Potential Dark Horse Title-Eliminators for Every UFC Weight Class

Heading into the last third of 2013 there are still plenty of blockbuster fights on tap, including six scheduled UFC title bouts. A glimpse into each division, however, reveals only a few true No. 1 contenders.

UFC champions are becoming more consistent and adept these days and titles aren't changing hands with regularity as they have in previous years. For this reason divisions are being cleaned out more easily.

Perhaps the only two weight classes with true No. 1 contenders are the lightweight and bantamweight divisions.

T.J. Grant, whose injury forced him out of his lightweight title matchup with Ben Henderson, will likely still be next in line upon his return. Dominick Cruz has not fought since October of 2011 because of a knee injury but will likely get his shot at interim bantamweight champion Renan Barao when he returns. 

There are clearly worthy contenders in every division but not many fighters are separating themselves from the pack. Not to mention contenders that won't fight their champion teammates. 

With all that said, here are some dark horse title-elimination fights that could produce No. 1 contenders in each division. 

Women's Bantamweight: Sarah Kaufman vs. Sara McMann

The next season of the Ultimate Fighter is on tap and documenting every second of the growing feud between women's champion Ronda Rousey and Miesha Tate. The two will meet in a much anticipated rematch on December 28. 

Cat Zingano, who is ranked No. 3 on the women's pound-for-pound list, is currently sidelined with a knee injury which put Tate into the TUF coaching position and the next title fight.

With no word yet on how soon Zingano will return, the division needs a new No. 1 contender after the much anticipated title bout. The winner of the already scheduled Sarah Kaufman and Sara McMann tilt could fit the bill.

The two will meet on the same card as Rousey and Tate, and both have styles that could give Rousey or Tate troubles if they were to meet.

Kaufman is a dangerous striker who can end a fight with one punch, although she has already suffered the infamous armbar defeat to Rousey before. McMann is a former Olympic wrestler who appears to be the only grappler capable of handling Rousey's judo.

If Zingano can't return anytime soon, look for the winner of Kaufman vs. McMann to step in and fill the No. 1  contender role. 

Flyweight: Joseph Benavidez vs. Jussier Da Silva

The only reason this bout earns dark horse honors is because Joseph Benavidez is just two fights removed from a shot at flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson. He lost by unanimous decision.

Benavidez is 18-3 in his career and will be carrying his two-fight win streak into a September 4 bout with No. 5 ranked Jussier "Formiga" da Silva. 

Formiga is truly a submission fighter who holds seven submission victories in his 17-fight MMA career. Benavidez has proven to be a brilliant all-around fighter, holding five knockout victories and eight submissions in his career.

A win for Formiga would definitely earn him the next shot at the belt given the status of Benavidez, but a victory for Benavidez likely earns him another crack at Johnson. 

Benavidez appears to have a better shot at taking Johnson's crown, but either way this fight will decide who really deserves the next chance to dethrone the champ. 

Bantamweight: Urijah Faber/Yuri Alcantara vs. Raphael Assuncao

If Dominick Cruz returns at the end of this year as he plans, then he will get the next shot to unify the bantamweight title. But if he doesn't, Renan Barao needs a new challenge.

Urijah Faber is two fights removed from dropping a unanimous decision to Barao in an interim title match, but with a victory over Yuri Alcantara in August he would garner attention for another shot. If Alcantara were to emerge victorious, he would be dangerously close to a nod.

A guy who hasn't gotten a chance to earn a shot in this division, however, is Raphael Assuncao. Assuncao is 20-4 in his career with a 4-0 record since dropping a fight to Eric Koch in the Octagon. 

We all know what Faber can do, and it is expected he will win his next matchup. Assuncao is a fighter who could certainly challenge him for the next shot at Barao.

With 10 submission and three knockout wins, Assuncao deserves a shot at a title contender in the bantamweight division. The UFC should let him earn his stripes with the winner of Faber and Alcantara. 

Featherweight: Cub Swanson vs. Ricardo Lamas

This fight seems obvious to me, and should to all UFC fans. Frankie Edgar is clearly the best in the division outside of Jose Aldo but has only fought one bout after losing to Aldo by unanimous decision. 

Cub Swanson vs. Ricardo Lamas is the fight that should be made to decide the No. 1 contender for the featherweight division. 

Swanson is coming off of a spectacular knockout of Dennis Siver and Lamas is looking for another bout after his own impressive knockout of Erik Koch. 

The bout would be a rematch between the two fighters, as Swanson's only loss in the Octagon came at the hands of Lamas in November of 2011 via submission. Both are undefeated since then and are paving the road back to another collision with big implications.

Swanson is a striker first but has improved his game in all facets, and is currently ranked No. 6 in the division. Lamas is 13-2 in his career, holding four knockouts and three submission victories which have helped place him at No. 5 in the weight class just ahead of Swanson.

Cub Swanson has the experience with 25 fights to 15 for Lamas, but the rematch would feature two guys evenly matched and equally deserving of a shot at the title. 

Lightweight: TJ Grant

Perhaps the deepest division in the UFC, the lightweight weight class seems to have a plethora of options for No. 1 contender fights.

Ben Henderson will meet Anthony Pettis in a huge rematch come August 21. A look at the Top 10 of the division sees names like Gilbert Melendez, Donald Cerrone and Josh Thompson, who are all close to earning shots at the belt.

If it wasn't for a late injury to TJ Grant however, he would be fighting Henderson at the end of this month. Recovery isn't going to be long, so when the dust settles at UFC 164 he will be next in line.

At 21-5, and 5-0 since dropping to lightweight, TJ Grant is the No. 1 contender in this division. 

Welterweight: Rory MacDonald vs. Demian Maia

Rory MacDonald appeared to be next in line for the welterweight crown if he could get past Jake Ellenberger at UFC on Fox 8. His lackluster decision victory, however, drew the disdain of Dana White, and his refusal to fight Georges St-Pierre if he beats Johny Hendricks has left the division in limbo.

The tilt between Carlos Condit and Martin Kampmann could potentially give the UFC a No. 1 contender, but with Condit being 0-2 in his last two fights, a win would likely just prove he is still a great fighter. 

The UFC has to do something however, especially if GSP can top Hendricks in November, and a dark horse matchup seems the only solution. Rory MacDonald vs. Demian Maia may fit the bill.

Maia is currently tied with MacDonald at No. 4 in the division and is 3-0 since dropping to welterweight. He is possibly the best grappler in the entire UFC, and a matchup with MacDonald could produce an interesting style clash.

MacDonald is solid all-around but loves to use his striking exclusively to set up grappling opportunities. This wouldn't be so easy against Maia who can make anyone look stupid in those situations.

If MacDonald won't fight GSP then the UFC needs to keep giving worthy fighters the chance to take his status as the No. 1 contender. Maia fits the bill, and deserves this chance. 

Middleweight: Michael Bisping vs. Mark Munoz

At this point all anyone cares about when it comes to the middleweight division is the rematch between Anderson Silva and Chris Weidman. But when that's over, a new No. 1 contender will be needed. 

Based on rankings, Vitor Belfort appears to be the next in line, but his recent refusal to take any middleweight fights unless it is for the belt probably won't sit well with the UFC. He might deserve the next shot, but if he won't fight unless he gets that shot, he really doesn't deserve it.

A fight between No. 4 ranked Michael Bisping and No. 8 Mark Munoz is set for October 28 and should be the next title-eliminator for the middleweight division.

Bisping dropped a knockout loss to Belfort back in January, which sent him back to the drawing board to earn his way back up the ladder in the division. Munoz lost to now champion Chris Weidman by knockout last July. 

Both, however, are coming off of impressive decision wins which proved they are still elite in the weight class. A classic striker vs. wrestler matchup, a fight between these two would reveal a worthy opponent to the title.

These men are willing to continue fighting to earn a shot and, with an impressive win, either one of them deserves to be No. 1 contender. 

Light Heavyweight: Glover Teixeira/Ryan Bader vs. Phil Davis

It was hoped that the winner of last night's Phil Davis vs. Lyoto Machida fight would be considered the new No. 1 contender in the light heavyweight division. But after a slow fight, and a very questionable decision that awarded Davis the victory, the No. 1 contender slot is still vacant.

With Daniel Cormier attempting to make the cut to fight for the title, an impressive showing in his last heavyweight bout with Roy Nelson could be all he needs to get that shot. I'm on record as saying he needs another fight before being handed the title shot, but he may be the only clear challenger.

Glover Teixiera and Ryan Bader will meet on September 4, and the winner of that matchup should earn a spot at a title-elimination fight.

Teixeira is ranked No. 6 in the division and is currently riding a 20-fight win streak. Bader is No. 9 in the division and is trying to fight his way back up the light heavyweight ladder.

If Cormier can make the cut after the Nelson fight, I say give him the shot. If not however, a bout between Phil Davis and the winner of Teixiera vs. Bader seems to be the only option in deciding the true No. 1 contender. 

Heavyweight: Fabricio Werdum

This is the toughest division to name a No. 1 contender, especially with the departure of No. 4 ranked Daniel Cormier on the horizon. 

Fabricio Werdum is the No. 3 fighter in the division, but with the heavyweight title matchup being in October, he would likely need one more fight before being awarded the next shot at the belt.

The only problem is deciding who deserves a shot at him.

Alistair Overeem vs. Travis Browne could produce a potential No. 1 contender, but after Overeem's knockout loss to Big Foot in his last bout, you would have to think even a win here won't catapult him that far.

If Browne were to defeat Overeem on the other hand, he would definitely deserve a title-eliminator with Werdum. Browne is 14-1-1 in his MMA career, with his only loss coming after injuring his knee early in the first round against Big Foot Silva, and a win over Overeem puts him in the upper echelon of heavyweights.

If Browne wins in August, which I don't believe he does, Werdum vs. Browne is the obvious choice. But since I don't see that happening, I think Fabricio Werdum needs to wait out the October bout between Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos and fight the winner for the belt.