Showing posts with label Rankings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rankings. Show all posts
Sunday, December 21, 2014
UFC rankings - Matt Parrino and Forrest Griffin talk about the new strawweight division
The Rankings Report is a weekly UFC.com series that gives you, the fans, an in-depth look into the official UFC rankings. This week Matt Parrino and Forrest Griffin talk about the new strawweight division and much more.
Sunday, May 11, 2014
Here are the UFC's top 10 welterweight contenders
White: Brown one fight from title shot
Matt Brown won his 7th fight in a row on Saturday night, tying for second place in the UFC all-time streak record, behind only Anderson Silva's 11. Brown did so in an extraordinary fight of the year candidate.
In any other division he would be getting a title shot next. But the level of depth at welterweight is the deeper than any other division.
Brown was explicit at the post fight press conference about what he wanted.
"I am not calling it a title shot, I am calling it a title fight because I am not going to take a shot at it. I'm going to take the title when I go fight for it," said Brown.
The case against Brown is a simple one - he has no wins vs. top 10 fighters. However, looking at the fighters ranked above him, a solid case emerges for a title fight as soon as champion Robbie Lawler recovers from surgery.
1. Robbie Lawler - Had a title shot in March
2. Rory MacDonald - On a one-fight win streak
3. Tyron Woodley - 3-2 last five fights
4. Carlos Condit - Injured
5. Jake Ellenberger - 2-2 last four fights
6. Hector Lombard - Only has two fights in the division
7. Matt Brown
Never the less, UFC president Dana White firmly applied the brakes to title talk, noting that the back injury Brown sustained before a planned fight with Carlos Condit at UFC on FOX 9 in December is what delayed the process.
“I said, ‘You sound like the media. Calm down. Let me go home, and we’ll figure it out,'" related White. "Matt Brown should have already been in that position. He hurt his back with that Condit fight. That was the fight that was going to get him where he wanted to be. But this fight definitely puts him in a spot where we’ll give him one of those top contenders.”
Here are the UFC's top 10 welterweight contenders:
1. Robbie Lawler
2. Rory MacDonald
3. Tyron Woodley
4. Carlos Condit
5. Jake Ellenberger
6. Hector Lombard
7. Matt Brown
8. Demian Maia
9. Dong Hyun Kim
10. Tarec Saffiedine
Several already have fights lined up:
Robbie Lawler vs. Jake Ellenberger at UFC 173: Barao vs Dillashaw on 05/24.
Rory MacDonald vs. Tyron Woodley at UFC 174: Bagautinov vs. Johnson on 06/14/2014
Hendricks was cleared earlier this week for light MMA training, and anticipates a fight in late 2014.
Matt Brown won his 7th fight in a row on Saturday night, tying for second place in the UFC all-time streak record, behind only Anderson Silva's 11. Brown did so in an extraordinary fight of the year candidate.
In any other division he would be getting a title shot next. But the level of depth at welterweight is the deeper than any other division.
Brown was explicit at the post fight press conference about what he wanted.
"I am not calling it a title shot, I am calling it a title fight because I am not going to take a shot at it. I'm going to take the title when I go fight for it," said Brown.
The case against Brown is a simple one - he has no wins vs. top 10 fighters. However, looking at the fighters ranked above him, a solid case emerges for a title fight as soon as champion Robbie Lawler recovers from surgery.
1. Robbie Lawler - Had a title shot in March
2. Rory MacDonald - On a one-fight win streak
3. Tyron Woodley - 3-2 last five fights
4. Carlos Condit - Injured
5. Jake Ellenberger - 2-2 last four fights
6. Hector Lombard - Only has two fights in the division
7. Matt Brown
Never the less, UFC president Dana White firmly applied the brakes to title talk, noting that the back injury Brown sustained before a planned fight with Carlos Condit at UFC on FOX 9 in December is what delayed the process.
“I said, ‘You sound like the media. Calm down. Let me go home, and we’ll figure it out,'" related White. "Matt Brown should have already been in that position. He hurt his back with that Condit fight. That was the fight that was going to get him where he wanted to be. But this fight definitely puts him in a spot where we’ll give him one of those top contenders.”
Here are the UFC's top 10 welterweight contenders:
1. Robbie Lawler
2. Rory MacDonald
3. Tyron Woodley
4. Carlos Condit
5. Jake Ellenberger
6. Hector Lombard
7. Matt Brown
8. Demian Maia
9. Dong Hyun Kim
10. Tarec Saffiedine
Several already have fights lined up:
Robbie Lawler vs. Jake Ellenberger at UFC 173: Barao vs Dillashaw on 05/24.
Rory MacDonald vs. Tyron Woodley at UFC 174: Bagautinov vs. Johnson on 06/14/2014
Hendricks was cleared earlier this week for light MMA training, and anticipates a fight in late 2014.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Top MMA Rankings (Pound for Pound best fighter ) ?
Henderson
10. Dan Henderson
Points: 36
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Light heavyweight
Record: 29-8
Last outing: W5 Mauricio Rua, Nov. 19
Previous ranking: 10
Up next:Nothing scheduled
Evans
T8. Rashad Evans
Points: 41
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Light heavyweight
Record: 22-1-1
Last outing: W5 Phil Davis, Jan. 28
Previous ranking: NR
Up next:Title challenge vs. No. 2 Jon Jones at UFC 145, April 21
Melendez
T8. Gilbert Melendez
Points: 41
Affiliation: Strikeforce (lightweight champion)
Weight class: Lightweight
Record: 20-2
Last outing: W5 Jorge Masvidal, Dec. 17
Previous ranking: 8
Up next:Nothing scheduled
dos Santos
7. Junior dos Santos
Points: 75
Affiliation: UFC (heavyweight champion)
Weight class: Heavyweight
Record: 14-1
Last outing:TKO1 Cain Velasquez, Nov. 12
Previous ranking: 7
Up next:Title defense vs. Alistair Overeem at UFC 146, May 26
Cruz
6. Dominick Cruz
Points: 110
Affiliation: UFC (bantamweight champion)
Weight class: Bantamweight
Record: 18-1
Last outing: W5 Demetrious Johnson, Oct. 1
Previous ranking: 6
Up next:Title defense vs. Urijah Faber at UFC 148, July 7
Edgar
5. Frankie Edgar
Points: 140
Affiliation: UFC (lightweight champion)
Weight class: Lightweight
Record: 14-1-1
Last outing: TKO4 Gray Maynard, Oct. 8
Previous ranking: 5
Up next:Title defense vs. Benson Henderson at UFC 144, Feb. 25
Aldo
4. Jose Aldo
Points: 144
Affiliation: UFC (featherweight champion)
Weight class: Featherweight
Record: 21-1
Last outing: TKO1 Chad Mendes, Jan. 14
Previous ranking: 4
Up next:Nothing scheduled
St. Pierre
3. Georges St. Pierre
Points: 175
Affiliation: UFC (welterweight champion)
Weight class: Welterweight
Record: 22-2
Last outing: W5 Jake Shields, April 30
Previous ranking: 3
Up next:Out with injury; nothing scheduled
Jones
2. Jon Jones
Points: 191 (1 of 22 first-place votes)
Affiliation: UFC (light heavyweight champion)
Weight class: Light heavyweight
Record: 15-1
Last outing: Submission 2 Lyoto Machida, Dec. 10
Previous ranking: 2
Up next:Title defense vs. No. 8 Rashad Evans at UFC 145, April 21
Silva
1. Anderson Silva
Points: 219 (21 of 22 first-place votes)
Affiliation: UFC (middleweight champion)
Weight class: Middleweight
Record: 31-4
Last outing: TKO2 Yushin Okami, Aug. 27
Previous ranking: 1
Up next:Title defense vs. Chael Sonnen at UFC 147, June 16
Others receiving votes: Carlos Condit, 18; Gray Maynard, 7; Nick Diaz, 6; Benson Henderson, 2; Joseph Benavidez, 1; Urijah Faber, 1; Cain Velasquez, 1.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
top 10 MMA fighter rankings
10. Nick Diaz
Points: 19
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Welterweight
Hometown: Stockton, Calif.
Record: 26-7, 1 no-contest (won past 11)
Last month’s ranking: Unranked
Most recent result: Def. B.J. Penn, unanimous decision, Oct. 29
Analysis:When he has his head on relatively straight, there are few finer fighters in the world than Diaz.
Fitch
9. Jon Fitch
Points: 39
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Welterweight
Hometown: San Jose, Calif.
Record: 23-3-1, 1 no-contest (draw in previous fight)
Last month’s ranking: T-8
Most recent result: Majority draw vs. B.J. Penn, Feb. 21
Analysis: Have to ask the obligatory question posed to every top fighter coming off an injury: Will he suffer from Octagon rust when he returns? Fitch meets Johny Hendricks on Dec. 30.
Melendez
8. Gilbert Melendez
Points: 41
Affiliation: Strikeforce (lightweight champion)
Weight class: Lightweight
Hometown: San Francisco
Record: 19-2 (won past five)
Last month’s ranking: T-8
Most recent result: Def. Tatsuya Kawajiri, R1 TKO, April 9
Analysis:On the heels of Frankie Edgar and Ben Henderson’s stellar performances in back-to-back months, Melendez will need to put on a show against Jorge Masvidal to keep up heat for a potential UFC title shot.
Dos Santos
7. Junior dos Santos
Points: 63
Affiliation: UFC (heavyweight champion)
Weight class: Heavyweight
Hometown: Salvador, Brazil
Record: 14-1 (won past nine)
Last month’s ranking: Unranked
Most recent result: Def. Cain Velasquez, R1 KO, Nov. 12
Analysis:Not much left to be said that hasn’t been said already in the wake of his win over Velasquez.
Cruz
6. Dominick Cruz
Points: 117
Affiliation: UFC (bantamweight champion)
Weight class: Bantamweight
Hometown: San Diego
Record: 18-1 (won past eight)
Last month’s ranking: 6
Most recent result: Def. Demetrious Johnson, unanimous decision, Oct. 1
Analysis:Waiting on the winner of the UFC 139 bout between Urijah Faber and Brian Bowles.
Aldo
5. Jose Aldo
Points: 136
Affiliation: UFC (featherweight champion)
Weight class: Featherweight
Hometown: Rio de Janeiro
Record: 20-1 (won past 13)
Last month’s ranking: 5
Most recent result: Def. Kenny Florian, unanimous decision, Oct. 8
Analysis: Expected to meet unbeaten Chad Mendes in his next title defense, which gives him the chance to silence the slowly growing chorus of doubters.
Edgar
4. Frankie Edgar
Points: 140
Affiliation: UFC (lightweight champion)
Weight class: Lightweight
Hometown: Toms River, N.J.
Record: 14-1-1 (won past one)
Last month’s ranking: 4
Most recent result: Def. Gray Maynard, R4 KO, Oct. 8
Analysis:His February title defense against Ben Henderson already is one of the most eagerly anticipated bouts of next year.
Jones
3. Jon Jones
Points: 152
Affiliation: UFC (light heavyweight champion)
Weight class: Light heavyweight
Hometown: Endicott, N.Y.
Record: 14-1 (won previous five)
Last month’s ranking: 3
Most recent result: Def. Quinton Jackson, R4 submission, Sept. 24
Analysis: Looks to make it three straight wins over men who have held the light heavyweight title when he meets Lyoto Machida on Dec. 10.
St. Pierre
2. Georges St. Pierre
Points: 189
Affiliation: UFC (welterweight champion)
Weight class: Welterweight
Hometown: Saint-Isidore, Quebec
Record: 22-2 (won past nine)
Last month’s ranking: 2
Most recent result: Def. Jake Shields, unanimous decision, April 30
Analysis:Delayed bout with Diaz is sure to be worth the wait.
Silva
1. Anderson Silva
Points: 210 (21 first-place votes)
Affiliation: UFC (middleweight champion)
Weight class: Middleweight
Hometown: Curitiba, Brazil
Record: 29-4 (won past 14)
Last month’s ranking: 1
Most recent result: Def. Yushin Okami, R2 TKO, Aug. 27
Analysis: Has the chance to show Chael Sonnen that Sonnen’s near-win last year was a fluke.
• Votes for others: Rashad Evans, 13; Gray Maynard, 12; Mauricio Rua, 10; Dan Henderson, 6; Lyoto Machida, 4; Cain Velasquez, Chael Sonnen, Ben Henderson, 2.
This month’s voting panel: Denny Burkholder, CBSSports.com; Elias Cepeda, Fight! Magazine; Mike Chiappetta MMAFighting.com and Fight! Magazine; Steve Cofield, Cagewriter and ESPN Radio 1100 Las Vegas; Neil Davidson The Canadian Press; Dave Doyle Yahoo! Sports; CTV Sportsnet;Ben Fowlkes, SportsIllustrated.com and MMAFighting.com; Josh Gross, ESPN.com; Ariel Helwani, Versus.com and MMAFighting.com; Kevin Iole, Yahoo! Sports; Damon Martin, MMAWeekly.com; Todd Martin, freelance; Franklin McNeil, ESPN.com; Steven Marrocco, SportsIllustrated.com and MMAjunkie.com; Dave Meltzer, Yahoo! Sports and The Wrestling Observer; John Morgan, MMAjunkie.com; Ken Pishna, MMAWeekly.com; Michael David Smith, MMAFighting.com; Mike Straka, Tapout TV; Dann Stupp, MMAjunkie.com and The Dayton Daily News;Jeff Wagenheim, SI.com.
Points: 19
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Welterweight
Hometown: Stockton, Calif.
Record: 26-7, 1 no-contest (won past 11)
Last month’s ranking: Unranked
Most recent result: Def. B.J. Penn, unanimous decision, Oct. 29
Analysis:When he has his head on relatively straight, there are few finer fighters in the world than Diaz.
Fitch
9. Jon Fitch
Points: 39
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Welterweight
Hometown: San Jose, Calif.
Record: 23-3-1, 1 no-contest (draw in previous fight)
Last month’s ranking: T-8
Most recent result: Majority draw vs. B.J. Penn, Feb. 21
Analysis: Have to ask the obligatory question posed to every top fighter coming off an injury: Will he suffer from Octagon rust when he returns? Fitch meets Johny Hendricks on Dec. 30.
Melendez
8. Gilbert Melendez
Points: 41
Affiliation: Strikeforce (lightweight champion)
Weight class: Lightweight
Hometown: San Francisco
Record: 19-2 (won past five)
Last month’s ranking: T-8
Most recent result: Def. Tatsuya Kawajiri, R1 TKO, April 9
Analysis:On the heels of Frankie Edgar and Ben Henderson’s stellar performances in back-to-back months, Melendez will need to put on a show against Jorge Masvidal to keep up heat for a potential UFC title shot.
Dos Santos
7. Junior dos Santos
Points: 63
Affiliation: UFC (heavyweight champion)
Weight class: Heavyweight
Hometown: Salvador, Brazil
Record: 14-1 (won past nine)
Last month’s ranking: Unranked
Most recent result: Def. Cain Velasquez, R1 KO, Nov. 12
Analysis:Not much left to be said that hasn’t been said already in the wake of his win over Velasquez.
Cruz
6. Dominick Cruz
Points: 117
Affiliation: UFC (bantamweight champion)
Weight class: Bantamweight
Hometown: San Diego
Record: 18-1 (won past eight)
Last month’s ranking: 6
Most recent result: Def. Demetrious Johnson, unanimous decision, Oct. 1
Analysis:Waiting on the winner of the UFC 139 bout between Urijah Faber and Brian Bowles.
Aldo
5. Jose Aldo
Points: 136
Affiliation: UFC (featherweight champion)
Weight class: Featherweight
Hometown: Rio de Janeiro
Record: 20-1 (won past 13)
Last month’s ranking: 5
Most recent result: Def. Kenny Florian, unanimous decision, Oct. 8
Analysis: Expected to meet unbeaten Chad Mendes in his next title defense, which gives him the chance to silence the slowly growing chorus of doubters.
Edgar
4. Frankie Edgar
Points: 140
Affiliation: UFC (lightweight champion)
Weight class: Lightweight
Hometown: Toms River, N.J.
Record: 14-1-1 (won past one)
Last month’s ranking: 4
Most recent result: Def. Gray Maynard, R4 KO, Oct. 8
Analysis:His February title defense against Ben Henderson already is one of the most eagerly anticipated bouts of next year.
Jones
3. Jon Jones
Points: 152
Affiliation: UFC (light heavyweight champion)
Weight class: Light heavyweight
Hometown: Endicott, N.Y.
Record: 14-1 (won previous five)
Last month’s ranking: 3
Most recent result: Def. Quinton Jackson, R4 submission, Sept. 24
Analysis: Looks to make it three straight wins over men who have held the light heavyweight title when he meets Lyoto Machida on Dec. 10.
St. Pierre
2. Georges St. Pierre
Points: 189
Affiliation: UFC (welterweight champion)
Weight class: Welterweight
Hometown: Saint-Isidore, Quebec
Record: 22-2 (won past nine)
Last month’s ranking: 2
Most recent result: Def. Jake Shields, unanimous decision, April 30
Analysis:Delayed bout with Diaz is sure to be worth the wait.
Silva
1. Anderson Silva
Points: 210 (21 first-place votes)
Affiliation: UFC (middleweight champion)
Weight class: Middleweight
Hometown: Curitiba, Brazil
Record: 29-4 (won past 14)
Last month’s ranking: 1
Most recent result: Def. Yushin Okami, R2 TKO, Aug. 27
Analysis: Has the chance to show Chael Sonnen that Sonnen’s near-win last year was a fluke.
• Votes for others: Rashad Evans, 13; Gray Maynard, 12; Mauricio Rua, 10; Dan Henderson, 6; Lyoto Machida, 4; Cain Velasquez, Chael Sonnen, Ben Henderson, 2.
This month’s voting panel: Denny Burkholder, CBSSports.com; Elias Cepeda, Fight! Magazine; Mike Chiappetta MMAFighting.com and Fight! Magazine; Steve Cofield, Cagewriter and ESPN Radio 1100 Las Vegas; Neil Davidson The Canadian Press; Dave Doyle Yahoo! Sports; CTV Sportsnet;Ben Fowlkes, SportsIllustrated.com and MMAFighting.com; Josh Gross, ESPN.com; Ariel Helwani, Versus.com and MMAFighting.com; Kevin Iole, Yahoo! Sports; Damon Martin, MMAWeekly.com; Todd Martin, freelance; Franklin McNeil, ESPN.com; Steven Marrocco, SportsIllustrated.com and MMAjunkie.com; Dave Meltzer, Yahoo! Sports and The Wrestling Observer; John Morgan, MMAjunkie.com; Ken Pishna, MMAWeekly.com; Michael David Smith, MMAFighting.com; Mike Straka, Tapout TV; Dann Stupp, MMAjunkie.com and The Dayton Daily News;Jeff Wagenheim, SI.com.
Saturday, September 24, 2011
RB Rankings for week 2 fantasyfootball
| Week 3 Running Back Rankings | |||||||||
 Brandon Funston |  Andy Behrens |  Brad Evans |  Scott Pianowski |  Composite Ranking |  Web Experts' Average | ||||
| Ray Rice(notes) | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||
| Adrian Peterson | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | |||
| Rashard Mendenhall(notes) | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |||
| Maurice Jones-Drew(notes) | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 5 | |||
| Chris Johnson | 7 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |||
| LeSean McCoy(notes) | 6 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 3 | |||
| Michael Turner(notes) | 5 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | |||
| Peyton Hillis(notes) | 10 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 11 | |||
| Ben Tate(notes) | 9 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 13 | |||
| Matt Forte(notes) | 11 | 9 | 13 | 9 | 10 | 9 | |||
| Ryan Mathews(notes) | 8 | 11 | 16 | 12 | 11 | 14 | |||
| Darren McFadden(notes) | 12 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 8 | |||
| Ahmad Bradshaw(notes) | 15 | 13 | 10 | 15 | 13 | 15 | |||
| Fred Jackson(notes) | 14 | 20 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 18 | |||
| BenJarvus Green-Ellis(notes) | 19 | 14 | 11 | 17 | 15 | 21 | |||
| Frank Gore(notes) | 16 | 15 | 22 | 14 | 16 | 12 | |||
| Jahvid Best(notes) | 13 | 16 | 23 | 16 | 17 | 10 | |||
| Mike Tolbert(notes) | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 20 | |||
| Shonn Greene(notes) | 21 | 19 | 17 | 21 | 19 | 19 | |||
| LeGarrette Blount(notes) | 20 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 17 | |||
| Tim Hightower(notes) | 22 | 23 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 22 | |||
| Mark Ingram(notes) | 17 | 25 | 30 | 22 | 22 | 27 | |||
| Felix Jones(notes) | 23 | 27 | 16 | 29 | 23 | 28 | |||
| Cedric Benson(notes) | 26 | 22 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 23 | |||
| Daniel Thomas(notes) | 24 | 29 | 19 | 27 | 25 | 25 | |||
| Beanie Wells(notes) | 29 | 17 | 26 | 32 | 26 | 16 | |||
| Willis McGahee(notes) | 28 | 28 | 25 | 24 | 27 | 26 | |||
| James Starks(notes) | 25 | 24 | 31 | 25 | 27 | 24 | |||
| DeAngelo Williams(notes) | 27 | 26 | 33 | 26 | 29 | 30 | |||
| Marshawn Lynch(notes) | 31 | 32 | 28 | 28 | 30 | 36 | |||
| Brandon Jacobs(notes) | 32 | 31 | 29 | 34 | 31 | 29 | |||
| Darren Sproles(notes) | 40 | 33 | 27 | 30 | 32 | 34 | |||
| Jonathan Stewart(notes) | 35 | 30 | 37 | 31 | 33 | 33 | |||
| Dexter McCluster(notes) | 30 | 38 | 36 | 33 | 34 | 41 | |||
| Reggie Bush(notes) | 37 | 34 | 32 | 35 | 35 | 35 | |||
| Danny Woodhead(notes) | 33 | – | 34 | 37 | 36 | 39 | |||
| Pierre Thomas(notes) | 34 | – | 39 | 36 | 37 | 38 | |||
| Joseph Addai(notes) | 38 | – | 38 | 38 | 38 | 37 | |||
| C.J. Spiller(notes) | 36 | 39 | 40 | – | 39 | 46 | |||
| Roy Helu(notes) | 39 | 37 | – | 40 | 40 | 48 | |||
| Thomas Jones(notes) | – | 36 | – | 39 | – | 43 | |||
| Steven Jackson | – | 35 | – | – | – | 32 | |||
| Carnell Williams(notes) | – | – | 35 | – | – | 45 | |||
| Knowshon Moreno(notes) | – | 40 | – | – | – | 42 | |||
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Best MMA Pound 4 Pound Fighters
MMA RANKINGS
P4P
265
205
185
170
155
145
135
FIGHTER
COUNTRY
RECORD
1
Anderson Silva
Middleweight
30-4-0
2
Georges St. Pierre
Welterweight
22-2-0
3
Jon Jones
Light Heavyweight
13-1-0
4
Jose Aldo
Featherweight
19-1-0
5
Frankie Edgar
Lightweight
13-1-1
6
Dominick Cruz
Bantamweight
18-1-0
7
Cain Velasquez
Heavyweight
9-0-0
8
Gilbert Melendez
Lightweight
19-2-0
9
Jon Fitch
Welterweight
23-3-1
10
Gray Maynard
Lightweight
10-0-1
P4P
265
205
185
170
155
145
135
FIGHTER
COUNTRY
RECORD
1
Anderson Silva
Middleweight
30-4-0
2
Georges St. Pierre
Welterweight
22-2-0
3
Jon Jones
Light Heavyweight
13-1-0
4
Jose Aldo
Featherweight
19-1-0
5
Frankie Edgar
Lightweight
13-1-1
6
Dominick Cruz
Bantamweight
18-1-0
7
Cain Velasquez
Heavyweight
9-0-0
8
Gilbert Melendez
Lightweight
19-2-0
9
Jon Fitch
Welterweight
23-3-1
10
Gray Maynard
Lightweight
10-0-1
Monday, January 3, 2011
Top 10 Ten UFC MMA Fighters in 2010
This is it – the Highly Unofficial 2010 awards season is just about done, and all that’s left is to determine the top fighters of the year. Will your favorite be here? Read on to find out.
10 (tie) – Rick Story
All right, I know, I’m being indecisive, but when it came to the tail end of the list, I just couldn’t pick two fighters out of the trio of Chris Leben, Evan Dunham, and Rick Story to leave out. One (Story) went 4-0 this year, which is an amazing feat. The second (Dunham) lost a fight, but that one fight he lost he probably should have won on the scorecards. And the third (Leben) won three big fights, but the first was over a fighter (Jay Silva) who can’t be considered on the level of his other two victims. So…a three way tie, and I’m sticking to it. Anyway, Rick Story has always been a tough kid with a lot of potential. In 2010, he started to break through to the next level with two close wins over Jesse Lennox and Nick Osipczak, a brutal TKO of Dustin Hazelett, and a gut check decision victory over Johny Hendricks. Story is the real deal, and he’s only going to get better.
10 (tie) – Evan Dunham
Unheralded lightweight Evan Dunham quietly made a name for himself in the UFC in 2009 with wins over Per Eklund and Marcus Aurelio, but in 2010 he moved from prospect to contender with an impressive come from behind finish of Efrain Escudero and a clear-cut decision win over Tyson Griffin. Next up for the Las Vegas resident was former UFC lightweight champion Sean Sherk at UFC 119, and Dunham not only showed his talent against “The Muscle Shark”, but he showed his heart and grit in battling back from a nasty cut over his eye to arguably win a fight which ultimately went to Sherk via a controversial split decision.
10 (tie) - Chris Leben
Entering 2010, Chris Leben’s UFC career was on the line after back-to-back losses to Michael Bisping and Jake Rosholt, but amazingly, by the time he forced Yoshihiro Akiyama to tap out in the third round of their UFC 116 bout in July, he was back among the ranks of middleweight contenders. This amazing transformation took place thanks to wins this year over Jay Silva, Aaron Simpson, and the aforementioned Akiyama, with the latter two victories occurring within a two week period. Next up for the resurgent “Crippler” is a January 1st date with Brian Stann.
9 – Rashad Evans
Following the loss of his UFC light heavyweight title via knockout to Lyoto Machida in May of 2009, fight fans were wondering how Rashad Evans was going to react in his next bout. Well, in January he decisioned Thiago Silva, going back to his wrestling roots and surviving a late sequence when Silva got him in trouble. And four months later he headlined another major event when he took on – and beat – bitter rival Quinton “Rampage” Jackson with another solid wrestling-based victory at UFC 114 in May. Some would say “Suga” is back, but in reality, he never left, and in 2011 he will be rewarded with a shot at light heavyweight boss Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.
8 – Yushin Okami
Long seen as the forgotten man in the middleweight division, Japan’s Yushin Okami always seemed to be one win away from the big one when he would slip back into the shadows after key losses to Rich Franklin and Chael Sonnen. But in 2010, “Thunder” put it all together. First it was an impressive stoppage of Lucio Linhares in March, then a decision win over Mark Munoz in August, and in November, Okami capped things off with a decision victory over Nate Marquardt that earned him a middleweight championship fight. And while he’s not always the most exciting 185-pounder, he’s definitely one of the toughest to beat.
7 – Jim Miller
Speaking of tough to beat, the only fighters to ever pin a loss on New Jersey’s Jim Miller have been a couple of pretty fair lightweights named Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard. In the UFC, Miller is 8-1, including six in a row, and it was in 2010 that the rest of the world got on the bandwagon, as the fierce, yet soft-spoken, competitor went 4-0 with wins over Duane Ludwig, Mark Bocek, Gleison Tibau, and Charles Oliveira. And after beating Oliveira via submission at UFC 124, Miller finally spoke up, asking for his shot in 2011. It’s hard to argue with him.
6 - Junior dos Santos
Just 26, Brazil’s Junior dos Santos continued his whirlwind ride through the heavyweight division in 2010, knocking out veterans Gilbert Yvel and Gabriel Gonzaga with relative ease before a three round gut check against Roy “Big Country” Nelson in August at UFC 117. It wasn’t a fight where dos Santos was really threatened, but after hitting his foe with everything in his arsenal, he was forced to show the ability to go three fast-paced rounds with a dangerous opponent while growing increasingly fatigued. It wasn’t the same as his previous foray into the third frame against Mirko Cro Cop, yet he still came out of the fight victorious and with practically everyone in agreement that when he gets his shot at the heavyweight crown in 2011, it’s going to be something to remember.
5 – Georges St-Pierre
With back-to-back shutouts of top contenders Dan Hardy and Josh Koscheck, UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre continues to make it look easy at the elite level of the game. Beating these guys is a feat in itself, but to take the drama out of the fights as early as the first round is nothing short of amazing. Next in line for St-Pierre is an interesting style matchup against Jake Shields, but considering that he hasn’t lost a round in over three years, it’s hard – if not impossible – to pick against the champion in any fight at 170 pounds.
4 – George Sotiropoulos
Winner of eight straight (seven in the UFC) dating back to late 2006, Australia native George Sotiropoulos is another fighter who had his coming out party this year, as he dismantled a formidable trio of Joe Stevenson, Kurt Pellegrino, and Joe Lauzon, putting him squarely in the lightweight title picture. And with his improved all-around game, Octagon vision, and quiet intensity, he’s going to be a nightmare matchup for anyone at 155 pounds, including his February 2011 foe, Dennis Siver.
3 – Mauricio Rua
It’s never hard for a fighter to get up for a world title fight. When you lose a controversial decision many think you won, it has to be difficult to go through the physical and mental trials necessary to do it all over again. But Mauricio Rua did it. And not only that, but in his championship rematch against Lyoto Machida in May, he scored the defining win of his career via first round knockout. What made the victory sweeter was the journey it took to get there. From a loss in his UFC debut to Forrest Griffin to two knee surgeries, Rua got to the top in the Octagon the hard way, and even though he has been sidelined since the bout due to injury, he is rehabbed, healthy and ready to go for an early-2011 title defense against Rashad Evans.
2 – Cain Velasquez
It seemed like Cain Velasquez was being groomed for the heavyweight title from the first time he put on the gloves, but in most situations like that, the reality falls far short of expectations. Not here, and in 2010, after working his way up the ranks, Velasquez fulfilled all his promise, first with a knockout of heavyweight legend “Minotauro” Nogueira in February, and then with a TKO of Brock Lesnar in October that earned him the title “World Champion.” What’s scary about Velasquez is that he probably hasn’t reached his peak yet and that he won’t stop working until he gets there. Of course, in this sport all it takes is one punch to derail anyone, but it’s looking like Velasquez may stay on top for a while should he get past Junior dos Santos in 2011.
1 – Frankie Edgar
Rightfully deserving of a lightweight title shot, Frankie Edgar still wasn’t considered likely to be the one to defeat the seemingly unstoppable 155-pound king, BJ Penn. Edgar and his team just ignored the odds, put together an intense training camp and fight plan, and walked into Abu Dhabi in April with one goal in mind – to win the belt. And after five close rounds, it was Edgar who shocked the world and took the title from “The Prodigy” behind a disciplined 25 minute attack.
It was the ‘feel good’ story of the year, but it didn’t keep Edgar from the underdog position once again for the August rematch with Penn. But again, the pride of Toms River ignored the talk, and again, he beat Penn via five round decision at UFC 118. Only this time, there were no questions and no close rounds. And when Penn bounced back from the two defeats to knock out Matt Hughes in 21 seconds at UFC 123, it not only showed that Penn still had plenty left in his gas tank, but that Frankie Edgar didn’t beat a shell of a fighter twice – he beat a prime BJ Penn. Will he be an underdog again in the future? Probably. But given his 2010 performance, you get the idea that he doesn’t really care.
Honorable Mention: Anderson Silva, Carlos Condit, Nate Diaz, Chris Lytle, Jon Jones, Gray Maynard, Melvin Guillard, Brendan Schaub, Matt Hamill, Ryan Bader, Randy Couture, Chael Sonnen, CB Dollaway, Kyle Noke, Court McGee, Jake Ellenberger
10 (tie) – Rick Story
All right, I know, I’m being indecisive, but when it came to the tail end of the list, I just couldn’t pick two fighters out of the trio of Chris Leben, Evan Dunham, and Rick Story to leave out. One (Story) went 4-0 this year, which is an amazing feat. The second (Dunham) lost a fight, but that one fight he lost he probably should have won on the scorecards. And the third (Leben) won three big fights, but the first was over a fighter (Jay Silva) who can’t be considered on the level of his other two victims. So…a three way tie, and I’m sticking to it. Anyway, Rick Story has always been a tough kid with a lot of potential. In 2010, he started to break through to the next level with two close wins over Jesse Lennox and Nick Osipczak, a brutal TKO of Dustin Hazelett, and a gut check decision victory over Johny Hendricks. Story is the real deal, and he’s only going to get better.
10 (tie) – Evan Dunham
Unheralded lightweight Evan Dunham quietly made a name for himself in the UFC in 2009 with wins over Per Eklund and Marcus Aurelio, but in 2010 he moved from prospect to contender with an impressive come from behind finish of Efrain Escudero and a clear-cut decision win over Tyson Griffin. Next up for the Las Vegas resident was former UFC lightweight champion Sean Sherk at UFC 119, and Dunham not only showed his talent against “The Muscle Shark”, but he showed his heart and grit in battling back from a nasty cut over his eye to arguably win a fight which ultimately went to Sherk via a controversial split decision.
10 (tie) - Chris Leben
Entering 2010, Chris Leben’s UFC career was on the line after back-to-back losses to Michael Bisping and Jake Rosholt, but amazingly, by the time he forced Yoshihiro Akiyama to tap out in the third round of their UFC 116 bout in July, he was back among the ranks of middleweight contenders. This amazing transformation took place thanks to wins this year over Jay Silva, Aaron Simpson, and the aforementioned Akiyama, with the latter two victories occurring within a two week period. Next up for the resurgent “Crippler” is a January 1st date with Brian Stann.
9 – Rashad Evans
Following the loss of his UFC light heavyweight title via knockout to Lyoto Machida in May of 2009, fight fans were wondering how Rashad Evans was going to react in his next bout. Well, in January he decisioned Thiago Silva, going back to his wrestling roots and surviving a late sequence when Silva got him in trouble. And four months later he headlined another major event when he took on – and beat – bitter rival Quinton “Rampage” Jackson with another solid wrestling-based victory at UFC 114 in May. Some would say “Suga” is back, but in reality, he never left, and in 2011 he will be rewarded with a shot at light heavyweight boss Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.
8 – Yushin Okami
Long seen as the forgotten man in the middleweight division, Japan’s Yushin Okami always seemed to be one win away from the big one when he would slip back into the shadows after key losses to Rich Franklin and Chael Sonnen. But in 2010, “Thunder” put it all together. First it was an impressive stoppage of Lucio Linhares in March, then a decision win over Mark Munoz in August, and in November, Okami capped things off with a decision victory over Nate Marquardt that earned him a middleweight championship fight. And while he’s not always the most exciting 185-pounder, he’s definitely one of the toughest to beat.
7 – Jim Miller
Speaking of tough to beat, the only fighters to ever pin a loss on New Jersey’s Jim Miller have been a couple of pretty fair lightweights named Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard. In the UFC, Miller is 8-1, including six in a row, and it was in 2010 that the rest of the world got on the bandwagon, as the fierce, yet soft-spoken, competitor went 4-0 with wins over Duane Ludwig, Mark Bocek, Gleison Tibau, and Charles Oliveira. And after beating Oliveira via submission at UFC 124, Miller finally spoke up, asking for his shot in 2011. It’s hard to argue with him.
6 - Junior dos Santos
Just 26, Brazil’s Junior dos Santos continued his whirlwind ride through the heavyweight division in 2010, knocking out veterans Gilbert Yvel and Gabriel Gonzaga with relative ease before a three round gut check against Roy “Big Country” Nelson in August at UFC 117. It wasn’t a fight where dos Santos was really threatened, but after hitting his foe with everything in his arsenal, he was forced to show the ability to go three fast-paced rounds with a dangerous opponent while growing increasingly fatigued. It wasn’t the same as his previous foray into the third frame against Mirko Cro Cop, yet he still came out of the fight victorious and with practically everyone in agreement that when he gets his shot at the heavyweight crown in 2011, it’s going to be something to remember.
5 – Georges St-Pierre
With back-to-back shutouts of top contenders Dan Hardy and Josh Koscheck, UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre continues to make it look easy at the elite level of the game. Beating these guys is a feat in itself, but to take the drama out of the fights as early as the first round is nothing short of amazing. Next in line for St-Pierre is an interesting style matchup against Jake Shields, but considering that he hasn’t lost a round in over three years, it’s hard – if not impossible – to pick against the champion in any fight at 170 pounds.
4 – George Sotiropoulos
Winner of eight straight (seven in the UFC) dating back to late 2006, Australia native George Sotiropoulos is another fighter who had his coming out party this year, as he dismantled a formidable trio of Joe Stevenson, Kurt Pellegrino, and Joe Lauzon, putting him squarely in the lightweight title picture. And with his improved all-around game, Octagon vision, and quiet intensity, he’s going to be a nightmare matchup for anyone at 155 pounds, including his February 2011 foe, Dennis Siver.
3 – Mauricio Rua
It’s never hard for a fighter to get up for a world title fight. When you lose a controversial decision many think you won, it has to be difficult to go through the physical and mental trials necessary to do it all over again. But Mauricio Rua did it. And not only that, but in his championship rematch against Lyoto Machida in May, he scored the defining win of his career via first round knockout. What made the victory sweeter was the journey it took to get there. From a loss in his UFC debut to Forrest Griffin to two knee surgeries, Rua got to the top in the Octagon the hard way, and even though he has been sidelined since the bout due to injury, he is rehabbed, healthy and ready to go for an early-2011 title defense against Rashad Evans.
2 – Cain Velasquez
It seemed like Cain Velasquez was being groomed for the heavyweight title from the first time he put on the gloves, but in most situations like that, the reality falls far short of expectations. Not here, and in 2010, after working his way up the ranks, Velasquez fulfilled all his promise, first with a knockout of heavyweight legend “Minotauro” Nogueira in February, and then with a TKO of Brock Lesnar in October that earned him the title “World Champion.” What’s scary about Velasquez is that he probably hasn’t reached his peak yet and that he won’t stop working until he gets there. Of course, in this sport all it takes is one punch to derail anyone, but it’s looking like Velasquez may stay on top for a while should he get past Junior dos Santos in 2011.
1 – Frankie Edgar
Rightfully deserving of a lightweight title shot, Frankie Edgar still wasn’t considered likely to be the one to defeat the seemingly unstoppable 155-pound king, BJ Penn. Edgar and his team just ignored the odds, put together an intense training camp and fight plan, and walked into Abu Dhabi in April with one goal in mind – to win the belt. And after five close rounds, it was Edgar who shocked the world and took the title from “The Prodigy” behind a disciplined 25 minute attack.
It was the ‘feel good’ story of the year, but it didn’t keep Edgar from the underdog position once again for the August rematch with Penn. But again, the pride of Toms River ignored the talk, and again, he beat Penn via five round decision at UFC 118. Only this time, there were no questions and no close rounds. And when Penn bounced back from the two defeats to knock out Matt Hughes in 21 seconds at UFC 123, it not only showed that Penn still had plenty left in his gas tank, but that Frankie Edgar didn’t beat a shell of a fighter twice – he beat a prime BJ Penn. Will he be an underdog again in the future? Probably. But given his 2010 performance, you get the idea that he doesn’t really care.
Honorable Mention: Anderson Silva, Carlos Condit, Nate Diaz, Chris Lytle, Jon Jones, Gray Maynard, Melvin Guillard, Brendan Schaub, Matt Hamill, Ryan Bader, Randy Couture, Chael Sonnen, CB Dollaway, Kyle Noke, Court McGee, Jake Ellenberger
Monday, October 11, 2010
TOP MMA RANKINGS
10. Brock Lesnar
Points: 33
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Heavyweight (UFC heavyweight champion)
Hometown: Webster, S.D.
Record: 5-1 (won past four)
Last month’s ranking: unranked
Most recent result: def. Shane Carwin, R2 TKO, July 3
Analysis: On paper, Lesnar’s next opponent, Cain Velasquez, is undersized. But that hasn’t deterred Velasquez up to this point.
Shields
9. Jake Shields
Points: 44
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Welterweight (never lost Strikeforce middleweight title)
Hometown: San Francisco
Record: 25-4-1 (has won past 14)
Last month’s ranking: 9
Most recent result: def. Dan Henderson, unanimous decision, April 17
Analysis: Will Shields be the next non-UFC Top 10 fighter to flop, or will he justify the hype next month in his debut against Martin Kampmann?
Machida
8. Lyoto Machida
Points: 54
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Light heavyweight
Hometown: Belem, Brazil
Record: 16-1 (lost previous fight)
Last month’s ranking: 8
Most recent result: lost to Mauricio Rua, R1 TKO, May 8
Analysis: It’s always interesting to see how a fighter rebounds from his first knockout, and in Quinton Jackson, Machida will be facing a man with heavy hands.
Cruz
7. Dominick Cruz
Points: 57
Affiliation: WEC
Weight class: Bantamweight (WEC bantamweight champion)
Hometown: San Diego
Record: 16-1 (has won past seven)
Last month’s ranking: 10
Most recent result: def. Joseph Benavidez, split decision, Aug. 18
Analysis: Is going to hold the bantamweight belt until someone literally catches him.
Emelianenko
6. Fedor Emelianenko
Points: 67
Affiliation: Strikeforce/M-1
Weight class: Heavyweight
Hometown: Stary Oskol, Russia
Record: 31-2, one no-contest (lost past 1)
Last month’s ranking: 5
Most recent result: lost to Fabricio Werdum, R1 submission, June 26
Analysis: Stop us if you’ve heard this before: “The Last Emperor” has matchup on his horizon.
Edgar
5. Frank Edgar
Points: 103
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Lightweight (UFC lightweight champion)
Hometown: Toms River, N.J.
Record: 13-1 (has won past five)
Last month’s ranking: 6
Most recent result: def. B.J. Penn, unanimous decision, August 28
Analysis: If nothing else, Edgar-Maynard could prove MMA’s version of the irresistible force vs. the immovable object.
Rua
4. Mauricio Rua
Points: 115
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Light heavyweight (UFC light heavyweight champion)
Hometown: Curitiba, Brazil
Record: 19-4 (won previous fight)
Last month’s ranking: 4
Most recent result: def. Lyoto Machida, R1 TKO, May 8
Analysis: Still on the shelf with a knee injury.
Aldo
3. Jose Aldo
Points: 145
Affiliation: WEC
Weight class: Featherweight (WEC featherweight champion)
Hometown: Rio de Janeiro
Record: 17-1 (has won past 10)
Last month’s ranking: 3
Most recent result: def. Urijah Faber, unanimous decision, April 24
Analysis: Manny Gamburyan is fearless and likes to throw; if nothing else, Aldo-Gamburyan should be an entertaining scrap while it lasts.
Silva
2. Anderson Silva
Points: 175 (7 first-place votes)
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Middleweight (UFC middleweight champion)
Hometown: Curitiba, Brazil
Record: 27-4 (has won past 12)
Last month’s ranking: 2
Most recent result: def. Chael Sonnen, R5 submission, Aug. 7
Analysis: Appears to be headed toward a Sonnen rematch.
St. Pierre
1. Georges St. Pierre
Points: 182 (11 first-place votes)
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Welterweight (UFC welterweight champion)
Hometown: Saint-Isidore, Quebec
Record: 20-2 (has won past seven)
Last month’s ranking: 1
Most recent result: def. Dan Hardy, unanimous decision, March 27
Analysis: December title defense against Josh Koscheck will be in Montreal, near St. Pierre’s hometown, adding to his already considerable advantages.
More
• Votes for others: Jon Fitch 25, B.J. Penn 11, Gilbert Melendez 8, Rashad Evans 6, Chael Sonnen, Cain Velasquez 4, Gray Maynard 3, Jon Jones, Joseph Benavidez 2, Nick Diaz 1.
Points: 33
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Heavyweight (UFC heavyweight champion)
Hometown: Webster, S.D.
Record: 5-1 (won past four)
Last month’s ranking: unranked
Most recent result: def. Shane Carwin, R2 TKO, July 3
Analysis: On paper, Lesnar’s next opponent, Cain Velasquez, is undersized. But that hasn’t deterred Velasquez up to this point.
Shields
9. Jake Shields
Points: 44
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Welterweight (never lost Strikeforce middleweight title)
Hometown: San Francisco
Record: 25-4-1 (has won past 14)
Last month’s ranking: 9
Most recent result: def. Dan Henderson, unanimous decision, April 17
Analysis: Will Shields be the next non-UFC Top 10 fighter to flop, or will he justify the hype next month in his debut against Martin Kampmann?
Machida
8. Lyoto Machida
Points: 54
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Light heavyweight
Hometown: Belem, Brazil
Record: 16-1 (lost previous fight)
Last month’s ranking: 8
Most recent result: lost to Mauricio Rua, R1 TKO, May 8
Analysis: It’s always interesting to see how a fighter rebounds from his first knockout, and in Quinton Jackson, Machida will be facing a man with heavy hands.
Cruz
7. Dominick Cruz
Points: 57
Affiliation: WEC
Weight class: Bantamweight (WEC bantamweight champion)
Hometown: San Diego
Record: 16-1 (has won past seven)
Last month’s ranking: 10
Most recent result: def. Joseph Benavidez, split decision, Aug. 18
Analysis: Is going to hold the bantamweight belt until someone literally catches him.
Emelianenko
6. Fedor Emelianenko
Points: 67
Affiliation: Strikeforce/M-1
Weight class: Heavyweight
Hometown: Stary Oskol, Russia
Record: 31-2, one no-contest (lost past 1)
Last month’s ranking: 5
Most recent result: lost to Fabricio Werdum, R1 submission, June 26
Analysis: Stop us if you’ve heard this before: “The Last Emperor” has matchup on his horizon.
Edgar
5. Frank Edgar
Points: 103
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Lightweight (UFC lightweight champion)
Hometown: Toms River, N.J.
Record: 13-1 (has won past five)
Last month’s ranking: 6
Most recent result: def. B.J. Penn, unanimous decision, August 28
Analysis: If nothing else, Edgar-Maynard could prove MMA’s version of the irresistible force vs. the immovable object.
Rua
4. Mauricio Rua
Points: 115
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Light heavyweight (UFC light heavyweight champion)
Hometown: Curitiba, Brazil
Record: 19-4 (won previous fight)
Last month’s ranking: 4
Most recent result: def. Lyoto Machida, R1 TKO, May 8
Analysis: Still on the shelf with a knee injury.
Aldo
3. Jose Aldo
Points: 145
Affiliation: WEC
Weight class: Featherweight (WEC featherweight champion)
Hometown: Rio de Janeiro
Record: 17-1 (has won past 10)
Last month’s ranking: 3
Most recent result: def. Urijah Faber, unanimous decision, April 24
Analysis: Manny Gamburyan is fearless and likes to throw; if nothing else, Aldo-Gamburyan should be an entertaining scrap while it lasts.
Silva
2. Anderson Silva
Points: 175 (7 first-place votes)
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Middleweight (UFC middleweight champion)
Hometown: Curitiba, Brazil
Record: 27-4 (has won past 12)
Last month’s ranking: 2
Most recent result: def. Chael Sonnen, R5 submission, Aug. 7
Analysis: Appears to be headed toward a Sonnen rematch.
St. Pierre
1. Georges St. Pierre
Points: 182 (11 first-place votes)
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Welterweight (UFC welterweight champion)
Hometown: Saint-Isidore, Quebec
Record: 20-2 (has won past seven)
Last month’s ranking: 1
Most recent result: def. Dan Hardy, unanimous decision, March 27
Analysis: December title defense against Josh Koscheck will be in Montreal, near St. Pierre’s hometown, adding to his already considerable advantages.
More
• Votes for others: Jon Fitch 25, B.J. Penn 11, Gilbert Melendez 8, Rashad Evans 6, Chael Sonnen, Cain Velasquez 4, Gray Maynard 3, Jon Jones, Joseph Benavidez 2, Nick Diaz 1.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
MMA Fighter Rankings ...
Heavyweight MMA
Consensus Rankings posted March 25, 2010
| Rank | Fighter | % | Promotion | Last Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fedor Emelianenko | 100 | M-1 Global/Strikeforce | 1 |
| 2 | Brock Lesnar | 96 | UFC | 2 |
| 3 | Frank Mir | 92 | UFC | 3 |
| 4 | Cain Velasquez | 88 | UFC | 5 |
| 5 | Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira | 80 | UFC | 4 |
| 6 | Shane Carwin | 75 | UFC | 7 |
| 7 | Junior Dos Santos | 75 | UFC | 6 |
| 8 | Brett Rogers | 72 | Strikeforce | 8 |
| 9 | Alistair Overeem | 63 | K-1/DREAM/Strikeforce | 9 |
| 10 | Andrei Arlovski | 57 | Strikeforce | 11 |
| 11 | Josh Barnett | 56 | DREAM | 12 |
| 12 | Fabricio Werdum | 50 | Strikeforce | 10 |
| 13 | Gabriel Gonzaga | 41 | UFC | 13 |
| 14 | Cheick Kongo | 28 | UFC | 25 |
| 15 | Aleksander Emelianenko | 26 | ProFC | 16 |
| 16 | Pedro Rizzo | 25 | Bittetti Combat | 18 |
| 17 | Antonio Silva | 23 | WVR/Strikeforce | 17 |
| 18 | Mirko Filipovic | 23 | UFC | 20 |
| 19 | Tim Sylvia | 19 | Adrenaline | 24 |
| 19 | Ben Rothwell | 19 | UFC | 23 |
| 21 | Jeff Monson | 17 | Free Agent | 22 |
| 22 | Randy Couture | 17 | UFC | 14 |
| 23 | Stefan Struve | 16 | UFC | NR |
| 24 | Ray Mercer | 15 | Adrenaline | 15 |
| 25 | Roy Nelson | 13 | UFC | NR |
| 25 | Gilbert Yvel | 13 | UFC | 27 |
113
Analysis by Kid Nate
With #1 Fedor Emelianenko's next fight date forever receding just beyond the horizon like a mirage in the desert, fans of top flight heavyweight action are turning increasingly to the UFC.Light Heavyweight MMA
Consensus Rankings posted March 26, 2010
| Rank | Fighter | % | Promotion | Last Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lyoto Machida | 100 | UFC | 1 |
| 2 | Mauricio Rua | 92 | UFC | 2 |
| 3 | Rashad Evans | 91 | UFC | 3 |
| 4 | Quinton Jackson | 87 | UFC | 4 |
| 5 | Forrest Griffin | 80 | UFC | 6 |
| 6 | Anderson Silva | 79 | UFC | 5 |
| 7 | Gegard Mousasi | 76 | Strikeforce | 6 |
| 8 | Antonio Rogerio Nogueira | 71 | UFC | 8 |
| 9 | Thiago Silva | 58 | UFC | 9 |
| 10 | Dan Henderson | 56 | Strikeforce | 10 |
| 11 | Rich Franklin | 49 | UFC | 12 |
| 12 | Randy Couture | 38 | UFC | 11 |
| 13 | Luis Arthur Cane | 37 | UFC | 13 |
| 14 | Ryan Bader | 33 | UFC | NR |
| 15 | Keith Jardine | 30 | UFC | 14 |
| 16 | Brandon Vera | 29 | UFC | 18 |
| 17 | Chuck Liddell | 29 | UFC | 16 |
| 18 | Renato Sobral | 28 | Strikeforce | 20 |
| 19 | Vitor Belfort | 26 | UFC | 15 |
| 20 | Jon Jones | 22 | UFC | 23 |
| 21 | Tito Ortiz | 21 | UFC | 24 |
| 22 | Paulo Filho | 16 | DREAM | 17 |
| 23 | Matt Hamill | 16 | UFC | 26 |
| 23 | Muhammed Lawal | 16 | Strikeforce | 21 |
| 25 | Vladimir Matyushenko | 13 | UFC | NR |
19
Analysis by Kid Nate
Things have been so slow in the Light Heavyweight division lately that I was tempted to simply re-post last month's commentary. But that would be wrong.Middleweight MMA
Consensus Rankings posted March 26, 2010
| Rank | Fighter | % | Promotion | Last Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anderson Silva | 100 | UFC | 1 |
| 2 | Dan Henderson | 92 | Strikeforce | 2 |
| 3 | Chael Sonnen | 92 | UFC | 3 |
| 4 | Vitor Belfort | 87 | UFC | 4 |
| 5 | Nate Marquardt | 85 | UFC | 4 |
| 6 | Demian Maia | 80 | UFC | 6 |
| 7 | Jake Shields | 76 | Strikeforce | 7 |
| 8 | Yushin Okami | 65 | UFC | 9 |
| 9 | Robbie Lawler | 59 | Strikeforce | 8 |
| 10 | Jorge Santiago | 55 | WVR | 12 |
| 11 | Yoshihiro Akiyama | 39 | UFC | 11 |
| 12 | Wanderlei Silva | 38 | UFC | NR |
| 13 | Mamed Khalidov | 37 | WVR | 10 |
| 14 | Michael Bisping | 35 | UFC | 14 |
| 15 | Ronaldo Souza | 34 | DREAM/Strikeforce | 13 |
| 16 | Thales Leites | 27 | MFC/Bitetti Combat | 15 |
| 17 | Alan Belcher | 25 | UFC | 18 |
| 18 | Melvin Manhoef | 25 | Strikeforce | 22 |
| 19 | Kazuo Misaki | 21 | K-1 | 17 |
| 19 | Paulo Filho | 21 | DREAM | 16 |
| 21 | Alessio Sakara | 20 | UFC | 20 |
| 22 | Dan Miller | 17 | UFC | NR |
| 23 | Scott Smith | 15 | Strikeforce | 24 |
| 24 | Gegard Mousasi | 14 | Strikeforce | 21 |
| 25 | Hector Lombard | 12 | Bellator/CageFC | 26 |
28
Analysis by Kid Nate
#1 Anderson Silva is spending more time talking about moving up to heavyweight than he is about his UFC 112 challenger #6 Demian Maia.Welterweight MMA
Consensus Rankings posted March 26, 2010
| Rank | Fighter | % | Promotion | Last Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Georges St. Pierre | 100 | UFC | 1 |
| 2 | Jon Fitch | 96 | UFC | 2 |
| 3 | Thiago Alves | 92 | UFC | 3 |
| 4 | Josh Koscheck | 84 | UFC | 4 |
| 5 | Paulo Thiago | 81 | UFC | 5 |
| 6 | Dan Hardy | 78 | UFC | 5 |
| 7 | Nick Diaz | 76 | Strikeforce | 8 |
| 8 | Matt Hughes | 69 | UFC | 9 |
| 9 | Paul Daley | 67 | UFC | 7 |
| 10 | Martin Kampmann | 45 | UFC | 10 |
| 11 | Mike Swick | 44 | UFC | 11 |
| 12 | Carlos Condit | 43 | UFC | 12 |
| 13 | Jay Hieron | 42 | Strikeforce | 13 |
| 13 | Matt Serra | 42 | UFC | 14 |
| 15 | Marius Zaromskis | 35 | DREAM/Strikeforce | 17 |
| 16 | Dan Hornbuckle | 31 | WVR/Bellator | 16 |
| 17 | Jake Shields | 27 | Strikeforce | 15 |
| 18 | Anthony Johnson | 27 | UFC | 19 |
| 19 | Akihiro Gono | 26 | WVR | 18 |
| 20 | Mike Pierce | 23 | UFC | 20 |
| 21 | Jake Ellenberger | 20 | UFC | 21 |
| 22 | Chris Lytle | 15 | UFC | NR |
| 23 | John Howard | 15 | UFC | 24 |
| 24 | Rory MacDonald | 12 | UFC | 23 |
| 24 | Lyman Good | 12 | Bellator | NR |
12
Analysis by Kid Nate
#1 Georges St. Pierre will put his UFC title on the line against #6 Dan Hardy this Saturday at UFC 111. Few expect the trash talking Brit to take the title, but it's a fight and anything can happen. Fans should relish the chance to see a great champion like GSP fighting at the top of his form regardless.Lightweight MMA
Consensus Rankings posted March 27, 2010
| Rank | Fighter | % | Promotion | Last Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | B.J. Penn | 100 | UFC | 1 |
| 2 | Shinya Aoki | 92 | DREAM/Strikeforce | 2 |
| 3 | Eddie Alvarez | 90 | DREAM/Bellator | 4 |
| 4 | Kenny Florian | 88 | UFC | 3 |
| 5 | Gray Maynard | 83 | UFC | 5 |
| 6 | Tatsuya Kawajiri | 81 | DREAM | 7 |
| 7 | Frank Edgar | 69 | UFC | 6 |
| 8 | Gilbert Melendez | 61 | Strikeforce | 8 |
| 9 | Sean Sherk | 57 | UFC | 10 |
| 10 | Diego Sanchez | 56 | UFC | 9 |
| 11 | Tyson Griffin | 55 | UFC | 11 |
| 12 | Mizuto Hirota | 42 | WVR | 13 |
| 13 | Takanori Gomi | 34 | UFC | 17 |
| 14 | Jim Miller | 33 | UFC | 14 |
| 15 | George Sotiropoulos | 30 | UFC | NR |
| 16 | Benson Henderson | 29 | WEC | 18 |
| 16 | Joe Stevenson | 29 | UFC | 15 |
| 18 | Joachim Hansen | 27 | DREAM | 12 |
| 19 | Gesias Cavalcante | 22 | DREAM | 16 |
| 20 | Jorge Masvidal | 21 | G-Force Fights | 20 |
| 21 | Kazunori Yokota | 17 | WVR | 22 |
| 22 | Josh Thomson | 17 | Strikeforce | 21 |
| 23 | Luis Palomino | 16 | G-Force Fights | 19 |
| 23 | Nate Diaz | 16 | UFC | 25 |
| 25 | Eiji Mitsuoka | 15 | WVR | 23 |
18
Analysis by Kid Nate
Another month, another four weeks of #1 B.J. Penn ruling over the lightweight division like a restless prince upon whom the crown weighs heavy.Featherweight MMA
Consensus Rankings posted March 25, 2010
| Rank | Fighter | % | Promotion | Last Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jose Aldo | 100 | WEC | 1 |
| 2 | Mike Brown | 96 | WEC | 2 |
| 3 | Urijah Faber | 92 | WEC | 3 |
| 4 | Hatsu Hioki | 82 | WVR | 4 |
| 5 | Bibiano Fernandes | 79 | DREAM | 5 |
| 6 | Michihiro Omigawa | 75 | K-1 | 8 |
| 7 | Marlon Sandro | 73 | WVR | 9 |
| 8 | Manny Gamburyan | 61 | WEC | 7 |
| 9 | Masanori Kanehara | 60 | K-1 | 10 |
| 10 | Rafael Assuncao | 56 | WEC | 6 |
| 11 | Josh Grispi | 54 | WEC | 11 |
| 12 | L.C. Davis | 50 | WEC | NR |
| 13 | Deividas Taurosevicius | 45 | WEC | 14 |
| 14 | Leonard Garcia | 41 | WEC | 13 |
| 15 | Yuji Hoshino | 35 | WVR | 18 |
| 16 | Takeshi Inoue | 33 | Shooto | 12 |
| 17 | Mark Hominick | 28 | WEC | 17 |
| 18 | Mackens Semerzier | 27 | WEC | 25 |
| 19 | Chad Mendes | 25 | WEC | NR |
| 20 | Takafumi Otsuka | 25 | DEEP | 20 |
| 21 | Joe Soto | 23 | Tachi Palace Fights | 22 |
| 22 | Hiroyuki Takaya | 21 | K-1 | 19 |
| 23 | Kazuyuki Miyata | 17 | DREAM | 21 |
| 24 | Joachim Hansen | 11 | DREAM | 16 |
| 25 | Wagnney Fabiano | 10 | WEC | 15 |
0
Analysis by Luke Thomas
#1 Jose Aldo will defend his title and position as the 145lbs fighter in the world on April 24th as the WEC makes their first foray into the pay-per-view market. He'll defend his title against WEC poster boy #3 Urijah Faber in Faber's hometown of Sacramento, California.Bantamweight MMA
Consensus Rankings posted March 25, 2010
| Rank | Fighter | % | Promotion | Last Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dominick Cruz | 98 | WEC | 4 |
| 2 | Brian Bowles | 95 | WEC | 1 |
| 3 | Joseph Benavidez | 92 | WEC | 5 |
| 4 | Miguel Torres | 88 | WEC | 2 |
| 5 | Masakatsu Ueda | 78 | Shooto | 3 |
| 6 | Scott Jorgensen | 76 | WEC | 6 |
| 7 | Takeya Mizugaki | 69 | WEC | 7 |
| 8 | Rani Yahya | 63 | WEC | 9 |
| 9 | Damacio Page | 59 | WEC | 8 |
| 10 | Wagnney Fabiano | 51 | WEC | 10 |
| 11 | Akitoshi Tamura | 51 | WEC | 11 |
| 12 | Charlie Valencia | 50 | WEC | 11 |
| 13 | Antonio Banuelos | 44 | WEC | 18 |
| 14 | Masakazu Imanari | 40 | DEEP | 13 |
| 15 | Eddie Wineland | 37 | WEC | 14 |
| 16 | Abel Cullum | 32 | KOTC | 16 |
| 16 | Jeff Curran | 32 | XFO | 17 |
| 18 | Yoshiro Maeda | 19 | DREAM | NR |
| 19 | Brad Pickett | 18 | WEC | 15 |
| 20 | Chase Beebe | 17 | DREAM | NR |
| 21 | Cole Escovedo | 16 | DREAM | 24 |
| 22 | Clint Godfrey | 15 | WEC | 21 |
| 23 | Frank Gomez | 13 | WEC | 22 |
| 24 | Atsushi Yamamoto | 12 | DEEP | NR |
| 25 | Mike Easton | 12 | UWC | 26 |
Analysis by Luke Thomas
There's a new champion and his name is #1 Dominick Cruz. The Alliance Gym bantamweight outclassed the seemingly overmatched (albeit also injured) #2 Brian Bowles at WEC 47 this month. After two rounds of dynamic angles, head and trunk movement as well as a frustrating jab, Bowles was getting picked apart.Sunday, April 4, 2010
Top 10 MMA Rankings.....
The prospects of fights among the A-list, including July’s Lesnar-Carwin showdown, is enough to keep fans buzzing and the UFC’s coffers full for the foreseeable future. But none of the quartet have managed to crash the top 10 just yet.
And not without valid reasons: Lesnar only has five career fights under his belt, with his most impressive a victory over Randy Couture, who had been sidelined for 15 months prior to their fight. Velasquez has impressed, but his biggest wins have come over Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, who is a few steps slower than in his PRIDE prime, and Ben Rothwell, a solid pro but not a world-beater. Dos Santos is well on his way, but his biggest win to date is over Gabriel Gonzaga.
In this writer’s opinion, Carwin has the strongest case for a current spot in the top 10 among the four. He has blitzed all 11 of his career foes, never going past the first round. He has faced increasing levels of competition each time out and has passed each test. The one time Carwin has been in trouble, when Gonzaga rocked him in their fight last year, he showed great poise and rebounded to win the fight within two minutes.
If Carwin weighed 135 pounds instead of 265 and boasted the same résumé, would he still be on the outside looking in? After all, Brian Bowles cracked the top 10 as WEC bantamweight champion with just eight career fights and one notable win, and Dominick Cruz’s path to the same title was mainly a series of grinding decision wins.
Either way, three of the UFC’s fab four have impressed enough voters to place in the top 20: Lesnar is tied for 12th with nine points, and Carwin and Velasquez are tied for 16th with six. And given the heavyweight’s growing recognition, one or two figure to crack the top 10 before the year is out.
This month’s voting panel: Carlos Arias, The Orange County Register; Denny Burkholder, CBSSports.com; Elias Cepeda, Inside Fighting; Mike Chiappetta MMAFighting.com and Fight! Magazine; Steve Cofield, Cage Writer and ESPN Radio 1100 in Las Vegas; Neil Davidson, Canadian Press, Dave Doyle Yahoo! Sports; Ben Fowlkes SportsIllustrated.com. and Cage Potato; Josh Gross SportsIllustrated.com; Ariel Helwani Versus.com and MMAFighting.com; Kevin Iole Yahoo! Sports; Todd Martin, freelance; John Morgan, MMAjunkie.com; Franklin McNeil, ESPN.com; Brad McCray, freelance; Dave Meltzer, Yahoo! Sports and The Wrestling Observer; Brett Okamoto, The Las Vegas Sun; Ken Pishna, MMAWeekly.com; Michael David Smith, MMAFighting.com; Dann Stupp MMAjunkie.com. and The Dayton Daily News.
Note: Quinton “Rampage” Jackson has not fought in more than 12 months and as such, is ineligible for consideration until after his next fight.
Cruz
Points: 28
Affiliation: WEC
Weight class: Bantamweight (WEC bantamweight champion)
Hometown: San Diego
Record: 15-1 (won last six)
Last month’s ranking: unranked
Most recent result: def. Brian Bowles, R3 TKO, March 6.
Analysis: A division that seemed muddled a month ago suddenly cleared, as Cruz has beaten everyone in his path at 135 pounds. That includes the fighter who has emerged as No. 2 in the division, Joe Benavidez.
Henderson
9. Dan Henderson
Points: 29
Affiliation: Strikeforce
Weight class: Middleweight/Light heavyweight
Hometown: Murrieta, Calif.
Record: 25-7 (won past three)
Last month’s ranking: 10
Most recent result: def. Michael Bisping, R2 KO, July 11
Analysis: Henderson had more buzz than at any point in his career when he knocked out Michael Bisping last summer. Will that be enough to carry a card on network television when he meets Jake Shields on CBS on April 17?
Mousasi
8. Gegard Mousasi
Points: 33
Affiliation: Strikeforce/DREAM
Weight class: Light heavyweight (Stikeforce light heavyweight champion
Hometown: Leiden, Armenia
Record: 28-2-1 (won last 15)
Last month’s ranking: unranked
Most recent result: def. Gary Goodridge, R1 TKO, Dec. 31.
Analysis: Faces his toughest test in awhile when he meets “King Mo” Lawal on April 17.
Rua
7. Mauricio Rua
Points: 57
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Light heavyweight
Hometown: Curitiba, Brazil
Record: 18-4 (lost last one)
Last month’s ranking: 7 (tie)
Most recent result: lost to Lyoto Machida, unanimous decision, Oct. 24
Analysis: Long layoff just about finished as his camp for his May 8 rematch with Lyoto Machida kicks into gear.
Aldo
6. Jose Aldo
Points: 84
Affiliation: WEC
Weight class: Featherweight (WEC featherweight champion)
Hometown: Rio de Janeiro
Record: 16-1 (won last nine)
Last month’s ranking: 6
Most recent result: def. Mike Brown, R2 TKO, Nov. 18
Analysis: A win over Urijah Faber on Faber’s home turf in Sacramento, Calif. on April 24 would cap Aldo’s dizzying run at 145.
Machida
5. Lyoto Machida
Points: 120
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Light heavyweight (UFC light heavyweight champion)
Hometown: Belem, Brazil
Record: 16-0 (won last 16)
Last month’s ranking: 5
Most recent result: def. Mauricio Rua, unanimous decision, Oct. 24
Analysis: Has much to prove after lackluster first match with Rua.
Penn
4. B.J. Penn
Points: 143 (one first-place vote)
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Lightweight (UFC lightweight champion)
Hometown: Hilo, Hawaii
Record: 15-5-1 (won last two)
Last month’s ranking: 4
Most recent result: def. Diego Sanchez, R5 TKO, Dec. 12
Analysis:What’s left for Penn at 155 pounds if he makes short work of Frank Edgar on April 10?
Emelianenko
3. Fedor Emelianenko
Points: 171 (6 first-place votes)
Affiliation: Strikeforce/M-1 (never lost PRIDE title)
Weight class: Heavyweight
Hometown: Stary Oskol, Russia
Record: 31-1, one no-contest (won last 11)
Last month’s ranking: 2 (tie)
Most recent result: def. Brett Rogers, R2 KO, Nov. 7
Analysis: In the eternal debate between “Fedor hasn’t lost in years” (an argument usually presented as “Fedor is unbeaten,” which isn’t true) and “Fedor doesn’t fight the elite,” his planned June match against Fabricio Werdum presents more downside than up.
St. Pierre
2. Georges St. Pierre
Points: 174 (2 first-place votes)
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Welterweight (UFC welterweight champion)
Hometown: Saint-Isidore, Quebec
Record: 21-2 (won last eight)
Last month’s ranking: 2 (tie)
Most recent result: def. Dan Hardy, unanimous decision, March 27
Analysis: Was St. Pierre’s win over Dan Hardy a 25-minute show of dominance, or a disappointment due to its lack of a finish? That’s been the subject of much debate, but the voters put GSP back alone in second this month after he tied with Fedor last month.
Silva
1. Anderson Silva
Points: 190 (10 first-place votes)
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Middleweight (UFC middleweight champion)
Hometown: Curitiba, Brazil
Record: 24-4 (won last 10)
Last month’s ranking: 1
Most recent result: def. Forrest Griffin, R1 KO, Aug. 8
Analysis: Trivia: Silva recently passed Tito Ortiz for the longest title reign in UFC history. Ortiz held the light heavyweight title for three years, five months and 12 days from 2000-03; Silva will be at three years, five months and 29 days when he defends against Demian Maia on April 10.
More
• Votes for others:Urijah Faber 12; Brock Lesnar, Shinya Aoki 9; Jon Fitch, Jake Shields 7; Shane Carwin, Cain Velasquez 6; Mike Brown 4; Jon Jones, Rashad Evans 3; Joe Benavidez, Brian Bowles 2; Gilbert Melendez 1.
• Upcoming matches for Top 10 fighters: No. 1 Anderson Silva vs. Demian Maia, April 10; No. 4 B.J. Penn vs. Frank Edgar, April 10; No. 6 Jose Aldo vs. Urijah Faber, April 24; No. 8 Gegard Mousasi vs. Muhammad Lawal, April 17; No. 9 Dan Henderson vs. Jake Shields, April/ yahoo.com/ufc
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