With this morning’s shocking development that UFC bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw was ‘voluntarily relinquishing’ his title, the 135-pound title will now be up for grabs. So who should get their shot at the belt? We take a look at the options below, ranging from the highly likely to the slightly bizarre.
Take a look at our thoughts, and offer yours in the comments below.
Check out the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie MMA bantamweight rankings, as well, if you’re looking for a little inspiration in terms of potential matchups.
Marlon Moraes
Marlon Moraes (22-5-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) absolutely has to be involved in any bantamweight title fight should the promotion care about legitimacy in terms of a fighter claiming the vacant belt and being considered a true champion. The former WSOF bantamweight champion came to the promotion in 2017 and promptly lost a hotly contested split-decision to Raphael Assuncao at UFC 212 – a bout that 16 out 17 tracked media outlets scored for Moraes, according to MMADecisions.com. Since that time Moraes has earned four wins over legitimate contenders, including Assuncao in a rematch, and earned three “Performance of the Night” bonuses. In short, the “Magic” man is the leader in the clubhouse.
Henry Cejudo
UFC flyweight champion Henry Cejudo (14-2 MMA, 8-2 UFC) has certainly enjoyed a front-row seat for the drama that has unfolded, as it was his belt that was on the line when Dillashaw dropped down for an opportunity at champ-champ status, only to be rebuked in a mere 32 seconds. While Dillashaw had called for a rematch at flyweight, it made more sense for Cejudo to move up to 135 pounds and take his shot at a second belt. Of course, with Dillashaw no longer involved, Cejudo may want to focus on keeping the flyweight division around – which has seemed anything but a certainty – by defending his belt at 125 pounds. Cejudo and Moraes also share a manger in Dominance MMA’s Ali Abdelaziz, so the team may collectively decide it’s better to avoid a fight. But if Cejudo wants his shot at becoming .a double champ, he’s certainly done enough to earn the call.
Aljamain Sterling
It wasn’t long ago that the Aljamain Sterling (17-3 MMA, 9-3 UFC) hype train seemed well on its way to complete derailment. A pair of split-decision losses to Raphael Assuncao and Bryan Caraway were disappointing setbacks, but a 67-second knockout loss to Marlon Moraes in December 2017 was a true crushing blow. But since then, “The Funk Master” has battled back with a victory over a previously undefeated Brett Johns, turned in a “Submission of the Year” win over Cody Stamann and put together perhaps his most complete victory to date a dominant decision win over Jimmie Rivera. Perhaps a rematch with Moraes and a shot at redemption – along with a UFC title – could pique fans’ interests.
John Lineker
While John Lineker (31-8 MMA, 12-3 UFC) spent the early part of his UFC career trying to convince the world (and maybe himself) that he was a flyweight, “Hands of Stone” has seen his career flourish since moving up to 135 pounds. Lineker hasn’t fought since May, after a pair of previously scheduled contests fell through, but he currently stands at an incredible 8-1 in his past nine appearances, with the only loss during that time coming to Dillashaw. With his propensity to stand and bang, Lineker is one of the division’s most exciting fighters, and a clash with Moraes could produce a very violent start to a new champion’s title run.
Pedro Munhoz
He may be a bit of a wild card, but Pedro Munhoz (18-3 MMA, 8-3 UFC) has certainly earned a right to be part of the discussion, as well. “The Young Punisher” was in action earlier this month and secured a thrilling first-round knockout over former champ Cody Garbrandt, earning a “Fight of the Night” bonus in the process. With such a recent victory on which to lean, Munhoz could certainly put his hand in the air, as he did following that big win. But the body of work is far deeper than just that victory over “No Love,” with Munhoz standing at 7-1 in his past eight appearances and boasting three “Performance of the Night” wins in that stretch.
Raphael Assuncao
OK, listen, it’s a stretch since he was submitted by Marlon Moraes in his most recent octagon appearance, but Raphael Assuncao (27-6 MMA, 11-3 UFC) has been chasing a title shot since his arrival in the UFC in 2011. Ever the company man, Assuncao has taken fights against the best in the world, even when it wasn’t always in his best interest. With a pair of fights (including a win) already under his belt against Moraes, perhaps a trilogy fight between two Brazilians for the vacant title could be an easy sell. Assuncao also boasts a previous win over Dillashaw that he could use to bolster his case.
Kyoji Horiguchi
You may have stopped paying attention since he moved back to Japan, but Kyoji Horiguchi (26-2 MMA, 7-1 UFC) hasn’t lost since his infamous 2015 UFC title shot against Demetrious Johnson. In fact, the American Top Team product now boasts an 11-fight winning streak and is the Rizin FF bantamweight champion. When’s the trade deadline, again?
Petr Yan
I mean, this absolutely isn’t going to happen, but Petr Yan (12-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC) did volunteer for the assignment, and I’ll watch this guy fight anyone.
For more on the UFC’s upcoming schedule, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.
