mma / Columns

411 Welterweight MMA Rankings: Jorge Masvidal, Kamaru Usman, More

July 7, 2020 | Posted by Jonathan Solomon


411’s Official MMA Rankings

Welterweight Division


1) Kamaru Usman (16-1)

Height: 6’0

Birthday: May 11, 1988

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Colby Covington – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 245 – December 14, 2019

– vs. Tyron Woodley – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 235 – March 2, 2019

– vs. Rafael dos Anjos – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – November 30, 2018

– vs. Demian Maia – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – May 19, 2018

– vs. Emil Weber Meek – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – January 14, 2018

Next scheduled appearance:

– vs. Jorge Masvidal – UFC 251 – July 11, 2020

Comment: It’s rare that a UFC main event comes apart a week before showtime and the promotion is able to produce an equally inspired matchup, if not strikingly more anticipated. Gilbert Burns is now back home and isolated as he fights COVID-19 after testing positive last week. On Sunday, reports began to spread that the UFC was just short of announcing a replacement main event title fight with Usman taking on Jorge Masvidal and now that fight is official.



2) Jorge “Gamebred” Masvidal (35-13)

Height: 5’11

Birthday: November 12, 1984

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– 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

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

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

Next scheduled appearance:

– vs. Kamaru Usman – UFC 251 – July 11, 2020

Comment: Jorge Masvidal was last seen in action in November (which for other reasons seems like an eternity) when he stopped Nate Diaz to be crowned the BMF Champ. It appears he’s now four days away and a flight from Las Vegas to Abu Dhabi from his first UFC championship fight. It would be the cherry on top of one of the most amazing runs in MMA history. It started when he knocked out Darren Till in England, then when he knocked out Ben Askren in Las Vegas and then the win over Diaz in New York. This journey will see him travel to a 7th different country to fight professionally as he has his first championship fight since he challenged Gilbert Melendez in Strikeforce in 2011.



3) Gilbert Burns (19-3)

Height: 5’10

Birthday: July 20, 1986

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– 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

– vs. Mike Davis – Win via submission (rear naked choke) – UFC Fight Night – April 27, 2019

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown

Comment: Burns outclassed Tyron Woodley in May and turned that performance into a title fight with Kamaru Usman. Unfortunately, it was announced Friday night that Burns (and his coach) tested positive for COVID-19 and was forced out of the UFC 251 main event in Abu Dhabi. Hopefully he’s able to recover quickly and bounce back into form.



4) Colby Covington (15-2)

Height: 5’11

Birthday: February 22, 1988

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– 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

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

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown



5) “Notorious” Conor McGregor (22-4)

Height: 5’8

Birthday: July 14, 1988

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Donald Cerrone – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 246 – January 18, 2020

– vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov – Loss via submission (neck crank) – UFC 229 – October 6, 2018

– vs. Eddie Alvarez – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 205 – November 12, 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

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown



6) Nate Diaz (20-12)

Height: 6’0

Birthday: April 16, 1985

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– 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

– vs. Michael Johnson – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC on Fox: dos Anjos vs. Cowboy – December 19, 2015

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown



7) Tyron Woodley (19-5-1)

Height: 5’9

Birthday: April 17, 1982

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Gilbert Burns – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – May 30, 2020

– vs. Kamaru Usman – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC 235 – March 2, 2019

– vs. Darren Till – Win via submission (D’Arce choke) – UFC 228 – September 8, 2018

– 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

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown

Comment:




8) Leon Edwards (18-3)

Height: 6’0

Birthday: August 25, 1991

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– 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

– vs. Peter Sobotta – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – March 17, 2018

– vs. Bryan Barbarena – Win via decision (unanimous) – September 2, 2017

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown




9) Douglas Lima (32-7)

Height: 6’1

Birthday: January 5, 1988

Currently Fighting With: Bellator MMA

Last 5 fights:

– 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

– vs. Rory MacDonald – Loss via decision (unanimous) – Bellator MMA – January 20, 2018

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

Next scheduled appearance:

– vs. Gegard Mousasi – Bellator – TBD



10) Rory MacDonald (21-6-1)

Height: 6’0

Birthday: July 22, 1989

Currently Fighting With: PFL

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Rory MacDonald – 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

– vs. Gegard Mousasi – Loss via TKO (strikes) – Bellator MMA – September 29, 2018

– vs. Douglas Lima – Win via decision (unanimous) – Bellator 192 – January 20, 2018

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown

Comment: With PFL still taking it cautious before announcing any plans for a return, it’s interesting to look at Rory MacDonald and where his career has taken him. His loss to Robbie Lawler at UFC 189 in July 2015 is still remembered as one of the greatest title fights in UFC history. An absolute war, MacDonald had given every ounce of fight he had but lost. It took him 11 months before he returned after the fight and lost that bout to Stephen Thompson, ending his UFC career when he decided to sign with Bellator. If MacDonald was able to beat UFC champion Lawler in 2015, the odds of him leaving the promotion the following year (while not exactly slim) would have been low.

In Bellator, MacDonald became welterweight champion but lost to Gegard Mousasi when he attempted to win the middleweight championship. In 2019, he fought Jon Fitch to a draw, beat Neiman Gracie and lost the 170-pound title to Douglas Lima. Last December, MacDonald signed a new deal to fight with the Professional Fighters League. He’s going to turn 31-years-old in about two weeks and since the Lawler rematch, he’s 3-3-1. It’s a stark reminder of the damage that fighters can take in fights, especially the crowd-pleasing wars that become legendary.



11) Santiago Ponzinibbio (27-3)

Height: 6’0

Birthday: September 26, 1986

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Neil Magny – Win via KO (punch) – UFC Fight Night – November 17, 2018

– vs. Mike Perry – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC on Fox – December 16, 2017

– 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

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown



12) Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson (15-4-1)

Height: 6’0

Birthday: February 11, 1983

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– 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

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

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown




13) “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (28-14, 1 NC)

Height: 5’11

Birthday: March 20, 1982

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Colby Covington – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC on ESPN – August 3, 2019

– vs. Ben Askren – Loss via submission (bulldog choke) – UFC 235 – March 2, 2019

– vs. Rafael dos Anjos – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC on Fox – December 16, 2017

– 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

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown



14) Geoff Neal (13-2)

Height: 5’11

Birthday: August 28, 1990

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Mike Perry – Win via TKO (head kick) – UFC 245 – December 14, 2019

– vs. Niko Price – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 240 – July 27, 2019

– vs. Belal Muhammad – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – January 19, 2019

– vs. Frank Camacho – Win via KO (head kick) – UFC 228 – September 8, 2018

– vs. Brian Camozzi – Win via submission (rear naked choke) – UFC Fight Night – February 18, 2018

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown



15) Jon Fitch (31-7-2, 1 NC)

Height: 6’0

Birthday: February 24, 1978

Currently Fighting With: Bellator MMA

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Rory MacDonald – Draw via decision (split) – Bellator Welterweight Grand Prix – Bellator 220 – April 27, 2019

– vs. Paul Daley – Win via decision (unanimous) – Bellator 199 – May 12, 2018

– vs. Brian Foster – Win via submission (rear naked choke) – PFL – June 30, 2017

– vs. Jake Shields – Win via decision (unanimous) – WSOF 34 – December 31, 2016

– vs. Joao Zeferino – Win via decision (unanimous) – WSOF 30 – April 2, 2016

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown