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The life of a UFC fighter is tumultuous at best. Injuries, visa issues, and a host of other problems often limit an MMA athlete's progression. They can occasionally result in a fighter who is potentially less skilled than his peers rising to the top of the division.
This is not to say that there are any underserving champions in the UFC right now. However, some fighters could, at the very least, argue to be the better fighter than their respective divisional champions.
In the following list, we break down five such fighters who are arguably better than their division's titleholder. Robert Whittaker could potentially be a pick, but considering how efficiently Israel Adesanya defeated him in their first fight, he will not be a part of this list.
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#5. Askar Askarov vs. Brandon Moreno - UFC flyweight
The number five pick is UFC flyweight Askar Askarov. This is certainly a close one to call, especially considering that Askarov and the current flyweight champion Brandon Moreno have previously fought each other to a draw.
However, while Moreno looked nothing short of incredible in his most recent fight with Deiveson Figueiredo, his other bouts of late have been a little less impressive. The first fight with Figueiredo was a close-run affair that Moreno would have lost were it not for his opponent having a point taken away for a groin strike.
Before that, Moreno fought Brandon Royval. He did look impressive in this fight, but Royval's dislocated shoulder ultimately ended the fight.
Comparatively, Askar Askarov has put on three consecutive performances against Tim Elliot, Alexandre Pantoja, and Joe Benavidez since their first fight. He dominated all three bouts and showed a wide range of skills in every facet of the game.
This is not to say that Askarov is the superior fighter to Moreno, but there is certainly a case to be made in his favor. This case becomes more impressive when you consider that Alexandre Pantoja has beat Brandon Moreno twice in the past.
#4. Ciryl Gane vs. Francis Ngannou - UFC heavyweight
Coming up in fourth is another contentious pick as we go with UFC heavyweight Ciryl Gane. Admittedly, Gane is the current UFC interim heavyweight champion, but the man who holds the heavyweight belt is Gane's former training partner, Francis Ngannou.
Ngannou and Gane are scheduled to fight in the near future, so this is not a debate that will last particularly. But to Gane's credit, he is genuinely a revolutionary heavyweight fighter, the likes of which have not been seen before inside the UFC.
His victories over Derrick Lewis, Jairzinho Rozenstruik, and Alexander Volkov showed off Gane's elusive striking style that makes him stand out from the pack. He also has exceptional cardio, another trait that is a rare commodity at heavyweight.
Francis Ngannou's power is unparalleled, but it is hard to argue against Gane having the superior technique. When the two men face off in the UFC octagon, fans will find out which trait makes the superior fighter.
#3. Max Holloway vs. Alexander Volkanovski - UFC featherweight
Max Holloway has already fought current UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski twice and came out on the losing side twice. However, there was a tremendous amount of debate surrounding the result of the second fight.
Holloway showed significant improvements in the second fight and even came close to finishing Volkanovski early on. Since then, 'Blessed' put on one of the performances of the year against Calvin Kattar. Volkanovski's stock has also been rising after putting on a fight of the year contender bout against Brian Ortega at UFC 266.
However, many still believe that Max Holloway is the uncrowned champion in the UFC's featherweight division. He is currently set to face off against Yair Rodriguez in November, and should he win as is expected, there will likely be a trilogy bout between him and Volkanovski.
#2. Dustin Poirier vs. Charles Oliveira - UFC lightweight
It's a well-known fact that Dustin Poirier could have fought for the UFC lightweight title after Khabib Nurmagomedov vacated the belt. However, Poirier decided to take a trilogy bout against Conor McGregor instead.
With Poirier no longer an option, the UFC booked a fight for the vacant title between Charles Oliveira and Michael Chandler. After an exhilarating round-and-a-half, Oliveira staged an incredible comeback and knocked Chandler out, claiming the belt in the process.
Poirier went on to win his trilogy fight with McGregor, and shortly after, it was announced that he would face off against Oliveira next. The two men are set to compete at UFC 269, the last pay-per-view of the year.
Poirier is already a betting favorite and will be going into this fight with something to prove. 'The Diamond' has repeatedly stated that he first put on gloves to become a world champion, so he will chase the belt with everything he's got.
#1. Petr Yan vs. Aljamain Sterling - UFC bantamweight
Unsurprisingly, the number one pick is Petr Yan. Prior to UFC 259, Yan was the champion of the UFC's 135lb division. However, at UFC 259, 'No Mercy' took on 'Funk Master' Aljamain Sterling.
The fight started relatively competitively. However, as it went on, Yan began to clearly come out ahead. The fight appeared to be near its end, with Sterling fatigued and outmatched. Yan then made the bizarre decision to illegally knee a grounded Sterling in the head, promptly leading to his disqualification.
Sterling was crowned champion even though he essentially lost the fight. The two men were meant to run it back at UFC 267, but Sterling has since dropped out due to medical reasons.
The Russian will instead fight Cory Sandhagen for an interim title. Should he be victorious, a rematch with Sterling is inevitable. That said, many consider Petr Yan to be the rightful champion of the bantamweight division.
