mma / Columns
411 MMA Rankings 03.05.19: Welterweight Division – Kamaru Usman, Ben Askren, More
411’s Official MMA Rankings
Welterweight Division
1) Kamaru Usman (15-1)
Height: 6’0
Birthday: May 11, 1988
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– 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
– vs. Sergio Moraes – Win via KO (punch) – UFC Fight Night – September 16, 2017
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
Comment: In one of the most impressive performances by a title challenger in recent memory, Kamaru Usman took champ Tyron Woodley to the woodshed at UFC 235. He picked him apart physically, shut down Woodley’s attempts at anything offensive and piled on attack after attack for five rounds. He became the 10th different welterweight champion in UFC history and has his first title defense lined up against Chael Sonnen-lite, Colby Covington.
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:
– Unknown
Comment: It was an incredible sight to see, of Tyron Woodley being manhandled for most of the five rounds he fought Usman. Physically overmatched, gassed and unable to mount any sincere offense. He turns 37-years-old next month but at the post-fight press conference, talked about not moving up to middleweight so he could regain the welterweight title. He will not receive an immediate rematch with Usman, however, so he’ll need at least one win to get to that spot.
3) Ben Askren (19-0, 1 NC)
Height: 5’10
Birthday: July 18, 1984
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Robbie Lawler – Win via submission (bulldog choke) – UFC 235 – March 2, 2019
– vs. Shinya Aoki – Win via TKO (strikes) – ONE Championship: Immortal Pursuit – November 24, 2017
– vs. Zebaztian Kadestam – Win via TKO (strikes) – One Championship – September 2, 2017
– vs. Agilan Thani – Win via submission (Arm-Triangle choke) – One FC – May 26, 2017
– vs. Nikolay Aleksakhin – Win via decision (unanimous) – One FC 41 – April 15, 2016
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
Comment: Askren was ruled the winner of Saturday night’s fight with Robbie Lawler by referee Herb Dean. He endured an early blitz from Lawler that left him loopy and bloody, applied the bulldog choke and when it appeared Lawler might have been out, Dean stopped the fight. Lawler immediately yelled at Dean, creating an awkward situation. Nevada Athletic Commission’s Bob Bennett insisted he was confident that Lawler was out of it and Dean’s stoppage was correct. Regardless, it did not turn out to be a decisive outcome. The UFC seems interested in a rematch, although Askren was talking about other fighters (specifically the Till/Masvidal winner).
4) Colby Covington (14-1)
Height: 5’11
Birthday: February 22, 1988
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– 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
– vs. Bryan Barberena – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC on Fox – December 17, 2016
– vs. Max Griffin – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 202 – August 20, 2016
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
Comment: Depending on who you want to believe, Covington turned down a title fight this year but it seems like he’ll finally end up fighting for the UFC welterweight title. Perhaps as early as this summer, the UFC will try and sign Usman/Covington. On Sunday morning, Usman and his manager approached Covington inside a Vegas casino and an altercation ensued. On the ESPN post-fight show hours earlier, Usman expressed a tremendous distain for his next opponent. Such emotions leading up to his first title defense would have you question whether he can beat Covington when otherwise, on paper, you wouldn’t believe it to be all that close.
5) Rory MacDonald (20-5)
Height: 6’0
Birthday: July 22, 1989
Currently Fighting With: Bellator MMA
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Gegard Mousasi – Loss via TKO (strikes) – Bellator MMA – September 29, 2018
– vs. Douglas Lima – Win via decision (unanimous) – Bellator 192 – January 20, 2018
– vs. Paul Daley – Win via submission (rear naked choke) – Bellator 179 – May 19, 2017
– vs. Stephen Thompson – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – June 18, 2016
– vs. Robbie Lawler – Loss via TKO (strikes) – UFC 189: Mendes vs. McGregor – July 11, 2015
Next scheduled appearance:
– vs. Jon Fitch – Bellator Welterweight Grand Prix – Bellator 220 – April 27, 2019
6) 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
Comment: Ponzinibbio told Ariel Helwani he wants to fight Rafael dos Anjos. You can’t fault the guy for calling out a fighter 0-2 in his last two bouts (those losses to Usman and Covington) who would still be the biggest name opponent in his career to date.
7) Douglas Lima (30-7)
Height: 6’1
Birthday: January 5, 1988
Currently Fighting With: Bellator MMA
Last 5 fights:
– 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
– vs. Andrey Koreshkov – Win via KO (punches) – Bellator 164 – November 10, 2016
– vs. Paul Daley – Win via decision (unanimous) – Bellator 158 – July 16, 2016
Next scheduled appearance:
– vs. Michael Page – Bellator Welterweight Grand Prix – May 11, 2019
8) Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson (14-3-1)
Height: 6’0
Birthday: February 11, 1983
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– 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
– vs. Tyron Woodley – Draw via decision – UFC 205 – November 12, 2016
– vs. Rory MacDonald – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – June 18, 2016
Next scheduled appearance:
– vs. Anthony Pettis – UFC Fight Night – March 23, 2019
Comment: Not that Thompson is happy to see another fighter lose, but you can believe he’s happier that Kamaru Usman is champion instead of Tyron Woodley. It means that’s one less hurdle he must jump over to get another shot at the UFC championship (due to his 0-1-1 record against Woodley).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5q4uj1r98ok
9) Rafael dos Anjos (28-11)
Height: 5’9
Birthday: October 26, 1984
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Kamaru Usman – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – November 30, 2018
– vs. Colby Covington – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC 225 – June 9, 2018
– 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
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNnCF1FklUY
10) “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (28-13, 1 NC)
Height: 5’11
Birthday: March 20, 1982
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– 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
– vs. Carlos Condit – Win via decision (split) – UFC 195: Lawler vs. Condit – January 2, 2016
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
Comment: Lawler appeared to be on his way to a KO win early on in the first round against Ben Askren. He slammed “Funky” on his head, elbowed him in the face and all that was left was one decisive blow to put Askren down and out. It never came and instead, Lawler had to fend off a constant barrage of takedown attempts which led to the final sequence of the fight. It’s not a bad loss in perception, although it surely sucks considering Lawler is no close to a title fight than he was entering the fight. Whether we see a rematch or not will take time to hammer out, but regardless of that, Lawler remains one of the elite fighters in the division.
11) Darren Till (17-1-1)
Height: 6’0
Birthday: December 24, 1992
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Tyron Woodley – Loss via submission (D’Arce choke) – UFC 228 – September 8, 2018
– vs. Stephen Thompson – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – May 27, 2018
– vs. Donald Cerrone – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – October 21, 2017
– vs. Bojan Velickovic – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – September 2, 2017
– vs. Jessin Ayari – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – May 28, 2017
Next scheduled appearance:
– vs. Jorge Masvidal – UFC Fight Night – March 16, 2019
12) Jorge “Gamebred” Masvidal (32-13)
Height: 5’11
Birthday: November 12, 1984
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Stephen Thompson – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC 217 – November 4, 2017
– vs. Demian Maia – Loss via decision (split) – UFC 211 – May 13, 2017
– vs. Donald Cerrone – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC on Fox – January 28, 2017
– vs. Jake Ellenberger – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC TUF Finale – December 3, 2016
– vs. Ross Pearson – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 201 – July 30, 2016
Next scheduled appearance:
– vs. Darren Till – UFC Fight Night – March 16, 2019
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8_Vj8UlrQ0
13) Jon Fitch (31-7-1, 1 NC)
Height: 6’0
Birthday: February 24, 1978
Currently Fighting With: Bellator MMA
Last 5 fights:
– 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
– vs. Yushin Okami – Win via decision (unanimous) WSOF 24 – October 17, 2015
Next scheduled appearance:
– vs. Rory MacDonald – Bellator Welterweight Grand Prix – Bellator 220 – April 27, 2019
14) Demian Maia (26-9)
Height: 6’0
Birthday: November 6, 1977
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Lyman Good – Win via submission (rear naked choke) – UFC Fight Night – February 2, 2019
– vs. Kamaru Usman – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – May 19, 2018
– vs. Colby Covington – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – October 28, 2017
– vs. Tyron Woodley – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC 214 – July 29, 2017
– vs. Jorge Masvidal – Win via decision (split) – UFC 211 – May 13, 2017
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
15) Leon Edwards (16-3)
Height: 6’0
Birthday: August 25, 1991
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– 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
– vs. Vicente Luque – Win via decision (unanimous) – March 18, 2017
– vs. Albert Tumenov – Win via submission (rear naked choke) – October 8, 2016
Next scheduled appearance:
– vs. Gunnar Nelson – UFC Fight Night – March 16, 2019
