bantamweight title due to bizarre circumstances with a DQ win against Petr Yan. He had a good run with the title as he defended his championship against fighters like Yan, T.J. Dillashaw and Henry Cejudo. To earn his title shot, “Funk Master” won five consecutive bouts. He defeated notable fighters like Pedro Munhoz, Cody Sandhagen and Renan Barao. He recently lost his title to Sean O’Malley at UFC 292.
2. T.J. Dillashaw
Dillashaw made his UFC debut in 2011 and since then he has displayed great talent. Despite losing “The Ultimate Fighter” in his debut, T.J. won the next four bouts and finally got the title shot after defeating Mike Easton. The whole world was shocked when Dillashaw defeated Renan Barao for the Bantamweight title. He lost the championship to Dominick Cruz but earned another title shot after defeating John Lineker and Raphael Assuncao. “Lieutenant Dan” defeated Cody Garbrandt to win the bantamweight title for the second time. He defended the title in a rematch against Cody but was later stripped of the title due to a failed drug test.
1. Dominick Cruz
Dominick Cruz made his MMA debut in Rage in the Cage. He fought in promotions like Total Combat and WEC and then finally entered the UFC in 2011. Cruz won 13 consecutive fights during the prime of his career and seven of them came while defending championships. During his stellar run, “The Dominator” earned title wins against notable fighters like Demetrious Johnson, TJ Dillashaw, and Urijah Faber. He was stripped of the title due to injury and later regained it by defeating Dillashaw. He lost the bantamweight title in 2016 against Cody.
