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411 MMA Rankings 09.26.17: Welterweight Division – Tyron Woodley, Demian Maia, More
411’s MMA Ranking Rules
– Which fighters are eligible for these rankings? They must meet the following qualifications: fight at least once in the past 365 days or have a fight scheduled.
– 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 They can return when they have served their suspension or in the event it is rescinded.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
Welterweight Division
1) 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
Comment: After dominating Demian Maia at UFC 214, any talk of a star studded fight died. Although he took Maia to the cleaners, it was not an entertaining fight and was not a performance that made many feel like they HAVE to see his next fight. Regardless, he’s clearly the best welterweight and his next challenger may be a rematch with Robbie Lawler or Stephen Thompson or a fresh match-up with Jorge Masvidal or Rafael dos Anjos. Can any of them stop Woodley?
2) Demian Maia (25-7)
Height: 6’0
Birthday: November 6, 1977
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Tyron Woodley – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC 214 – July 29, 2017
– vs. Jorge Masvidal – Win via decision (split) – UFC 211 – May 13, 2017
– vs. Carlos Condit – Win via submission (rear naked choke) – UFC on Fox – August 27, 2016
– vs. Matt Brown – Win via submission (rear naked choke) – UFC 198 – May 14, 2016
– vs. Gunnar Nelson – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 194: Aldo vs. McGregor – December 12, 2015
Next scheduled appearance:
– vs. Colby Covington – UFC Fight Night – October 28, 2017
3) Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson (14-2-1)
Height: 6’0
Birthday: February 11, 1983
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– 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
– vs. Jake Ellenberger – Win via KO (spinning hook kick) – UFC TUF 21 Finale – July 12, 2015
Next scheduled appearance:
– vs. Jorge Masvidal – UFC 217 – November 4, 2017
Comment: If Wonderboy is ever going to get another crack at the UFC title and Woodley, he must defeat Jorge Masvidal at MSG in November. There’s no other scenario that involves a third title fight for him and losing to the Miami brawler. Pressure much?
4) Ben Askren (17-0, 1 NC)
Height: 5’10
Birthday: July 18, 1984
Currently Fighting With: One FC
Last 5 fights:
– 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
– vs. Luis Santos – No Contest (eye poke) – ONE FC: Valor of Champions – April 27, 2015
– vs. Nobutatsu Suzuki – Win via TKO (strikes) – ONE FC: Reign of Champions – August 29, 2014
Next scheduled appearance:
– vs. Shinya Aoki – ONE Championship: Immortal Pursuit – November 24, 2017
Comment: Ben Askren has dominated MMA and is setting his sights on a career outside of the cage. The undefeated champion is scheduled to fight submission specialist Shinya Aoki in his retirement bout this November. Win or lose, Askren will then join the ONE office.
He turned 33 over the summer and unlike the likes of Alistair Overeem, Josh Barnett, Cris Cyborg, Eddie Alvarez and Justin Gaethje who eventually signed with the UFC in recent years, he will end his career never having fought in the octagon. How he would have fared in the UFC will always be conjecture but in his eight year career, every single opponent knew what his gameplay was and not one has been able to stop him.
A career finale with Shinya Aoki is poetic as Aoki, for a time, was one of the best lightweights in Japan and is a fighter who built his name outside the UFC. More than that, Aoki is one of the fiercest grapplers in MMA, period. Of his 47 pro fights, he has won 25 by submission and has never been submitted in an MMA fight.
5) “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (28-11, 1 NC)
Height: 5’11
Birthday: March 20, 1982
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– 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
– vs. Rory MacDonald – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 189: Mendes vs. McGregor – July 11, 2015
– vs. Johny Hendricks – Win via decision (split) – UFC 181: Hendricks vs. Lawler 2 – December 6, 2014
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
6) Rory MacDonald (19-4)
Height: 6’0
Birthday: July 22, 1989
Currently Fighting With: Bellator MMA
Last 5 fights:
– 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
– vs. Tarec Saffiedine – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night: MacDonald vs. Saffiedine – October 4, 2014
– vs. Tyron Woodley – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 174: Johnson vs. Bagautinov – June 14, 2014
Next scheduled appearance:
– vs. Douglas Lima – Bellator MMA – January 20, 2018
7) Douglas Lima (29-6)
Height: 6’1
Birthday: January 5, 1988
Currently Fighting With: Bellator MMA
Last 5 fights:
– 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
– vs. Andrey Koreshkov – Loss via decision (unanimous) – Bellator 140 – July 17, 2015
– vs. Rick Hawn – Win via TKO (corner stoppage) – Bellator 117 – April 18, 2014
Next scheduled appearance:
– vs. Rory MacDonald – Bellator MMA – January 20, 2018
8) Jorge “Gamebred” Masvidal (32-12)
Height: 5’11
Birthday: November 12, 1984
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– 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
– vs. Lorenz Larkin – Loss via decision (split) – UFC Fight Night – May 29, 2016
Next scheduled appearance:
– vs. Stephen Thompson – UFC 217 – November 4, 2017
Comment: Masvidal may have lost a split decision to Demian Maia in the spring, but he has the ability to establish himself as the top contender with his fight against Wonderboy Thompson. As such, This fight may be his last chance to earn a UFC title fight.
9) Rafael dos Anjos (27-9)
Height: 5’9
Birthday: October 26, 1984
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– 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
– vs. Donald Cerrone – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC on Fox: dos Anjos vs. Cerrone 2 – December 19, 2015
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
10) “Cowboy” Donald Cerrone (32-9, 1 NC)
Height: 6′
Birthday: March 29, 2983
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Robbie Lawler – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC 214 – July 29, 2017
– vs. Jorge Masvidal – Loss via TKO (strikes) – UFC on Fox – January 28, 2017
– vs. Matt Brown – Win via KO (head kick) – UFC 206 – December 10, 2016
– vs. Rick Story – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 202 – August 20, 2016
– vs. Patrick Cote – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – June 18, 2016
Next scheduled appearance:
– vs. Darren Till – UFC Fight Night – October 21, 2017
11) Santiago Ponzinibbio (25-3)
Height: 6’0
Birthday: September 26, 1986
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– 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
– vs. Court McGee – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC on Fox – April 16, 2016
– vs. Andreas Stahl – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – December 10, 2015
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
12) Paul “Semtex” Daley (40-15-2)
Height: 5’9
Birthday: February 2, 1983
Currently Fighting With: Bellator MMA
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Lorenz Larkin – Win via TKO (strikes) – Bellator 183 – September 23, 2017
– vs. Rory MacDonald – Loss via submission (rear naked choke) – Bellator 179 – May 19, 2017
– vs. Brennan Ward – Win via KO (flying knee) – Bellator 170 – January 21, 2017
– vs. Douglas Lima – Loss via decision (unanimous) – Bellator 158 – July 16, 2016
– vs. Andy Ulrich – Win via KO (punch) – Bellator 148 – January 29, 2016
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
Comment: For his 40th career win, Daley knocked out Lorenz Larkin Saturday night. Following the highlight reel win, Semtex called out undefeated Michael Page, one of the most exciting fighters in Bellator.
13) Andrey “Spartan” Koreshkov (20-2)
Height: 6’0
Birthday: August 23, 1990
Currently Fighting With: Bellator MMA
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Chidi Njokuani – Win via TKO (strikes) – Bellator 182 – August 25, 2017
– vs. Douglas Lima – Loss via KO (punches) – Bellator 164 – November 10, 2016
– vs. Benson Henderson – Win via decision (unanimous) – Bellator 153 – April 22, 2016
– vs. Douglas Lima – Win via decision (unanimous) – Bellator 140 – July 17, 2015
– vs. Adam McDonough – Win via decision (unanimous) – Bellator 122 – July 25, 2014
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
14) Colby Covington (12-1)
Height: 5’11
Birthday: February 22, 1988
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– 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
– vs. Jonathan Meunier – Win via submission (rear naked choke) – UFC Fight Night – June 18, 2016
– vs. Warlley Alves – Loss via submission (guillotine choke) – UFC 194 – December 12, 2015
Next scheduled appearance:
– vs. Demian Maia – UFC Fight Night – October 28, 2017
15) Gunnar Nelson (16-3-1)
Height: 5’11
Birthday: July 28, 1988
Currently Fighting With: UFC
Last 5 fights:
– vs. Santiago Ponzinibbio – Loss via KO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – July 16, 2017
– vs. Alan Jouban – Win via submission (guillotine choke) – UFC Fight Night – March 18, 2017
– vs. Albert Tumenov – Win via submission (rear naked choke) – UFC Fight Night: REEM vs. Arlovski – May 8, 2016
– vs. Demian Maia – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC 194: Aldo vs. McGregor – December 12, 2015
– vs. Brandon Thatch – Win via submission (rear naked choke) – UFC 189 – July 11, 2015
Next scheduled appearance:
– Unknown
