Current MMA Rankings Updated (12-24-2016)
Notable Info
- Featherweight rankings expanded to Top 500.
MMA’s Most Overrated and Underrated Fighters
Just like every other sport, there are a lot of overrated and underrated fighters in MMA. Since there are so many weight classes in MMA, it can be hard to accurately asses the skills of every professional fighter. This leads to some fighters getting more respect than they deserve while other fighters never get the credit they have earned. These are the fighters that are in my opinion the most overrated and underrated in mixed martial arts right now.
Underrated
Khabib Nurmagomedov
It may be hard to imagine an undefeated fighter as underrated, but Khabib Nurmagomedov has been overlooked on a regular basis during his time in the UFC. Despite easily beating every top contender in the UFC’s lightweight division, Nurmagomedov has never been given a title shot. He has proven that he can beat any professional mixed martial artist, but Nurmagomedov is still only at number 12 on the UFC’s pound-for-pound rankings. His spot in the rankings is continually too low because he does not own a title, but that has absolutely nothing to do with the fighting ability of Khabib Nurmagomedov. The disrespect he gets in the sport is on display every time he is forced to fight on the undercard of a major UFC pay-per-view despite being one of the best in the world.
Stephen Thompson
In addition to only being defeated one time in his first 15 professional MMA fights, Stephen Thompson has had no problem defeating some of the top contenders in the UFC’s welterweight division. Thompson finally got the title shot he deserved at UFC 205, and he ended up fighting to a draw with champion Tyron Woodley. The 8th best fighter in the UFC was unable to defeat Stephen Thompson, but he is still nowhere to be found on the company’s pound-for-pound rankings.
Current MMA Rankings Updated (12-01-2016)
Notable Info
- Mid-week ranking update in preparation for the Flyweight Championship bout on Saturday.
- Lightweight rankings expanded to Top 650.
Joe Warren Ranking History
On Friday night, former Bellator champion Joe Warren will try to win his third championship for the promotion as he faces bantamweight champion Eduardo Dantas in the main event of Bellator 166. Warren burst onto the scene in 2009. In his first professional fight, he defeated former WEC champion Chase Beebe and then bested Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto. After winning the season-two Bellator featherweight tournament, he scored a come-from-behind knockout over Joe Soto to claim the promotion’s featherweight championship. Nearly two years later, he dropped the belt as he was knocked out by Pat Curran. Following that fight, Warren moved down to bantamweight and defeated Dantas for the title. However, since his title win, he has gone 2-2 with victories over L.C Davis and Sirwan Kakai and losses coming against Marcos Galvao and Darrion Caldwell.
Warren is currently the #16 bantamweight. His peak ranking came on 1/1/2011 as he reached the #3 featherweight. Warren’s high from a ranking points perspective came on 1/1/2015 following his upset victory over Dantas.
Current MMA Rankings Updated (11-27-2016)
Notable Info
- Men’s Strawweight expanded to Top 25.
Michael Chandler’s Ranking History
At this Saturday’s Bellator 165 show, lightweight champion Michael Chandler puts his belt on the line against former UFC and WEC champion Benson Henderson. Chandler has been ranked as high as the #3 lightweight, but Henderson would still be one of the biggest wins on his resume.
Chandler first entered the quarterly generated historical rankings in July 2010 as the #352 welterweight. After making his Bellator debut later that year, he jumped up to #281 welterweight.
In 2011, Chandler dropped down a division and entered the season-four lightweight tournament. In the finals, he defeated Patricky Freire. His ranking moved all the way up to #25 lightweight. Later that year, he upset Eddie Alvarez and took the promotion’s lightweight title and began 2012 at the #5 lightweight.
After three-consecutive losses, including a pair to Will Brooks, Chandler found himself ranked as low as #15. It was the first time he was ranked outside the top ten since 2011. He has fought his way back to the Bellator lightweight title, but he is still outside the top ten. In the most recent Fight Matrix rankings release he is #12. The good news for him is that a win over Henderson would likely propel him back into the top ten.
Fight Matrix Program – UFC 205: Alvarez vs. McGregor (11-12-2016)
Lightweight Championship (155)
[#1/#2DD/#8P4P] Eddie Alvarez (28-4-0, +129) vs. [#6WW] Conor McGregor (20-3-0, -153)
Eddie Alvarez is the All-Time #4 ranked Lightweight and #24 ranked Absolute fighter.
Last 3 Fights: Eddie Alvarez (3-0-0)
2016-07-07: W vs. [#3LW] Rafael dos Anjos (25-9-0) via TKO (Punches) in 3:49 of round 1
2016-01-17: W vs. [#3FW] Anthony Pettis (19-5-0) via SD (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
2015-06-13: W vs. [#27LW] Gilbert Melendez (22-6-0) via SD (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
Last 3 Fights: Conor McGregor (2-1-0)
2016-08-20: W vs. [#8WW] Nate Diaz (19-11-0) via MD (47-47, 48-47, 48-47)
2016-03-05: L vs. [#8WW] Nate Diaz (19-11-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 4:12 of round 2
2015-12-12: W vs. [#1FW/#6DD/#5P4P] Jose Aldo (26-2-0) via KO (Punch) in 0:13 of round 1
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Eddie Alvarez 128, Conor McGregor 84
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Welterweight Championship (170)
[#1] Tyron Woodley (16-3-0, +164) vs. [#3] Stephen Thompson (13-1-0, -197)
Tyron Woodley is the All-Time #10 ranked Welterweight fighter.
Stephen Thompson is the All-Time #23 ranked Welterweight fighter.
Last 3 Fights: Tyron Woodley (3-0-0)
2016-07-30: W vs. [#2WW] Robbie Lawler (27-11-0) via KO (Punches) in 2:12 of round 1
2015-01-31: W vs. [#7WW] Kelvin Gastelum (12-2-0) via SD (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)
2014-08-23: W vs. [#18WW] Dong Hyun Kim (21-3-1) via TKO (Punches) in 1:01 of round 1
Last 3 Fights: Stephen Thompson (3-0-0)
2016-06-18: W vs. [#12WW] Rory MacDonald (18-4-0) via UD (50-45, 50-45, 48-47)
2016-02-06: W vs. [#14WW] Johny Hendricks (17-5-0) via TKO (Punches) in 3:31 of round 1
2015-07-12: W vs. [#16WW] Jake Ellenberger (31-11-0) via KO (Spinning Hook Kick) in 4:29 of round 1
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Tyron Woodley 105, Stephen Thompson 147
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Stephen Thompson leads 1-0
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Women Strawweight Championship (115)
[#1/#1DD/#1P4P] Joanna Jedrzejczyk (12-0-0, -389) vs. [#6] Karolina Kowalkiewicz (10-0-0, +305)
Joanna Jedrzejczyk is the All-Time #14 ranked Women’s fighter.
Last 3 Fights: Joanna Jedrzejczyk (3-0-0)
2016-07-08: W vs. [#3SW/#10DD] Claudia Gadelha (13-2-0) via UD (48-45, 48-46, 48-46)
2015-11-14: W vs. [#9FLY] Valerie Letourneau (8-5-0) via UD (49-46, 49-46, 50-45)
2015-06-20: W vs. [#29SW] Jessica Penne (12-4-0) via TKO (Punches and Knee) in 4:22 of round 3
Last 3 Fights: Karolina Kowalkiewicz (3-0-0)
2016-07-30: W vs. [#8SW] Rose Namajunas (5-3-0) via SD (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
2016-05-08: W vs. [#62SW] Heather Clark (7-6-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
2015-12-19: W vs. [#25SW] Randa Markos (6-4-0) via UD (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Joanna Jedrzejczyk 127, Karolina Kowalkiewicz 105
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Fight Matrix Program – UFC Fight Night 88: dos Anjos vs. Ferguson (11-05-2016)
Lightweight (155)
[#2/#9DD] Rafael dos Anjos (25-8-0, -149) vs. [#5] Tony Ferguson (21-3-0, +125)
Rafael dos Anjos is the All-Time #6 ranked Lightweight fighter.
Last 3 Fights: Rafael dos Anjos (2-1-0)
2016-07-07: L vs. [#1LW/#1DD/#8P4P] Eddie Alvarez (28-4-0) via TKO (Punches) in 3:49 of round 1
2015-12-19: W vs. [#5WW] Donald Cerrone (31-7-0) via TKO (Punches) in 1:06 of round 1
2015-03-14: W vs. [#3FW] Anthony Pettis (19-5-0) via UD (50-45, 50-45, 50-45)
Last 3 Fights: Tony Ferguson (3-0-0)
2016-07-13: W vs. [#237LW] Lando Vannata (8-1-0) via Submission (Brabo Choke) in 2:22 of round 2
2015-12-11: W vs. [#3LW] Edson Barboza (18-4-0) via Submission (Brabo Choke) in 2:54 of round 2
2015-07-15: W vs. [#20LW] Josh Thomson (22-8-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Rafael dos Anjos 121, Tony Ferguson 115
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Tony Ferguson leads 1-0
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Lightweight (155)
[#144FW] Martin Bravo (10-0-0, -111) vs. [#302] Claudio Puelles (7-1-0, -111)
Last 3 Fights: Martin Bravo (3-0-0)
2015-09-12: W vs. [#1578FW] Dallys Moraes Gama (5-3-0) via UD ()
2015-07-23: W vs. [#1145BW] Fernando Moya Li (3-4-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 1:52 of round 1
2015-06-27: W vs. [NA] David Suruy (1-3-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 2:05 of round 1
Last 3 Fights: Claudio Puelles (2-1-0)
2015-04-28: W vs. [*] Alvaro Sugasti (3-2-0) via in of round 1
2014-10-25: W vs. [NA] Edimar Martins Rayol (0-4-0) via Submission in 2:36 of round 1
2014-07-30: L vs. [#228FW] David Cubas (17-5-3) via UD ()
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Martin Bravo 420, Claudio Puelles 557
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Lightweight (155)
[#16] Marcin Held (22-4-0, -268) vs. [#38] Diego Sanchez (26-9-0, +217)
Last 3 Fights: Marcin Held (2-1-0)
2016-05-20: W vs. [#44LW] Dave Jansen (20-4-0) via UD (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
2015-11-06: L vs. [#8LW] Will Brooks (18-2-0) via UD (50-45, 49-46, 49-46)
2015-04-10: W vs. [#77LW] Alexander Sarnavskiy (34-5-0) via Submission (Kneebar) in 1:11 of round 3
Last 3 Fights: Diego Sanchez (1-2-0)
2016-07-09: L vs. [#23LW] Joe Lauzon (26-12-0) via TKO (Punches) in 1:26 of round 1
2016-03-05: W vs. [#21LW] Jim Miller (27-8-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
2015-11-21: L vs. [#6FW] Ricardo Lamas (16-5-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Marcin Held 169, Diego Sanchez 119
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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