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411 MMA Rankings 11.28.17: Middleweight Division – Robert Whittaker, GSP, More
411’s MMA Rankings Guidelines
– Which fighters are eligible for these rankings? They must meet the following qualifications: fight at least once in the past 365 days or if they have not, be officially scheduled for an upcoming fight.
– 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 They can return when they have served their suspension or in the event it is rescinded.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
Middleweight Division (185 pounds)
1) Georges St. Pierre (26-2)
Height: 5’10
Birthday: May 19, 1981
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Michael Bisping – Win via submission (rear naked choke) – UFC 217 – November 4, 2017
– vs. Johny Hendricks – Win via decision (split) – UFC 167: St. Pierre vs. Hendricks – November 16, 2013
– vs. Nick Diaz – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 158: St. Pierre vs. Diaz – March 16, 2013
– vs. Carlos Condit – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 154: St. Pierre vs. Condit – November 17, 2012
– vs. Jake Shields – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 129: St. Pierre vs. Shields – April 30, 2011
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
Comment: GSP returned to action after a four year retirement to become the UFC middleweight champion in his debut fight at 185 pounds. Despite tiring out in rounds two and three, he landed a beautiful cross to put Bisping down and choked him unconscious with a rear naked choke. He’s the fourth UFC fighter in history to win titles in multiple weight classes (joining Randy Couture, B.J. Penn and Conor McGregor).
St. Pierre appeared cautious before committing to additional fights at middleweight. He seemed willing to take the fight with Bisping because of the match-up and believed it would be simpler to make 185 than cut down to 170. However, now he may be more inclined to return to 170 and not fight the larger opponents.
2) Robert Whittaker (19-4)
Height: 6′
Birthday: December 20, 1990
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Yoel Romero – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 213 – July 8, 2017
– vs. Jacare Souza – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC on Fox – April 15, 2017
– vs. Derek Brunson – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – November 26, 2016
– vs. Rafael Natal – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 197: Jones vs. St. Preux – April 23, 2016
– vs. Uriah Hall – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 193: Rousey vs. Holm – November 14, 2015
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
Comment: Whittaker is waiting in the wings for a deserving opportunity to fight for the middleweight championship. Unfortunately, he is forced to the background while Michael Bisping chases the biggest payday of his career. GSP has said if he wins, his first defense would likely be against Whittaker. However, there are already rumblings of a potential fight with lightweight champion Conor McGregor (who has not competed in MMA since December).
3) Gegard Mousasi (43-6-2)
Height: 6’0
Birthday: August 1, 1985
Currently Fighting With: Bellator MMA
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Alexander Shlemenko – Win via decision (unanimous) – Bellator 185 – October 20, 2017
– vs. Chris Weidman – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 210 – April 6, 2017
– vs. Uriah Hall – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – November 19, 2016
– vs. Vitor Belfort – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 204 – October 8, 2016
– vs. Thiago Santos – Win via KO (punches) – UFC 200 – July 9, 2016
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
Comment: Mousasi was victorious in his Bellator debut Friday night which saw him pick up his sixth consecutive win in a decision against Alexander Shlemenko.
4) Michael Bisping (30-9)
Height: 6’2
Birthday: February 28, 1979
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Kelvin Gastelum – Loss via KO (punch) – UFC Fight Night – November 25, 2017
– vs. Georges St. Pierre – Loss via submission (rear naked choke) – UFC 217 – November 4, 2017
– vs. Dan Henderson – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 204: Bisping vs. Henderson 2 – October 8, 2016
– vs. Luke Rockhold – Win via KO (punches) – UFC 199: Rockhold vs. Bisping 2 – June 4, 2016
– vs. Anderson Silva – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night: Silva vs. Bisping – February 27, 2016
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
Comment: It’s been an eventful November for former champion Michael Bisping. In the biggest fight of his career – headlining UFC 217 at Madison Square Garden and defending his title against the returning Georges St. Pierre – he was put to sleep in the third round. Three weeks later, just Saturday, he was knocked out cold with a single punch by Kelvin Gastelum in China. As to why the UFC allowed this to happen (remember, there’s no commission in China), all you need to do is look at the balance sheet. It’s beyond questionable why a 38-year-old who was choked unconscious was allowed to compete against a heavy handed younger fighter three weeks later.
Bisping has said he hopes to fight once more in England before calling it a career.
5) Luke Rockhold (16-3)
Height: 6’3
Birthday: October 17, 1984
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. David Branch – Win via TKO (submission to strikes) – UFC Fight Night – September 16, 2017
– vs. Michael Bisping – Loss via KO (punches) – UFC 199: Rockhold vs. Bisping 2 – June 4, 2016
– vs. Chris Weidman – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 194: Aldo vs. McGregor – December 12, 2015
– vs. Lyoto Machida – Win via submission (rear naked choke) – UFC on FOX: Machida vs. Rockhold – April 18, 2015
– vs. Michael Bisping – Win via submission (guillotine choke) – UFC Fight Night: Bisping vs. Rockhold – November 8, 2014
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
6) Yoel Romero (12-2)
Height: 5’10
Birthday: April 30, 1977
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Robert Whittaker – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC 213 – July 8, 2017
– vs. Chris Weidman – Win via KO (flying knee) – UFC 205: Alvarez vs. McGregor – November 12, 2016
– vs. Jacare Souza – Win via decision (split) – UFC 194: Aldo vs. McGregor – December 12, 2015
– vs. Lyoto Machida – Win via KO (elbows) – UFC Fight Night: Machida vs. Romero – June 27, 2015
– vs. Tim Kennedy – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 178: Cerrone vs. Alvarez – September 27, 2014
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
7) Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza (24-5, 1 No Contest)
Height: 6’0
Birthday: December 7, 1979
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Robert Whittaker – Loss via TKO (strikes) – UFC on Fox – April 15, 2017
– vs. Tim Boetsch – Win via submission (kimura) – UFC 208 – February 11, 2017
– vs. Vitor Belfort – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 198: Werdum vs. Miocic – May 14, 2016
– vs. Yoel Romero – Loss via decision (split) – UFC 194: Aldo vs. McGregor – December 12, 2015
– vs. Chris Camozzi – Win via submission (armbar) – UFC on FOX: Machida vs. Rockhold – April 18, 2015
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
8) Chris Weidman (14-3)
Height: 6’2
Birthday: June 17, 1984
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Kelvin Gastelum – Win via submission (arm triangle choke) – UFC on Fox – July 22, 2017
– vs. Gegard Mousasi – Loss via TKO (strikes) – UFC 210 – April 6, 2017
– vs. Yoel Romero – Loss via KO (flying knee) – UFC 205: Alvarez vs. McGregor – November 12, 2016
– vs. Luke Rockhold – Loss via TKO (strikes) – UFC 194: Aldo vs. McGregor – December 12, 2015
– vs. Vitor Belfort – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 187: Cormier vs. Johnson – May 23, 2015
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
9) Kelvin Gastelum (14-3, 1 NC)
Height: 5’9
Birthday: October 24, 1991
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Michael Bisping – Win via KO (punch) – UFC Fight Night – November 25, 2017
– vs. Chris Weidman – Loss via submission (arm triangle choke) – UFC on Fox – July 22, 2017
– vs. Vitor Belfort – No Contest (original win by Gastelum overturned due to marijuana) – UFC Fight Night – March 11, 2017
– vs. Tim Kennedy – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 206 – December 10, 2016
– vs. Johny Hendricks – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 200 – July 9, 2016
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
10) Mamed Khalidov (34-4-2)
Height: 6’0
Birthday: July 17, 1980
Currently Fighting With: KSW
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Borys Mankowski – Win via decision (unanimous) – KSW 39 – May 27, 2017
– vs. Luke Barnatt – Win via KO (punches) – ACB 54 – March 11, 2017
– vs. Azuz Karoglu – Win via decision (split) – KSW 35 – May 27, 2016
– vs. Michal Materla – Win via KO (flying knee) – KSW 33 – November 28, 2015
– vs. Brett Cooper – Win via decision (unanimous) – KSW 29 – December 6, 2014
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
11) Derek Brunson (18-5)
Height: 6’1
Birthday: January 4, 1984
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Lyoto Machida – Win via KO (punch) – UFC Fight Night – October 28, 2017
– vs. Daniel Kelly – Win via KO (punch) – UFC Fight Night – June 10, 2017
– vs. Anderson Silva – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC 208 – February 11, 2017
– vs. Robert Whittaker – Loss via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – November 26, 2016
– vs. Uriah Hall – Win via TKO (punch) – UFC Fight Night – September 17, 2016
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
12) Rafael Carvalho (14-1)
Height: 6’3
Birthday: July 27, 1986
Currently Fighting With: Bellator MMA
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Melvin Manhood – Win via KO (head kick) – Bellator 176 – April 8, 2017
– vs. Melvin Manhoef – Win via decision (split) – Bellator 155 – May 20, 2016
– vs. Brandon Halsey – Win via KO (body kick) – Bellator 144 – October 23, 2015
– vs. Joe Schilling – Win via decision (split) – Bellator 136 – April 10, 2015
– vs. Brian Rogers – Win via TKO (strikes) – Bellator 125 – September 19, 2014
Next scheduled appearance:
– vs. Alessio Sakara – Bellator 189 – December 9, 2017
13) Uriah Hall (13-8)
Height: 6’0
Birthday: July 31, 1984
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Krzysztof Jotko – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – September 16, 2017
– vs. Gegard Mousasi – Loss via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – November 19, 2016
– vs. Derek Brunson – Loss via KO (punch) – UFC Fight Night – September 17, 2016
– vs. Robert Whittaker – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC 193: Rousey vs. Holm – November 14, 2015
– vs. Gegard Mousasi – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – September 27, 2015
Next scheduled appearance:
– vs. Vitor Belfort – UFC – January 14, 2018
14) David Branch (21-4)
Height: 6’1
Birthday: September 26, 1981
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Luke Rockhold – Loss via TKO (submission to strikes) – UFC Fight Night – September 16, 2017
– vs. Krzysztof Jotko – Win via decision (split) – UFC 211 – May 13, 2017
– vs. Louis Taylor – Win via submission (rear naked choke) – WSOF 34 – December 31, 2016
– vs. Vinny Magalhaes – Win via decision (unanimous) – WSOF 33 – October 7, 2016
– vs. Clifford Starks – Win via decision (unanimous) – WSOF 30 – April 2, 2016
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
15) Alexander Shlemenko (56-10, 1 NC)
Height: 5’11
Birthday: May 20, 1984
Currently Fighting With: Bellator MMA & M-1 Challenge
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Gegard Mousasi – Loss via decision (unanimous) – Bellator 185 – October 20, 2017
– vs. Brandon Halsey – Win via TKO (strikes) – M-1 Challenge 79 – June 1, 2017
– vs. Paul Bradley – Win via decision (unanimous) – M-1 Challenge 75 – March 3, 2017
– vs. Kendall Grove – Win via TKO (strikes) – Bellator 162 – October 21, 2016
– vs. Vyacheslav Vasilevsky – Win via submission (guillotine choke) – M-1 Challenge 68 – June 16, 2016
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
Final Notes: Anderson Silva failed an out-of-competition drug test prior to his scheduled fight with Kelvin Gastelum. He was pulled from that fight and has been provisionally suspended by USADA. A formal hearing has yet to take place.
