Lightweight
[#29] Nate Diaz vs. [#35] Josh Neer

Light Heavyweight
[#33] Houston Alexander vs. [#64] Eric Schafer

Lightweight
[#28] Clay Guida vs. [#34] Mac Danzig

Lightweight
[#44] Joe Lauzon vs. [#169] Kyle Bradley

Middleweight
[#46] Ed Herman vs. [#56] Alan Belcher

Middleweight
[#40] Wilson Gouveia vs. [#70] Ryan Jensen

Middleweight
[#29] Drew McFedries vs. [#173] Mike Massenzio

Middleweight
[#64] Alessio Sakara vs. [#138] Joe Vedepo

Middleweight
[#43] Dan Miller vs. [#78] Rob Kimmons

Light Heavyweight
[#74] Jason Brilz vs. [#250] Brad Morris

Ranking Note: Gray 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.

In boxing and many other combat sports, the heavyweight division has traditionally produced the biggest stars and attracted the most attention.  Not so in mixed martial arts, where lightheavyweights have been the focal point of the sport ever since the inception of weight classes.  This has been especially true in UFC, where the biggest names have fought at 205 lbs while the heavyweight division suffered from the lack of talent and competition. 

Things were looking up for the heavyweights when Zuffa purchased Pride FC; however UFC failed to sign most of Pride’s biggest heavyweight stars in Fedor Emelianenko, Sergei Kharitonov, and the former UFC champion Josh Barnett; while Mirko ‘Cro-Cop’ Filipovic’s excursion into the Octagon ended with a whimper.  Of all the Pride heavys, only Antonio ‘Minotauro’ Nogueira thrived in the UFC.

In addition to the lack of quality contenders, UFC has also suffered from a string of bad luck with their heavyweight title holders: from Barnett’s and Tim Sylvia’s steroid scandals, to Frank Mir’s motorcycle accident, to Randy Couture’s resignation – they have been unable to establish a proper lineage, crowning interim champions on numerous occasions when the previous title holders left the organization without losing their belts.  After Couture resigned from his contract and former champions Sylvia and Andrei Arlovski left UFC for the new rival Affliction,  the heavyweight division was at its lowest point in a long time.

Recently, Couture announced that he will be returning to the UFC after a year-long legal battle.  Couture’s return, in addition to Brock Lesnar’s debut in the top 20 after defeating Heath Herring, shifted the balance of HW division slightly into UFC’s favor.  According to the latest Fightmatrix.com ranking, 3 of the Top 5, 5 of the Top 10, and 7 of the Top 20 heavyweights are currently competing in the UFC.

Here is an in-depth look at UFC’s heavyweight division:

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Since this past weekend has been relatively uneventful, the rankings update is being delayed until Thursday.  This update will reflect recent minor shows, newly added historical data, and Wednesday’s UFC Fight Night.

Notable Info

• Rankings updated w/ effects from UFC 88 and other minor database additions/updates.

Light Heavyweight
[#4] Chuck Liddell vs. [#9] Rashad Evans

Light Heavyweight
[#7] Rich Franklin vs. [#27] Matt Hamill

Welterweight
[#11] Karo Parisyan vs. [#15] Yoshiyuki Yoshida CANCELLED

Middleweight
[#4] Dan Henderson vs. [#33] Rousimar Palhares

Middleweight
[#14] Nate Marquardt vs. [#20] Martin Kampmann

Lightweight
[#72] Thiago Tavares vs. [#86] Kurt Pellegrino

Welterweight
[#40] Dong Hyun Kim vs. [#210] Matt Brown

Middleweight
[#28] Jason MacDonald vs. [#60] Jason Lambert

Welterweight
[#28] Ryo Chonan vs. [#63] Roan Carneiro

Light Heavyweight
[#48] Tim Boetsch vs. [#76] Michael Patt

Ranking Note: Gray 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.

Last week, we looked back at the Season 3 of The Ultimate Fighter series, and reviewed the progress of the lightheavyweight contenders.  Now, lets take a look at the middleweight participants of ‘TUF’ Season 3.

The middleweights as a group have not enjoyed much success since the show: Only three of the eight contestants are ranked in the Top 100 of their current weight class, and only the finalists Kendall Grove and Ed Herman are still employed by the UFC.

Fighters are listed in order of their current Fightmatrix.com ranking, regardless of the weight class. Fights that took place in the live finale are counted in the ‘After’ column.

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