Bleacher Report MMA Rankings for December 2015
November 2015 could be a month that is remembered as a turning point for the UFC and MMA as a whole.
Yes, there were several events, but two stories will carry on into the future.
First and foremost, Ronda Rousey—the biggest star in the history of the sport and the first mixed martial artist to truly transcend the moniker of "UFC fighter"—lost to Holly Holm at UFC 193. Not only did she lose to Holm, but she was viciously knocked out.
Rousey remains a pioneer, introducing MMA to demographics that fans never expected and promoters never would have dreamed of reaching. She will likely come back to MMA and face Holm in an immediate rematch. Still, this fight changed how casual fans see Rousey and, in kind, changed how popular culture views MMA.
Second, Benson Henderson has fought out his UFC contract and intends to try his hand as a free agent in the most competitive marketplace since the heyday of Japanese MMA. While there have been noteworthy free-agent signings in 2015 already, most notably Josh Thomson and Phil Davis defecting from the UFC to Bellator, Henderson is a different animal.
Henderson, despite the skid he hit following his run as UFC lightweight champion, remains an elite-level talent at 155 pounds and could well prove to be one at 170 pounds too. Just as importantly, he is a relatively young 32 years old. That makes his free agency very interesting.
The first few days have been, in a word, hectic. According to MMA Junkie, he has reportedly received an offer from Road FC, the biggest MMA promotion in South Korea, while Bellator President Scott Coker has thrown his hat into the Henderson sweepstakes, per Sherdog (h/t Bloody Elbow). One FC will likely join in on the fun as well, and it wouldn't be a shock if Rizin Fighting Federation floated something his way. How this ultimately shakes out could be one of the most important stories of 2016.
As usual, the rankings of each panelist are available on Twitter.
Rules and Notes
1 of 11
Each month, Bleacher Report MMA will deliver monthly top-10 rankings for each major men's MMA division, as well as the women's strawweight and bantamweight divisions. The rankings will typically come out during the first week of each month, but timing will be flexible, depending on where major events fall on the calendar. Bleacher Report's rankings panel consists of Chad Dundas, Nathan McCarter, Steven Rondina, Jonathan Snowden and Patrick Wyman.
Which fighters are ranked? How are they ranked? Rules are as follows:
- Fighters are ranked in their weight class by each member of the panel, receiving up to 10 points based on where they are placed (the No. 1 fighter receives 10 points, the No. 2 fighter receives nine and so on). Ties are left unbroken, and fighters sharing the same number of points are ordered alphabetically.
- Weight classes for men include 125 pounds, 135 pounds, 145 pounds, 155 pounds, 170 pounds, 185 pounds, 205 pounds and 206 to 265 pounds. Weight classes for women include 115 pounds and 135 pounds.
- Fighters must have fought within the last 18 months and/or have a bout scheduled. If a fighter is removed from the rankings due to inactivity, he will only be readmitted after participating in a sanctioned MMA bout. Retirements and indefinite leaves from the sport are considered on a case-by-case basis.
- Fighters suspended for failed drug tests are immediately removed from the rankings. They are eligible to rejoin the rankings after serving their suspension and competing in a sanctioned MMA bout.
- Fighters suspended for behavioral reasons are handled on a case-by-case basis.
- Fighters are only eligible to be ranked in one weight class, determined at the panel's discretion.
Here are the notes for this month:
- Khabib Nurmagomedov is out of the rankings due to inactivity. He will be eligible when he next participates in a sanctioned MMA bout.
- The January edition will come out following UFC 195 on January 2, so buckle in for some big shake-ups by then.
Women's Strawweight
2 of 11
No. 1 - Joanna Jedrzejczyk (50 points)
Promotion: UFC (C)
Record: 11-0 (4 knockouts, 1 submission)
Age: 28
Height: 5'6"
Reach: 65"
Last Five: 5-0
Last Fight: (No. 9) Valerie Letourneau, Win, Unanimous Decision
Next Fight: Unknown
No. 2 - Claudia Gadelha (45)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-1 (2 knockouts, 6 submissions)
Age: 26
Height: 5'4"
Reach: 63"
Last Five: 4-1
Last Fight: Jessica Aguilar, Win, Unanimous Decision
Next Fight: Unknown
No. 3 - Carla Esparza (33)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 10-3 (3 knockouts, 4 submissions)
Age: 27
Height: 5'1"
Reach: 63"
Last Five: 4-1
Last Fight: Joanna Jedrzejczyk, Loss, TKO
Next Fight: Unknown
No. 4 - Jessica Aguilar (32)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-5 (2 knockouts, 8 submissions)
Age: 33
Height: 5'4"
Reach: 61"
Last Five: 4-1
Last Fight: Claudia Gadelha, Loss, Unanimous Decision
Next Fight: Unknown
No. 5 - Tecia Torres (25)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 6-0 (0 knockouts, 0 submissions)
Age: 26
Height: 5'1"
Reach: 61"
Last Five: 5-0
Last Fight: Angela Hill, Win, Unanimous Decision
Next Fight: Jocelyn Jones-Lybarger, UFC 194 (December 12)
No. 6 - Jessica Penne (18)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-3 (2 knockouts, 7 submissions)
Age: 32
Height: 5'5"
Reach: 67"
Last Five: 3-2
Last Fight: Joanna Jedrzejczyk, Loss, TKO
Next Fight: Unknown
No. 7 - Rose Namajunas (16)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 3-2 (0 knockouts, 3 submissions)
Age: 23
Height: 5'5"
Reach: 65"
Last Five: 3-2
Last Fight: Angela Hill, Win, Submission
Next Fight: Paige VanZant, UFC Fight Night 80 (December 10)
No. 8T - Karolina Kowalkiewicz (14)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 7-0 (2 knockouts, 1 submission)
Age: 29
Height: 5'3"
Reach: 65"
Last Five: 5-0
Last Fight: Kalindra Faria, Win, Split Decision
Next Fight: Randa Markos, UFC on Fox 17 (December 19)
No. 8T - Valerie Letourneau (14)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 8-3 (4 knockouts, 1 submission)
Age: 32
Height: 5'7"
Reach: 68.5"
Last Five: 4-1
Last Fight: (No. 1) Joanna Jedrzejczyk, Loss, Unanimous Decision
Next Fight: Unknown
No. 10 - Livia Renata Souza (7)
Promotion: Invicta FC (C)
Record: 8-0 (0 knockouts, 7 submissions)
Age: 24
Height: 5'4"
Reach: ???
Last Five: 5-0
Last Fight: Katja Kankaanpaa, Win, Submission
Next Fight: Deanna Bennett, Invicta FC 15 (January 16)
Movers and Shakers in November
The lone fight of substance in November was the title fight between Jedrzejczyk and Letourneau. It was another fantastic performance from the champion, but the challenger showed her skill and toughness. She did enough to impress the voters to move her up a spot even despite the loss.
Fights to Watch in December
- Rose Namajunas vs. Paige VanZant, UFC Fight Night 80 (December 10)
- Tecia Torres vs. Jocelyn Jones-Lybarger, UFC 194 (December 12)
- Karolina Kowalkiewicz vs. Randa Markos, UFC on Fox 17 (December 19)
Flyweight
3 of 11
No. 1 - Demetrious Johnson (50 points)
Promotion: UFC (C)
Record: 23-2-1 (4 knockouts, 9 submissions)
Age: 29
Height: 5'3"
Reach: 64"
Last Five: 5-0
Last Fight: John Dodson, Win, Unanimous Decision
Next Fight: Unknown
No. 2 - Joseph Benavidez (43)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-4 (6 knockouts, 9 submissions)
Age: 31
Height: 5'4"
Reach: 65"
Last Five: 4-1
Last Fight: John Moraga, Win, Unanimous Decision
Next Fight: Unknown
No. 3 - John Dodson (42)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-7 (8 knockouts, 2 submissions)
Age: 31
Height: 5'3"
Reach: 66"
Last Five: 3-2
Last Fight: Demetrious Johnson, Loss, Unanimous Decision
Next Fight: Unknown
No. 4 - Henry Cejudo (33)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 10-0 (4 knockouts, 0 submissions)
Age: 28
Height: 5'4"
Reach: 64"
Last Five: 5-0
Last Fight: Jussier da Silva, Win, Unanimous Decision
Next Fight: Unknown
No. 5 - Kyoji Horiguchi (29)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-2 (9 knockouts, 1 submission)
Age: 24
Height: 5'5"
Reach: 66"
Last Five: 4-1
Last Fight: Chico Camus, Win, Unanimous Decision
Next Fight: Unknown
No. 6 - Jussier da Silva (23)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-4 (0 knockouts, 8 submissions)
Age: 30
Height: 5'5"
Reach: 67"
Last Five: 3-2
Last Fight: Henry Cejudo, Loss, Unanimous Decision
Next Fight: Unknown
No. 7 - Ian McCall (18)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-5-1 (4 knockouts, 3 submissions)
Age: 31
Height: 5'5"
Reach: 64"
Last Five: 2-3
Last Fight: John Lineker, Loss, Unanimous Decision
Next Fight: Unknown
No. 8 - John Moraga (12)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-4 (2 knockouts, 8 submissions)
Height: 5'6"
Reach: 66"
Last Five: 3-2
Last Fight: Joseph Benavidez, Loss, Unanimous Decision
Next Fight: Unknown
No. 9 - Ali Bagautinov (11)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-4 (5 knockouts, 4 submissions)
Age: 30
Height: 5'4"
Reach: 65.5"
Last Five: 3-2
Last Fight: Joseph Benavidez, Loss, Unanimous Decision
Next Fight: Unknown
No. 10 - Zach Makovsky (10)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-6 (1 knockout, 6 submissions)
Age: 32
Height: 5'4"
Reach: 64"
Last Five: 3-2
Last Fight: John Dodson, Loss, Unanimous Decision
Next Fight: Unknown
Movers and Shakers in November
Henry Cejudo is the real deal, folks. While the former Olympic gold medalist entered the UFC as a hot prospect and has largely lived up to the hype, he didn't face any legitimate top-10 competition...until November. At The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America 2 finale, Cejudo posted a strong win over Jussier da Silva, showing off his all-over-the-cage skills en route to a handy unanimous-decision win.
The win bumps Cejudo all the way up to the No. 4 spot and drops Da Silva to No. 6. It's set to be a slow couple of months, though, so don't look for anything to change until February. Nobody in the top 10 currently has a fight lined up.
Fights to Watch in December
- No major fights are scheduled in December.
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Bantamweight
4 of 11
No. 1 - T.J. Dillashaw (50 points)
Promotion: UFC (C)
Record: 12-2 (6 knockouts, 3 submissions)
Age: 29
Height: 5'6"
Reach: 68.0 inches
Last Five: 4-1
Last Fight: Renan Barao, Win, TKO
Next Fight: (No. 2) Dominick Cruz, UFC Fight Night 81 (January 17)
No. 2 - Dominick Cruz (44)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-1 (7 knockouts, 1 submission)
Age: 30
Height: 5'8"
Reach: 68"
Last Five: 5-0
Last Fight: Takeya Mizugaki, Win, Knockout
Next Fight: (No. 1) T.J. Dillashaw, UFC Fight Night 81 (January 17)
No. 3 - Renan Barao (39)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 33-3 (1) (8 knockouts, 15 submissions)
Age: 28
Height: 5'6"
Reach: 70"
Last Five: 3-2
Last Fight: T.J. Dillashaw, Loss, TKO
Next Fight: Unknown
No. 4 - Raphael Assuncao (32)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-4 (3 knockouts, 10 submissions)
Age: 33
Height: 5'5.5"
Reach: 67.5"
Last Five: 5-0
Last Fight: Bryan Caraway, Win, Unanimous Decision
Next Fight: Unknown
No. 5 - Urijah Faber (28)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 32-8 (7 knockouts, 19 submissions)
Age: 36
Height: 5'6"
Reach: 67"
Last Five: 3-2
Last Fight: Frankie Edgar, Loss, Unanimous Decision
Next Fight: Frankie Saenz, UFC 194 (December 12)
No. 6 - Aljamain Sterling (19)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-0 (2 knockouts, 5 submissions)
Age: 26
Height: 5'7"
Reach: 71"
Last Five: 5-0
Last Fight: Takeya Mizugaki, Win, Submission
Next Fight: Johnny Eduardo, UFC Fight Night 80 (December 10)
No. 7 - Marlon Moraes (18)
Promotion: World Series of Fighting (C)
Record: 15-4-1 (5 knockouts, 5 submissions)
Age: 27
Height: 5'6"
Reach: 66"
Last Five: 5-0
Last Fight: Sheymon Moraes, Win, Submission
Next Fight: Unknown
No. 8 - Bibiano Fernandes (16)
Promotion: ONE Championship (C)
Record: 18-3 (2 knockouts, 6 submissions)
Age: 35
Height: 5'7"
Reach: ???
Last Five: 5-0
Last Fight: Toni Tauru, Win, Knockout
Next Fight: Unknown
No. 9 - Eduardo Dantas (9)
Promotion: Bellator
Record: 17-4 (4 knockouts, 6 submissions)
Age: 26
Height: 5'10"
Reach: 69"
Last Five: 3-2
Last Fight: Mike Richman, Win, Unanimous Decision
Next Fight: Marcos Galvao, Unknown Date
No. 10 - Thomas Almeida (8)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-0 (16 knockouts, 3 submissions)
Age: 24
Height: 5'7"
Reach: 70"
Last Five: 5-0
Last Fight: Anthony Birchak, Win, Knockout
Next Fight: Unknown
Movers and Shakers in November
The big highlight of the month at 135 pounds was Thomas Almeida's devastating knockout win over Anthony Birchak in Sao Paulo on November 7. If you haven't seen it, make it a priority, because it was ridiculous.
Otherwise, it was an uneventful month at bantamweight.
Fights to Watch in December
- Aljamain Sterling vs. Johnny Eduardo, UFC Fight Night 80 (December 10)
- Urijah Faber vs. Frankie Saenz, UFC 194 (December 12)
Women's Bantamweight
5 of 11
No. 1 - Holly Holm (50 Points)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 10-0 (7 knockouts, 0 submissions)
Age: 33
Height: 5'8"
Reach: 69"
Last Five: 5-0
Last Fight: Ronda Rousey, Win, Knockout
Next Fight: Unknown
No. 2 - Ronda Rousey (45)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-1 (3 knockouts, 9 Submissions)
Age: 28
Height: 5'7"
Reach: 66"
Last Five: 4-1
Last Fight: Holly Holm, Loss, Knockout
Next Fight: Unknown
No. 3 - Miesha Tate (40)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-5 (3 knockouts, 6 Submissions)
Age: 29
Height: 5'6"
Reach: 66.5"
Last Five: 4-1
Last Fight: Jessica Eye, Win, Unanimous Decision
Next Fight: Unknown
No. 4 - Cat Zingano (34)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 9-1 (5 knockouts, 3 Submissions)
Age: 33
Height: 5'6"
Reach: 68"
Last Five: 4-1
Last Fight: Ronda Rousey, Loss, Submission
Next Fight: Unknown
No. 5 - Amanda Nunes (25)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-4 (9 knockouts, 2 Submissions)
Age: 27
Height: 5'8"
Reach: 69"
Last Five: 4-1
Last Fight: Sara McMann, Win, Submission
Next Fight: Unknown
No. 6 - Alexis Davis (24)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-6 (9 knockouts, 2 Submissions)
Age: 31
Height: 5'6"
Reach: 67"
Last Five: 4-1
Last Fight: Sarah Kaufman, Win, Submission
Next Fight: Unknown
No. 7 - Tonya Evinger (21)
Promotion: Invicta FC (C)
Record: 16-5 (7 knockouts, 6 Submissions)
Age: 34
Height: 5'7"
Reach: 67"
Last Five: 5-0
Last Fight: Pannie Kianzad, Win, TKO
Next Fight: Unknown
No. 8 - Julianna Pena (13)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 7-2 (3 knockouts, 3 Submissions)
Age: 26
Height: 5'6"
Reach: 69"
Last Five: 3-2
Last Fight: Jessica Eye, Win, Unanimous Decision
Next Fight: Unknown
No. 9 - Sarah Kaufman (12)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-3 (10 knockouts, 0 submissions)
Age: 30
Height: 5'5"
Reach: 66"
Last Five: 2-2 (1 No-Contest)
Last Fight: Alexis Davis, Loss, Submission
Next Fight: Germaine de Randamie, UFC on Fox 17 (December 19)
No. 10 - Sara McMann (8)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 8-3 (1 knockout, 3 Submissions)
Age: 35
Height: 5'6"
Reach: 67"
Last Five: 2-3
Last Fight: Amanda Nunes, Loss, Submission
Next Fight: Unknown
Movers and Shakers in November
It was a quiet month for the women's bantamweight division. Oh, except for Ronda Rousey getting knocked out cold by Holly Holm at UFC 193. That was a pretty big deal, I guess. The win sent Holm all the way from the No. 7 spot to No. 1.
Fights to Watch in December
- Sarah Kaufman vs. Germaine de Randamie, UFC on Fox 17 (December 19)
Featherweight
6 of 11
No. 1 - Jose Aldo (50 points)
Promotion: UFC (C)
Record: 25-1 (14 knockouts, 2 submissions)
Age: 29
Height: 5'7"
Reach: 70"
Last Five: 5-0
Last Fight: Chad Mendes, Win, Unanimous Decision
Next Fight: (No. 3) Conor McGregor, UFC 194 (December 12)
No. 2 - Frankie Edgar (42)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-4-1 (5 knockouts, 4 submissions)
Age: 34
Height: 5'6"
Reach: 68.0"
Last Five: 4-1
Last Fight: Urijah Faber, Win, Unanimous Decision
Next Fight: (No. 4) Chad Mendes, The Ultimate Fighter Season 22 Finale (December 11)
No. 3- Conor McGregor (41)
Promotion: UFC (IC)
Record: 18-2 (16 knockouts, 1 submission)
Age: 27
Height: 5'9"
Reach: 74"
Last Five: 5-0
Last Fight: Chad Mendes, Win, TKO
Next Fight: (No. 1) Jose Aldo, UFC 194 (December 12)
No. 4 - Chad Mendes (37)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-3 (7 knockouts, 2 submissions)
Age: 30
Height: 5'6"
Reach: 66"
Last Five: 3-2
Last Fight: Conor McGregor, Loss, TKO
Next Fight: (No. 2) Frankie Edgar, The Ultimate Fighter Season 22 Finale (December 11)
No. 5 - Max Holloway (26)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-3 (6 knockouts, 2 submissions)
Age: 23
Height: 5'11"
Reach: 69"
Last Five: 5-0
Last Fight: Charles Oliveira, Win, TKO (injury)
Next Fight: Jeremy Stephens, UFC 194 (December 12)
No. 6 - Ricardo Lamas (24)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-4 (4 knockouts, 4 submissions)
Age: 33
Height: 5'8"
Reach: 71"
Last Five: 3-2
Last Fight: Diego Sanchez, Win, Unanimous Decision
Next Fight: Unknown
No. 7 - Daniel Straus (16)
Promotion: Bellator (c)
Record: 25-5 (4 knockouts, 6 submissions)
Age: 31
Height: 5'8"
Reach: 67"
Last Five: 3-2
Last Fight: Patricio Freire, Win, Unanimous Decision
Next Fight: Unknown
No. 8 - Charles Oliveira (14)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-5(1) (6 knockouts, 12 submissions)
Age: 26
Height: 5'10"
Reach: 74"
Last Five: 4-1
Last Fight: Max Holloway, Loss, TKO (injury)
Next Fight: Myles Jury, UFC on Fox 17 (December 19)
No. 9 - Cub Swanson (11)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-7 (8 knockouts, 7 submissions)
Age: 32
Height: 5'7"
Reach: 70"
Last Five: 3-2
Last Fight: Max Holloway, Loss, Submission
Next Fight: Unknown
No. 10 - Patricio Freire (6)
Promotion: Bellator
Record: 24-2 (10 knockouts, 8 submissions)
Age: 28
Height: 5'5"
Reach: 65"
Last Five: 4-1
Last Fight: Daniel Straus, Loss, Unanimous Decision
Next Fight: Unknown
Movers and Shakers in November
All hail Daniel Straus, who defeated Patricio Freire to seize the Bellator featherweight title on November 6. As a result, Straus makes his debut at No. 7, while Freire plummets to No. 10. Aside from that pair, the only ranked featherweight to see action during November was Ricardo Lamas. He defeated Diego Sanchez on November 21. It didn't do much good for Lamas, though, as he moves up just one spot to take over the No. 6 ranking previously held by Freire.
Fights to Watch in December
- Daniel Weichel vs. Georgi Karakhanyan, Bellator 147 (December 4)
- Frankie Edgar vs. Chad Mendes, TUF 22 Finale (December 11)
- Jose Aldo vs. Conor McGregor, UFC 194 (December 12)
- Max Holloway vs. Jeremy Stephens, UFC 194 (December 12)
- Charles Oliveira vs. Myles Jury, UFC on Fox 17 (December 19)
Lightweight
7 of 11
1. Rafael dos Anjos (50 points)
Promotion: UFC (C)
Record: 24-7 (4 knockouts, 8 submissions)
Age: 31
Height: 5'9"
Reach: 70"
Last Five: 4-1
Last Fight: Anthony Pettis, Win, Unanimous Decision
Next Fight: (No. 3) Donald Cerrone, UFC on Fox 17 (December 19)
2. Anthony Pettis (43 points)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-3 (7 knockouts, 8 submissions)
Age: 28
Height: 5'10"
Reach: 73"
Last Five: 4-1
Last Fight: Rafael dos Anjos, Loss, Unanimous Decision
Next Fight: (No. 5) Eddie Alvarez, UFC Fight Night 81 (January 17)
3. Donald Cerrone (42 points)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 28-6(1) (5 knockouts, 15 submissions)
Age: 32
Height: 6'0"
Reach: 73"
Last Five: 5-0
Last Fight: John Makdessi, Win, TKO (retirement)
Next Fight: (No. 1) Rafael dos Anjos, UFC on Fox 17 (December 19)
4. Will Brooks (33 points)
Promotion: Bellator (C)
Record: 17-1 (5 knockouts, 4 submissions)
Age: 29
Height: 5’'0"
Reach: 71"
Last Five: 5-0
Last Fight: Marcin Held, Win, Unanimous Decision
Next Fight: Unknown
5. Eddie Alvarez (28 points)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-4 (14 knockouts, 7 submissions)
Age: 31
Height: 5'9"
Reach: 69"
Last Five: 4-1
Last Fight: Gilbert Melendez, Win, Split Decision
Next Fight: (No. 2) Anthony Pettis, UFC Fight Night 81 (January 17)
6. Tony Ferguson (26 points)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-3 (9 knockouts, 6 submissions)
Age: 31
Height: 5'11"
Reach: 76"
Last Five: 5-0
Last Fight: Josh Thomson, Win, Unanimous Decision
Next Fight: Edson Barboza, The Ultimate Fighter Season 22 Finale (December 11)
7. Michael Johnson (18 points)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-9 (7 knockouts, 2 submissions)
Age: 29
Height: 5'10"
Reach: 72"
Last Five: 4-1
Last Fight: Beneil Dariush, Loss, Split Decision
Next Fight: Nate Diaz, UFC on Fox 17 (December 19)
8. Beneil Dariush (17 points)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-1 (2 knockouts, 6 submissions)
Age: 26
Height: 5'10"
Reach: 72"
Last Five: 5-0
Last Fight: Michael Johnson, Win, Split Decision
Next Fight: Unknown
9. Justin Gaethje (6 points)
Promotion: WSOF (C)
Record: 15-0 (12 knockouts, 1 submission)
Age: 27
Height: 5'11"
Reach: 71"
Last Five: 5-0
Last Fight: Luis Palomino, Win, TKO
Next Fight: Unknown
10. Al Iaquinta (4 points)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-3-1 (6 knockouts, 1 submission)
Age: 28
Height: 5'9"
Reach: 70"
Last Five: 4-1
Last Fight: Jorge Masvidal, Win, Split Decision
Next Fight: Unknown
Movers and Shakers in November
Pour a little out for your boy Khabib Nurmagomedov. He drops off the lightweight rankings due to inactivity. He hasn't fought since April 2014, so the Bleacher Report panelists had no choice but to ghost him. It's a hard turn of events for a man who might still turn out to be the best 155-pounder on the planet.
But we digress: Nurmagomedov's loss is the gain of Anthony Pettis, who moves up to No. 2 despite being inactive since March, and Al Iaquinta, who sneaks onto this list at No. 10 despite being idle since April.
The only fighter here to actually see action during the last month was Bellator champion Will Brooks. He retained his title with a unanimous-decision win over Marcin Held at Bellator 145. Another oddity: In October, Michael Johnson and Beneil Dariush found themselves tied at No. 8. This month, Johnson moves ahead by one point. Neither man fought. So...huh.
Fights to Watch in December
- Josh Thomson vs. Pablo Villaseca, Bellator 147 (December 4)
- Edson Barboza vs. Tony Ferguson, TUF 22 Finale (December 11)
- Rafael dos Anjos vs. Donald Cerrone, UFC on Fox 17 (December 19)
- Michael Johnson vs. Nate Diaz, UFC on Fox 17 (December 19)
Welterweight
8 of 11
No. 1 - Robbie Lawler (50 points)
Promotion: UFC (C)
Record: 26-10, (1) (20 knockouts, 1 submission)
Age: 33
Height: 5'11"
Reach: 74"
Last Five: 4-1
Last Fight: Rory MacDonald, Win, Knockout
Next Fight: (No. 5) Carlos Condit, UFC 195 (January 2)
No. 2 - Johny Hendricks (41)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-3 (8 knockouts, 1 submission)
Age: 32
Height: 5'9"
Reach: 69"
Last Five: 3-2
Last Fight: Matt Brown, Win, Unanimous Decision
Next Fight: Unknown
No. 3 - Rory MacDonald (40)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-3 (7 knockouts, 6 submissions)
Age: 26
Height: 6'0"
Reach: 76"
Last Five: 3-2
Last Fight: Robbie Lawler, Loss, Knockout
Next Fight: Unknown
No. 4 - Tyron Woodley (35)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-3 (5 knockouts, 5 submissions)
Age: 33
Height: 5'8"
Reach: 74.0"
Last Five: 4-1
Last Fight: Kelvin Gastelum, Win, Split Decision
Next Fight: Unknown
No. 5 - Carlos Condit (28)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 30-8 (15 knockouts, 13 submissions)
Age: 31
Height: 6'2"
Reach: 76"
Last Five: 2-3
Last Fight: Thiago Alves, Win, Knockout
Next Fight: (No. 1) Robbie Lawler, UFC 195 (January 2)
No. 6 - Ben Askren (24)
Promotion: ONE Championship (C)
Record: 14-0 (1) (4 knockouts, 4 submissions)
Age: 31
Height: 5'10"
Reach: 71"
Last Five: 4-0 (1)
Last Fight: Luis Santos, No-Contest
Next Fight: Unknown
No. 7 - Demian Maia (21)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-6 (3 knockouts, 10 submissions)
Age: 37
Height: 6'0"
Reach: 72"
Last Five: 3-2
Last Fight: Neil Magny, Win, Submission
Next Fight: Gunnar Nelson, UFC 194 (December 12)
No. 8 - Dong Hyun Kim (12)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-3-1 (1) (9 knockouts, 2 submissions)
Age: 33
Height: 6'1"
Reach: 76"
Last Five: 4-1
Last Fight: Dominic Waters, Win, TKO
Next Fight: Unknown
No. 9 - Matt Brown (11)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-13 (12 knockouts, 6 submissions)
Age: 34
Height: 6'0"
Reach: 75"
Last Five: 3-2
Last Fight: Tim Means, Win, Submission
Next Fight: Unknown
No. 10 - Benson Henderson (7)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-5 (2 knockouts, 10 submissions)
Age: 31
Height: 5'9"
Reach: 70"
Last Five: 3-2
Last Fight: Jorge Masvidal, Win, Split Decision
Next Fight: Unknown
Movers and Shakers in November
A fair amount happened in November. The scheduled bout between Ben Askren and Luis Santos, a rematch following their no-contest earlier this year, was called off when Santos failed to make weight. Matt Brown was forced to pull out of his scheduled fight with Kelvin Gastelum due to injury, but Neil Magny stepped in and produced an action-packed five-rounder. Both Gastelum and Magny are right at the fringes of the elite.
Otherwise, Dong Hyun Kim and Benson Henderson found themselves in action at the end of the month. Henderson was scheduled to face Thiago Alves in Seoul, but the Brazilian pulled out, which forced a reshuffling of the card. Jorge Masvidal was pulled from his fight with Kim to face Henderson, and Kim faced Dominic Waters.
The two top-10 fighters, Kim and Henderson, both emerged victorious. Henderson will now test the waters of free agency, and Kim will likely earn another bout with a high-level opponent.
Fights to Watch in December
- Demian Maia vs. Gunnar Nelson, UFC 194 (December 12)
Middleweight
9 of 11
No. 1 - Chris Weidman (50 points)
Promotion: UFC (C)
Record: 13-0 (6 knockouts, 3 submission)
Age: 31
Height: 6'2"
Reach: 78"
Last Five: 5-0
Last Fight: Vitor Belfort, Win, TKO
Next Fight: (No. 2) Luke Rockhold, UFC 194 (December 12)
No. 2 - Luke Rockhold (44)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-2 (3 knockouts, 9 submission)
Age: 30
Height: 6'3"
Reach: 77"
Last Five: 4-1
Last Fight: Lyoto Machida, Win, Submission
Next Fight: (No. 1) Chris Weidman, UFC 194 (December 12)
No. 3 - Ronaldo Souza (38)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-3, (1) (2 knockouts, 16 submissions)
Age: 35
Height: 6'1"
Reach: 72"
Last Five: 5-0
Last Fight: Chris Camozzi, Win, Submission
Next Fight: (No. 4) Yoel Romero, UFC 194 (December 12)
No. 4 - Yoel Romero (37)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 10-1 (2 knockouts, 8 submissions)
Age: 38
Height: 5'10"
Reach: 75"
Last Five: 5-0
Last Fight: Lyoto Machida, Win, Knockout
Next Fight: (No. 3) Ronaldo Souza, UFC 194 (December 12)
No. 5 - Vitor Belfort (27)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-11 (18 knockouts, 3 submissions)
Age: 38
Height: 6'0"
Reach: 74"
Last Five: 4-1
Last Fight: Dan Henderson, Win, KO
Next Fight: Unknown
No. 6 - Lyoto Machida (26)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-7 (9 knockouts, 2 submissions)
Age: 37
Height: 6'1"
Reach: 74"
Last Five: 2-3
Last Fight: Yoel Romero, Loss, Knockout
Next Fight: Unknown
No. 7 - Michael Bisping (18)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 27-7 (15 knockouts, 4 submissions)
Age: 36
Height: 6'2"
Reach: 75"
Last Five: 3-2
Last Fight: Thales Leites, Win, Split Decision
Next Fight: (No. 8) Gegard Mousasi, UFC Fight Night 83 (February 27)
No. 8 - Gegard Mousasi (10)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 37-6-2 (19 knockouts, 12 submissions)
Age: 30
Height: 6'2"
Reach: 76"
Last Five: 3-2
Last Fight: Uriah Hall, Loss, Knockout
Next Fight: (No. 7) Michael Bisping, UFC Fight Night 83 (February 27)
No. 9 - Tim Kennedy (9)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-5 (6 knockouts, 8 submission)
Age: 36
Height: 5'11"
Reach: 74"
Last Five: 4-1
Last Fight: Yoel Romero, Loss, Knockout
Next Fight: Unknown
No. 10T - Thales Leites (6)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-5 (4 knockouts, 14 submissions)
Age: 33
Height: 6'1"
Reach: 78.8"
Last Five: 4-1
Last Fight: Michael Bisping, Loss, Split Decision
Next Fight: Unknown
No. 10T - Robert Whittaker (6)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-4 (7 knockouts, 5 submissions)
Age: 24
Height: 6'0"
Reach: 73.5"
Last Five: 4-1
Last Fight: Uriah Hall, Win, Unanimous Decision
Next Fight: Unknown
Movers and Shakers in November
Belfort jumped in front of Machida after his knockout of Dan Henderson, but the real story in November was Robert Whittaker. The Aussie dominated Uriah Hall and now finds himself tied for No. 10 in our rankings. At only 24 years of age, he looks to be the bright prospect the UFC needs in this division.
Fights to Watch in December
- Chris Weidman vs. Luke Rockhold, UFC 194 (December 12)
- Jacare Souza vs. Yoel Romero, UFC 194 (December 12)
Light Heavyweight
10 of 11
No. 1 - Jon Jones (50 points)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-1 (9 knockouts, 6 submissions)
Age: 28
Height: 6'4"
Reach: 84.5"
Last Five: 5-0
Last Fight: Daniel Cormier, Win, Unanimous Decision
Next Fight: Unknown
No. 2 - Daniel Cormier (45)
Promotion: UFC (C)
Record: 17-1 (6 knockouts, 5 submissions)
Age: 36
Height: 5'11"
Reach: 72"
Last Five: 4-1
Last Fight: Alexander Gustafsson, Win, Split Decision
Next Fight: Unknown
No. 3 - Anthony Johnson (40)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-5 (14 knockouts, 0 submissions)
Age: 31
Height: 6'2"
Reach: 78"
Last Five: 4-1
Last Fight: Jimi Manuwa, Win, Knockout
Next Fight: Ryan Bader, UFC on Fox 18 (January 30)
No. 4T - Ryan Bader (31)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-4 (6 knockouts, 4 submissions)
Age: 32
Height: 6'2"
Reach: 74"
Last Five: 5-0
Last Fight: Rashad Evans, Win, Unanimous Decision
Next Fight: Anthony Johnson, UFC on Fox 18 (January 30)
No. 4T - Alexander Gustafsson (31)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-4 (10 knockouts, 3 submissions)
Age: 28
Height: 6'5"
Reach: 79"
Last Five: 2-3
Last Fight: Daniel Cormier, Loss, Split Decision
Next Fight: Unknown
No. 6 - Phil Davis (25)
Promotion: Bellator
Record: 15-3 (1) (3 knockouts, 5 submissions)
Age: 31
Height: 6'2"
Reach: 79"
Last Five: 3-2
Last Fight: Francis Carmont, Win, Knockout
Next Fight: (No. 8) Liam McGeary, Unknown Date
No. 7 - Glover Teixeira (21)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-4 (13 knockouts, 7 submissions)
Age: 35
Height: 6'2"
Reach: 76"
Last Five: 3-2
Last Fight: Patrick Cummins, Win, TKO
Next Fight: Unknown
No. 8 - Liam McGeary (13)
Promotion: Bellator (C)
Record: 11-0 (5 knockouts, 5 submissions)
Age: 33
Height: 6'6"
Reach: 81"
Last Five- 5-0
Last Fight: Tito Ortiz, Win, Submission
Next Fight: (No. 6) Phil Davis, Unknown Date
No. 9T - Rashad Evans (6)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-4-1 (7 knockouts, 2 submissions)
Age: 36
Height: 5'11"
Reach: 75"
Last Fight: Ryan Bader, Loss, Unanimous Decision
Next Fight: Unknown
No. 9T - Ovince Saint Preux (6)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-7 (9 knockouts, 5 submissions)
Age: 32
Height: 6'3"
Reach: 80"
Last Five: 3-2
Last Fight: Glover Teixeira, Loss, Submission
Next Fight: Unknown
Movers and Shakers in November
Glover Teixeira is officially a legitimate top-10 fighter. That may sound strange, but his winless 2014 warranted a harsh look back at his cakewalk to a light heavyweight title shot. At this time last year, with Teixeira coming off an ugly, lopsided loss to Phil Davis, it felt like the UFC may have pulled off the best bait-and-switch of its young life.
Not so today. Fresh off a dominant win over the tricky Patrick Cummins, Teixeira is finally starting to live up to the hype he first entered the UFC with. While he may or may not re-enter the title picture at some point in the future, he has found his niche and has room to grow upward.
Fights to Watch in December
- No major fights are scheduled in December.
Heavyweight
11 of 11
No. 1 - Fabricio Werdum (50 points)
Promotion: UFC (C)
Record: 20-5 (6 knockouts, 10 submissions)
Age: 38
Height: 6'4"
Reach: 77"
Last Five: 5-0
Last Fight: Cain Velasquez, Win, Submission
Next Fight: Unknown
No. 2 - Cain Velasquez (45)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-2 (11 knockouts, 0 submissions)
Age: 33
Height: 6'1"
Reach: 77"
Last Five: 4-1
Last Fight: Fabricio Werdum, Loss, Submission
Next Fight: Unknown
No. 3- Junior dos Santos (40)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-3 (12 knockouts, 2 submissions)
Age: 31
Height: 6'4"
Reach: 77"
Last Five: 3-2
Last Fight: Stipe Miocic, Win, Unanimous Decision
Next Fight: (No. 9) Alistair Overeem, UFC on Fox 17 (December 19)
No. 4 - Stipe Miocic (34)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-2 (9 knockouts, 1 submission)
Age: 33
Height: 6'4"
Reach: 80"
Last Five: 4-1
Last Fight: Mark Hunt, Win, TKO
Next Fight: (No. 5) Andrei Arlovski, UFC 195 (January 2)
No. 5 - Andrei Arlovski (26)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-10-1 (17 knockouts, 3 submissions)
Age: 36
Height: 6'4"
Reach: 77"
Last Five: 5-0
Last Fight: Frank Mir, Win, Unanimous Decision
Next Fight: (No. 4) Stipe Miocic, UFC 195 (January 2)
No. 6 - Travis Browne (21)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-3-1 (13 knockouts, 2 submissions)
Age: 33
Height: 6'7"
Reach: 80"
Last Five: 3-2
Last Fight: Andrei Arlovski, Loss, TKO
Next Fight: Matt Mitrione, UFC Fight Night 81 (January 17)
No. 7 - Ben Rothwell (20)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 35-9 (20 knockouts, 12 submissions)
Age: 33
Height: 6'4"
Reach: 79"
Last Five: 4-1
Last Fight: Matt Mitrione, Win, Submission
Next Fight: (No. 9) Josh Barnett, UFC on Fox 18 (January 30)
No. 8 - Alistair Overeem (14)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 40-14-1 (19 knockouts, 17 submissions)
Age: 35
Height: 6'4"
Reach: 80"
Last Five: 3-2
Last Fight: Roy Nelson, Win, Unanimous Decision
Next Fight: (No. 3) Junior dos Santos, UFC on Fox 17 (December 19)
No. 9 - Josh Barnett (13)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 34-7 (8 knockouts, 20 submissions)
Age: 37
Height: 6'3"
Reach: 78"
Last Five: 3-2
Last Fight: Roy Nelson, Win, Unanimous Decision
Next Fight: (No. 7) Ben Rothwell, UFC on Fox 18 (January 30)
No. 10 - Mark Hunt (7)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 10-10-1 (7 knockouts, 0 submissions)
Age: 41
Height: 5'10"
Reach: 74"
Last Five: 2-2-1
Last Fight: Antonio Silva, Win, TKO
Next Fight: Unknown
Movers and Shakers in November
Mark Hunt is back! After tough losses to Fabricio Werdum and Stipe Miocic, the Super Samoan earned a much needed win at UFC 193 by knocking out Antonio Silva. While he probably won't be stepping in for any title shots in the near future, this may have just saved his UFC career.
Fights to Watch in December
- Junior dos Santos vs. Alistair Overeem, UFC on Fox 17 (December 19)
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