Dennis Bermudez and 16 UFC Fighters Who Made Themselves Contenders in 2014
At UFC 180, Dennis Bermudez will look to take another step closer to a title shot in the featherweight class.
With seven straight wins, Bermudez is among the best at 145 pounds. Since there is a plethora of hot contenders right now, he may still be more than one win away from earning a title shot. However, beating former title challenger Ricardo Lamas would be a big victory.
Bermudez brought five straight wins into 2014, but it wasn't until July that he really proved he was a serious featherweight contender. A submission win over Clay Guida ultimately allowed Bermudez to break through.
Many UFC fighters became title contenders in 2014. Here are the individuals who took that leap to the next level.
Andrei Arlovski
1 of 16
Following four straight losses, including three nasty knockouts, Andrei Arlovski looked to be at the end of his MMA career.
Since then, he has posted an 8-1 record, only losing to Anthony Johnson. At 35 years old, eight years removed from his UFC heavyweight title reign, Arlovski is back in championship contention. Not many would consider him a real threat to dethrone Cain Velasquez, but Arlovski has completed one of the more impressive career turnarounds in recent memory.
The former UFC champion returned to the Octagon in June, when he edged Brendan Schaub in a lackluster showing. Despite the forgettable performance, Arlovski was then matched up with recent title challenger Antonio Silva, whom he knocked out in less than three minutes.
Beating Silva has boosted Arlovski to No. 7 in the heavyweight division. He doesn't have his next bout booked, but he should have a big matchup coming his way.
Ali Bagautinov
2 of 16
Heading into 2014, Ali Bagautinov was one of the strongest prospects in the 125-pound division. However, he was still missing the signature win that would make him a serious contender.
In February, Bagautinov met John Lineker. Beating the dangerous Brazilian on the scorecards, Bagautinov improved his stock significantly and earned a title shot. A victory over Lineker was what Bagautinov needed to enter the upper echelon, where he should remain for years.
Bagautinov went on to lose against Demetrious Johnson, but very few have given the champion trouble in the flyweight division.
T.J. Dillashaw
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T.J. Dillashaw went a step farther than everybody else on this list, as he captured the UFC Bantamweight Championship in May.
Finishing 2013 with a loss to Raphael Assuncao, Dillashaw didn't look like a fighter who was ready to win UFC gold. However, he rebounded with a victory over Mike Easton before being surprisingly booked to challenge Renan Barao.
A huge underdog, Dillashaw shocked the world with a flawless performance against Barao. Dominant in the first four rounds, he eventually dethroned the Brazilian with a knockout in the fifth stanza. In August, Dillashaw picked up his first title defense in a bout with Joe Soto.
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C.B. Dollaway
4 of 16
In 2011, C.B. Dollaway suffered back-to-back knockout losses against Mark Munoz and Jared Hamman. At that time, he was much closer to being cut than becoming a title contender.
The Doberman has turned things around in a hurry, though.
Now 4-1 in his past five appearances, only losing in a controversial decision against Tim Boetsch, Dollaway is in the best position that he's ever been. In May, he beat Francis Carmont, which earned him a shot at former UFC champion Lyoto Machida.
Johnny Eduardo
5 of 16
Despite not competing once in 2013, Johnny Eduardo returned with a big fight against Eddie Wineland in May.
The matchup looked to be a tune-up for Wineland, but Eduardo had other plans. Before the opening round came to an end, Eduardo stunned Wineland with punches.
At 36 years old, Eduardo might not have a big window to make a run at the bantamweight championship. However, he's positioned to make some noise right now. He has the ability to cause problems against anybody who will stand against him.
Jussier Formiga
6 of 16
Jussier Formiga was a big signing when he joined the UFC roster, but he hit some speed bumps early on.
The Brazilian finished up 2013 with a loss to Joseph Benavidez, which left him outside the title-shot hunt. However, Formiga has responded well, besting Scott Jorgensen and Zach Makovsky in his past two appearances.
With wins over two solid opponents, Formiga has finally hit his stride in the UFC flyweight division. A win over John Moraga in December could conceivably earn him a shot at Mighty Mouse and the 125-pound championship.
Kelvin Gastelum
7 of 16
It hasn't taken 23-year-old Kelvin Gastelum long to reach his potential in the welterweight class.
Since The Ultimate Fighter 17 winner shocked Uriah Hall in April 2013, little he's done has been surprising. Gastelum has the talent to become a factor in the 170-pound division for years, and it showed in a March win over Rick Story that took him to the next level.
Along with the aforementioned Bermudez, Gastelum will look to take another step forward on Saturday. Jake Ellenberger will be a tough test, but the matchup provides Gastelum with an opportunity to make a big move in the welterweight rankings.
Anthony Johnson
8 of 16
Johnson's initial UFC run came to an abrupt end due to repeated weigh-in issues. In April, Rumble returned to the Octagon and capitalized on the opportunity.
At UFC 172, he dominated Phil Davis to prove he's among the best in the light heavyweight division. Then, the former welterweight met Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and stopped the Brazilian with strikes in only 44 seconds.
With some recent legal troubles now behind him, Johnson can focus on earning a shot at the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship. He may have to wait in line a bit, but Rumble has some important bouts heading in his direction.
Myles Jury
9 of 16
Myles Jury came into 2014 with a 13-0 record, but he's really stepped it up over the past several months.
In March, he picked apart former UFC title challenger Diego Sanchez en route to a decision victory. Following that up with a first-round stoppage against Takanori Gomi, Jury has become a legitimate contender and should remain so for a long time, as he's only 26 years old.
Donald Cerrone is up next for Jury in January 2015. If Jury can beat Cowboy convincingly, he'll have a case to make for being awarded a shot at UFC gold.
Thales Leites
10 of 16
Removed from the UFC roster in 2009, Thales Leites won six out of his next seven to earn a return to the Octagon in August 2013.
After earning job security with wins over Tom Watson and Ed Herman in 2013, Leites made huge strides in 2014. The Brazilian unveiled much-improved striking in knockouts of Trevor Smith and Francis Carmont, which elevated him to contender status.
In January 2015, he will meet Tim Boetsch. The winnable matchup could push Leites even closer to his second shot at the UFC Middleweight Championship.
Conor McGregor
11 of 16
In 2013, UFC newcomer Conor McGregor made his presence known inside and outside the Octagon.
One of the brightest prospects in the 145-pound division heading into 2014, he kept the hype train rolling. Knockout victories over Diego Brandao and Dustin Poirier have made the Irishman a legitimate threat to Jose Aldo and the featherweight championship.
Due to a logjam at the top of the 145-pound class, McGregor will take a small step backward and meet Dennis Siver in January 2015. As long as he wins, though, he shouldn't be far from getting a shot at UFC gold.
Jordan Mein
12 of 16
In his last bout during 2013, Jordan Mein suffered a setback against Matt Brown.
The Canadian has righted the ship quickly, though. In April, Mein picked up a rebound win over Hernani Perpetuo. In his next fight, he stopped Mike Pyle with strikes four months later.
Beating Pyle so decisively earned Mein a well-deserved spot in the Top 15 welterweight rankings and a contender tag. In January 2015, he will look to cement that status by beating former title challenger Thiago Alves.
Khabib Nurmagomedov
13 of 16
With wins over Abel Trujillo and Pat Healy, Khabib Nurmagomedov was arguably a lightweight contender before 2013 came to an end.
However, he eliminated any doubt when he met Rafael dos Anjos in April. The Russian dominated Dos Anjos over three rounds to become one of the top contenders in the 155-pound class.
Nurmagomedov hasn't competed again due to injuries, but he's likely to return to action with a big matchup. It's possible his next appearance will be in a title-shot eliminator.
Yoel Romero
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Strikeforce veteran Yoel Romero made his UFC debut in 2013 and made his presence in the middleweight division known immediately.
At 37 years old, he has made several more strides during 2014. Soldier of God knocked out Derek Brunson in January, bested Brad Tavares in April and stopped Tim Kennedy in September.
Now 5-0 inside the Octagon, Romero is a full-fledged contender in the 185-pound class. His next bout hasn't been booked, but he could be one win away from earning a shot at the UFC middleweight belt.
Ben Rothwell
15 of 16
Ben Rothwell has been a noteworthy heavyweight since joining the UFC roster, but he's had trouble gaining momentum.
In September, he met Alistair Overeem in a matchup that didn't appear to favor him. Nonetheless, Rothwell picked up his biggest UFC win to date, stopping Overeem with strikes less than three minutes into the opening round.
While it took Rothwell seven bouts to make some serious noise inside the Octagon, he's now legitimately within striking distance of the heavyweight title. Another big win or two could earn Rothwell a rematch with Velasquez.
Ovince Saint Preux
16 of 16
In the last three months alone, Ovince Saint Preux has had multiple chances to enter light heavyweight title contention.
The Strikeforce veteran failed to capitalize in an August matchup with Ryan Bader, who exploited his defensive wrestling. Just recently, Saint Preux bounced back in a big way, stopping former champion Mauricio Rua with strikes to elevate his status at 205 pounds.
At 31 years old, Saint Preux is in his prime right now. OSP needs to capitalize on the momentum he has gained from beating Shogun. This will be his best chance to make a run at the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship.
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