MMA Rankings Post UFC Fight Night 33: Hunt vs. Bigfoot

HEAVYWEIGHT:

1. Cain Velasquez - UFC Champion 
2. Junior Dos Santos 
3. Daniel Cormier 
4. Josh Barnett +3
5. Antonio Silva -1
6. Mark Hunt +5
7. Travis Browne -2
8. Alistair Overeem -2
9. Fabricio Werdum -1
10. Frank Mir -1

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT:

1. Jon Jones - UFC Champion
2. Alexander Gustafsson 
3. Rashad Evans 
4. Dan Henderson 
5. Chael Sonnen 
6. Mauricio Rua 
7. Glover Teixeira 
8. Ryan Bader 
9. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira 
10. Quinton Jackson 

MIDDLEWEIGHT:

1. Chris Weidman - UFC Champion 
2. Anderson Silva 
3. Vitor Belfort 
4. Luke Rockhold 
5. Ronaldo Souza 
6. Lyoto Machida 
7. Michael Bisping
8. Tim Kennedy 
9. Yushin Okami 
10. Mark Munoz 

Ineligible: Rich Franklin (Inactive), Cung Le (Inactive)

WELTERWEIGHT:

1. Johny Hendricks 
2. Georges St. Pierre - UFC Champion 
3. Carlos Condit 
4. Nick Diaz 
5. Robbie Lawler 
6. Rory MacDonald 
7. Martin Kampmann 
8. Jake Ellenberger 
9. Jake Shields 
10. Hector Lombard 

LIGHTWEIGHT:

1. Anthony Pettis - UFC Champion 
2. Ben Henderson 
3. Gilbert Melendez 
4. TJ Grant 
5. Josh Thomson 
6. Nate Diaz 
7. Gray Maynard 
8. Eddie Alvarez - Bellator Champion
9. Michael Chandler
10. Khabib Nurmagomedov 

FEATHERWEIGHT:

1. Jose Aldo - UFC Champion 
2. Frankie Edgar 
3. Ricardo Lamas 
4. Chad Mendes 
5. Cub Swanson 
6. Chan Sung Jung 
7. Daniel Straus - Bellator Champion 
8. Pat Curran 
9. Patricio Freire 
10. Dustin Poirier 

BANTAMWEIGHT:

1. Renan Barao - Interim Champion 
2. Urijah Faber 
3. Michael McDonald 
4. Eddie Wineland 
5. TJ Dillashaw 
6. Scott Jorgensen 
7. Raphael Assuncao 
8. Brad Pickett 
9. Francisco Rivera 
10. George Roop

Ineligible: Dominick Cruz - UFC Champion (Inactive)

FLYWEIGHT:

1. Demetrious Johnson - UFC Champion 
2. Joseph Benavidez 
3. John Dodson
4. Ian McCall 
5. Ali Bagautinov 
6. Tim Elliott
7. John Moraga 
8. Jussier Da Silva 
9. Louis Gaudinot 
10. John Lineker 

POUND 4 POUND:

1. Jose Aldo - P4P Best Fighter in the World 
2. Jon Jones 
3. Renan Barao 
4. Anderson Silva 
5. Georges St. Pierre 
6. Cain Velasquez 
7. Chris Weidman 
8. Demetrious Johnson 
9. Anthony Pettis 
10. Johny Hendricks 

Ineligible: Dominick Cruz (Inactive) 

UFC Heavyweight Title Picture 2013 Update #1

Current Champion: Cain Velasquez

HW Landscape

Junior Dos Santos:

Despite losing to Velasquez quite decisively just last December, Dos Santos gets his rematch on October 19th at UFC 166. Although the HW division has grown over the last few years it still lacking in the title challengers department. It only took one win to get right back into a title fight with Velasquez. To his credit he does have a win over Velasquez and has made it pretty clear he's the best HW out there to fight Velasquez (even for the third time).

Daniel Cormier:

If Cormier and Velasquez weren't friends and training partners we would have seen them fight each other at UFC 160. They both have made it pretty clear they're not going to fight each other. On the very same card on October 19th, Cormier intends to fight for the last time as a HW against Roy Nelson. Even if Dos Santos wins at UFC 166 Cormier already has his eyes set on the LH title. Him and Jon Jones have been exchanging  words these past few months and he could find himself fighting Jones in the near future. But he's gotta get past Nelson first.

Antonio 'BigFoot' Silva:

Notice above at the chart where you can see losses to Velasquez highlighted in yellow. That's not a good thing. Reason being is obvious; with a loss to the current champion its going to be very hard to get a rematch. Which makes things all the worst for 'Bigfoot' because he has two losses to the champion. With two losses to Velasquez it only puts 'Bigfoot' in no-mans-land. 'Bigfoot' will fight Mark Hunt in Australia in December but a win over Hunt doesn't take him out of his predicament.

Travis Browne:

Realistically speaking Browne could be one win away from title shot. In my eyes he should be the next in line for the title but it seems the UFC are headed in a different direction. Browne is rumored to be fighting Stipe Miocic on December on the UFC on Fox 9 card. With a win over Miocic people will be buzzing for Browne's inevitable title shot in 2014.

Alistair Overeem:

Upon signing with the UFC, Overeem turned down two title shots. Now, Overeem is nowhere near a title shot. Lets rewind. Overeem entered the UFC ranked #3 behind Velasquez and Dos Santos. Instead of fighting the winner of their match, Overeem opted to fight Brock Lesnar and he did so successfully and gets his title shot against JDS. Just weeks before his title fight he tests positive and is suspended ultimately returning at UFC 156 getting knocked out by 'Bigfoot' Silva followed by Browne this past August.

Fabricio Werdum:

Since losing to Overeem, Werdum has made a successful transition back into the UFC going 3-0 as of today. With back to back wins over Nelson, Russow, and Nogueira he may have enough on his resume to win over the UFC's vote and get the next title shot. I personally disagree because I believe Browne has surpassed him but it looks like the UFC is headed in that direction.

Josh Barnett:

The dark horse of the HW division is not so dark anymore. Even though is win over Mir ended in controversy, he did put his name into the hat of possible title challengers for Velasquez or Dos Santos. I personally would like a Werdum-Barnett title eliminator but your guess is as good as mine as to whats next for the Warmaster.

Frank Mir:

It's no secret Mir is fighting for his job on November 16th at UFC 167. Obviously crazier things have happened. If there is anyone who's immune from getting cut by the UFC its Mir. But for competitive reasons even if the UFC doesn't cut him (should he lose to Overeem) he might consider retirement. So a title shot is a foregone conclusion right now. Mir better just worry about getting back on the win column.

Antonio Rodrigo 'Minotauro' Nogueira:

Nogueira has obviously seen better days. Since losing the Interim title Nogueira has exchanged wins and losses. Since those wins have been to non top 10 competition he has only fallen down the rankings and he hasn't recovered. Nogueira seems to be fighting for the sake of competing. I think its safe to say his days fighting for a title are over.

Mark Hunt: 

With Barnetts win over Mir Hunt has become my new dark horse of the HW division. Before losing to JDS, Hunt was riding the 4 fight winning streak. Even in defeat Hunt looked exceptionally good against JDS. Hunt will fight 'Bigfoot' in his native Australia on December 21st. A win over 'Bigfoot' puts him in a good spot for a title shot. 

MMA Rankings After UFC 160 Velasquez vs. Bigfoot 2

Heavyweight

1. Cain Velasquez - UFC Champion
2. Junior Dos Santos
3. Daniel Cormier
4. Antonio Silva
5. Alistair Overeem
6. Frank Mir
7. Fabricio Werdum
8. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
9. Josh Barnett
10. Sergei Kharitonov 

Other Contenders: Andrei Arlovski, Mark Hunt, Roy Nelson, Travis Browne, Jeff Monson 

Light Heavyweight

1. Jon Jones - UFC Champion
2. Lyoto Machida
3. Alexander Gustafsson
4. Dan Henderson
5. Mauricio Rua
6. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
7. Rashad Evans
8. Phil Davis
9. Glover Teixeira
10. Ryan Bader

Other Contenders: Quinton Jackson, Wanderlei Silva, Gegard Mousasi, Matt Hamill, James Te Huna

Thiago Silva and Rafael Cavalcante are ineligible for their suspensions. They'll be re eligible once they fight once after their suspension. 

Middleweight

1. Anderson Silva - UFC Champion
2. Vitor Belfort
3. Chris Weidman
4. Michael Bisping
5. Yushin Okami
6. Constantinos Philippou
7. Hector Lombard
8. Mark Munoz
9. Tim Boetsch
10. Luke Rockhold

Other Contenders: Ronaldo Souza, Brian Stann, Tim Kennedy, Cung Le, Rich Franklin

Jake Shields is ineligible for his suspension. He'll be re eligible once he fights once after his suspension. 

Welterweight

1. Georges St. Pierre - UFC Champion
2. Johny Hendricks
3. Carlos Condit
4. Nick Diaz
5. Martin Kampmann
6. Jake Ellenberger
7. Demian Maia
8. Rory Macdonald
9. Robbie Lawler
10. Josh Koscheck

Other Contenders: Jon Fitch, BJ Penn, Erick Silva, Kyle Noke, Mike Pyle

Lightweight

1. Ben Henderson - UFC Champion
2. Gilbert Melendez
3. TJ Grant
4. Gray Maynard
5. Michael Chandler - Bellator Champion 
6. Eddie Alvarez 
7. Shinya Aoki - One FC Champion 
8. Anthony Pettis
9. Josh Thomson
10. Nate Diaz

Other Contenders: Donald Cerrone, Jim Miller,  Takanori Gomi, Diego Sanchez, Joe Lauzon

Pat Healy is ineligible for his suspension. He'll be re eligible once he fights once after his suspension. 

Featherweight

1. Jose Aldo - UFC Champion
2. Frankie Edgar
3. Ricardo Lamas
4. Chad Mendes
5. Pat Curran - Bellator Champion 
6. Cub Swanson
7. Hatsu Hioki
8. Clay Guida
9. Dustin Poirier
10. Nik Lentz

Other Contenders: Dennis Siver, Diego Nunes, Erik Koch, Patricio Freire, Daniel Straus

Chan Sung Jung is ineligible for inactivity. He'll be re eligible once he returns from layoff. 

Bantamweight

1. Renan Barao - Interim Champion
2. Urijah Faber
3. Eddie Wineland
4. Michael McDonald
5. Bibiano Fernandes - One FC & Dream Champion  
6. Scott Jorgensen
7. Brad Pickett
8. George Roop
9. Brian Bowles
10. Marlon Moraes 

Other Contenders: Miguel Torres, Tyson Nam, Eduardo Dantas, Marcos Galvao, Travis Marx

UFC Champion Dominick Cruz is ineligible for inactivity. He'll be re eligible once he returns from layoff.

Flyweight

1. Demetrious Johnson - UFC Champion
2. Joseph Benavidez
3. Ian McCall
4. John Dodson
5. Jussier Da Silva
6. John Lineker
7. Yasuhiro Urushitani 
8. Yosuke Saruta 
9. Kentaro Watanabe 
10. Shinichi Kojima

Other Contenders: Ryuichi Miki, Haruo Ochi, John Moraga, Darrell Montague, Mamoru Yamaguchi

Louis Gaudinot is ineligible for inactivity. He'll be re eligible once he returns from layoff. 

Pound 4 Pound

1. Anderson Silva
2. George St. Pierre
3. Jose Aldo
4. Jon Jones
5. Renan Barao
6. Cain Velasquez
7. Demetrious Johnson
8. Ben Henderson
9. Frankie Edgar
10. Gilbert Melendez

Other Contenders: Junior Dos Santos, Johny Hendricks, Daniel Cormier, Joseph Benavidez, Lyoto Machida

UFC Champion Dominick Cruz is ineligible for inactivity. He'll be re eligible once he returns from layoff.