Passing the Guard: MMA Fighter Rankings October 2012

Music to listen to: Rock Box by Run DMC

 

This song was a game-changer for me as a kid because it introduced the mostly hip-hop listening fan to rock music and the shift in taste began…plus, the music video is the business!

Time to rank some MMA fighters…

Heavyweight:

1) Cain Velasquez

2) Junior Dos Santos

3) Alistair Overeem

4) Fabricio Werdum

5) Brock Lesnar

Others: Shane Carwin, Frank Mir, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira

Thoughts: There really shouldn’t be much argument in the to-five. I can see people wanting to see Lesnar above Werdum but the former’s lack of activity takes him down a notch in my rankings. You have to give Zuffa credit for having the top two guys in my rankings in one fight and the third and fifth guy in another one in the next two months.

Light Heavyweight:

1) Jon Jones

2) Rashad Evans

3) Mauricio “Shogun” Rua

4) Quinton “Rampage” Jackson

5) Lyoto Machida

Others: Phil Davis, Dan Henderson, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira

Thoughts: The Jones and Evans non-fight is getting as bad as the non-fight between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao in boxing accept its been injuries on both sides to prevent the contest instead of outside influences. We will now get to see Jones take on Machida who has seen better days but is a top-five fighter in the division. Shogun has a very intriguing fight against Henderson on Nov. 19 in a contest that may be a battle for the #2 contender in the division for the title behind Evans. Rampage really wants to fight Shogun in Japan in early 2012 and I wouldn’t mind seeing that myself.

Middleweight:

1) Anderson Silva

2) Chael Sonnen

3) Yushin Okami

4) Brian Stann

5) Nate Marquardt

Thoughts: This division has turned into Anderson Silva and everyone else. Hopefully Zuffa finds a way to get us Silva/Sonnen II in early 2012 because I don’t see any other viable competitors for the champ’s title.

Welterweight:

1) Georges St. Pierre

2) Jon Fitch

3) Nick Diaz

4) Josh Koscheck

5) Carlos Condit

Others: Jake Ellenberger, Jake Shields

Thoughts: The injury to GSP preventing him from fighting on Saturday against Condit for the UFC title highlights the unfortunate state of stagnant form for the entire division. If GSP gets past Condit, the only viable contender for the title would be Diaz but if you’re reading this, you know that Zuffa already pulled Diaz from his first title shot against GSP last month. I don’t expect to see Diaz get another chance. Fitch is a legitimate top-five fighter and title contender but unfortunately has been dominated by GSP in both of their fights against each other. If Diaz gets past BJ Penn on Saturday, a fight against Fitch would be interesting.

Lightweight:

1) Frankie Edgar

2) Gilbert Melendez

3) Grey Maynard

4) Eddie Alvarez

5) Shinya Aoki

Others: Benson Henderson, Clay Guida, Jim Miller

Thoughts: Edgar proved himself as a top pound-for-pound fighter in all of MMA with his impressive victory over Maynard on Oct. 8. I think we’re going to inevitably going to see Edgar and Melendez fight in 2012. Eddie Alvarez is unfortunately on the shelf with an injury, making the prospects of him keeping a spot in the top-five for the division smaller as we enter the new year. Some have Aoki higher in their rankings but the dominating victory that Melendez had over him back in April 2010 makes me place him lower.

Featherweight:

1) Jose Aldo

2) Hatsu Hioki

3) Chad Mendes

4) Pat Curran

5) Marlon Sandro

Others: Diego Nunes, Tyson Griffin, Joe Warren

Thoughts: Aldo reasserted his supremacy in the division with an impressive victory over Kenny Florian earlier in the month. Not many American fans may be aware of Hioki’s talents but the Japanese fighter makes his UFC debut later this month against George Roop. If Hioki gets the victory, don’t be surprised if Zuffa makes a matchup against him and Aldo for 2012, possibly in Japan.

Bantamweight:

1) Dominick Cruz

2) Joseph Benevidez

3) Urijah Faber

4) Scott Jorgensen

5) Brian Bowles

Others: Demetrious Johnson, Miguel Torres

Thoughts: Cruz is starting to clean out the division after an impressive victory over Johnson earlier this month. He now holds wins over Benevidez, Faber, Jorgensen and Bowles. Benevidez is in the same territory that Rich Franklin found himself in a few years ago when the Ohio native was the second-best middleweight in the world but couldn’t beat the champion, Anderson Silva. Benevidez has lost twice to Cruz and rematch isn’t likely. A win by Faber over Bowles in November may lead to a rubber match against Cruz in the middle of 2012.

Those are my thoughts, what are yours?