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411 Heavyweight MMA Rankings: Stipe Miocic, Francis Ngannou, More

August 18, 2020 | Posted by Jonathan Solomon

411’s Official MMA Rankings

Heavyweight Division


1) Stipe Miocic (20-3)

Birthday: August 19, 1982

Height: 6’4

Weight: 245

Currently fighting with: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Daniel Cormier – Win via decision (unanimous) -UFC 252 – August 15, 2020

– vs. Daniel Cormier – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 241 – August 17, 2019

– vs. Daniel Cormier – Loss via TKO (strikes) – UFC 226 – July 7, 2018

– vs. Francis Ngannou – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 220 – January 20, 2018

– vs. Junior dos Santos – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 211 – May 13, 2017

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown

Comment: Stipe left nothing to controversy beating Daniel Cormier for the second time in as many years. Miocic looked to be in the best shape of his career, took early to attacking Cormier’s body and was able to fend off any attempt at a ground fight. The undisputed heavyweight champion, it sounds like his next challenger will be a rematch with Francis Ngannou, but Jon Jones may be lurking, too.



2) Daniel Cormier (22-3, 1 NC)

Birthday: March 20, 1979

Height: 5’9

Weight: 239

Currently fighting with: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Stipe Miocic – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC 252 – August 15, 2020

– vs. Stipe Miocic – Loss via TKO (strikes) – UFC 241 – August 17, 2019

– vs. Derrick Lewis – Win via submission (rear naked choke) – UFC 230 – November 3, 2018

– vs. Stipe Miocic – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 226 – July 7, 2018

– vs. Volkan Oezdemir – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 220 – January 20, 2018

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown

Comment: Cormier suffered a torn cornea from an eye poke in the championship rounds (inadvertent) and with the realization that there are no title fights in his future, he announced his retirement. One of the best heavyweights and fighters in MMA over the last decade, the only men to beat him have been Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic. He’s beaten the likes of Miocic, Dan Henderson, Josh Barnett, Alexander Gustafsson, Anderson Silva and others. Cormier was the second UFC fighter ever to hold titles in different weight classes simultaneously (Amanda Nunes, the third such fighter, is the only active double champion).



3) Francis Ngannou (15-3)

Birthday: September 5, 1986

Height: 6’4

Weight: 255

Currently fighting with: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik – Win via KO (strikes) – UFC 249 – May 9, 2020

– vs. Junior dos Santos – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 239 – July 6, 2019

– vs. Cain Velasquez – Win via KO (strikes) – UFC on ESPN – February 17, 2019

– vs. Curtis Blades – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – November 24, 2018

– vs. Derrick Lewis – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC 226 – July 7, 2018

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown

Comment: With his four consecutive wins, all finishes, including two against former champions, it appears he will get a title fight against Miocic. UFC President Dana White sung his praises after UFC 252 and said he’s deserving of the next heavyweight title fight.




4) Curtis Blaydes (14-2, 1 NC)

Birthday: February 18, 1991

Height: 6’4

Weight: 250

Currently fighting with: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Alexander Volkov – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – June 20, 2020

– vs. Junior dos Santos – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – January 25, 2020

– vs. Shamil Abdurakhimov – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 242 – September 7, 2019

– vs. Justin Willis – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – March 23, 2019

– vs. Francis Ngannou – Loss via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – November 24, 2018

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown



5) Jairzinho Rozenstruik (11-1)

Birthday: March 17, 1988

Height: 6’2

Weight: 248

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Junior dos Santos – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 252 – August 15, 2020

– vs. Francis Ngannou – Loss via KO (strikes) – UFC 249 – May 9, 2020

– vs. Alistair Overeem – Win via KO (punch) – UFC on ESPN – December 7, 2019

– vs. Andrei Arlovski – Win via KO (punch) – UFC 244 – November 2, 2019

– vs. Allen Crowder – Win via KO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – June 22, 2019

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown

Comment: It was as good a bounce back from a first career loss as Rozenstruik could have, knocking out JDS in the second round at UFC 252.



6) Derrick Lewis (24-7, 1 NC)

Birthday: February 7, 1985

Height: 6’3

Weight: 260

Currently fighting with: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Alexey Oleynik – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – August 8, 2020

– vs. Ilir Latifi – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 247 – February 8, 2020

– vs. Blagoy Ivanov – Win via decision (split) – UFC 244 – November 2, 2019

– vs. Junior dos Santos – Loss via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – March 9, 2019

– vs. Daniel Cormier – Loss via submission (rear naked choke) – UFC 230 – November 3, 2018

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown

Comment: Lewis came back from a near submission loss to blast Oleynik and earn a third consecutive win. After the win, he stated his intent to lose about 20 pounds.




7) Alexander “Drago” Volkov (31-8)

Birthday: October 24, 1988

Height: 6’7

Weight: 235

Currently fighting with: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Curtis Blaydes – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – June 20, 2020

– vs. Greg Hardy – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – November 9, 2019

– vs. Derrick Lewis – Loss via KO (strikes) – UFC 229 – October 6, 2018

– vs. Fabricio Werdum – Win via KO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – March 17, 2018

– vs. Stefan Struve – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – September 2, 2017

Next scheduled appearance:

– vs. Walt Harris – UFC 254 – October 24, 2020



8) Alistair Overeem (46-18, 1 No Contest)

Birthday: May 17, 1980

Height: 6’5

Weight: 240

Birthday: May 17, 1980

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Walt Harris – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – Nat 16, 2020

– vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik – Loss via KO (punch) – UFC on ESPN – December 7, 2019

– vs. Alexey Oleynik – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – April 20, 2019

– vs. Sergey Pavlovich – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – November 24, 2018

– vs. Curtis Blaydes – Loss via TKO (elbows) – UFC 225 – June 9, 2018

Next scheduled appearance:

– vs. Augusto Sakai – UFC Fight Night – September 5, 2020



9) Augusto Sakai (15-1)

Birthday: May 19, 1991

Height: 6’3

Weight: 264

Currently fighting with: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Blagoy Ivanov – Win via decision (split) – UFC on ESPN – May 30, 2020

– vs. Marcin Tybura – Win via KO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – September 14, 2019

– vs. Andrei Arlovski – Win via decision (split) – UFC Fight Night – April 27, 2019

– vs. Chase Sherman – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – September 22, 2018

– vs. Marcos Conrado – Win via TKO (strikes) – DW Contender Series – August 10, 2018

Next scheduled appearance:

– vs. Alistair Overeem – UFC Fight Night – September 5, 2020



10) Junior dos Santos (21-8)

Birthday: January 30, 1984

Height: 6’4

Weight: 243

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik – Loss via TKO (strikes) – UFC 252 – August 15, 2020

– vs. Curtis Blaydes – Loss via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – January 25, 2020

– vs. Francis Ngannou – Loss via TKO (strikes) – UFC 239 – July 6, 2019

– vs. Derrick Lewis – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – March 9, 2019

– vs. Tai Tuivasa – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – December 1, 2018

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown



11) Alexey Oleynik (59-14-1)

Birthday: June 25, 1977

Height: 6’1

Weight: 240

Currently fighting with: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Derrick Lewis – Loss via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – August 8, 2020

– vs. Fabricio Werdum – Win via decision (split) – UFC 249 – May 9, 2020

– vs. Maurice Greene – Win via submission (armbar) – UFC 46 – January 18, 2020

– vs. Walt Harris – Loss via KO (knee) – UFC on ESPN – July 20, 2019

– vs. Alistair Overeem – Loss via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – April 20, 2019

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown



12) Blagoy Ivanov (18-4, 1 NC)

Birthday: October 9, 1986

Height: 5’11

Weight: 251

Currently fighting with: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Augusto Sakai – Loss via decision (split) – UFC on ESPN – May 30, 2020

– vs. Derrick Lewis – Loss via decision (split) – UFC 244 – November 2, 2019

– vs. Tai Tuivasa – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 238 – June 8, 2019

– vs. Ben Rothwell – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – March 9, 2019

– vs. Junior dos Santos – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – July 14, 2018

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown



13) Walt Harris (13-8, 1 NC)

Birthday: June 10, 1983

Height: 6’5

Weight: 250

Currently fighting with: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Alistair Overeem – Loss via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – Nat 16, 2020

– vs. Aleksei Oleinik – Win via KO (knee) – UFC on ESPN – July 20, 2019

– vs. Sergey Spivak – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – May 4, 2019

– vs. Andrei Arlovski – No Contest (win for Harris overturned due to banned substance) – UFC 232 – December 29, 2018

– vs. Daniel Spitz – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – June 1, 2018

Next scheduled appearance:

– vs. Alexander Volkov – UFC 254 – October 24, 2020



14) Ryan Bader (27-5, 1 NC)

Height: 6’2

Birthday: June 7, 1983

Currently Fighting With: Bellator MMA

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Cheick Kongo – (No Contest – Accidental Eye Poke) – Bellator 226 – September 7, 2019

– vs. Fedor Emelianenko – Win via TKO (strikes) – Bellator MMA – January 26, 2019

– vs. Matt Mitrione – Win via TKO (strikes) – Bellator 207 – October 12, 2018

– vs. King Mo Lawal – Win via KO (strikes) – Bellator 199 – May 12, 2018

– vs. Linton Vassell – Win via TKO (strikes) – Bellator 186 – November 3, 2017

Next scheduled appearance:

– vs. Vadim Nemkov – Bellator 244 – August 21, 2020




15) Vitaly Minakov (22-1)

Birthday: February 6, 1985

Height: 6’3

Weight: 249

Currently fighting with: Bellator MMA

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Timothy Johnson – Win via KO (strikes) – Bellator 225 – August 24, 2019

– vs. Cheick Kongo – Loss via decision (unanimous) – Bellator 216 – February 16, 2019

– vs. Tony Johnson – Win via TKO (strikes) – Fight Nights Global – December 16, 2017

– vs. Antonio Silva – Win via KO (punches) – Fight Nights Global 68 – June 2, 2017

– vs. DJ Linderman – Win via KO (strikes) – Fight Nights Global 59 – February 23, 2017

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown