New MMA Rankings

Heavyweight: 206-265Lbs
1. Fedor Emelianenko
2. Antonio Nogueira
3. Brock Lesnar
4. Frank Mir
5. Josh Barnett
6. Junior Dos Santos
7. Cain Valezques
8. Shane Carwin
9. Fabricio Werdum
10. Alistair Overeem
Just Missded out, Andrei Arlovski, Brett Rogers, Aleksander Emelianenko, Antonio Silva, Cheick Kongo, Tim Syliva, Gabriel Gonzaga

Light heavyweight: 186-205lbs
1. Lyoto Machida
2. Shogun Rua
3. Quinton Jackson
4. Rashad Evans
5. Gegard Mousasi
6. Forrest Griffin
7. Antônio Rogério Nogueira
8. Thiago Silva
9. Randy Couture
10. Rich Franklin
Just midded out: Luiz Cane, Jon Jones, Renato Sobral, Vladimir Matyushenko, Tito Ortiz, Ryan Bader, Ricardo Arona, Brandon Vera, Keith Jardine, Matt Hamill, Mark Coleman

Middleweight: 171-185lbs
1. Anderson Silva
2. Nate Marquadt
3. Dan Henderson
4. Vitor Belfort
5. Jake Shields
6. Damien Maia
7. Robbie Lawler
8. Chael Sonnen
9. Jorge Santiago
19. Yushin Okami
Just missed out: Paulo Filho, Yoshihiro Akiyama, Ronaldo Souza, Michale Bisping, Patrick Cote, Jason Miller, Alan Belcher, Rousimar Palhares

Welterweight: 156-170lbs
1. George St. Pierre
2. Thaigo Alves
3. John Fitch
4. Nick Diaz
5. Dan Hardy
6. Paul Daley
7. Mike Swick
8. Josh Koscheck
9. Marius Zaromskis
10. Matt Hughes
Just missed out: Martin Kampmann, Carlos Condit, Jay Hieron, Paulo Thiago, Hayato Sakurai, Dan Hornbuckle, Matt Serra, Karo Parisyan

Lightweight: 146-155lbs
1. Bj Penn
2. Shinya Aoki
3. Eddie Alverez
4. Diego Sanchez
5. Kenny Florian
6. Tatsuya Kawajiri
7. Gray Maynard
8. Joachim Hansen
9. Frankie Edgar
10. Tyson Griffin
Just missed out: Gilbert Melendez, Mizuto Hirota, Joe Stevenson, Takanori Gomi, Sean Sherk, JZ Cavalcante, Clay Guida, Josh Thompson, Efrain Escudero.

Shields is a factor at 185 now surely? He's beaten two very legit middleweights. And Khalidov, considering he just smashed Santiago. Maybe drop Santiago out of the top 10, sometimes dropping a fighter from the top 10 is more appropriate than putting a relatively unproven fighter above them, particularly when they have a glaring exploitable weakness (Santiago's chin)?

First of all, Machida is the number 1 LHW. He beat Shogun, he's the champion and i really think you're being ridiculous trying to continue this Shogun is number one nonsense.

Jake Shields should be in the MW list at number 5 IMO, he beat Lawlor and he's the StrikeForce champ.

Junior Dos Santos at 6 in the HW??? For what?? Getting punched in the face by CroCop before Mirko lost his heart. None of his wins are as impressive as Rogers over Arlovski. And Cain, Carwin and Rogers should all be ahead of him. Werdum too despite the loss is a better fighter than JDS and should be above him JDS is not top 10.

I have to say, I agree Machida should be number one. I think the decision itself was one of the biggest robberies I've ever seen, and I'm frankly still pissed off about it. However, I think a line has to be drawn where the winner on the judges score cards is regarded as the winner of the fight. If you start disregarding certain decisions because you disagree with them, it's a bit of a slippery slope, and it opens the door to the possibility of rankings becoming pretty chaotic. For as many decisions there are like Machida-Shogun, there are others that are contraversial, but to a much lesser extent, like Forrest-Rampage, Henderson-Bustamante etc

I think most wanted Shogun as top but so will go with the masses on this one mate, If I get a few more objection ill look into it again, but untill the rematch I say keep it as is and we will find out for sure when they fight again. I know its petty but we put Machida as number 1 before his champs so Im doing the same for Shogun based on public opinion, I know its going to piss some off but these rankings arent official its who we think diserves it and I saw Shogun winning that fight 4-1 and that seems to be the most common scorecard... Lets drop this one but because It splits opinions and number 1 and 2 will be more clearly defined after they rematch

So Shields gets removed from the Ww List? I was going to do that but I think he said he wants to drop to Wether for his next fight... I cant have one figher being on two lists. But he hilds the Title at Mw id be happy to move him over. Makes sence. 5th and pushing everyone else down 1 would be exactly right I suppose. Who goes in at Welter then? Kampmann? Hughes?

JDS got a high ranking by beating Werdum who was ranked back then. He moved up a place or two based on the fact he has got 2 Stoppage wins since then. I agree that he is overrated, he couldnt pull the trigger against the most passive Crocop ive ever seen and I fully expect Gonzaga to beat him but based on wins and losses he has to be in the top 10 till he looses. I could swap him and Cain... But Kongo wasnt as big a win as Werdum.

OK lets stick to the Judges decision, I can live with that. Well make Machida 1 and Shogun 2... for now!

I'm struggling to accept Daley and Hardy that high. Koscheck is ahead of both and has bigger wins and fought better fighters.

I think Hughes goes into the WW rankings with Shields jumping to MW.

Kongo beat CroCop more convincingly than JDS did. I really think JDS is so over-rated.

OK Ill replace Kampmann with Hughes.. that makes sence.

Cant Chance Kos untill a result comes in, he was up as high as 4th or 5th but a loss every other fight recently has hurt his rankings, Ill jump him over Daley with a win for sure. He has great career wins but losses have to drop you and he has had a few even if 1 was to GSP and 1 was to Alves!

Im not going to chance fighers rankings who havnt fought, we all though hellboy has harshly ranked too low but waited till he fought again to re-rank him. Same for Kos, His Ranking will really be looked at again after he fights next. Fingers crossed Rubmle takes his head off his shoulders!

I think nearly everyone who saw the fight knows who the better fighter is anyway, and that's what matters.

Personally, I like the idea of fighters being ranked in two weight classes. I think it's a reality that Anderson and Shields are top 10 in two weight classes. I can understand there can be issues with the frequency with which they compete at each weight class (Shields hasn't fought at welterweight in just over a year) but if they intend to regularly fight at both classes, I don't see the problem with them being ranked in both categories.

Don't get me wrong ben, you do an awesome job with these rankings and the calendar, don't want to sound overly critical

Haha no I appreciate the suggestion, It crossed my mind but I dont think its fair to fighers who would be knocked off the top 10. Then you have to thin who do you rank in more than 1 devision?

BJ Penn?
Dan Henderson?
Randy Couture?
Anderson Silva?
Jake Shields?
Paulo Filho?
Rich Franklin?

There a few who have a clain they could be ranked in 2 weight classes but I think it would result in the same names in different lists.

That's a fair point about fighters who would be knocked off the lists. I guess to decide who you rank you'd have to have the fighters in question picking up relevant wins on a regular basis in both weight classes. Like Shields has good wins at both within just over a year, and he has the intention to continue to test himself at both, which I think again is important. Henderson did cross my mind, but he hasn't won at light heavyweight since 2007. Similarly, I don't think you could have BJ ranked at both, even though he'd have a good chance at owning anyone at welterweight who isn't GSP, because he doesn't have the wins at welterweight recently to support it.

Ill have to have a think about it... Cider is clouding my judgement now... And I dont know if its because I hate Shields and dont want to see his name twice!!

But that is the coolest Avatar ive ever seen! I wonder who makes these things!! Anfield needs one of Hendo landing the Flying Forearm of Fury to Bispings face!

Haha, much appreciated ben, someone on Sherdog made it in the aftermath of last weekend. Couldn't resist using it.

What did you think about Coutures performance? He really didnt seem to be able to do any damage in the clintch or take Vera down? Under Pride Rules he lost big time. His Standup which had started looking good against Gonzaga and Sylvia but seems to have taken a turn for the worse. Coutures movement and expecially handspeed seem to have got progressivley worse since the Syliva fight. Nog outboxed him and dropped him which says a lot because Nog isnt a puncher and he has looked a sitting duck on the feet.

Randy is obviously still relevant but I think Any big Puncher at 205 is going to Ko him, Infact Id fear for his safety if he rematched Belfort... Again! So he wants big interesting fights and has talked about Anderson and Machida for opponents but I dont think his back to back losses followed by this performance warrent a fight like either of those.

So at Lhw his options look like this.

Shogun is tied up with Machida and their fight is a good while off, you can count those two out was his next opponent.

Evans vs T.Silva is for the number 1 contender spot id say after Shogun but you never know, he could want the winner of this in a number 1 contender fight? Time isnt on his side and you know UFC will be keen to have him in a title fight.

Forrest vs Tito winner? Forrest trains under him so I dont see this happening, Tito vs Randy rematch? Maby but I dont know wether UFC want to cover old ground like this.

Lil Nog vs Cane winner? This is the one I want to see, Especially if Nog wins, To fight both brothers would just make for a cool buildup, also Stylewise I think Lil Nog would make for a great fight with Randy, Cane likewise, He is a young big powerfull guy who could put randy to sleep.

Any other options? Rampage if he comes back I suppose? thats my next favorite fight to Lil Nog vs Randy... I dont see him fighting anyone ranked below him, Franklin maby? They could call the event Couture vs Franklin, Americas Sweethearts Collide!

Suppose he has a lof of options open to him. Ill always be a fan even if he is on the slide and his last fight was crap!

It was about what I expected Couture to do, but I thought he'd be more effective. Ultimately Vera should have won that decision imo. I think his form is partly to do with age, and partly I think it's just that he's kind of a predictable fighter. People have always talked about him as an amazing gameplanner, but he really isn't. He's a decent boxer, but basically, his plan is always clinch, dirty box, takedown, halfguard, ground and pound. Another thing I've noticed is that his head movement isn't very varied, his stance goes very sideways and he basically ducks forward, and I think that was part of why he got clipped by Nog more frequently than might be expected. Also part of why Lesnar caught him.

I think his options at 205 depend on what the UFC actually want to do with him. I kind of question whether they really want him getting a title shot at this point, given that he surely has to be ending his career relatively soon. I also don't think he could beat other top contenders necessary to get a shot. I think he'd be better served being put against established names but in more of a showcase context rather than working towards a title shot. I actually think he would have a shot against Little Nog because his wrestling is so superior, and little Nog is smaller and not as slick as his bigger brother from his back. Over all, Rogerio has better prospects in the division so I'd rather not see him de-railed by a fighter like Randy who is a difficult stylistic match-up but probably isn't going to be Champ again.

I like the Franklin fight a lot. Tito if he beats Forrest is a good option. Randy is still a big name, so make fights which capitalise on that. As strange as this sounds, from a business perspective, a fight with Kimbo (if he drops successfully to 205) would attract a lot of fan interest.

could be perfect timing for Coleman/Couture, 2 HOFers colllide!

would be interesting and boring at the same time!

That's a good call!

btw i still think Shogun should be number one, but i reckon a joint number 1 could be a compromise.

Machida won the fight, Machida is the champion, Machida has been impressive for his entire career. Other than the last 2 fights, Shogun hasn't impressed in a while.

manschesthair_utd wrote:btw i still think Shogun should be number one, but i reckon a joint number 1 could be a compromise.

I think this is fair, at least until the rematch decides the true no.1.

I suppose we need clarification about whether we base the ranking on the judges scorecard or who we feel won the fight.

Granted, the Machida/Shogun fight is an extreme example of bad judging, but if we regularly base our rankings like this then they may get a bit inaccurate. Rules are needed!