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411 MMA Rankings: Welterweight Division – Tyron Woodley, Stephen Thompson, More

November 7, 2017 | Posted by Jonathan Solomon

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 have a fight scheduled.

– 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 They can return when they have served their suspension or in the event it is rescinded.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.


411’s Official MMA Rankings

Welterweight Division


1) Tyron Woodley (18-3-1)

Height: 5’9

Birthday: April 17, 1982

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Demian Maia – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 214 – July 29, 2017

– vs. Stephen Thompson – Win via decision (split) – UFC 209: Woodley vs. Thompson 2 – March 4, 2017

– vs. Stephen Thompson – Draw via decision – UFC 205 – November 12, 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

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown

Comment: All of a sudden, Woodley has got to feel pretty excited about the prospect of a fight with Georges St. Pierre. The new middleweight champion appeared non-committal about the idea of staying at 185-pounds, which could mean GSP has his sights set on returning to welterweight and that would bring us the fight with Tyron.



2) Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson (15-2-1)

Height: 6’0

Birthday: February 11, 1983

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Jorge Masvidal – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 217 – November 4, 2017

– vs. Tyron Woodley – Loss via decision (split) – UFC 209: Woodley vs. Thompson 2 – March 4, 2017

– vs. Tyron Woodley – Draw via decision – UFC 205 – November 12, 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

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown

Comment:



3) Ben Askren (17-0, 1 NC)

Height: 5’10

Birthday: July 18, 1984

Currently Fighting With: One FC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Zebaztian Kadestam – Win via TKO (strikes) – One Championship – September 2, 2017

– vs. Agilan Thani – Win via submission (Arm-Triangle choke) – One FC – May 26, 2017

– vs. Nikolay Aleksakhin – Win via decision (unanimous) – One FC 41 – April 15, 2016

– vs. Luis Santos – No Contest (eye poke) – ONE FC: Valor of Champions – April 27, 2015

– vs. Nobutatsu Suzuki – Win via TKO (strikes) – ONE FC: Reign of Champions – August 29, 2014

Next scheduled appearance:

– vs. Shinya Aoki – ONE Championship: Immortal Pursuit – November 24, 2017

Comment: Askren will try to retire from MMA as an undefeated fighter with 18 wins later this month. Among active fighters, only three undefeated fighters have more wins (Khabib Nurmagomedov, Vitaly Minakov and Justin Gaethje). Amazingly, his last fight would mark the 10th title fight of his career (this doesn’t include his Bellator tournament final), meaning 55% of his career has been spent competing for championships.



4) “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (28-11, 1 NC)

Height: 5’11

Birthday: March 20, 1982

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Donald Cerrone – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 214 – July 29, 2017

– 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

Next scheduled appearance:

– vs. Rafael dos Anjos – UFC on Fox – December 16, 2017




5) Rory MacDonald (19-4)

Height: 6’0

Birthday: July 22, 1989

Currently Fighting With: Bellator MMA

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Paul Daley – Win via submission (rear naked choke) – Bellator 179 – May 19, 2017

– vs. Stephen Thompson – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – June 18, 2016

– vs. Robbie Lawler – Loss via TKO (strikes) – UFC 189: Mendes vs. McGregor – July 11, 2015

– vs. Tarec Saffiedine – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night: MacDonald vs. Saffiedine – October 4, 2014

– vs. Tyron Woodley – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 174: Johnson vs. Bagautinov – June 14, 2014

Next scheduled appearance:

– vs. Douglas Lima – Bellator MMA – January 20, 2018



6) Colby Covington (13-1)

Height: 5’11

Birthday: February 22, 1988

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Demian Maia – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – October 28, 2017

– vs. Dong Hyun Kim – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – June 17, 2017

– vs. Bryan Barberena – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC on Fox – December 17, 2016

– vs. Max Griffin – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 202 – August 20, 2016

– vs. Jonathan Meunier – Win via submission (rear naked choke) – UFC Fight Night – June 18, 2016

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown



7) Douglas Lima (29-6)

Height: 6’1

Birthday: January 5, 1988

Currently Fighting With: Bellator MMA

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Lorenz Larkin – Win via decision (unanimous) – Bellator 180 – June 24, 2017

– vs. Andrey Koreshkov – Win via KO (punches) – Bellator 164 – November 10, 2016

– vs. Paul Daley – Win via decision (unanimous) – Bellator 158 – July 16, 2016

– vs. Andrey Koreshkov – Loss via decision (unanimous) – Bellator 140 – July 17, 2015

– vs. Rick Hawn – Win via TKO (corner stoppage) – Bellator 117 – April 18, 2014

Next scheduled appearance:

– vs. Rory MacDonald – Bellator MMA – January 20, 2018



8) Rafael dos Anjos (27-9)

Height: 5’9

Birthday: October 26, 1984

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Neil Magny – Win via submission (arm triangle choke) – UFC 215 – September 9, 2017

– vs. Tarec Saffiedine – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – June 17, 2017

– vs. Tony Ferguson – Loss via decision (unanimous) – TUF Finale – November 5, 2016

– vs. Eddie Alvarez – Loss via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – July 7, 2016

– vs. Donald Cerrone – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC on Fox: dos Anjos vs. Cerrone 2 – December 19, 2015

Next scheduled appearance:

– vs. Robbie Lawler – UFC on Fox – December 16, 2017



9) Jorge “Gamebred” Masvidal (32-13)

Height: 5’11

Birthday: November 12, 1984

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Stephen Thompson – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC 217 – November 4, 2017

– vs. Demian Maia – Loss via decision (split) – UFC 211 – May 13, 2017

– vs. Donald Cerrone – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC on Fox – January 28, 2017

– vs. Jake Ellenberger – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC TUF Finale – December 3, 2016

– vs. Ross Pearson – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 201 – July 30, 2016

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown



10) Darren Till (16-0-1)

Height: 6’0

Birthday: December 24, 1992

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Donald Cerrone – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – October 21, 2017

– vs. Bojan Velickovic – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – September 2, 2017

– vs. Jessin Ayari – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – May 28, 2017

– vs. Nicolas Dalby – Draw via decision (split) – UFC Fight Night – October 24, 2015

– vs. Wendell de Oliveira – Win via KO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – May 30, 2015

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown

Comment: On the sidelines for more than a year and a half, Till has made 2017 the biggest year of his career. Three fights in five months, three wins. About two weeks ago, he scored the upset knockout against Cowboy Cerrone and it’s now impossible to ignore what he’s accomplishing.



11) Demian Maia (25-8)

Height: 6’0

Birthday: November 6, 1977

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Colby Covington – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – October 28, 2017

– vs. Tyron Woodley – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC 214 – July 29, 2017

– vs. Jorge Masvidal – Win via decision (split) – UFC 211 – May 13, 2017

– vs. Carlos Condit – Win via submission (rear naked choke) – UFC on Fox – August 27, 2016

– vs. Matt Brown – Win via submission (rear naked choke) – UFC 198 – May 14, 2016

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown



12) Santiago Ponzinibbio (25-3)

Height: 6’0

Birthday: September 26, 1986

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Gunnar Nelson – Win via KO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – July 16, 2017

– vs. Nordine Taleb – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – February 19, 2017

– vs. Zak Cummings – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – August 6, 2016

– vs. Court McGee – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC on Fox – April 16, 2016

– vs. Andreas Stahl – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – December 10, 2015

Next scheduled appearance:

– vs. Mike Perry – UFC on Fox – December 16, 2017

Comment: A second big welterweight fight is set for the next Fox show in December with Ponzinibbio fighting Mike Perry. Perry (11-1) is a brash striker who has knocked out 11 opponents in his career (he lost one fight to Alan Jouban by decision). Meanwhile, Ponzinbbio has been fighting since his future opponent was a teenager. Since December 2015, he has won five fights and became the first man to knock out Gunnar Nelson this past summer.



13) Paul “Semtex” Daley (40-15-2)

Height: 5’9

Birthday: February 2, 1983

Currently Fighting With: Bellator MMA

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Lorenz Larkin – Win via TKO (strikes) – Bellator 183 – September 23, 2017

– vs. Rory MacDonald – Loss via submission (rear naked choke) – Bellator 179 – May 19, 2017

– vs. Brennan Ward – Win via KO (flying knee) – Bellator 170 – January 21, 2017

– vs. Douglas Lima – Loss via decision (unanimous) – Bellator 158 – July 16, 2016

– vs. Andy Ulrich – Win via KO (punch) – Bellator 148 – January 29, 2016

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown



14) Andrey “Spartan” Koreshkov (20-2)

Height: 6’0

Birthday: August 23, 1990

Currently Fighting With: Bellator MMA

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Chidi Njokuani – Win via TKO (strikes) – Bellator 182 – August 25, 2017

– vs. Douglas Lima – Loss via KO (punches) – Bellator 164 – November 10, 2016

– vs. Benson Henderson – Win via decision (unanimous) – Bellator 153 – April 22, 2016

– vs. Douglas Lima – Win via decision (unanimous) – Bellator 140 – July 17, 2015

– vs. Adam McDonough – Win via decision (unanimous) – Bellator 122 – July 25, 2014

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown



15) Gunnar Nelson (16-3-1)

Height: 5’11

Birthday: July 28, 1988

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Santiago Ponzinibbio – Loss via KO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – July 16, 2017

– vs. Alan Jouban – Win via submission (guillotine choke) – UFC Fight Night – March 18, 2017

– vs. Albert Tumenov – Win via submission (rear naked choke) – UFC Fight Night: REEM vs. Arlovski – May 8, 2016

– vs. Demian Maia – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC 194: Aldo vs. McGregor – December 12, 2015

– vs. Brandon Thatch – Win via submission (rear naked choke) – UFC 189 – July 11, 2015

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown