By: Dylan Smith (@FightMartian)
1. Demetrious Johnson (C)
- "Mighty Mouse" continues his reign atop my P4P rankings after dominating his toughest challenge in a rematch against arch rival John Dodson. Johnson is now 9-0-1 in the flyweight division and has nearly cleared out all of its top contenders. Perhaps super fights loom in the future for DJ as he shows no signs of loosening his grip on the title in 2016.
2. Jon Jones
- Due to return in 2016, Jon Jones looks to reclaim his status as P4P king and pick up where he left off before his suspension. With a renewed focus and more motivation than ever, we could see the best version of "Bones" yet. He will face now champion Daniel Cormier sometime in the spring/summer months and attempt to take back the title he never lost.
3. Conor McGregor (C)
- McGregor launched himself near the top of every P4P list by capping his year off with a brutal one punch KO of former featherweight king Jose Aldo. "Notorious" was undeniably the fighter of the year in 2015 and will look to continue his ascension as the UFCs top star in 2016 by going after the lightweight title and being the first fighter in UFC history to hold two championship titles simultaneously.
4. Rafael Dos Anjos (C)
- After winning the title back in March against Anthony Pettis, RDA showed he is a legitimate champion by making quick work of the red hot Donald Cerrone in his first title defense. Dos Anjos showed some serious improvements in his overall skill set in 2015 and will continue to improve under the tutelage of coach Rafael Cordeiro. 2016 could be an even bigger year for the champ as big fights await in the most talent deep division in the UFC.
5. Robbie Lawler (C)
- Lawler has posted back to back "Fight of The Year" awards in 2014 and 2015 with his victories against John Hendricks and Rory MacDonald. He might have already claimed the award for the third consecutive time after an absolutely epic battle against Carlos Condit at UFC 195. Lawler may be the UFCs most entertaining fighter with his iron will and incredible heart and will look to continue his "Ruthless" reign as the welterweight champion in 2016.
6. Jose Aldo
- After a stunning defeat by the hands of Conor McGregor, Aldo will have to go back to the drawing board in 2016. Although he lost his title, Aldo's legacy as one of the best UFC fighters in the company's history remains intact. The former P4P king will look to return with a vengeance and get a shot back at the title or maybe even test the waters in the lightweight division.
7. TJ Dillashaw (C)
- Set to defend his title against former champion Dominick Cruz on January 17th, Dillashaw will face his toughest challenge yet. TJ left his longtime camp team Alpha Male in late 2015 and is now training full time in Denver with coach/mastermind mentor Duana Ludwig. They will look to make it three title defenses in a row and solidify Dillashaw as the best bantamweight champion in UFC history.
8. Fabricio Werdum (C)
- Heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum has one of the best heavyweight resumes in MMA history. Werdum will try to add another accolade to that resume when he defends his title in an immediate rematch against former champion Cain Velasquez in the main event of the upcoming UFC 196. After an incredible career resurgence Werdum capped off his 2015 by defeating Velasquez in Mexico City and will look to prove that it was no fluke in the rematch.
9. Daniel Cormier (C)
- As the current UFC light-heavyweight champion, DC comes in at #9 after a stellar year that included him winning the vacant light-heavyweight title after a submission win over Anthony Johnson and then successfully defending it against Alexander Gustaffson later in the year. Cormier is one of the best wrestlers in the sport of MMA and has used that as his base to get him to the top. He will face a stiff challenge against Jon Jones later in the year in a rematch of one of the biggest fights of 2015.
10. Luke Rockhold (C)
- Former StrikeForce middleweight champion Luke Rockhold can now add UFC middleweight champion to his resume after defeating previously unbeaten Chris Weidman at UFC 194. Rockhold is one of the most well rounded fighters in the middleweight division and showed his true potential for greatness with his win championship win. Some great match ups await Rockhold in the future as there are plenty of hungry contenders as well as a inevitable rematch with Weidman.
Honorable mention: (Chris Weidman, Holly Holm, Ronda Rousey, Joanna Jedrzejczyk)
Let me know what you think of the rankings in the comments below or follow me on Twitter @FightMartian where we can discuss all things MMA. "Don't Blink"!
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