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-Hunt, L-dos Santos)
Next Fight: vs #5 Junior dos Santos – UFC 211 – May 13th (rumored)
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: 5-3 (W-Browne, L-Miocic, W-Velasquez, W-Hunt, W-Browne, L-Overeem, L-dos Santos, W-Overeem)
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: 4-2 (W-Browne, L-Velasquez, W-dos Santos, W-dos Santos, L-dos Santos, W-Rothwell)
Next Fight: TBA
Cain is looking like a killer again (if he could just stay healthy).
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-dos Santos, L-Rothwell, L-Browne, W-Lesnar, W-Werdum, W-Hunt, L-Werdum)
Next Fight: vs #9 Mark Hunt – UFC 209 – Mar 4th
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: 5-3 (W-Rothwell, L-Overeem, W-Miocic, W-Hunt, L-Velasquez, L-Velasquez, W-Velasquez, W-Werdum)
Next Fight: vs #1 Stipe Miocic – UFC 211 – May 13th
Shoulder surgery had JDS on the shelf for a bit, but now it’s looking like he’s going to get another crack at the gold next.
6) (6) Ben Rothwell – UFC – 16 points
Record: 36-10
Last Five Fights: 4-1
Record vs Top 10: 2-3 (L-dos Santos, W-Barnett, W-Overeem, L-Hunt, L-Velasquez)
Next Fight: TBA
Big Ben is healed up and putting out fight challenges once more.
7) (7) Josh Barnett – UFC – 13 points
Record: 35-8
Last Five Fights: 3-2
Record vs Top 10: 1-2 (L-Rothwell, L-Browne, W-Hunt)
Next Fight: TBA
An impressive performance against Andrei Arlovski launched Barnett back into the top 10.
8) (tied) (9) Mark Hunt – UFC – 8 points
Record: 12-10-1, 1 NC
Last Five Fights: 2-2, 1 NC
Record vs Top 10: 1-5 (L-Miocic, L-Werdum, L-dos Santos, W-Rothwell, L-Overeem, L-Barnett)
Next Fight: vs #4 Alistair Overeem – UFC 209 – Mar 4th
The disgruntled Super Samoan is headed back into the octagon in March.
8) (tied) (NR) Francis Ngannou – UFC – 8 points
Record: 10-1
Last Five Fights: 5-0
Record vs Top 10: 0-0
Next Fight: TBA
The Predator is a scary presence in the cage.
10) (8) Travis Browne – UFC – 6 points
Record: 18-5-1
Last Five Fights: 2-3
Record vs Top 10: 2-3 (L-Werdum, L-Velasquez, W-Barnett, L-Werdum, W-Overeem)
Next Fight: vs Derrick Lewis – UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs Browne – Feb 19th
Travis Browne’s career has hit the skids.
Dropped off: (10) Andrei Arlovski
Bubbling under: Vitaly Minakov, Derrick Lewis, Curtis Blaydes
Check back this Friday for our Light Heavyweight rankings
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