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411 MMA Rankings 01.06.17: Pound for Pound

January 6, 2017 | Posted by Jonathan Solomon

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411’s MMA Ranking Rules

– Which fighters are eligible for these rankings? They must meet the following qualifications: fight at least once in the past 365 days or if they have not, be officially scheduled for an upcoming fight.

– A fighter serving a disciplinary suspension will not be ranked. They can return when they have served their suspension or in the event it is rescinded. This includes fighters who may disregard their suspension locally to fight overseas.

– If a fighter appears on just one single ballot, and in the top ten, five points will be deducted to balance between other fighters who may be ranked lower, but appear on a greater amount of ballots.

411’s MMA Rankings

Pound For Pound


1) Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson (25-2-1)

Height: 5’3

Birthday: August 13, 1986

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Tim Elliott – Win via decision (unanimous) – TUF Finale – December 3, 2016

– vs. Henry Cejudo – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 197 – April 23, 2016

– vs. John Dodson – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 191: Johnson vs. Dodson 2 – September 5, 2015

– vs. Kyoji Horiguchi – Win via submission (armbar) – UFC 186: Johnson vs. Horiguchi – April 25, 2015

– vs. Chris Cariaso – Win via submission (kimura) – UFC 178: Johnson vs. Cariaso – September 27, 2014

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown

Comment: Johnson begins 2017 as the undisputed pound for pound best in MMA. He has defended his 125-pound title nine times and has routinely outclassed challengers to the extent nobody can foresee him losing his championship this year.

Of all the ranked fighters on this list, he has gone the longest without losing. This includes undefeated Cody Garbrandt (he only began his pro career in December 2012, Demetrious’ current win streak started in June 2012).

After Johnson’s next successful title defense, he’ll tie current record holder Anderson Silva who defended his UFC title 10 times.




2) “Notorious” Conor McGregor (21-3)

Height: 5’8

Birthday: July 14, 1988

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Eddie Alvarez – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 205 – November 15, 2016

– vs. Nate Diaz – Win via decision (split) – UFC 202 – August 20, 2016

– vs. Nate Diaz – Loss via submission (rear naked choke) – UFC 196 – March 5, 2016

– vs. Jose Aldo – Win via KO (punch) – UFC 194: Aldo vs. McGregor – December 12, 2015

– vs. Chad Mendes – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 189: McGregor vs. Mendes – July 11, 2015

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown



3) Jose Aldo (26-2)

Height: 5’7

Birthday: September 9, 1986

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Frankie Edgar – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 200: Cormier vs. Jones 2 – July 9, 2016

– vs. Conor McGregor – Loss via KO (punch) – UFC 194: Aldo vs. McGregor – December 12, 2015

– vs. Chad Mendes – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 179: Aldo vs. Mendes 2 – October 25, 2014

– vs. Ricardo Lamas – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 169: Barao vs. Faber 2 – February 1, 2014

– vs. Chan Sung Jung – Win via TKO (punches) – UFC 163: Aldo vs. Korean Zombie – August 3, 2013

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown




4) Cody Garbrandt (11-0)

Height: 5’7

Birthday: July 7, 1991

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Dominick Cruz – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 207 – December 30, 2016

– vs. Takeya Mizugaki – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 202 – August 20, 2016

– vs. Thomas Almeida – Win via KO (punches) – UFC Fight Night – May 29, 2016

– vs. Augusto Mendes – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – February 21, 2016

– vs. Henry Briones – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 189 – July 11, 2015

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown

Comment: Garbrandt is already looking past his bantamweight title as he told Ariel Helwani yesterday he wants the biggest money fight possible. In his mind, that means a move up to 145 to fight Jose Aldo or 155 to challenge Conor McGregor.




5) Dominick Cruz (22-2)

Height: 5’8

Birthday: September 3, 1985

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Cody Garbrandt – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC 207 – December 30, 2016

– vs. Urijah Faber – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 199: Rockhold vs. Bisping 2 – June 4, 2016

– vs. T.J. Dillashaw – Win via decision (split) – UFC Fight Night – January 17, 2016

– vs. Takeya Mizugaki – Win via TKO (punches) – UFC 178: Alvarez vs. Cerrone – September 27, 2014

– vs. Demetrious Johnson – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC on Versus: Cruz vs. Faber – October 1, 2011

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown

Comment: We won’t know how Dominick Cruz measures up these days to opponents until his next fight. Against Cody Garbrandt, he looked slow and unable to mount any stretch of offense to take more than a single round. However, how much of that is just the fact that Cody Garbrandt is amazing, you cannot say.

Cruz went almost a full decade without losing (nearly three years of that he was inactive due to injuries). He is now 5-2 against Team Alpha Male fighters (this includes T.J. Dillashaw, although at the time of their fight, he was not with TAM) and if you count WEC and UFC fights, he defended his bantamweight title a total of five times (six if you count the Dillashaw fight).

Right now, you have to wonder whether 2017 will be a year where Dominick remains one of the top fighters in the sport, or if he finally displays a decline like several of his contemporaries.




6) Max Holloway (17-3)

Height: 5’11

Birthday: December 4, 1991

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Anthony Pettis – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 206: Holloway vs. Pettis – December 10, 2016

– vs. Ricardo Lamas – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 199: Rockhold vs. Bisping – June 4, 2016

– vs. Jeremy Stephens – Win via decision (unanumous) – UFC 194: Aldo vs. McGregor – December 12, 2015

– vs. Charles Oliveira – Win via TKO (injury) – UFC Fight Night: Holloway vs. Oliveira – August 23, 2015

– vs. Cub Swanson – Win via submission (guillotine choke) – UFC on Fox: Machida vs. Rockhold – April 18, 2015

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown




7) Daniel Cormier (18-1)

Birthday: March 20, 1979

Height: 5’9

Weight: 239

Currently fighting with: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Anderson Silva – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 200: Tate vs. Nunes – July 9, 2016

– vs. Alexander Gustafsson – Win via decision (split) – UFC 192: Cormier vs. Gustafsson – October 3, 2015

– vs. Anthony Johnson – Win via submission (rear naked choke) – UFC 187: Cormier vs. Johnson – May 23, 2015

– vs. Jon Jones – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC 182: Jones vs. Cormier – January 3, 2015

– vs. Dan Henderson – Win via submission (rear naked choke) – UFC 173: Barao vs. Dillashaw – May 24, 2014

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown



8) Frankie Edgar (21-5-1)

Height: 5’6

Birthday: October 16, 1981

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 6 fights:

– vs. Jeremy Stephens – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 205 – November 15, 2016

– vs. Jose Aldo – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC 200: Cormier vs. Jones 2 – July 9, 2016

– vs. Chad Mendes – Win via KO (punches) – UFC TUF Finale – December 11, 2015

– vs. Urijah Faber – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night: Edgar vs. Faber – May 16, 2015

– vs. Cub Swanson – Win via submission (neck crank) – UFC Fight Night: Edgar vs. Swanson – November 22, 2014

Next scheduled appearance:

-Unknown




9) Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson (14-1-1)

Height: 6’0

Birthday: February 11, 1983

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Tyron Woodley – Draw (split decision)- UFC 205 – November 15, 2016

– vs. Rory MacDonald – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – June 18, 2016

– vs. Johny Hendricks – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night: Hendricks vs. Thompson – February 6, 2016

– vs. Jake Ellenberger – Win via KO (spinning hook kick) – UFC TUF 21 Finale – July 12, 2015

– vs. Patrick Cote – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 178: Cerrone vs. Alvarez – September 27, 2014

Next scheduled appearance:

-Unknown




10) Tyron Woodley (16-4-1)

Height: 5’9

Birthday: April 17, 1982

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Stephen Thompson – Draw (split decision) – UFC 205 – November 15, 2016

– vs. Robbie Lawler – Win via KO (punch) – UFC 201: Lawler vs. Woodley – July 30, 2016

– vs. Kelvin Gastelum – Win via decision (split) – UFC 183: Silva vs. Diaz – January 31, 2015

– vs. Dong Hyun Kim – Win via KO (punches) – UFC Fight Night: Bisping vs. Le – August 23, 2014

– vs. Rory MacDonald – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC 174: Johnson vs. Bagautinov – June 14, 2014

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown

Comment: Woodley and Bisping posted a video from backstage at UFC 207 in which the two agreed on the spot to a 180-pound catchweight fight in the spring. If matchmaker Sean Shelby is willing to hear them out remains to be seen.



11) T.J. Dillashaw (14-3)

Height: 5’6

Birthday: February 7, 1986

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. John Lineker – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 207 – December 30, 2016

– vs. Raphael Assuncao – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 200 – July 9, 2016

– vs. Dominick Cruz – Loss via decision (split) – UFC Fight Night – January 17, 2016

– vs. Renan Barao – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC on Fox: Dillashaw vs. Barao 2 – July 25, 2015

– vs. Joe Soto – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 177: Dillashaw vs. Soto – August 30, 2014

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown




12) Michael Bisping (30-7)

Height: 6’2

Birthday: February 28, 1979

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Dan Henderson – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 204 – October 8, 2016

– vs. Luke Rockhold – Win via KO (punches) – UFC 199: Rockhold vs. Bisping 2 – June 4, 2016

– vs. Anderson Silva – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night: Silva vs. Bisping – February 27, 2016

– vs. Thales Leites – Win via decision (split) – UFC Fight Night: Bisping vs. Leites – July 18, 2015

– vs. C.B. Dollaway – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 186 – April 25, 2015

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown



13) “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (27-11, 1 NC)

Height: 5’11

Birthday: March 20, 1982

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Tyron Woodley – Loss via KO (punch) – UFC 201: Lawler vs. Woodley – July 30, 2016

– vs. Carlos Condit – Win via decision (split) – UFC 195: Lawler vs. Condit – January 2, 2016

– vs. Rory MacDonald – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 189: Mendes vs. McGregor – July 11, 2015

– vs. Johny Hendricks – Win via decision (split) – UFC 181: Hendricks vs. Lawler 2 – December 6, 2014

– vs. Matt Brown – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC on Fox: Lawler vs. Brown – July 26, 2014

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown

Comment: Joe Rogan said the UFC offered Nick Diaz a UFC 209 fight with Lawler, but he declined. Lawler has not fought since losing his welterweight title in the summer.



14) Joseph Benavidez (25-4)

Height: 5’4

Birthday: July 31, 1984

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Henry Cejudo – Win via decision (split) – TUF Finale – December 3, 2016

– vs. Zach Makovsky – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – February 6, 2016

– vs. Ali Bagautinov – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 192 – October 3, 2015

– vs. John Moraga – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 187 – May 23, 2015

– vs. Dustin Ortiz – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – November 22, 2014

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown



15) Stipe Miocic (16-2)

Birthday: August 19, 1982

Height: 6’4

Weight: 245

Currently fighting with: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Alistair Overeem – Win via KO (punch) – UFC 203: Miocic vs. Overeem – September 10, 2016

– vs. Fabricio Werdum – Win via KO (punch) – UFC 198: Werdum vs. Miocic – May 14, 2016

– vs. Andrei Arlovski – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 195: Lawler vs. Condit – January 2, 2016

– vs. Mark Hunt – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night: Hunt vs. Miocic – May 10, 2015

– vs. Junior dos Santos – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC on FOX: dos Santos vs. Miocic – December 13, 2014

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown

Closing Comments: Luke Rockhold and Yoel Romero received additional votes.

The following list is of fighters who appeared in our P4P rankings in January 2016 but not in the list this month: Jon Jones, Rafael dos Anjos, Luke Rockhold, Fabricio Werdum, Chris Weidman, Benson Henderson and Cain Velasquez.