The Rankings: The Heavyweights: Oct 3, 2016

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: The Heavyweight Rankings.

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

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

CLICK ON FIGHTER’S NAME FOR DETAILED SCOUTING REPORT

The Heavyweight Rankings

1) (Last ranking – 1) Stipe Miocic – UFC Heavyweight Champion – 40 points (out of 40)

                        Record: 16-2
                        Last Five Fights: 4-1
                        Record vs Top 10: 3-1 (W-Overeem, W-Werdum, W-Arlovski, L-dos Santos)
                        Next Fight: TBA

One title defense under his belt.  How many more to go?

2) (2) Fabricio Werdum – UFC – 35 points
            Record: 21-6-1
            Last Five Fights: 4-1
            Record vs Top 10: 4-4 (W-Browne, L-Miocic, W-Velasquez, W-Browne, L-Overeem, L-dos Santos, W-Overeem, L-Arlovski)
            Next Fight: TBA

Back on the winning track.

3) (3)  Cain Velasquez – UFC – 33 points
             Record: 14-2
             Last Five Fights: 4-1
             Record vs Top 10: 5-2 (W-Browne, L-Velasquez, W-dos Santos, W-dos Santos, L-dos Santos, W-Lesnar, W-Rothwell)
             Next Fight: TBA

Cain is looking like a killer again.

4) (4) Alistair Overeem – UFC – 28 points
            Record: 41-15 (1 NC)
            Last Five Fights: 4-1
            Record vs Top 10: 4-4 (L-Miocic, W-Arlovski, W-dos Santos, L-Rothwell, L-Browne, W-Lesnar, W-Werdum,  L-Werdum)
            Next Fight: TBA

No UFC gold for you (at least not yet).

5) (5) Junior dos Santos – UFC – 24 points
            Record: 18-4
            Last Five Fights: 3-2
            Record vs Top 10: 4-3 (W-Rothwell, L-Overeem, W-Miocic, L-Velasquez, L-Velasquez, W-Velasquez, W-Werdum)
            Next Fight: TBA

Shoulder surgery has JDS on the shelf for a bit.

6) (NR) Josh Barnett – UFC – 13 points
                Record: 35-8
                Last Five Fights: 3-2
                Record vs Top 10: 1-2 (W-Arlovski, L-Rothwell, L-Browne )
                Next Fight: TBA

An impressive performance against Andrei Arlovski has launched Barnett back into the top 10.

7) (7) Ben Rothwell – UFC – 12 points
            Record: 36-10
            Last Five Fights: 4-1
            Record vs Top 10: 2-3 (L-dos Santos, W-Barnett, W-Overeem, L-Velasquez, L-Arlovski)
            Next Fight: TBA

Rothwell had no answer for JDS.  And now he’s on the DL after knee surgery.

 8) (8) Brock Lesnar – UFC – 10 points
              Record: 6-3
              Last Five Fights: 3-2
              Record vs Top 10: 0-2 (L-Overeem, L-Velasquez)
              Next Fight: TBA

His run-in with the USADA probably means that’s the last we’ve seen of Lesnar in the cage.

9) (6) Andrei Arlovski  – UFC – 7 points

           Record: 25-13 (1 NC)
           Last Five Fights: 2-3
           Record vs Top 10: 3-3 (L-Barnett, L-Overeem, L-Miocic, W-Browne, W-Rothwell, W-Werdum)
           Next Fight: TBA

The Pitbull’s career resurgence appears to be over.

 10) (8) Travis Browne – UFC – 6 points
               Record: 18-5-1
               Last Five Fights: 2-3
               Record vs Top 10: 2-4 (L-Werdum, L-Velasquez, L-Arlvoski, W-Barnett, L-Werdum, W-Overeem)
               Next Fight: TBA

Travis Browne’s career has hit the skids.

Dropped off: (10) Mark Hunt, (10) Vitaly Minakov

Check back this Friday for our Light Heavyweight rankings