The Non-UFC Fighter Rankings: Sept 27/19

ryan bader
The Non-UFC Fighter Rankings: Sept 27/19
Jan 26, 2019; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Ryan Bader (blue gloves) defeats Fedor Emelianenko (red gloves) during Bellator 214 at The Forum. Mandatory Credit: Dave Mandel-USA TODAY Sports

 

The Rankings are just that – The MMA Manifesto’s rankings of the best fighters in mixed martial arts today.  Check back every Monday and Friday for our rankings of a different weight class.  Next up: Non-UFC Fighters

Voting Panel: Jeff Fox, Daniel Vreeland, Ryan MacDonald, Kurt Killberg and Ricky Leone.

 

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*stipulations: 1) any fighter currently suspended or 2) inactive for at least 12 months (without an upcoming fight scheduled) are excluded from the rankings

Non-UFC Fighter Rankings

 

1) (Last Ranking – 1 Ryan Bader – Bellator Heavyweight & Light Heavyweight Champion – 45 (out of 50) points
          Record: 27-5, 1 NC
          Last Five Fights: 4-0, 1 NC
          Record vs Top 10: 2-0 (W-Davis, W-Davis)
          Next Fight: TBA

The champ champ is still #1.

 

2) (2) Demetrious Johnson – ONE Championship Flyweight – 35 points
          Record: 29-3-1
          Last Five Fights: 4-1
          Record vs Top 10: 1-0 (W-Horiguchi)
Next Fight:
vs Danny Kingad – ONE Championship: Century – Oct 13thOn to the championship finals for DJ.

 

3) (3) Rafael Lovato Jr – Bellator Middleweight Champion – 33 points

The Non-UFC Fighter Rankings: Sept 27/19
Apr 28, 2018; Rosemont, IL, USA; Rafael Lovato Jr. (red gloves) defeats Gerald Harris (blue gloves) during Bellator 198 at Allstate Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dave Mandel-USA TODAY Sports


          Record: 10-0
          Last Five Fights: 5-0
          Record vs Top 10: 1-0 (W-Mousasi)
          Next Fight: TBA

AND NEW!!!!!!!

4) (5)  Gegard Mousasi – Bellator Middleweight – 25 points
Record: 45-7-2
Last Five Fights: 
4-1
Record vs Top 10:
1-1 (L-Lovato, W-MacDonald)
Next Fight: 
vs Lyoto Machida – Bellator 228 – Sept 28th

Champion no more.

 

5) (6) Patricio ‘Pitbull’ Freire – Bellator Lightweight & Featherweight Champion – 24 points
          Record: 29-4
          Last Five Fights: 4-1
          Record vs Top 10: 0-0
          Next Fight: vs Juan Archuleta – Bellator 227 – Sept 28th

Fresh off getting a second belt around his waist, Pitbull is now off to the featherweight tournament.

6) (NR) Cris Cyborg – Bellator Women’s Featherweight – 20 points
          Record: 21-2, 1 NC
          Last Five Fights: 4-1
          Record vs Top 10: 0-0
          Next Fight: TBA

Bellator’s women’s featherweight division just got waaaay more interesting.

7) (7)  Rory MacDonald – Bellator Welterweight Champion – 18 points

The Non-UFC Fighter Rankings: Sept 27/19
Apr 27, 2019; San Jose, CA, USA; Rory Macdonald (with belt) reacts after his bout against Jon Fitch (not pictured) during Bellator 220 at SAP Center. Mandatory Credit: Dave Mandel-USA TODAY Sports

          Record: 21-5-1
          Last Five Fights: 3-1-1
          Record vs Top 10: 1-1 (L-Mousasi, W-Lima)
Next Fight:
vs #9 Douglas Lima – Bellator 232 – Oct 26th

We might be seeing the beginning of the end of Rory Mac in the cage.

 

8) (8) Ilima-Lei Macfarlane – Bellator Women’s Flyweight Champion – 17 points

The Non-UFC Fighter Rankings: Sept 27/19
Nov 3, 2017; University Park, PA, USA; Ilima Macfarlane (red gloves) reacts after defeating Emily Ducote (not pictured) during Bellator 186 at Bryce Jordan Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O’Haren-USA TODAY Sports

Record:  10-0
Last Five Fights:  5-0
Record vs Top 10:  0-0
Next Fight:  TBA

Bellator 213 was a superstar-making performance by The Ilimanator on her home turf of Hawaii.

 

9) (9) Douglas Lima – Bellator Welterweight – 15 points
          Record: 31-7
          Last Five Fights: 4-1
          Record vs Top 10: 0-1 (L-MacDonald)
          Next Fight: vs #7 Rory MacDonald – Bellator 232 – Oct 26th

Lima will get a chance to avenge his loss to Rory Mac and get his gold back.

 

10) (4) Kyoji Horiguchi – Rizin & Bellator Bantamweight Champion – 12 points
          Record: 28-3
          Last Five Fights: 4-1
          Record vs Top 10: 0-1 (L-Johnson)
          Next Fight: vs Kai Asakura – Rizin 18 – Aug 18th

A surprising KO loss in his last fight dropped Supernova precipitously on our list.

Dropped off: (10) Phil Davis

Bubbling under: Phil Davis, Julia Budd, Vadim Nemkov, Michael Chandler, Christian Lee, Kayla Harrison, Anatoly Tokov, Jon Fitch, Miranda Maverick, A.J. McKee, Vitaly Minakov, Timofey Nastyukhin

 

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