The Rankings: The Welterweights: Jan 6, 2017

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 Welterweight 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 Welterweight Rankings

1) (Last Ranking – 1)  Tyron Woodley – UFC Welterweight Champion – 40 points (out of a possible 40)

            Record: 16-3-1
            Last Five Fights: 3-1-1
            Record vs Top 10: 2-1-1 (D-Thompson, W-Lawler, L-MacDonald, W-Condit)
            Next Fight: TBA

Thompson put it on him, but T-Wood slipped out of New York with his title still around his waist.  Barely.

2) (2) Stephen Thompson – UFC – 36 points 
            Record: 13-1-1
            Last Five Fights: 4-0-1
            Record vs Top 10: 1-0-1 (D-Woodley, W-MacDonald)
            Next Fight: TBA

Is Wonderboy going to get an immediate rematch?

3) (3) Robbie Lawler – UFC – 31 points
           Record: 27-11 (1 No Contest)
           Last Five Fights: 4-1
           Record vs Top 10: 3-2 (L-Woodley, W-Condit, W-MacDonald, W-MacDonald, L-Larkin)
           Next Fight: TBA

His impressive and improbable run at the top is finally over.

4) (4) Demian Maia – UFC – 28 points
             Record: 24-6
            Last Five Fights: 5-0
            Record vs Top 10: 2-1 (W-Condit, W-Magny, L-MacDonald)
            Next Fight: TBA

Demian Maia finds himself sitting in welterweight limbo.

5) (tied) (5) Rory MacDonald – Bellator – 18 points 
                        Record: 18-4
                        Last Five Fights: 3-2
                        Record vs Top 10: 2-4 (L-Thompson, L-Lawler, W-Woodley, W-Maia, L-Lawler, L-Condit)
                        Next Fight: TBA

A free agent no more, young Rory has jumped ship to Bellator.

5) (tied) (6) Carlos Condit – UFC – 18 points       

  
           Record: 30-10
           Last Five Fights: 2-3
           Record vs Top 10: 1-4 (L-Maia, L-Lawler, L-Woodley, L-St-Pierre, W-MacDonald)
           Next Fight: TBA

After getting dominated by Demian Maia, Condit’s future in the sport is in doubt again.

5) (tied) (7) Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone – UFC – 18 points
                         Record: 32-7, 1 NC
                        Last Five Fights: 4-1
                        Record vs Top 10: 0-0
                        Next Fight: vs Jorge Masvidal – UFC on Fox: Shevchenko vs Pena – Jan 28th

Cowboy is looking like he has found a new home at 170-pounds.

8) (8) Lorenz Larkin – UFC – 12 points 
             Record: 18-5, 1 NC
             Last Five Fights: 4-1
             Record vs Top 10: 2-0 (W-Magny, W-Lawler)
             Next Fight: TBA

The move down to 170-pounds was a wise one for The Monsoon.

9) (NR) Neil Magny – UFC – 8 points 
                Record: 19-5
                Last Five Fights: 4-1
                Record vs Top 10: 0-2 (L-Larkin, L-Maia)
                Next Fight: TBA

The biggest win of his career (arguably) has propelled Magny back into the top 10.

10) (9) Ben Askren – ONE FC Welterweight Champion – 7 points
              Record: 15-0, 1 NC
              Last Five Fights: 4-0, 1 NC
              Record vs Top 10: 1-0 (W-Koreshkov)
              Next Fight: TBA

Given his current level of competition, there’s a good chance that Funky Ben could end his career undefeated.

Dropped off: (10) Johny Hendricks

Bubbling under: Gunnar Nelson, Emil Meek

Rankings:

Heavyweights
Light Heavyweights
Middleweights
Lightweights
Featherweights
Bantamweights
Flyweights
Women’s Bantamweights
Women’s Strawweights
Pound for Pound
Non-UFC

Check back on Monday for our Lightweight rankings