UFC Light Heavyweight Championship
[#1] Rashad Evans vs. [#4] Lyoto Machida

Welterweight
[#8] Matt Serra vs. [#19] Matt Hughes

Middleweight
[#51] Drew McFedries vs. [#59] Xavier Foupa-Pokam

Middleweight
[#9] Chael Sonnen vs. [#20] Dan Miller

Lightweight
[#8] Sean Sherk vs. [#15] Frankie Edgar

Welterweight
[#20] Brock Larson vs. [#28] Chris Wilson [#25] Mike Pyle

Heavyweight
[#46] Tim Hague vs. [#89] Patrick Barry

Lightweight
[#261] Kyle Bradley vs. [#550] Phillipe Nover

Light Heavyweight
[#34] Krzysztof Soszynski vs. [#77] Andre Gusmao

Welterweight
[#31] Yoshiyuki Yoshida vs. [#133] Brandon Wolff

Lightweight
[#400] George Roop vs. [*] Dave Kaplan

Ranking Notes: Dark green font represents an approximate ranking. An asterisk represents a fighter who is ranked, but too low for an approximation. These two scenarios will clear up slightly as we move forward. “NR” means the fighter is not ranked, due to inactivity, or due to a rating that is at or below the default starter rating.

Lightweights

1. Jason Dent beat 2. Jeff Lawson

.The higher seed is now 16-6!!

Notable Info

• Quite a few “mid-major” shows added from the past week.
• Dozens of previously missing American mid-west shows have been added.
• Heavyweight through Lightweight has been expanded to the Top 150.
• Divisions with over 50 rankings are now segmented.  Use the links beneath the rankings to switch between segments.

This is a pretty big update for us, and there will be a few growing pains (missing nationalities, flags, incorrect division assignments).  If you notice any of the above, please let us know in the forum.

Note: There will be a re-post on May 21, as the ranking spots for the release on 5/17 were not “stored”.

Lightweights

3. Ross Pearson beat 6. Richie Whitson

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The higher seed is now 15-6. Be on the lookout for a recap on who’s left.

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Lightweights Remaining

The Best of the Bunch

1. Jason Dent

2. Jeff Lawson

Worth Keeping an Eye On

3. Ross Pearson

4. Andre Winner

The Next Three

5. Josh Souder – Never fought

6. Richie Whitson

7. Santino Defranco

On the Outside Looking In

8. Paul Bird

9. Waylon Lowe

10. Martin Stapleton

11. AJ Wenn

12. Cameron Dollar

Just Good Enough for a Rating

13. Gary Kelly

14. James Bryant

15. Tom Hayden

The Unranked

Dan James, Rob Browning*

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Welterweights Remaining

The Best of the Bunch

1. Che Mills

2. Kevin Knabjian

3. Mark Miller

Worth Keeping an Eye On

4. Jason Pierce

5. Damarques Johnson

Rounding Out the Top 10

6. Tommy Maguire

7. Ray Elbe

8. James Wilks

9. Alex Reid

9B. Frank Lester*

10. Nicholas Osipczak

Here for the Ride

11. Dean Amasinger

12. Ryan Biglar – Never fought

13. Christian Fulgium – Never fought

The Unranked

Kiel Reid, David Falkner, James Bateman

Let’s face it, without MMA databases and result sites, FightMatrix wouldn’t be possible.  Thanks to these sources, and countless hours of database input, I feel its pretty safe to say that we probably have the best MMA database known to man.  At the very least, we have the most bout division information, bar none, with nearly 13,000 bouts that have division classification.

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Databases

Sherdog – The best database for getting big show results in a timely fashion and is also an invaluable asset in researching past shows.  Probably tops in the all-around category.

MixedMartialArts – The best database for minor circuits, particularly those in the American midwest.  They are also very useful, although not always accurate, in determing the pro/am status of a bout.

MMAUniverse – Their forte is western European results, and they do it well.

FighterGirls – Their female results are by far the best.  They have no competition.

CombatRec – Useful only for the most obscure shows.  Their accuracy isn’t the best but they serve an important niche.

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Results

Sherdog – Again, their forte is posting the results of big shows, but they do surprise with obscure shows from time-to-time.

Japan-MMA – Super quick on posting results for Asian shows, big and small.

ShootoResults – An outstanding resource on everything Shooto.

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We also have love for the few athletic commissions and organizations that keep up on posting official results.  If anyone has any sites to add, please feel free to let us know.  On my wish list, are sites that keep up on results from eastern Europe, Brazil, Mexico, and the Pacific Rim.

Starting with the next update, we will be expanding Lightweight through Heavyweight to the Top 150!

Lightweights

12. Cameron Dollar beat 10. Martin Stapleton

Welterweights

8. James Wilks beat 9B. Frank Lester

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The higher seed is now 14-6

In almost all of our divisional rankings there is a clear #1, but not always a clear #2 or #3.  Consider these matches and give us your thoughts on how they will/would go down.

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Heavyweight (#2)

#2 Frank Mir vs. #3 Brock Lesnar

The sequel, which is already scheduled to happen.  The winner of this should become a clear #2 at Heavyweight, not only in our ratings, but in the minds of MMA fans.

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Light Heavyweight (#1)

#1 Rashad Evans vs. #2 Quinton Jackson

Although Machida/Evans should do a good job in determining a clear #1, Jackson/Evans is the optimal match-up.

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Middleweight (#2)

#2 Demian Maia vs. #3 Jorge Santiago

The undefeated Maia against Santiago, who is on a torrid run.  Two brazilians facing off to see who gets the next shot at their fellow countrymen.  Will probably never happen.

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Welterweight (#3)

#3 Jon Fitch vs. #4 Jake Shields

UFC’s perennial contender versus a Bully Beatdown alumni.

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Lightweight (#1 or #2)

Satoru Kitaoka, B.J. Penn, Kenny Florian

Lightweight is a mess.  We’ll get Penn/Florian later, but Kitaoka is at the top of our rankings right now.  Any matchups between these three would bring some clarity to the division.

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Featherweight (#3)

#3 Wagnney Fabiano vs. #4 Yuji Hoshino

With a pretty clear #1 and #2, a Fabiano/Hoshino victor would become at least #3, and possibly pass Faber for the #2 spot.

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Bantamweight (#2)

#2 Rani Yahya vs. #3 Brian Bowles

Brian Bowles is in line to get the next title shot, but the FightMatrix computer believes he has been passed up by Yahya.  Since losing to former top WEC Bantamweight Beebe, and the elite Yamamoto, Yahya has submitted two Top Bantamweights in the first round.

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Flyweight (#2)

#2 Yuki Shoujou vs. #3 Ryuichi Miki

Yamaguchi and Urushitani have been pushed to the side by up-and-comers Shoujou and Miki.    Shoujou lost to Yamaguchi, beat Urushitani, then lost in his title shot to Kojima.  Miki has not lost in over three years, but does not have a win against a top Flyweight opponent.

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Women (#1)

#1 Megumi Fujii vs. #2 Tara Larosa

Due to a lack of quality opposition, former #1 LaRosa has been passed by Fujii.  They are about 20 pounds apart, but we can dream about a catchweight bout between them.  Tsuji/Fujii may be more likely, and the winner of that would come out as a clear #1.

Notable Info

• Recent shows added to the database.
• Older female bouts have been added and corrected.  This caused moderate fluctuations in the women rankings.

Lightweights

4. Andre Winner beat 7. Santino Defranco

Welterweights

5. Damarques Johnson beat 11. Dean Amasinger

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This week, the focus is on Victor O’Donnell.

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Notable Info

• Ranked #37 at Welterweight, although he has often fought at Middleweight.
• Undefeated at 7-0 (Sherdog’s record is incomplete).
• Has finished all of his opponents by submission.
• Recently defeated UFC veteran, Forrest Petz in a match at 175 lbs.

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O’Donnell has done a decent job of amassing points outside of a major organization.  The win over Petz was a major boost to his rating (as was building upon Sherdog’s incomplete copy of his record).  I’ll double check his record, and his opponents’ records for completeness in the near future.  This may, or may not change his ranking.

EDIT: It looks like it will change his ranking.  He will fall several spots in the next update.  Aahh, the problems with MMA databases.

Notable Info

• Recent shows from GCM, XFC, UWC, Bellator, and others added to the database.
• Some older shows have been added to the database. This has caused some fluctuations.

It has become increasingly apparent that the MMA database providers have become more lazy in their efforts to update their databases with suitable accuracy and timeliness. If you determine from the rankings that we are missing some results, please let us know in the forum.

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10. Nicholas Osipczak beat 3. Mark Miller

An upset in this one… so the higher seed is now 11-5.

One of the benefits of having a computerized rating system with a mature and frequently updated database, is that it often brings unknown fighters to your attention.  I’d like to make a habit of this type of blog post, in which I mention a fighter in an obscure league who is doing well, that you may not have heard of.

This week, we have Richard Hale.

Notable Info

• 11 wins, 2 losses.
• Reigning and defending Rage in the Cage champion at Heavyweight and Light Heavyweight.
• Currently the FightMatrix #49 Heavyweight overall.
• 9th highest rated out of Heavyweights that have never fought in UFC, Strikeforce, EliteXC, or PRIDE.
• Only one of his wins has went the distance.
• Has avenged one of his two losses.

Due to the limited talent pool at RITC, especially in the LHW and HW divisions, he’s pretty much topped out his FightMatrix rating.