In extreme obscurity, a slimmed down Ricco Rodriguez fought an equally in-shape Travis Fulton on Saturday. Rodriguez was able to seal the deal with a knockout of Fulton. This will move Ricco up a few spots, while Fulton will drop outside of the Top 100, as the conqueror of tomato cans, yet again finds himself on the losing end against an opponent with name value.
MMA Rankings Updated: 05/01/2010
Notable Info
- The effect on fighters’ points after having moved divisions has been amplified from a reciprocal power of 1.75 to 2.5.
Featured Upcoming Bouts (Outside of UFC)
| Friday, October 3rd 2025: PFL Champions Series 2: Nurmagomedov vs. Hughes 2 | |||
 [#4 LHW] Corey Anderson |  [#10 LHW] Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov | ||
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| Last Fight Date: 7/19/2025 [PFL] Last Opponent: [#13 HW] Denis Goltsov Last 5: NC L W W W | Last Fight Date: 11/29/2024 [PFL] Last Opponent: [#21 MW] Impa Kasanganay Last 5: W W W W W | ||
| Friday, October 3rd 2025: PFL Champions Series 2: Nurmagomedov vs. Hughes 2 | |||
 [#9 LW] Usman Nurmagomedov (-164) |  [#14 LW] Paul Hughes (+128) | ||
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| Last Fight Date: 1/25/2025 [PFL] Last Opponent: [#14 LW] Paul Hughes Last 5: W W NC W W | Last Fight Date: 5/10/2025 [PFL] Last Opponent: [#51 LW] Bruno Miranda Last 5: W W W L W | ||
| Saturday, November 8th 2025: Dynamite MMA 4 - Nov. 8 | |||
 [#4 W105] Andressa Romero |  [#20 W105] Claire Lopez | ||
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| Last Fight Date: 9/20/2024 [Invicta FC] Last Opponent: [#2 W105] Elisandra Ferreira de Oliveira Last 5: W L L W L | Last Fight Date: 4/04/2025 [Invicta FC] Last Opponent: [#12 W105] Taynara Silva Last 5: W W L L L | ||
Featured Fighters
| [#3 FW] | Diego Lopes | [#19 FW] | Jean Silva | |
| [#2 LW] |  Ilia Topuria | [#1 LW] | Islam Makhachev | |
| [NR] | Matt Brown | [#90 WW] |  Daniil Donchenko | |
| [NR] |  Conor McGregor | [#4 LW] | Charles Oliveira | |
| [#1 MW] |  Khamzat Chimaev | [#18 LW] | Benoit St. Denis |
TUF 11: Episode 5 Results
Fight Outcomes
[#6] Josh Bryant W-UD(3) [#9] Kris McCray
New Rankings After Episode 5 Results
1. Kyle Noke
2. Brad Tavares
3. Court McGee
4. Joe Henle
5. Josh Bryant (+1)
6. Rich Attonito (-1)
7. Nick Ring
8. Kyacey Uscola*
9. Jim Hammortree* (+1)
10. Seth Bacyznski (+1)
11. Jamie Yager (+1)
12. Kris McCray* (-3)
13. Charles Blanchard*
14. Clayton McKinney*
Note: We are going to keep all active 14 fighters ranked due to “wildcard” possibilities. Fighters who have lost are tagged with an asterisk.
A note about ranking fighters who move divisions
One of the biggest issues that onlookers have with the FightMatrix ranking system is how we initially rank fighters that move divisions.
Due to the nature of the point-based system, we cannot take away all of a fighter’s point balance and start them unranked, simply because they moved divisions. If this was the case, the opponents who beat them would gain nothing for doing so, and in all but the most extreme cases, this would be 100% incorrect. Fighters outside of the big organizations shift divisions all of the time, so its not as if a new division means its a new sport with new rules or even an entirely new crop of fighters.
We do reduce the point balances of fighters who move up in division, in order to represent the increased difficulty in fighting “bigger” fighters in more proven weight divisions. This is done at a rate of approximately 12-15% per division. I provided a range here, because some divisional jumps differ in size and we do take that into account. Note: This isn’t something we’ve always done. It was always planned, but we did not have enough divisional information until late 2009.
In order to make this work, we must do the inverse when a fighter moves down in division. This means a fighter’s points will actually increase, as they are moving into a division with smaller fighters. Current examples of this are Wanderlei Silva (#4 MW), and Wagnney Fabiano (#5 BW). Even if these fighters have only fought once in their latest tenure (or career) at the lower division, please understand that for the most part, their new divisional ratings should be considered as projection unless its a “rating-solidifying” result (big win, big loss, draw against equal-rated). This downward move is more controversial than the upward move, especially when a fighter makes a drastic weight cut that ultimately ends up being a bad idea.
When we debut our comprehensive historical month-by-month and all-time divisional rankings (ETA: Unknown), we’ll have enough data around the divisional moves to provide modified information as to whether or not the moves should have been compensated for.
WEC: Aldo vs. Faber Review
After two weekends of sub-par MMA events, it was left up to the usually exciting WEC to wash out the bad taste left in the fans’ mouths after digesting UFC 112 and last week’s Strikeforce. The ‘Aldo vs. Faber’ event took place in Sacramento, CA – Urijah Faber’s hometown. The event was somewhat of an anomaly for WEC: normally the organizations events are broadcast on the Vs network; this one was broadcast on Pay-Per-View, with the preliminary card shown on Spike TV. Due to some sort of contractual issue between networks, the WEC brand was nowhere to be seen except for the championship belts. The event was branded simply as ‘Aldo vs. Faber’, and the usual WEC team of announcers and commentators was replaced by the UFC’s lineup of Joe Rogan, Mike Goldberg, and Bruce Buffer.
Preliminary Card (Spike TV)
Alex Karalexis vs. Anthony Pettis (155 lbs)
Round 1: The fighters circle for a bit, then Pettis lands a head kick that rocks Karalexis. Karalexis attempts a takedown; Pettis defends but it gives Alex a chance to recover. Pettis throws another kick; Karalexis catches it and tosses Pettis to the ground. Karalexis lands several punches from the top then Pettis escapes back to the feet. Pettis lighting up Karalexis with leg and body kicks. Karalexis goes for a takedown but doesn’t succeed. Pettis misses with a head kicks. More leg kicks from Pettis; Karalexis with another takedown attempt and drags Pettis down just as the round ends. Round 10-9 Pettis
Round 2: Karalexis comes out swinging, closes the distance and takes Pettis down. Pettis escapes and lands more solid leg kicks. Another takedown for Karalexis; Pettis locks in a triangle from guard, while simultaneously pounding the face of his trapped opponent until Alex taps out.
Ranking Impact: Anthony Pettis rises 12 spots to #77 LW. Alex Karalexis remains unranked.
Fight Grade: 4/5
TUF 11: Episode 4 Results
Fight Outcomes
[#11] Rich Attonito W-DQ(1) [#5] Kyacey Uscola
[#14] Jamie Yager W-TKO(1) [#8] Charles Blanchard
New Rankings After Episode 4 Results
1. Kyle Noke
2. Brad Tavares
3. Court McGee
4. Joe Henle
5. Rich Attonito (+6)
6. Josh Bryant
7. Nick Ring
8. Kyacey Uscola* (-3)
9. Kris McCray
10. Jim Hammortree*
11. Seth Bacyznski (+1)
12. Jamie Yager (+2)
13. Charles Blanchard* (-5)
14. Clayton McKinney* (-1)
Note: We are going to keep all active 14 fighters ranked due to “wildcard” possibilities. Fighters who have lost are tagged with an asterisk.
Strikeforce Review
For their second event on broadcast live on CBS, Strikeforce went all out, stacking the fight card with three title bouts. With the lightweight, middleweight, and light-heavyweight belts all on the line, and a worthy line-up of champions and challengers, this was promising to be an amazing night of MMA. Unfortunately things don’t always go as planned:
Champion Gegard Mousasi vs. Muhammed Lawal (205 lbs title bout)
Round 1: Mousasi leads with a high kick. Lawal uses a combination of punches to set up a takedown. Mousasi sprawls; Lawal eats several shots but completes the takedown. Mousasi attempts a triangle. Lawal passes into side control and tries to work his ground-and-pound. Mousasi regains guard, blocks most punches and counters with up-kicks. Mousasi back to the feet; he blocks another takedown attempt and punishes Lawal with punches. Lawal is persistent and scores another takedown but Mousasi gets up quickly. Round 10-9 Lawal
Round 2: Lawal is blocked on the first takedown attempt. He succeeds on the second one but Mousasi is active with hammer-fists and up-kicks off his back and Lawal can’t control him from the top. Mousasi gets up and is taken back down but once again does more damage off his back. They stand up and Mousasi lands a solid combo backing Lawal up, then jumps on his back and looks for a choke as the round ends. Round 10-9 Mousasi
Round 3: Lawal looks tired and Mousasi lights him up with kick and punch combinations. Nevertheless Lawal scores another takedown. Very little action on the ground; Lawal is laying on top of Mousasi throwing an occasional punch. Mousasi is starting to look tired as well, and is not able to get off his back. Round 10–9 Lawal
Round 4: Mousasi lands leg kicks to start the fourth round and is taken down again. Not much happens on the ground and the referee ‘Big’ John McCarthy calls for a standup. It doesn’t last long as Lawal takes Gegard right back down. Very little action on the ground; both fighters are tired and the fans boo. Round 10-9 Lawal
Round 5: Lawal’s face shows signs of damage. Mousasi needs a knockout or a sub at this point. Mousasi swings for the fences but is taken down again. Mousasi lands an up-kick as one of Lawal’s knees is on the ground; referee catches the foul and deducts a point from Gegard. They restart in the same position. Mousasi escapes and is looking to strike but Lawal slams him down again. Up and back down, not much action but Lawal has controlled almost every round for an easy win. Round 10–8 Lawal
‘King Mo’ Lawal defeats Gegard Mousasi by unanimous decision (49-46 on all scorecards). Lawal is the new Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion.
Aftermath: Muhammed Lawal passes his first big test and wins a title. Unfortunately there is very little competition available for him at this weight outside of the UFC. Should he remain in Strikeforce, the only obviously available options for King Mo’s first title defense would be Renato Sobral or Dan Henderson.
Many fans have doubted Gegard Mousasi’s ability to defend against a strong wrestler, and he showed that the concerns were valid. Having recently signed a contract extension with Strikeforce, Mousasi is now facing the same problem as Lawal: lack of available competition at his chosen weight class.
Rankings Impact: Muhammed Lawal makes his debut at #4 LHW (he was previously ranked at #16 HW). Gegard Mousasi falls 6 spots to #10 LHW.
Fight Grade: 2/5
Only 3 originals remain on the Division Dominance List
FightMatrix Fun Fact
It’s hard to believe, but the Division Dominance List recently turned two years old. 3 fighters, Georges St. Pierre, Fedor Emelianenko, and Anderson Silva, have been ranked in every issue since its inception. Ironically, these 3 occupy the top 3 spots on the current list.
Who has your pick on being the first to drop out of the Top 10?
TUF 11: Episode 3 Results
Fight Outcome
[#5] Brad Tavares W-UD(3) [#10] Jim Hammortree
New Rankings After Episode 3 Results
1. Kyle Noke
2. Brad Tavares (+3)
3. Court McGee
4. Joe Henle
5. Kyacey Uscola (+1)
6. Josh Bryant (+1)
7. Nick Ring (+1)
8. Charles Blanchard (+1)
9. Kris McCray (+2)
10. Jim Hammortree*
11. Rich Attonito (+1)
12. Seth Bacyznski (NEW)
13. Clayton McKinney*
14. Jamie Yager
Brad Tavares gains 3 spots, up to #2. Hammortree remains at #10. Chris Camozzi was dropped from the rankings due to an injury. Seth Baczynski enters at #12.
Note: We are going to keep all active 14 fighters ranked due to “wildcard” possibilities. Fighters who have lost are tagged with an asterisk.
UFC 112 Review
UFC 112 marked the entry of UFC into yet another foreign territory: this time the event took place in Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates). Unlike some of the European cards, 112 was stacked with two title bouts: BJ Penn defending the lightweight title against Frank Edgar, and the middleweight champion Anderson Silva taking on Demian Maia (stepping in for Vitor Belfort, who was forced to give up his title shot due to a shoulder injury). The featured matchups were rounded out by a battle between two legends: former welterweight champion Matt Hughes taking on Renzo Gracie in Renzo’s UFC debut.
Kendall Grove vs. Mark Munoz (185 lbs)
Round 1: Grove wants to strike but Munoz scores a takedown quickly. Grove right back to his feet, eating a couple of punches as he gets up. Munoz goes for another takedown but is rocked with a big uppercut coming in. Munoz is on his knees, holding on to Grove’s leg as Kendall pounds away at Mark’s head. Munoz looks almost out but somehow keeps trying to secure a takedown. Grove is warned about holding the fence. Eventually the referee breaks up the fighters. Munoz goes for another takedown and gets it but Grove counters with a guillotine attempt. Munoz escapes and Grove gets up; Munoz takes him down again and is caught in another tight guillotine. Munoz survives and is free of the choke as the round ends. Round 10-8 Grove
Round 2: Both fighters come out swinging. Munoz lands a hook that knocks Grove’s mouthpiece out, but Grove seems unfazed and responds with a knee that drops Munoz. Grove takes Mark’s back and looks for a choke, then an armbar. Munoz escapes and ends up in Grove’s guard. Munoz punches from the top. Grove keeps him away with leg kicks. Munoz lands a big punch that stuns Grove, then follows up with a series of punches until Grove rolls over and covers up, causing the referee to stop the bout.
Aftermath: Mark Munoz has now won three straight since dropping down to middleweight after his loss to Matt Hamill. He should next take on Jorge Rivera or Yushin Okami. Kendall Grove proves to be an inconsistent and chinny fighter as usual, and next on his plate should be Nate Quarry or a rematch with Ed Herman.
Ranking Impact: Mark Munoz moves up 32 spots to #28 MW. Kendall Grove falls 20 spots to #50 MW.
Fight Grade: 4/5
UFC 112: How they stack up
UFC Middleweight Championship
[#1] Anderson Silva vs. [#8] Demian Maia
UFC Lightweight Championship
[#1] B.J. Penn vs. [#7] Frankie Edgar
Welterweight
[#10] Matt Hughes vs. [*] Renzo Gracie
Lightweight
[#31] Terry Etim vs. [#87] Rafael dos Anjos
Middleweight
[#30] Kendall Grove vs. [#60] Mark Munoz
Light Heavyweight
[#29] Phil Davis vs. [#31] Alexander Gustafsson
Lightweight
[#115 WW] Paul Taylor vs. [#126] John Gunderson
Welterweight
[#31] Rick Story vs. [#107] Nick Osipczak
Welterweight
[#40] Brad Blackburn vs. [#83] DaMarques Johnson
Lightweight
[#95] Matt Veach vs. [#166] Paul Kelly
Heavyweight
[#118] Mostapha Al-Turk vs. [#164] Jon Madsen
Fedor in danger of losing the #1 spot this summer?
Although we’ve only been posting rankings since (outside of some beta testing) January 2008, Fedor would’ve likely been the #1 ranked heavyweight since his win over Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira on 12/31/04, over 5 years ago. He followed that up with some big wins, but has been relatively inactive since the beginning of 2008, only having fought three times. His inability to come to an agreement with the UFC has limited him to fighting the best heavyweights not in the organization, which has stymied his potential point total. As a result, other top heavyweights are slowly creeping toward #1, and a win over Werdum won’t do much to hold them off.
Should Brock Lesnar pull off a dominant victory against Shane Carwin in their title fight, he will likely overtake Fedor for the top heavyweight position. Should Carwin win, Fedor will likely stay at #1, with Carwin at #2, and Lesnar at #3 — unless a fight such as Velasquez/dos Santos comes off, which would cause more shuffling at the top.