MMA Contenders and Pretenders Who Will Be Revealed in June

The month of May has come and gone, and now it is time for the UFC to put on two more events in the month of June.

UFC on Fuel TV 10 kicks things off next weekend with a heavyweight rematch between Minotauro Nogueira and Fabricio Werdum. The top 10 ranked heavyweights will try to state their case to be thrown in to title contention.

One week later the UFC hits Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada for UFC 161. The interim bantamweight championship was scheduled to be defended, but an injury to Renan Barao postponed that fight. Now, Rashad Evans and Dan Henderson will throw down with Jon Jones in their sights.

There is plenty of other action scheduled, and these are the contenders and pretenders who will show themselves as summer heats up.

Pretender: Derek Brunson

Derek Brunson made his UFC debut at UFC 155 with a unanimous-decision victory over Chris Leben. It wasn't the most exciting of performances, but it got the job done.

Brunson is an interesting prospect to watch for in the middleweight division.

Brunson is one of the better athletes at 185 pounds and has great upside as he continues to hone his skills. However, at this time, Ronny Markes will show that Brunson is a pretender.

Markes will give Brunson a serious test, and the matchup could go either way. What it will highlight are Brunson's shortcomings. He is still a far ways off of jumping too far up the middleweight ladder. He won't be a contender in the near future.

Contender: Raphael Assunção

Raphael Assuncao is 3-0 since dropping to bantamweight. He has looked increasingly better in each of his outings.

He was last seen in the Octagon at UFC on Fox in December. He defeated Mike Easton by unanimous decision.

He is currently ranked No. 6 in the division via the official UFC rankings.

Vaughan Lee offers a unique look for Assuncao, but it should be a dominant performance for the Brazilian. His effort next Saturday will show why he could soon see a title shot in the division. Assuncao isn't far off.

Contenders: Erick Silva and Jason High

Erick Silva returns to the cage to welcome Jason High back to the UFC. Both fighters are currently outside of the top 10, but both are among the best the division has to offer. The winner could find himself ranked sooner rather than later.

Silva was on the rise through the ranks until longtime contender Jon Fitch derailed him. Silva was competitive in that fight, but was ultimately just another victim of Fitch. This is a chance to show what he learned from that experience.

High is on a seven-fight win streak since losing his UFC debut in 2010. His wrestling poses a significant threat to Silva. A win against Silva would be massive for the Strikeforce vet.

This fight is a toss-up. Whoever imposes their game will win. If it turns in to a competitive dogfight, it will show that both are contenders in the very deep welterweight division.

Pretenders: Thiago Silva and Rafael Feijao

Thiago Silva and Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante will square off next Saturday in a clash of light heavyweights.

Cavalcante is a noted training partner of Anderson Silva and a former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion.

Silva has not had an official win since 2009. His two wins since then have been overturned to no contests due to positive post-fight tests. He remains one of the better light heavyweights, but the fight against Feijao will show neither are near the top of the division.

Light heavyweight isn't as stacked as it once was, but the top of the division is still beyond these two fighters. They have the skills to upset those fighters, but they don't have the consistency required to keep it going.

This fight will show how far they are back of the field.

Contender: Fabricio Werdum

Fabricio Werdum is currently ranked No. 3 in the heavyweight division, and a win over Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira should earn him a title shot.

Minotauro is aging. He has continued to win due to his technical abilities, but it is obvious he is not able to compete against the elite of the division anymore. Werdum is elite.

These two met in 2006 in a competitive battle. Minotauro got the decision nod, but the green Werdum held his own against the division's best at the time.

Werdum has added quality striking to his game, and that will be the difference. Look for Werdum to impress in the main event and lay claim to the next title shot in the heavyweight division.

Contender: Tyron Woodley

Tyron Woodley made a very successful debut in the UFC with a first-round knockout over Jay Hieron. He will meet Jake Shields at UFC 161.

Shields has been one of the better fighters over the past few years, and his return to the middleweight division will be met with a significant challenge.

Woodley is just a bad matchup for Shields. He has great wrestling and brutal power. He will stop Shields.

In stopping Shields, Woodley will show the world he is ready for the next step in his career. Taking out one of the toughest fighters will impress everyone including the voters. A win should elevate him in to the top 10 of the division.

Contender: Alexis Davis

Alexis Davis is ranked No. 6 in the official rankings by the UFC, but in the MMARising rankings—long considered the best women's MMA rankings—she is ranked No. 4.

Davis showed heart, grit and determination in a 2012 loss to Sarah Kaufman. Since then she has won two straight via submission. She took out submission ace Hitomi Akano, and Josh Barnett product Shayna Baszler.

Her stand-up has looked better in each outing, but she still utilizes her incredible submission skills to put away foes.

She will stop Rosi Sexton at UFC 161. Sexton is a flyweight coming up in weight for a shot in the UFC. Sexton is a hard-hitter, but she is no match for Davis. The highly touted Davis will make a statement that she should be getting a contender's fight next.

Pretender: Stipe Miocic

Stipe Miocic was last seen in the Octagon back in September. He lost by TKO to Stefan Struve.

Miocic was one of the division's best prospects, and he will have learned from his loss to Struve. The problem is that he runs in to Roy Nelson at UFC 161. He is outgunned.

The Ohio native is a fine fighter and a good heavyweight prospect, but he is not a contender in the division. He is a quality athlete who works incredibly hard and will be a solid fighter in the UFC for years to come. That's it.

Nelson should have no problem in this fight, and Miocic should begin to get lower-level fights afterward.

Pretenders: Shogun and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira

A few years ago, a rematch between Mauricio "Shogun" Rua and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira would have been highly anticipated. It has lost a lot of luster in recent months and years.

The injuries and wars have taken their toll on Shogun, and Nogueira's most recent performance did not endear him to anyone.

Their first meeting was a classic, and if you have not seen it you should. This isn't likely to follow suit.

Both fighters will show their wear and tear at UFC 161, and that will make them look like anything but challengers to the division crown. It will be a fun fight to watch, but nothing more. If anything, the fight between the No. 5 and No. 7 ranked fighters will highlight how shallow the division has become.

Contender: Rashad Evans

Rashad Evans has lost two straight, but he will show his contender status is still quite high at UFC 161.

Evans was the first man to take Jon Jones all five rounds, and even though it was a lopsided decision he will have taken away a lot from that fight. In his most recent outing, he dropped a lackluster decision to Antonio Rogerio Nogueira.

But make no mistake—Evans is still a dynamic light heavyweight who is still in the mix. His matchup with Dan Henderson will show that.

Evans has big power, and his transition from striking to wrestling are some of the best in MMA. Henderson's wrestling pedigree has not translated perfectly to MMA. He has been taken down plenty, and Evans will likely exploit that at UFC 161 for a win.