MMABay’s World Mixed Martial Arts Ranking’s for May
MMABay continues this month with our “World Rankings” for the top eight divisions in MMA. Check out how we rank many of your favourite fighters from around the globe in what could be the most comprehensive run down on the internet.
Heavyweights
1: Junior ‘Cigano’ Dos Santos: The champ is here! Junior Dos Santos’ meteoric rise is complete; the heavy handed Brazilian went from a shocking upset over Fabricio Werdum to capturing the most coveted title in MMA in the space of just a few short years. After brushing aside former champ Cain Velasquez without a second thought in November, Dos Santos looks untouchable. Next up: Frank Mir…
2: Alistair ‘The Reem’ Overeem: While Overeem’s lofty position in the rankings is due in no small part to the recent losses and inactivity of Fedor, Lesnar and Carwin, its clear for all to see that the boy has skills. He proved the doubters wrong with a brutal demolition of Brock Lesnar in December of last year, setting the former K-1, Dream and Strikeforce champion up for what could have been a clean sweep if he hadn’t run into the Nevada State Athletic Commission…
3: Cain Velasquez: It may have lasted over a year, but in real terms, Cain Velasquez reign over the UFC heavyweight division was a short one. Rendered unconscious by Junior Dos Santos in just 64 seconds, Velasquez now finds himself in the unfamiliar position of going back to the drawing board.
4: Frank Mir: After being unable to claim back to back wins since 2008, Frank Mir has now gone three for three following his gut (or arm) wrenching submission over Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira late last year. Mir has been gifted an opportunity to fight for the title at UFC 146 with the high levels of testosterone forcing the Nevada State Athletic Commission to effectively ban Alistair Overeem from action for nine months.
5: Fabricio ‘Vai Cavalo’ Werdum: Despite dethroning the greatest heavyweight mixed martial artist of all time, Fabricio Werdum’s tepid performance has seen the Brazilian receive few plaudits of late. That all changed with his three-round demolition of Roy Nelson in February. Werdum still has some way to go before he’s in line for a rematch with Junior Dos Santos, but his battering of ‘Big Country’ was a step in the right direction.
6: Shane ‘The Engineer’ Carwin: You’ve got to give it to Shane Carwin, he’s got some testicular fortitude. With that said, he’ll need more than guts if he is to recover from a torrid few years worth of high-profile losses and massive injury lay-offs. With the biological clock ticking, 2012 will be a crucial year for Carwin.
7: Josh ‘The Babyfaced Assassin’ Barnett: When we removed Josh Barnett from his number 3 spot in the ranking following his failed drug test back in August 2009, little did we expect that it would be nearly two years before he would make his return. Still, the MMA maverick continues his climb back to the top with a successful run to the finals of the Strikeforce GP.
8: Daniel Cormier: Some might say that’s it’s too early for the decorated, yet relatively inexperienced Daniel Cormier to be making an appearance in the heavyweight rankings, and they might have a point. But respect is certainly due for the man who knocked out the previously number 6 ranked ‘Bigfoot’ Silva in September, the latest in a series of spectacular performances that could see the Strikeforce GP finalist becoming a regular feature in the top ten.
9: Travis Browne: The six-foot-seven prospect has finally burst into the top ten following his “Submission of the Night” win over Chad Griggs on the UFC 145 card in April, stopping the former Strikeforce fighter in the first round. The only blemish on his record remains that draw with Cheick Kongo although he has shown vast improvements since those days.
10: Mark ‘Super Samoan’ Hunt: A year ago it seemed unthinkable, but with three straight wins in the UFC heavyweight division, capped off by a first round mauling of formerly 9th-ranked Cheick Kongo, Mark Hunt takes 10th place in the heavyweight rankings. He’s appearance in the top ten may be fleeting with the likes of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Stefan Struve and a resurgent Fedor Emelianenko nipping at his heels, but for this month at least, he’s earned it.
Light Heavyweights
1: Jon ‘Bones’ Jones: 2011 was nothing if not the start of the ‘Bones Era’. 12 months ago Jones was a great prospect…now, he’s a legend in the making. Ryan Bader, ‘Shogun’ Rua, ‘Rampage’ Jackson, Lyoto Machida and Rashad Evans all fell victim to MMA’s newest golden boy. Only Dan Henderson and Alexander Gustafsson stand between Jones and the complete obliteration of the 205 pound division.
2: Dan ‘Hendo’ Henderson: Dan Henderson has not only stepped out of the shadow of former Team Quest partner Randy Couture, he may be on the way to surpassing the legend of ‘The Natural’. While Couture lasted into his 40’s by fighting smart, Hendo is still ploughing through top opposition with reckless abandon. Can anything stop the ‘H-Bomb’?
3: ‘Suga’ Rashad Evans: The de-facto number one contender since May 2010, Rashad Evans finally found himself with an actual date with destiny. After a confident 5-round routing of Phil Davis last month, ‘Suga’ took on Jon Jones in April for the light heavyweight title but came up short. Evans will now be looking to move back up the light heavyweight divisions ladder and secure himself another title shot.
4: Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua: As good as he undoubtedly is, ‘Shogun’ Rua has blown hot and cold since his UFC debut. Still, the Brazilian dynamo has only lost to the cream of the crop, and has been involved in some of the sport’s most epic battles along the way. His loss in one of MMA’s all time great bouts against Dan Henderson will have done little to harm his reputation, but Shogun will need to win big next time out of he is to make another run at the UFC gold.
5: Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson: Rumours of injury, TRT and weight cutting issues aside, it’s hard to ignore the fact that the Rampage we’re seeing step into the Octagon in 2012 is far removed from the Rampage of old. A floundering performance against fringe top-10 light heavyweight Ryan Bader has all but put hopes of another title run to bed for Jackson, and retirement may not be too far from the former champion’s mind.
6: Lyoto ‘The Dragon’ Machida: The post-Machida has not been kind to its namesake. ‘The Dragon’ managed only one defence of his 205lb title, and has gone an abysmal 1-3 since. A rumoured bout with Dan Henderson could make or break the Karate stylist’s tenure as a top-ranked light heavyweight.
7: Alexander Gustafsson: Following a tough loss to Phil Davis, Alexander Gustafsson has been on a tear through the middle tier of UFC light heavyweights. Four wins, four stoppages, each more brutal than the last, saw the young Swede rocket into the top ten. A victory over Thiago Silva when the Octagon visited his home nation in April cemented him as one of the world’s top 205’lbers.
8: Antonio Rogerio ‘Minotouro’ Nogueira: You win some, you lose some. Nogueira has certainly not had it easy, coming off the back of two very close and contentious decision losses to a pair of ‘super prospects’ in Ryan Bader and Phil Davis, before steamrolling Tito Ortiz late last year. Still, injuries and age are catching up with ‘Little Nog’; does he have enough left in the tank to handle a young, hungry Alexander Gustafsson? Only time will tell.
9: Ryan ‘Darth’ Bader: An impressive performance against ‘Rampage’ puts Bader back in the hunt, but his two devastating losses to Jon Jones and Tito Ortiz stop him from leapfrogging Jackson – a rare exception in the MMABay Rankings. Still, Bader has his best years ahead of him, and another win or two under his belt could see the TUF winner steaming past the likes of the floundering Machida, Rampage and Nogueira.
10: Phil ‘Mr Wonderful’ Davis: Phil Davis is the latest ‘super prospect’ to roll off the conveyor belt and into the UFC. He’s barely reached double-figures in terms of fight experience, but he’s a world class athlete with top shelf wrestling and a suffocating ground game; the blueprint upon which many MMA greats have been built. Unfortunately, the step up in competition he faced with Rashad Evans proved to be too much, too soon.
Middleweights
1: Anderson ‘The Spider’ Silva: Anderson Silva beats everyone that is put in front of him, fact. Perhaps the most devastating UFC champion of all time, Silva’s combination of lazer-guided accuracy and lightning speed has put away opponent after opponent, with Yushin Okami being the latest victim. What his striking doesn’t finish, his BJJ black belt will; it’s a devastating combination that makes Anderson the best fighter at middleweight, perhaps the best in the world.
2: Chael Sonnen: He’s baaaaack! Talk about emphatic returns; Chael Sonnen stepped back into the Octagon after nearly a year on the sidelines and steamrolled highly-regarded contender Brian Stann inside two rounds. After an 11th hour change of opponent saw him facing Michael Bisping instead of Mark Munoz, Sonnen persevered to take razor-thin decision and with it, the official number one contender status at 185.
3: Mark ‘The Philippino Wrecking Machine’ Munoz: Following his hard fought victory over Chris Leben in November, Mark Munoz takes another step closer to the UFC middleweight title shot he craves. However, with Anderson Silva out until June, and both Michael Bisping and Chael Sonnen ahead of him in the UFC’s preferred pecking order, Munoz may have to jump though another hoop or two on his way to the gold.
4: Michael ‘The Count’ Bisping: After back to back demolition jobs of Jorge Rivera and Jason Miller, Michael Bisping found himself within touching distance of a UFC title shot. Unfortunately Chael Sonnen acted as the spoiler, pinching an agonisingly close decision when the pair met in January. Bisping’s performance silenced his critics though, and with even Dana White believing that he won the fight, ‘The Count’ may be just as close to the gold as he ever was.
5: Hector ‘Shango’ Lombard: It’s tough to drop Hector Lombard down the middleweight rankings while his is consistently dominating fights and running up an incredible 25-bout undefeated streak, but the buck has to stop somewhere. A victim of the ever decreasing non-Zuffa 185lb talent pool, ‘Shango’ decided it was time to make a move to the UFC and promptly signed with them in April. Good move in our opinion.
6: Vitor ‘The Phenom’ Belfort: His last bout may have technically been at light heavyweight, but a win over the massively over-sized Anthony Johnson did little to harm Belfort’s standings in the 185lb division. Still, despite his superstar status, Vitor lacks relevant wins at middleweight. A successful outing against Wanderlei Silva this summer could put him into the top five, and more importantly, the title hunt.
7: Chris Weidman: Knocking Brian Stann out of the top 10 (at least for now) is Chris Weidman; NCAA wrestling champ, Golden Gloves winner and now UFC middleweight prospect. Weidman’s star was on the rise before he stepping at short notice to bully Damian Maia to a decision loss, and while his performance wasn’t spectacular, a win is a win.
8: Demian Maia: A late change of opponent proved disastrous for Damian Maia, who lost a dull unanimous decision to ‘nothing-to-lose’ replacement Chris Weidman in January. Having split his last four bouts, Maia is now in limbo, and will need a series of big wins to get back in the hunt. An early summer bout with Michael Bisping looks likely for the grappling standout.
9: Yushin ‘Thunder’ Okami: Things have gone from bad to worse for Yushin Okami. After a one-sided beatdown from Anderson Silva, ‘Thunder’ snatched defeat from the jaws of victory against unranked Tim Botesch in his home country at UFC 144. Another loss could see the Japanese warrior bumped from the rankings altogether.
10: Luke Rockhold: To be the man, you gotta beat the man. In the Strikeforce middleweight division ‘Jacare’ Souza was the man, and Luke Rockhold beat him somewhat convincingly over five rounds. With uncertainty surrounding the promotion’s future, it’s currently unknown whether Rockhold will get the opportunity to defend the strap against Tim Kennedy in Strikeforce, or will simply become the latest transplant to the UFC.
Welterweights
1: Georges ‘Rush’ St. Pierre: First it was Diaz, then Condit, then Diaz again. Now the only opponent GSP has to look forward to is another bout of rehab after blowing out his knee. The injury couldn’t have come at a worse time for ‘Rush’, who had a point to prove after his most criticized performance to date against Jake Shields. Can GSP come back from the brink? We may be in for a long wait to find out.
2: Carlos ‘The Natural Born Killer’ Condit: It may have been close, it may have been contentious, but the history books will show that Carlos Condit beat Nick Diaz to become the UFC interim champion, and with it the consensus number 2 at 170lbs. An immediate rematch with Diaz was in the works, but after the Stockton Smoker failed a drug test, Condit will await the return of George St Pierre for a chance to unify the division.
3: Josh ‘Kos’ Koscheck: The ‘Fighting Fraggle’ may have got back on track with a KO of UFC legend Matt Hughes, but a weak performance against Mike Pierce has done little for Koscheck’s bid for another shot at the gold. A May showdown with Johnny Hendricks could well be a sink or swim moment for one of the original Ultimate Fighters.
4: Jake Ellenberger: Ellenberger won September’s battle of the Jakes, knocking out former title contender Shields in devastating fashion in his first ever UFC main event. The win cemented Ellenberger as a top ten welterweight, and his incredible performance against Diego Sanchez in February moved him within spitting distance of a UFC title shot.
5: Nick Diaz: Whatever your personal views are on the subject, the fact is that Nick Diaz threw yet another opportunity away due to his unwillingness to stay off the green medicine for a couple of weeks ahead of his interim title fight with Carlos Condit. Should Diaz be suspended for a year when his hearing rolls around, he’ll be removed from the rankings – and will have no one to blame but himself.
6: Johny Hendricks: A new kid on the block in the welterweight top 10, MMABay favourite and ‘beard of the year’ Johny Hendricks has rocketed into the rankings of many of MMA’s top media outlets. His entry may be due in part to the recent poor form of Dan Hardy, Paul Daley and Thiago Alves, but after capping off his 12-1 record with a win over former title contender Jon Fitch, Hendricks has established himself as a force in the 170 pounds ranks.
7: Jon Fitch: After being the defacto number 2 at 170lbs for as long as we can remember, Jon Fitch now finds himself further from the title than ever. Following a disappointing draw against BJ Penn and a devastating loss to up and comer Johny Hendricks, Fitch will need nothing short of a miracle if he is to get back in the welterweight title hunt.
8: Diego ‘The Dream’ Sanchez: It’s been an up and down few years for Sanchez, both in terms of his record and the weight division’s he’s fought in. After losing out to Jake Ellenberger in his most recent bout at 170lbs, ‘The Dream’ is considering a second crack at lightweight in an effort to capture UFC gold.
9: Martin ‘The Hitman’ Kampmann: For the man who stood with Paul Daley and grappled with Jake Shields, game-planning has never been a strong point. Kampman was just moments away from losing another ill-advised stand up war with Thiago Alves in early March, before one of the most ‘WTF?’ finishes in recent memory saw him snatch a last second submission and with it, a stay of execution in the MMABay Rankings.
10: Ben Askren: ‘Funky’ is currently undefeated at 10-0 in his mixed martial arts career and despite a growing reputation as one of the most snooze-worthy fighters in the sport today it’s unmistakable that he has talent few rival. He defended his Bellator crown in April with a five-round win over Douglas Lima.
Lightweights
1: Ben ‘Smooth’ Henderson: Despite losing his WEC title in his final fight for the promotion, Ben Henderson has excelled since jumping into the deep waters of the UFC lightweight division. Increasingly impressive performances against Mark Bocek, Jim Miller and Clay Guida earned ‘Smooth’ a title shot, and Henderson took full advantage. Still, the result was contentious, and we may be heading for our third consecutive lightweight title rematch. Until then, Henderson can soak up the limelight as the world’s number one lightweight.
2: Frankie ‘The Answer’ Edgar: After a crazy couple of years that saw him beat an all time great twice and complete an epic trilogy with Grey Maynard, Frankie Edgar finally came unstuck against Ben Henderson. Despite looking an entire weight division smaller than his opponent, Edgar took Henderson to the wire in a fight many thought should have seen the champion retain. Whether ‘The Answer’ drops down for a run at 145, or has a third direct rematch, seems to be in the hands of the UFC.
3: Gilbert ‘El Nino’ Melendez: Melendez is finally getting the respect he deserves in the MMA community after rolling through previously number two ranked Shinya Aoki last April and destroying Japanese standout Tatsuya ‘Crusher’ Kawajiri a year later. A lop-sided decision over Jorge Rivera saw ‘El Nino’ just about clear out the Strikeforce 155lb division…could a switch to the UFC be next?
4: Gray ‘The Bully’ Maynard: So near, yet so far. ‘The Bully’ has twice demolished Frankie Edgar in the early going, only to see the UFC champion fight back first for a draw, then for a devastating KO in their most recent bout. The trilogy will go down as a classic, but that will be of little consolation to Maynard, who heads to the back of a long line of 155lb contenders.
5: Jim Miller: Jim Miller seemed just a whisker away from earning himself a UFC title shot, but after a decisive loss to the dynamic Ben Henderson, the rugged grappler was forced to restart his climb up the 155lb ranks. He did so in epic fashion against Melvin Guillard in January, surviving an early scare to choke his man out in the very first round. Success in his upcoming showdown with Nate Diaz could very well see Miller back in the title hunt.
6: Clay ‘The Carpenter’ Guida: There’s never a dull moment with Clay Guida, as evidenced by his incredible performance against Ben Henderson in November. Unfortunately, the wild man of the UFC lightweight division can’t seem to get over that hump from ‘challenger’ to ‘number one contender’ status.
7: Anthony ‘Showtime’ Pettis: A brutal head kick KO of Joe Lauzon in Japan rockets ‘Showtime’ back into the MMABay top ten. Despite a fairly recent loss to Clay Guida, it seems that Pettis’ win over Ben Henderson at the final WEC show in 2010 may see the former champion leapfrog the pack into a UFC title bout later this year.
8: Nate Diaz: Diaz has looked ultra-impressive in his last two outings since dropping back to his more natural fighting weight of 155 pounds. Inconsistency continues to be the millstone around Diaz’ neck though. While his recent wins over Takanori Gomi and Donald Cerrone look good on paper, the spectre of his losses to Guida, Stevenson and Maynard are still fresh in the minds of many. Diaz will have another shot at traversing the chasm from ‘ranked outsider’ to ‘contender’ when he faces Jim Miller in May.
9: Michael Chandler: Despite coming from relative obscurity to win the Bellator lightweight tournament, Michael Chandler still had his doubters. After capturing the promotion’s lightweight title in his ‘fight of the year’ candidate against Eddie Alvarez though, those doubters have been silenced in the most emphatic of fashion.
10: Edson Barboza: A worthy addition to the top ten in our opinion after a string of impressive victories already under his belt in the lightweight division. The young Brazilian has picked up wins over Mike Lullo, Anthony Njokuani, Ross Pearson and most recently, Terry Etim to sneak into the top ten ahead of his fight next month at UFC 146.
Featherweights
1: Jose ‘Scarface’ Aldo: The hype surrounding Jose Aldo had somewhat cooled off following two humanising performances since his switch to the UFC. If there were any doubts creeping in, Aldo erased them last month in Rio with a stunning KO of top-ranked contender Chad Mendez, capping off the victory with one of the most memorable celebrations in UFC history. The message was clear: Jose Aldo is here to stay.
2: Hatsu ‘The Shooto Child’ Hioki: It was a shaky start for one of the all time greats in the ranks of Japan’s sprawling Shooto league, but Hioki finally made his mark in the UFC. After a fantastic performance against Bart Palaszewski at UFC Japan, Hioki regains his place at the consensus number two at 145lbs. He may be a fight or two away from the title in the UFC’s pecking order, but if ‘The Shooto Child’ can replicate his UFC 144 performance, it’ll only be a matter of time before a dream showdown with Jose Aldo becomes a reality.
3: Chad ‘Money’ Mendes: Former NCAA Division 1 wrestling standout Chad Mendes was tabbed as the ‘next generation’ Urijah Faber and a future featherweight champ. While that may indeed be the case, he didn’t fare much better than the actual Faber against Jose Also. While Mendez may be thankful that he didn’t have to endure 25 mins of brutal leg kicks, the knee to the chin that ended his night with just a second to go in the first round wasn’t the consolation prize he was looking for.
4: Pat Curran: Pat Curran, younger brother of MMA veteran Jeff, exploded on the MMA scene in 2010 with his debut in Bellator. He’s since gone 6-1, losing only to Eddie Alvarez, and capturing both lightweight and most recently featherweight tournament titles with the promotion. His recent 145lb run was punctuated with a massive head kick KO over Marlon Sandro, earning Curran his spot in the MMABay top ten.
5: Dustin ‘The Diamond’ Poirier: A real ‘Diamond’ in the rough, Poirier burst onto the scene with an upset victory over then number one contender Josh Grispi at UFC 125. With multiple cancelled fights since, it’s been a rough few months for ‘The Diamond’, but Poirier regained some lost momentum with an emphatic win against the overmatched Max Holloway in February. His upcoming clash with Chan Sung Jung will decide the next contender to Jose Aldo’s title.
6: Patricio ‘Pitbull’ Freire: With his nemesis Joe Warren’s recent inactivity and KO loss (at 135lbs), ‘Pitbull’s Bellator tournament win see’s him rocket into the featherweight top ten. Having improved his record to an impressive 17-1 with three big wins in 2011, Freire is now waiting for a hand injury to heal before he gets a shot at redemption against Warren.
7: Marlon ‘The Monster’ Sandro: Nova Uniao’s Marlon Sandro solidified his reputation as one of MMA’s premier face-smashers in Japan’s Sengoku promotion. After losing via a shock head-kick KO to Pat Curran, ‘The Monster’ will attempt to navigate the next Bellator featherweight tournament in search of redemption.
8: Dennis Siver: The German heavy hitter has already made a name for himself in the featherweight division after just one fight, defeating Diego Nunes via unanimous decision on the UFC on FUEL TV 2 card in April. After a string of wins against top names in the lightweight division it’ll be interesting to see how far up the ranks he can go in 2012/13.
9: Bart ‘Bartimus’ Palaszewski: After years of toil, ‘Bartimus’ finally arrived with the biggest win of his career against Tyson Griffin last year. The well-travelled veteran will found that it’s not easy at the top though, as he was shut out by top-ranked featherweight Hatsu Hioki at UFC Japan.
10: Deigo ‘The Gun’ Nunes: After a spirited loss to Kenny Florian killed him momentum, Nunes jumped straight back on the wagon with a well-deserved decision victory over suffocating grappler Manny Gamburyan late last year. A winner in four of his last five fights, Nunes could shoot right back up into contender status with a defeat of Dennis Siver in April.
Bantamweights
1: Dominick ‘Dominator’ Cruz: In 2007 Dominick Cruz challenged Urijah Faber for the WEC featherweight championship and was choked out in under two minutes. Nearly four years later and the Lloyd Irvin project reigns supreme over the weight class below, outworking Faber and Demetrious Johnson in his first defences of the UFC bantamweight title.
2: Urijah ‘The California Kid’ Faber: One of the all time greats at 145lbs, and one of MMA’s most recognisable figures outside the major weight classes thanks to a series of high-profile sponsorship deals, Urijah Faber is a true superstar. A massive KO of top contender Brian Bowles earlier this month sees Faber earn a coaching slot on The Ultimate Fighter, and more importantly, the chance to complete his epic trilogy with Dominic Cruz.
3: Renan Barao: Following previous number 10-ranked Masakazu Imanari’s upset loss to journeyman grappler Hideo Tokoro, surging Brazilian prospect Renan Barao took what many people felt was his rightful place in the 135lb top ten. After lighting up and choking out Brad Pickett at UFC 138, Barao affirmed our faith in him as a top ten bantamweight.
4: Scott ‘Young Guns’ Jorgensen: Scott Jorgensen has put his humbling loss to Dominic Cruz behind him since joining the ranks of the UFC, smashing Ken Stone and shutting out Jeff Curran to regain lost momentum. Urijah Faber is nect in line for the gold, but ‘Young Guns’ February clash with Renen Barao will likely decide the next contender to the bantamweight title.
5: Michael McDonald: One of the youngest members of the UFC’s roster, ‘Mayday’ picked up the biggest win of his mixed martial arts career last time out when he knocked out Miguel Torres in the first round back at UFC 145 in April. He is currently on a eight-fight winning streak and one of the hardest hitters in the division.
6: Brian Bowles: A devastating loss at the hands of Urijah Faber in November is just the latest setback in what has been a torrid, injury wracked few years for Brian Bowles. Still, the former WEC champ has time on his hands. If he can stay injury free, there is no reason why he shouldn’t make another run at the gold.
7: Brad ‘One Punch’ Pickett: 2011 has not been the year that Brad Pickett wanted. After an injury forced him out of a mouth watering clash with Miguel Torres, Pickett was steamrolled on his own turf at UFC 138 in the UK. ‘One Punch’ looked to be on top form on the UFC on FUEL TV 2 card this past April when he took on and defeated Damacio Page via second round submission.
8: Miguel Angel Torres: Once thought to be the 135lb division’s answer to George St Pierre or Anderson Silva – a practically unbeatable champion – Miguel Torres’ ride came crashing to a halt with back to back defeats at the hands of Brian Bowles and Jo Benavidez. Despite getting back on track after a move to Jackson’s MMA that saw him win two straight, Torres has lost back-to-back fights to Demetrious Johnson and Michael McDonald in his last two bouts.
9: Bibiano ‘Flash’ Fernandes: 2011 saw former featherweight kingpin Fernandez tackle a new set of obstacles at 135lbs. The drop was a resounding success for the Brazilian dynamo, with a clean sweep of the Dream Bantamweight GP. The tournament victory, along with the removal of Joe Benavidez and Demetrious Johnson, sees ‘Flash’ jump into the bantamweight top ten.
10: Masakatsu Ueda: Shooto standout Ueda continues to make strides in his MMA career, going 3-0 so far in 2011. Having fused some solid submissions (that saw him Brabo choke Ralph Acosta) and a surprisingly efficient striking game (that allowed him to put away Rumina Sato with a body kick) to his strong wrestling base, Ueda is constantly evolving. Rumours suggest that a UFC call up is imminent.
Flyweights
1: Ian ‘Uncle Creepy’ McCall: Despite only competing at Flyweight for a year, Ian McCall’s 125lb debut upset of then number 1 ranked Jussier da Silva rocketed the former WEC fighter to the top of the divisional rankings. ‘Uncle Creepy’ kept up his momentum with wins over Dustin Ortiz and Darrell Montague to capture the TPF Flyweight title, before fighting to a controversial draw in his UFC debut against Demetrious Johnson. A rematch will determine who fights Joe Benavidez for the UFC’s newest title, and the number 1 spot in the flyweight rankings.
2: Jussier ‘Formiga’ da Silva: Brazil’s best 125lb’er, Shooto South American champion da Silva took an undefeated record into his Tachi Palace Fights bout with Ian McCall last year. After a huge upset loss to McCall, ‘Formiga’ got back on track with a win over Mamoru Yamaguchi, before heading back to Brazil to defend his Shooto title. Set to return to the US this month, da Silva is now without an opponent after Darrell Montague withdrew from their mouth-watering clash. With the UFC talking the Nova Uniao project up during their flyweight tourney, it seems that the suffocating grappler could be Octagon-bound before long.
3: Joesph ‘Beefcake’ Benavidez: One of the smallest fighters in the UFC’s bantamweight division, Joe Benavidez none the less competed at the highest level. The Team Alpha Male fighter twice took Dominic Cruz the distance and choked out Miguel Torrez and Wagnney Fabiano despite giving up considerable size and reach. A shoe-in for the UFC’s first flyweight tourney, Benavidez looked even more dominant than usual in knocking out highly regarded Shooto champion Yasuhiro Urushitani en route to the finals.
4: Mamoru ‘The Illest Afro in Asia’ Yamaguchi: Quite possibly the best fighter you’ve never heard of, Japan’s Mamoru Yamaguchi is one of the sport’s premier showmen. From his sick ‘fro to competing in a Bruce Lee-style ‘Game of Death’ yellow jumpsuit, Yamaguchi never fails to entertain. Fortunately there is plenty of steak to go with the sizzle; the Yokohama native has held multiple titles at both 132 and 123lbs in Shooto and beyond. A knock out artist by trade, Yamaguchi is currently splitting his time between MMA and Shootboxing. With the UFC once again trying to break Japan, we might get to see ‘The Illest Afro in Asia’ in the Octagon before his incredible career is over.
5: Demetrious ‘Mighty Mouse’ Johnson: ‘Mighty Mouse’ made serious waves in the WEC and UFC bantamweight divisions, losing only to Dominic Cruz and Brad Pickett. Small even for flyweight, ‘Mighty Mouse’ finally got a chance to compete at his natural home of 125lbs in the UFC’s newly established division. Unfortunately Johnson’s bout with Ian McCall ended without a winner due to a scorecard SNAFU…the bout will go down as a draw, with a rematch set to go down as soon as is humanly possible.
6: Darrell ‘Mongoose’ Montague: A hard-fought loss to Ian McCall snapped a six-fight streak for Tachi Palace Fight’s Darrell Montague. Prior to that, ‘Mongoose’ had been on a tear in the Flyweight heaven, wresting the 125lbs title from Ulysses ‘Useless’ Gomez and establishing himself as the division’s consensus number 3. Montague was set to face current number 2 Jusseir da Silva in March, but has stepped away from the sport to care for his new born son.
7: Yasuhiro Urushitani: He may have looked unimpressive in his UFC debut against Joe Benavidez, but former Shooto champion Urushitani has run riot over the 125lb division for over a decade. With wins over the likes of Mamoru Yamaguchi, Daniel Lima and 4th degree BJJ blackbelt Robson Moura, Urushitani established his dominance over the division. Last summer’s mauling of Yuki Shojo signalled a clear out of the Shooto ranks – the crafty counter puncher will now ply his trade in the UFC’s new flyweight division.
8: Shinichi ‘BJ’ Kojima: For a long time, BJ Kojima was the undisputed number one flyweight in the world. A loss to Jussier da Silva, followed by two years away from the sport rehabilitating injuries, has seen the kingpin fall in the standings. Still, the Katsumura Dojo standout returned with a bang in 2011, netting two wins for a fairytale comeback. Having competed in some of the most memorable bouts in flyweight MMA history, including a trilogy with Mamoru Yamaguchi and a pair of encounters with Yasuhiro Urushitani, don’t be surprised to see the crowd-pleasing ‘BJ’ back on top before long.
9:Yuki Shojo: Fighting out of Japan’s X-ONE gym, Shojo has been a staple of the Shooto league since his debut in 2004. He may not have the strongest record, but Shojo has only lost three of his last ten, all to top competition in the form of BJ Kojima, Yasuhiro Urushitani and Mamoru Yamaguchi. Despite splitting a pair of bouts with Urushitani, it seems that Shoji’s next step will be a move down to straweight, rather than persuing a rubber match.
10: Jose Maria ‘No Chance’ Tome: He may have the definition of a padded record, but RFT’s Jose Maria Tome is one of the hottest prospects at 125lbs. Equally adept at snatching submissions from top position and breaking down opponents with slick counter-striking, ‘No Chance’ has finished 23 of his 28 MMA wins within the distance. With the UFC making Brazil its latest hotbed, expect this Renan Barao teammate to make an appearance in the Octagon soon.
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