Notable Info
The #1 Lightweight spot is still Takanori Gomi’s, but by less than 1 rating point! With Gomi’s decaying point total, lack of scheduled bouts, and the upcoming Sherk/Penn title match, it is an absolute certainty that Gomi’s reign at the top will come to an end, very shortly.
The next rankings update is scheduled for May 4th.
Notable Info
The next update will be on April 29th after the DREAM show.
| Sunday, December 13th 2026: Deep - 135 Impact | |||
 [#3 SW] Sukai China | [#4 SW] Jo Arai | ||
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| Last Fight Date: 5/04/2026 [DEEP] Last Opponent: [#6 SW] Sora Sugiyama Last 5: W W W W W | Last Fight Date: 9/13/2026 [DEEP] Last Opponent: [#23 SW] Daichi Kitakata Last 5: L L W L W | ||
| Sunday, December 13th 2026: Deep Tokyo Impact 2026 6th Round | |||
| [#6 SW] Sora Sugiyama | [#10 SW] Goal Makino | ||
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| Last Fight Date: 9/20/2026 [DEEP] Last Opponent: [NR] Musashi Musashi Last 5: W W W L W | Last Fight Date: 9/06/2026 [DEEP] Last Opponent: [#42 SW] Toshiya Takashima Last 5: W W W W W | ||
| Thursday, December 31st 2026: Rizin FF New Years Eve Event | |||
 [#4 FW] Rajabali Shaidullaev | [#16 FW] Kyoma Akimoto | ||
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| Last Fight Date: 9/10/2026 [Rizin Fighting Federation] Last Opponent: [#7 FW] A.J. McKee Last 5: W W W W W | Last Fight Date: 8/11/2026 [Rizin Fighting Federation] Last Opponent: [#26 FW] Kleber Koike Erbst Last 5: W W W W W | ||
| [#18 W125] |  Lucia Szabova | [#1 WW] |  Islam Makhachev | |
| [#1 FW] |  Alexander Volkanovski | [#18 LW] |  Renato Carneiro | |
| [#13 LW] | Tom Nolan | [#26 WW] |  Jacobe Smith | |
| [#1 LW] | Justin Gaethje | [#102 W125] | Tainara Lisboa | |
| [#2 LW] |  Ilia Topuria | [#10 LW] |  Benoit St. Denis |
Takanori Gomi’s relative inactivity and lack of recent achievements have left his point total stagnant. In fact, his points have actually decreased approximately 7% since they were at their peak level, which was reached after he beat Ishida on 12/31/06. This is not to say that this was him at his fighting peak as it is inaccurate to compare the value of a point between time (sort of like the value of the dollar), but with increased competition, the outstanding pool of points becomes larger. This means that Gomi is essentially “swimming against the current”.
On April 29th the #2 Lightweight, Gesias Calvancante, squares off against the #6 Lightweight, Shinya Aoki. If Calvancante were to win, he would take the top spot from Takanori Gomi. If Aoki wins, his eventual point total would depend on the type of win.
Regardless of this outcome, the top spot may be in jeopardy again on May 24th, when #3 Lightweight, BJ Penn, squares off against the #5 Lightweight, Sean Sherk for the FightMatrix recognized UFC Lightweight title.
To follow-up on Oleg’s excellent Light Heavyweight articles, I decided to run the current code on the database, to simulate what the ratings would look like one year ago today. The “Diff” column shows the ranking difference between then, and today.
| Rank | Diff | Fighter | Record | Points | |
| 1 | 2 |  Chuck LiddellLast Fight: 12/30/2006 [UFC] |
20-3-0 |
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| 2 | 4 |  Mauricio RuaLast Fight: 2/24/2007 [PRIDE] |
16-2-0 |
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| 3 | 4 |  SokoudjouLast Fight: 4/8/2007 [PRIDE] |
4-1-0 |
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| 4 | NR | Dan Henderson Last Fight: 2/24/2007 [PRIDE] |
22-5-0 |
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| 5 | 3 | Ricardo Arona Last Fight: 4/8/2007 [PRIDE] |
13-5-0 |
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| 6 | 5 | Quinton Jackson Last Fight: 2/3/2007 [UFC] |
26-6-0 |
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| 7 | 5 | Wanderlei Silva Last Fight: 2/24/2007 [PRIDE] |
31-7-1 |
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| 8 | 1 | Tito Ortiz Last Fight: 12/30/2006 [UFC] |
16-5-0 |
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| 9 | 7 | Ryoto Machida Last Fight: 4/21/2007 [UFC] |
10-0-0 |
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| 10 | 1 | Antonio Rogerio Nogueira Last Fight: 2/24/2007 [PRIDE] |
12-3-0 |
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Ratings Run Date: April 22, 2007
While George St. Pierre solidified his position atop the welterweight division with a victory over Matt Serra, with six middleweight bouts UFC 83 had the biggest impact on the 185 lbs weight class.
In the lightweight division, Mac Danzig makes his 155 lbs debut at #33. Mark Bocek drops out of Top 100, while Rich Clementi and Sam Stout sit at #24 and #35 respectively after their bout.
In the official Fight of The Night, Jonathan Goulet improved to #25 in the welterweight division with a KO victory over Kuniyoshi Hironaka. Hironaka falls to #61.
Back Story
Those of you who watched this bout may not have been thrilled by it, unless you understood and appreciated the historical significance. The bout featured two future hall-of-famers who are universally recognized champions, squaring off in a bout for all of the marbles at light heavyweight.
Bernard Hopkins, 43, the former universally recognized middleweight (160) champion, enters the bout as the universally recognized light heavyweight (175) champion and as one of the top 5 boxers in the world. After holding world titles in the Middleweight division for more then a decade, dispatching of all comers, including fellow hall-of-famers Oscar De La Hoya, and Felix Trinidad, he was written off after losing two questionable decisions against Jermain Taylor in 2005.
Keep Reading
The first Ultimate Fighting Championship event held in Canada, UFC 83 was headlined by the long-awaited rematch between the current welterweight champion Matt Serra and the interim champion Georges St. Pierre. The card also featured six middleweight bouts (though only three of them were televised), and two Ultimate Fighter tournament winners making a debut at a new weight class: Mac Danzig at 155 lbs, and Michael Bisping at 185.
Mark Bocek vs Mac Danzig
Bocek surprised Danzig in the first round, getting a takedown and working from Danzig’s guard and half-guard from most of the round. Danzig reversed position towards the end, but it was not enough to win the round.
Danzig dropped Bocek with a knee to the chin early in the second. Danzig dominated the round both on the ground and standing, damaging Bocek with elbows and punches and taking his back at one point.
Bocek looked tired and had many small cuts on his face as the third round began. Danzig continued his assault and opened up a gashing cut over Bocek’s left eye. Referee Yves Lavigne stopped the action to check the cut, but allowed the bout to continue. Danzig got a takedown, mounted and took Bocek’s back, forcing a tapout with a rear naked choke.
Notable Info
As a result of UFC 83, Georges St. Pierre is now #1 on the Division Dominance list!
Last week, we examined the top light heavyweight fighters who are currently competing in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. As mentioned, the UFC has the 205 lbs division in a tight chokehold; according to our ranking, sixteen of the Top 20 active light heavyweights call the Octagon their home.
With the UFC so heavily invested in the division, no other MMA promotion has been able to put together a competitive stable of light heavyweights. Still, there are a few fighters not locked into Zuffa contracts who have the skills and talent to give the UFC’s best a run for their money, and the name recognition to pique the interest of MMA fans. With Tito Ortiz claiming he is on the way out of the UFC as well, there may be an opportunity here for another promotion – if they are able to sign most of these fighters.
Here is a look at the six of the Top 20 light heavyweights outside of the UFC:
The next rankings update will occur on 4/20/08. This will undoubtedly be a big update, so make sure to check us out!
