B/R Official Rankings for July: The Top 10 Bantamweights in MMA

One of the most anticipated fights of the summer will take place at UFC 149 when Urijah Faber and Renan Barao fight for the UFC bantamweight interim championship.

There appears to be an increasing gap in popularity between the top four bantamweights and the rest of the field. Although Eddie Wineland did make a jump with his KO win over Scott Jorgensen.

Speaking of Jorgensen, you will still find him here, in the Bleacher Report Top 10 Bantamweights for July.

These rankings are the combined efforts of some of Bleacher Report MMA's best writers, as we continue to try and provide you with the best content on the web.

10. Bibiano Fernandes

Promotion: ONE FC

Record: 11-3

Most Recent Fight: Antonio Banuelos (won via TKO)

Next Fight: TBD

Previous Ranking: 9

Bibiano Fernandes spurned the UFC to sign with ONE FC. According to Fernandes, the UFC isn't his "dream."

Can Fernandes continue to progress his career forward, or will fans have a hard time figuring out how good he is because he's not fighting the best the UFC has to offer?

9. Eduardo Dantas

Promotion: Bellator

Record: 14-2

Most Recent Fight: Zach Makovsky (won via submission)

Next Fight: TBD

Previous Ranking: 8

Eduardo Dantas is riding a seven-fight win streak and is the current Bellator Bantamweight Champion.

Given his age (23), Dantas has as bright a future as anybody else on this list.

8. Brad Pickett

Promotion: UFC

Record: 21-6

Most Recent Fight: Damacio Page (won via submission)

Next Fight: Yves Jabouin (9/29/12, UFC on FuelTV 5)

Previous Ranking: 7

Brad Pickett is 2-2 over his last four fights, with those losses coming to bantamweight contenders Scott Jorgensen and Renan Barao.

One cannot overlook his win against Demetrious Johnson back in 2010, but "Mighty Mouse" has certainly improved exponentially since that fight.

Should Pickett lose to Yves Jabouin in September he will certainly fall from the top 10.

7. Scott Jorgensen

Promotion: UFC

Record: 13-6

Most Recent Fight: Eddie Wineland (lost via KO)

Next Fight: TBD

Previous Ranking: 6

It's always hard to determine exactly where Scott Jorgensen is ranked. Many writers had Jorgensen on the hot seat going into his fight against Eddie Wineland.

Jorgensen lost that fight and is now just 2-2 in the UFC. He faces an absolute must-win fight situation the next time he walks into the Octagon.

6. Eddie Wineland

Promotion: UFC

Record: 19-8

Most Recent Fight: Scott Jorgensen (won via KO)

Next Fight: TBD

Previous Ranking: 10

Eddie Wineland jumps four spots this month after his knockout win against Scott Jorgensen.

Wineland needed the win against Jorgensen in the worst way. He was coming off of back-to-back losses to Urijah Faber and Joseph Benavidez.

At 28 years of age, Wineland is in his prime. If he is going to make a run towards the bantamweight title, the time is now.

5. Brian Bowles

Promotion: UFC

Record: 10-2

Most Recent Fight: Urijah Faber (lost via submission)

Next Fight: TBD

Previous Ranking: 5

Although Brian Bowles hasn't fought since his loss to Urijah Faber in November, he maintains his hold on the No. 5 spot in this month's rankings.

The main reason Bowles stays in the top five is because the only two losses on his record have been to Faber and Dominick Cruz.

The next fight for Bowles has not been announced, but one can expect him to fight sometime in the fall.

4. Michael McDonald

Promotion: UFC

Record: 15-1

Most Recent Fight: Miguel Torres (won via KO)

Next Fight: TBD

Previous Ranking: 4

Aside from Renan Barao, there may not be another fighter in the bantamweight division with a greater surge in popularity than Michael McDonald.

McDonald has not lost a fight since 2009 and is coming off of a knockout win against Miguel Torres.

McDonald should be considered next in line to fight the winner of Barao and Urijah Faber, should Dominick Cruz remain unable to fight.

3. Renan Barao

Promotion: UFC

Record: 28-1 (1 NC)

Most Recent Fight: Scott Jorgensen (won via decision)

Next Fight: Urijah Faber (7/21/2012, UFC 149)

Previous Ranking: 3

Nobody is hotter in the bantamweight division right now than Renan Barao. His popularity surged once it was announced he would be fighting Urijah Faber for the interim title.

Barao is on a 28-fight win streak and will leap closer to No. 1 in the rankings with a convincing win over Faber at UFC 149.

2. Urijah Faber

Promotion: UFC

Record: 26-5

Most Recent Fight: Brian Bowles (won via submission)

Next Fight: Renan Barao (7/21/2012, UFC 149)

Previous Ranking: 2

The California Kid is one loss away from dropping a few spots in these rankings. On the flip side, he is one win away from solidifying his spot as No. 1.

The most important fight in Urijah Faber's career will take place on July 21 against Renan Barao. Most are anticipating Barao to walk through Faber.

Faber is 5-4 over his last nine fights.

1. Dominick Cruz

Promotion: UFC

Record: 19-1

Most Recent Fight: Demetrious Johnson (won via decision)

Next Fight: TBD

Previous Ranking: 1

Dominick Cruz has only one loss on his record, and it happened way back in 2007 at a WEC event against Urijah Faber.

It's hard to argue with him being ranked No. 1, considering he has wins against Demetrious Johnson, Faber, Scott Jorgensen, Joseph Benavidez and Brian Bowles in the last two years alone.

Cruz is rehabbing his torn ACL and hopes to be back in the Octagon sometime in 2013.