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411 Welterweight MMA Rankings: Colby Covington, Leon Edwards, More
411’s Official MMA Rankings
Welterweight Division
1) Kamaru Usman (19-1)
Height: 6’0
Birthday: May 11, 1988
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Jorge Masvidal – Win via KO (punch) – UFC 261 – April 24, 2021
– vs. Gilbert Burns – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 258 – February 13, 2021
– vs. Jorge Masvidal – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 251 – July 11, 2020
– vs. Colby Covington – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 245 – December 14, 2019
– vs. Tyron Woodley – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 235 – March 2, 2019
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
2) Jorge “Gamebred” Masvidal (35-15)
Height: 5’11
Birthday: November 12, 1984
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Kamaru Usman – Loss via KO (punch) – UFC 261 – April 24, 2021
– vs. Kamaru Usman – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC 251 – July 11, 2020
– vs. Nate Diaz – Win via TKO (doctor stoppage) – UFC 244 – November 2, 2019
– vs. Ben Askren – Win via KO (flying knee) – UFC 239 – July 6, 2019
– vs. Darren Till – Win via KO (punch) – UFC Fight Night – March 16, 2019
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
Comment: Masvidal is looking to return to action before the end of the year and wants someone near the top of the welterweight rankings. Common sense would suggest first-run match-ups with potentially Gilbert Burns (pending the outcome of his fight with Stephen Thompson next month) or Colby Covington. For his part, Masvidal may be angling towards a fight with Leon Edwards, but it doesn’t seem the latter is playing the part.
3) Gilbert Burns (19-4)
Height: 5’10
Birthday: July 20, 1986
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Kamaru Usman – Loss via TKO (strikes) – UFC 258 – February 13, 2021
– vs. Tyron Woodley – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – May 30, 2020
– vs. Demian Maia – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – March 14, 2020
– vs. Gunnar Nelson – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – September 28, 2019
– vs. Alexey Kunchenko – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – August 10, 2019
Next scheduled appearance:
– vs. Stephen Thompson – UFC 264 – July 10, 2021
4) Colby Covington (16-2)
Height: 5’11
Birthday: February 22, 1988
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Tyron Woodley – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – September 19, 2020
– vs. Kamaru Usman – Loss via TKO (strikes) – UFC 245 – December 14, 2019
– vs. Robbie Lawler – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC on ESPN – August 3, 2019
– vs. Rafael dos Anjos – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 225 – June 9, 2018
– vs. Demian Maia – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – October 28, 2017
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
Comment: For some reason, UFC President Dana White insists Covington is the number one contender. This is despite the fact he lost a five-round fight with Usman by TKO in which his jaw was broken and the outcome was never in doubt. Since that December 2019 fight, Covington’s only fight was a fifth-round TKO stoppage of Tyron Woodley when the former champion had a rib literally pop out of place when attempting a guillotine choke (he is currently mired in a four-fight losing streak and focused on a boxing match with one of the Paul brothers). It’s difficult to look at that and say Covington deserves another title fight. Perhaps, the UFC looks at the match-up and deems it the most lucrative option at welterweight (it is not). There’s no reason to believe the rematch would end any differently than when Usman fought Jorge Masvidal a second time (second round knockout).
5) Leon Edwards (19-3, 1 NC)
Height: 6’0
Birthday: August 25, 1991
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Nate Diaz – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 263 – June 2, 2021
– vs. Belal Muhammad – No Contest (accidental eye poke) – UFC Fight Night – March 13, 2021
– vs. Rafael dos Anjos – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC on ESPN – July 20, 2019
– vs. Gunnar Nelson – Win via decision (split) – UFC Fight Night – March 16, 2019
– vs. Donald Cerrone – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – June 23, 2018
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
Comment: Edwards was coasting to a unanimous decision win in the fifth round against Nate Diaz when he was rocked by a late barrage. He survived Diaz’s onslaught and won that unanimous decision. Now, Edwards wants a title fight with Usman and he may be willing to remain out of action until it’s offered to him. He seems to think the next title fight will be undeservedly given to Covington (and it’s hard to not to judge such a fight that way). The question then becomes, if the UFC books an unnecessary rematch between Usman and Covington for the fall, will Edwards stick to his guns and wait for the winner while risking someone else jumping the line? He may be given the opportunity to fight Masvidal by November and a win in such a fight would likely easily cement Edwards as the next title challenger. For now, it seems he feels he has done enough to warrant that shot.
6) Yaroslav Amosov (26-0)
Height: 5’11
Birthday: September 9, 1993
Currently Fighting With: Bellator MMA
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Douglas Lima – Win via decision (unanimous) – Bellator 260 – June 11, 2021
– vs. Logan Storley – Win via decision (split) – Bellator 252 – November 12, 2020
– vs. Mark Lemminger – Win via TKO (Doctor stoppage) – Bellator 244 – August 21, 2020
– vs. Ed Ruth – Win via decision (unanimous) – Bellator 239 – February 21, 2020
– vs. David Rickels – Win via submission (Brabo Choke) – Bellator 225 – August 24, 2019
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
Comment: Amosov is the new Bellator welterweight champion and becomes the first Ukrainian champion in Bellator, UFC, or even Strikeforce or PRIDE. He’s a multiple time gold medalist in Combat Sambo and since coming to Bellator in 2019, has not had a problem with outstanding collegiate wrestlers like multiple time National Champion Ed Ruth or multiple time All-American Logan Storley. He joins Lyman Good, Ben Askren, Douglas Lima, Andrey Koreshkov and Rory MacDonald as the sixth welterweight champion in company history. Plus, with a 26-0 record, he’s now the only top fighter with an undefeated record in that many fights.
7) Nate Diaz (20-13)
Height: 6’0
Birthday: April 16, 1985
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Leon Edwards – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC 263 – June 2, 2021
– vs. Jorge Masvidal – Loss via TKO (doctor stoppage) – UFC 244 – November 2, 2019
– vs. Anthony Pettis – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 241 – August 17, 2019
– vs. Conor McGregor – Loss via decision (split) – UFC 202: Diaz vs. McGregor 2 – August 20, 2016
– vs. Conor McGregor – Win via submission (rear naked choke) – UFC 196: McGregor vs. Diaz – March 5, 2016
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
8) Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson (16-4-1)
Height: 6’0
Birthday: February 11, 1983
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Geoff Neal – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – December 19, 2020
– vs. Vicente Luque – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 244 – November 2, 2019
– vs. Anthony Pettis – Loss via KO (punch) – UFC Fight Night – March 23, 2019
– vs. Darren Till – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – May 27, 2018
– vs. Jorge Masvidal – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 217 – November 4, 2017
Next scheduled appearance:
– vs. Gilbert Burns – UFC 264 – July 10, 2021
9) Michael Chiesa (18-4)
Height: 6’1
Birthday: December 7, 1987
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Neil Magny – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC on ESPN – January 20, 2021
– vs. Rafael dos Anjos – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – January 25, 2020
– vs. Diego Sanchez – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 239 – July 6, 2019
– vs. Carlos Condit – Win via submission (Kimura) – UFC 232 – December 29, 2018
– vs. Anthony Pettis – Loss via submission (triangle armbar) – UFC 226 – July 7, 2018
Next scheduled appearance:
– vs. Vincente Luque – UFC 265 – August 7, 2021
10) Vicente Luque (20-7)
Height: 5’11
Birthday: November 17, 1991
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Tyron Woodley – Win via submission (Brabo choke) – UFC 260 – March 27, 2021
– vs. Randy Brown – Win via KO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – August 1, 2020
– vs. Niko Price – Win via TKO (doctor stoppage) – UFC 249 – May 9, 2020
– vs. Stephen Thompson – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC 244 – November 2, 2019
– vs. Mike Perry – Win via decision (split) – UFC Fight Night – August 10, 2019
Next scheduled appearance:
– vs. Michael Chiesa – UFC 265 – August 7, 2021
11) Belal Muhammad (19-3, 1 NC)
Height: 5’10
Birthday: July 9, 1988
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Demian Maia – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 263 – June 12, 2021
– vs. Leon Edwards – No Contest (accidental eye poke) – UFC Fight Night – March 13, 2021
– vs. Dhiego Lima – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 258 – February 13, 2021
– vs. Lyman Good – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC on ESPN – June 20, 2020
– vs. Takashi Sato – Win via submission (rear naked choke) – UFC 242 – September 7, 2019
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiaxnRRP8QE
12) Douglas Lima (32-9)
Height: 6’1
Birthday: January 5, 1988
Currently Fighting With: Bellator MMA
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Yaroslav Amosov – Loss via decision (unanimous) – Bellator 260 – June 11, 2021
– vs. Gegard Mousasi – Loss via decision (unanimous) – Bellator 250 – October 29, 2020
– vs. Rory MacDonald – Win via decision (unanimous) – Bellator 232 – October 26, 2019
– vs. Michael Page – Win via KO (strikes) – Bellator Welterweight Grand Prix – May 11, 2019
– vs. Andrey Koreshkov – Win via technical submission (rear naked choke) – Bellator 206 – September 29, 2018
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
13) Rory MacDonald (22-7-1)
Height: 6’0
Birthday: July 22, 1989
Currently Fighting With: PFL
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Gleison Tibau – Loss via decision (split) – PFL 5 ’21 – June 17, 2021
– vs. Curtis Millender – Win via submission (rear naked choke) – PFL 2 ‘21 – April 29, 2021
– vs. Douglas Lima – Loss via decision (unanimous) – Bellator 232 – October 26, 2019
– vs. Neiman Gracie – Win via decision (unanimous) – Bellator 222 – June 14, 2019
– vs. Jon Fitch – Draw via decision (split) – Bellator Welterweight Grand Prix – Bellator 220 – April 27, 2019
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
Comment: Tibau earned his first win since 2019 with the unanimous split decision over Rory MacDonald last week. This was the penultimate show before the Playoffs start in August. MacDonald already secured a spot while Tibau needed a first or second round finish to get a spot. While he failed to do so, Tibau’s aggressiveness combined with MacDonald’s cautiousness led to the split decision. Joining the former Bellator champion in the four-person playoff will be Joao Zeferino, Ray Cooper III and Magomed Magomedkerimov.
14) Neil Magny (25-8)
Height: 6’3
Birthday: August 3, 1987
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Geoff Neal – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC on ESPN – May 8, 2021
– vs. Michael Chiesa – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC on ESPN – January 20, 2021
– vs. Robbie Lawler – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – August 29, 2020
– vs. Anthony Rocco Martin – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 250 – June 6, 2020
– vs. Jingliang Li – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 248 – March 7, 2020
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
15) Jingliang Li (18-6)
Height: 6’0
Birthday: March 20, 1988
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Santiago Ponzinibbio – Win via KO (punch) – UFC on ABC – January 16, 2021
– vs. Neil Magny – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC 248 – March 7, 2020
– vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – August 31, 2019
– vs. David Zawada – Win via KO (body kick) – UFC Fight Night – November 24, 2018
– vs. Daichi Abe – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – June 23, 2018
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
