The Non-UFC Fighter Rankings: Sept 1/17

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, Ricky Leone, and Ryan MacDonald.

*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 – NR) Gegard Mousasi – Bellator Middleweight – 37 (out of 40) points

Record: 42-6-2
Last Five Fights: 5-0
Record vs Top 10: 0-0
Next Fight: vs Alexander Shlemenko – Bellator 185 – Oct 20th

Mousasi is the latest big name free agent that decided that the grass is greener on the Bellator side.

2) (3) Rory MacDonald – Bellator Welterweight – 33 points
          Record: 19-4
Last Five Fights: 3-2
Record vs Top 10: 0-0
Next Fight: TBA

1-0 in Bellator for Rory Mac.  And one more win will get him a shiny championship belt around his waist.

3) (2) Ryan Bader – Bellator Light Heavyweight Champion – 30 points
            Record: 23-5
            Last Five Fights: 4-1
            Record vs Top 10: 2-0 (W-Davis, W-Davis)
            Next Fight: vs Linton Vassell – Bellator 186 – Nov 3rd

4) (tied) (4) Ben Askren – ONE Welterweight Champion – 18 points
                        Record: 16-0, 1 NC
                        Last Five Fights: 4-0, 1 NC
                        Record vs Top 10: 0-0
                        Next Fight: vs Zebaztian Kadestam – ONE Championship: Shanghai

With Funky talking about retiring once his ONE contract expires, he could leave the sport undefeated.

6) (6) Phil Davis – Bellator Light Heavyweight – 17 points
            Record: 17-4, 1 NC
            Last Five Fights: 4-1
            Record vs Top 10: 0-2 (L-Bader, L-Bader)
            Next Fight: vs TBA – Bellator 186 – Nov 3rd

Mr. Wonderful lost to old nemesis Ryan Bader once again – and this time he also lost his belt in the process.

Bubbling under: Andre Harrison, Alexander Shlemenko, Patricio ‘Pitbull’ Freire,  Jon Fitch, Lorenz Larkin, Muhammed ‘King Mo’ Lawal, Bibiano Fernandes, Brent Primus, Eduardo Dantas