mma / Columns
411 MMA Rankings 01.02.18: Pound for Pound – Demetrious Johnson, Max Holloway, More
411’s MMA Rankings
Pound For Pound
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bz7ujwcTce4
1) Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson (27-2-1)
Height: 5’3
Birthday: August 13, 1986
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Ray Borg – Win via submission (armbar) – UFC 216 – October 7, 2017
– vs. Wilson Reis – Win via submission (armbar) – UFC on Fox – April 15, 2017
– vs. Tim Elliott – Win via decision (unanimous) – TUF Finale – December 3, 2016
– vs. Henry Cejudo – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 197 – April 23, 2016
– vs. John Dodson – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 191: Johnson vs. Dodson 2 – September 5, 2015
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
Comment: Johnson remains the best pound for pound fighter in the sport, exhibiting a dominance over his challengers that can be compared with all-time greats like Anderson Silva, Georges St. Pierre and Fedor Emelianenko. 2017 saw him set the new UFC record with his 11th consecutive title defense. What may 2018 bring?
The biggest fight on the table appears to be a title defense against reigning bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw. However, whether it happens is still a big question as nothing has been signed in the two months since T.J. regained his own title. It appears the big factor will be money (isn’t it always) as Demetrious has publicly said he wants to be paid for such a fight as though it were a superfight.
2) Max Holloway (19-3)
Height: 5’11
Birthday: December 4, 1991
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Jose Aldo – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 218 – December 2, 2017
– vs. Jose Aldo – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 212 – June 3, 2017
– vs. Anthony Pettis – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 206: Holloway vs. Pettis – December 10, 2016
– vs. Ricardo Lamas – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 199: Rockhold vs. Bisping – June 4, 2016
– vs. Jeremy Stephens – Win via decision (unanumous) – UFC 194: Aldo vs. McGregor – December 12, 2015
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
Comment: Holloway won and defended the featherweight championship last year by finishing Jose Aldo twice, both times in the third rounds. Max is the youngest fighter among this group of top P4P fighters at 26-years-old, a crazy thing to consider when you see his 19-3 record and he’s been undefeated for nearly four years. With Aldo permanently in the rearview mirror for him, the next potential challengers appear to be from this group: Frankie Edgar, Brian Ortega, Josh Emmett.
3) T.J. Dillashaw (15-3)
Height: 5’6
Birthday: February 7, 1986
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Cody Garbrandt – Win via KO (strikes) – UFC 217 – November 4, 2017
– vs. John Lineker – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 207 – December 30, 2016
– vs. Raphael Assuncao – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 200 – July 9, 2016
– vs. Dominick Cruz – Loss via decision (split) – UFC Fight Night – January 17, 2016
– vs. Renan Barao – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC on Fox: Dillashaw vs. Barao 2 – July 25, 2015
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
Comment: Now a two-time UFC bantamweight champion, Dillashaw became the first man to beat Cody Garbrandt when they fought at MSG in November. T.J. has never fought at 125-pounds, but that’s where his sights are set as he wants to challenge Demetrious Johnson.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdN0xbal8eU
4) 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
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5czmY2tK07Y
5) Stipe Miocic (17-2)
Birthday: August 19, 1982
Height: 6’4
Currently fighting with: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Junior dos Santos – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 211 – May 13, 2017
– vs. Alistair Overeem – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 203: Miocic vs. Overeem – September 10, 2016
– vs. Fabricio Werdum – Win via KO (punch) – UFC 198: Werdum vs. Miocic – May 14, 2016
– vs. Andrei Arlovski – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 195: Lawler vs. Condit – January 2, 2016
– vs. Mark Hunt – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night: Hunt vs. Miocic – May 10, 2015
Next scheduled appearance:
– vs. Francis Ngannou – UFC 220 – January 20, 2018
6) “Notorious” Conor McGregor (21-3)
Height: 5’8
Birthday: July 14, 1988
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Eddie Alvarez – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 205 – November 15, 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
– vs. Jose Aldo – Win via KO (punch) – UFC 194: Aldo vs. McGregor – December 12, 2015
– vs. Chad Mendes – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 189: McGregor vs. Mendes – July 11, 2015
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
7) 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:
– Injured
Comment: GSP returned to MMA in November with a submission win over middleweight champion Michael Bisping. Georges cited a ulcerative colitis diagnoses as his reason to forfeit the title, although Dana White seems to think he wanted to get out of a contractually obligated middleweight title defense. Regardless, here’s hoping GSP gets to 100% soon and back in action at whatever weight he damn well pleases.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cbi6EYxUVJs&t=17s
8) Rafael dos Anjos (28-9)
Height: 5’9
Birthday: October 26, 1984
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Robbie Lawler – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC on Fox – December 16, 2017
– 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
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
9) Daniel Cormier (19-1, 1 NC)
Birthday: March 20, 1979
Height: 5’9
Currently fighting with: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Jon Jones – No Contest (overturned) – UFC 214 – July 29, 2017
– vs. Anthony Johnson – Win via submission (rear naked choke) – UFC 210 – April 8, 2017
– vs. Anderson Silva – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 200: Tate vs. Nunes – July 9, 2016
– vs. Alexander Gustafsson – Win via decision (split) – UFC 192: Cormier vs. Gustafsson – October 3, 2015
– vs. Anthony Johnson – Win via submission (rear naked choke) – UFC 187: Cormier vs. Johnson – May 23, 2015
Next scheduled appearance:
– vs. Volkan Oezdemir – UFC 220 – January 20, 2017
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLnAbY7d6Yw
10) 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:
– vs. Luke Rockhold – UFC 221 – February 11, 2018
Comment: Whittaker will battle Rockhold for the vacant middleweight title in Australia next month.
11) 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
12) 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
13) Tony Ferguson (23-3)
Height: 5’11
Birthday: February 12, 1984
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Kevin Lee – Win via submission (triangle choke) – UFC 216 – October 7, 2017
– vs. Rafael dos Anjos – Win via decision (unanimous) – TUF Finale – November 5, 2016
– vs. Lando Vanatta – Win via submission (Brabo choke) – UFC Fight Night – July 13, 2016
– vs. Edson Barboza – Win via submission (Brabo choke) – UFC TUF 22 Finale – December 11, 2015
– vs. Josh Thomson – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – July 15, 2015
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
Comment: Ferguson is an interim champion, and desperately wants to fight Conor McGregor. However, Khabib Nurmagomedov may factor into this picture before such a bout ever comes to fruition.
14) Khabib Nurmagomedov (25-0)
Height: 5’10
Birthday: September 20, 1988
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Edson Barboza – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 219 – December 30, 2017
– vs. Michael Johnson – Win via submission (kimura) – UFC 205 – November 12, 2016
– vs. Darrell Horcher – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC on Fox: Teixeira vs. Evans – April 16, 2016
– vs. Rafael dos Anjos – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC on Fox: Werdum vs. Browne – April 19, 2014
– vs. Pat Healy – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 165: Jones vs. Gustafsson – September 21, 2013
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VSJX6YvFYo
15) Eddie Alvarez (29-5, 1 NC)
Birthday: November 11, 1984
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Justin Gaethje – Win via KO (knee) – UFC 218 – December 2, 2017
– vs. Dustin Poirier – No Contest (illegal strikes) – UFC 211: Miocic vs. dos Santos – May 13, 2017
– vs. Conor McGregor – Loss via TKO (strikes) – UFC 205 – November 12, 2016
– vs. Rafael dos Anjos – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – July 7, 2016
– vs. Anthony Pettis – Win via decision (split) – UFC Fight Night – January 17, 2016
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
Closing Comments:
The following list of fighters appeared in our P4P rankings in January 2017 but not in the list this month: Jose Aldo, Cody Garbrandt, Dominick Cruz, Frankie Edgar, Michael Bisping, Robbie Lawler and Joseph Benavidez
