Sherdog’s Top 10: Greatest Bantamweights

1. Dominick Cruz

Yet another easy, unanimous choice for the top spot. Dominick Cruz's ability is not as easily quantifiable as amazing punching power, fast hands or Olympic-caliber wrestling. He was an excellent wrestler and very good striker, but his superlative qualities lay elsewhere. Cruz has the best footwork and movement in MMA history, positively pioneering optimal technique in that area, as well as being one of the first fighters to switch stances effectively. Moreover, he is perhaps the most brilliant martial artist in the sport's history, not only in terms of executing gameplans and making smart decisions during a fight, but with his preparation and the development of his skills. Lastly, Cruz has some of the greatest cardio the sport has ever seen, a necessity for his energy-intensive style. From the time Urijah Faber submitted him by guillotine in a bout for the WEC featherweight championship in 2007 until his loss to Cody Garbrandt two days before the start of 2017, no one could solve the riddle of how to beat Cruz. That was a period in which he went a perfect 13-0 at bantamweight, including a mind-numbing 7-0 in matches for the WEC or UFC championship. This despite his well-chronicled injuries which threatened to cut his career short.

While those injuries may have prevented Cruz from being considered the greatest fighter of all time at any weight, they certainly didn't hold him back from being the greatest 135 pounder ever. In that insane, nearly decade-long run, Cruz defeated one top opponent after another; Ian McCall, Joseph Benavidez (then undefeated), knocking out Brian Bowles (then undefeated) for the WEC crown, beating Benavidez again in a rematch, Scott Jorgenson, Urijah Faber twice, easily dominating possibly the greatest fighter ever in Demetrious Johnson, knocking out Takeya Mizugaki, then his sensational victory against reigning champion TJ Dillashaw. Finally, Cruz was solved by Cody Garbrandt, a man with a style seemingly tailor-made to beat him, having perfect takedown defense and perhaps the best boxing in MMA history, including lightning-fast hands, power in both fists and fine footwork of his own. After further injuries, Cruz wouldn't fight again until more than three years later, returning against Henry Cejudo as a man clearly well past his prime, and being knocked out for the first time in his career. Yet, Cruz showed that even if he was physically a shadow of his former self, his heart and will was still there, recording nice wins over quality contenders Casey Kenney and Pedro Munhoz. His recent knockout loss to Marlon Vera indicates that at 37, his career might finally be over, but before that, he left no doubt that he was the greatest bantamweight champion MMA has ever seen, and one that will be very hard for any future fighter to match.