mma / Columns
411 Welterweight MMA Rankings: Kamaru Usman, Tyron Woodley, More
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:
– Unknown
2) Tyron Woodley (19-4-1)
Height: 5’9
Birthday: April 17, 1982
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– 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
– vs. Stephen Thompson – Draw via decision – UFC 205 – November 12, 2016
Next scheduled appearance:
– vs. Gilbert Burns – UFC Fight Night – May 30, 2020
Comment: Finally, Tyron Woodley will return to action this weekend and it’s not opposite Colby Covington or Leon Edwards. He’s up against a dangerous grappling savant in Gilbert Burns. Woodley wants more than anything else to either get a shot at the title or huge money fights. Unfortunately for him, the latter doesn’t look to be realistic. But, if he can maintain some semblance of activity over the next six to ten months, there’s no reason to believe he can’t end up back in a title fight. There are questions around Woodley, first due to the fact he has not competed in over a year. He has not won a fight in nearly two years. A loss to Burns and all talk will center around the former champion being “washed up” although that’s hardly fair considering Burns is as much a threat to any welterweight today and not simply the 6th ranked UFC contender.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79cuMWgvBjA
3) 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:
– Unknown
Comment: Responding to a tweet from Nate Diaz over the weekend, Masvidal said the two should “run back” their fight from November which saw Masvidal crowned the winner due to a cut. If the UFC isn’t planning on a Usman/Masvidal championship fight, then why not?
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) 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
Comment: Lima was scheduled to fight Gegard Mousasi for Bellator’s vacant middleweight championship earlier this month. Bellator has not yet announced any plans to return to action.
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
Comment: Since the fight with Woodley fell apart, Edwards is solely focused on a fight to get him closer to a title fight. This means a fight against someone considered above him in the division – based on 411 MMA Rankings that would mean someone from a group including Nate Diaz, Conor McGregor, Colby Covington or Jorge Masvidal. Perhaps the only option that seems realistic is a fight with Covington.
9) 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
10) 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
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMh8f1JnXuk
11) 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
12) Gilbert Burns (18-3)
Height: 5’10
Birthday: July 20, 1986
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– 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
– vs. Olivier Aubin-Mercier – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 231 – December 8, 2018
Next scheduled appearance:
– vs. Tyron Woodley – UFC Fight Night – May 30, 2020
Comment: In a year that’s been anything but normal, Burns is not at a loss of fights. Since last summer, he’s won three fights and he has a chance to go 4-0 in the last nine months. He stopped Demaian Maia with strikes in under three minutes in March and benefited from the schedule shakeup where Woodley was originally set to fight Leon Edwards. Instead, Woodley is fighting this weekend against the Brazilian. You should easily be able to see a way in which Burns jumps up the welterweight rankings with a win, where only Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington could be considered above him among top welterweight contenders. To say this is a big opportunity for Burns is an understatement. He’s turning 34-years-old this summer and has been fighting professionally in MMA for over eight years and six of those years with the UFC.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XJSIoemVAg
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
Comment: Lawler turned 38-years-old two months ago and there remains no update as to when we can expect the former champion to return to action. Nobody in this division could use a win now more than Lawler who risks a four-fight losing streak and an even longer road from possible title contention.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-_iHoBY3NE
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