The Non-UFC Fighter Rankings: Jan 5/18

gegard mousasi bellator

 

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 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

Non-UFC Fighter Rankings

 

1) (Last Ranking – 1) Gegard Mousasi – Bellator Middleweight – 39 (out of 40) points

The Non-UFC Fighter Rankings: Jan 5/18

Record: 43-6-2
Last Five Fights: 
5-0
Record vs Top 10:
0-0
Next Fight: 
TBA

One Bellator fighter up, one down for Mousasi.

 

2) (2) Rory MacDonald – Bellator Welterweight – 34 points
Record: 
19-4
Last Five Fights: 
3-2
Record vs Top 10:
0-0
Next Fight: 
vs #8 Douglas Lima – Bellator 192 – Jan 20th

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

 

3) (3) Ryan Bader – Bellator Light Heavyweight Champion – 30 points
            Record: 24-5
            Last Five Fights: 4-1
            Record vs Top 10: 2-0 (W-Davis, W-Davis)
            Next Fight: vs “King Mo” Muhammed Lawal – TBA

Darth will be looking to add the Bellator heavyweight strap to his collection in 2018.

 

4) (4) Ben Askren – ONE Welterweight Champion – 18 points
            Record: 18-0, 1 NC
            Last Five Fights: 4-0, 1 NC
            Record vs Top 10: 1-0 (W-Lima)
            Next Fight: TBA

Funky hangs up his gloves with an unblemished record.

 

5) (tied) (5) Vitaly Minakov – Bellator/EFN Heavyweight – 16 points
                         Record: 19-0
                         Last Five Fights: 5-0
                         Record vs Top 10: 0-0
                         Next Fight: TBA

Minakov has managed to stay undefeated in the volatile heavyweight class for over six years now.

                     

5) (tied) (6) Phil Davis – Bellator Light Heavyweight – 16 points

The Non-UFC Fighter Rankings: Jan 5/18
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – OCTOBER 23: Phil Davis holds an open training session for media at Maracana Stadium on October 23, 2014 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images)

            Record: 18-4, 1 NC
            Last Five Fights: 4-1
            Record vs Top 10: 0-2 (L-Bader, L-Bader)
            Next Fight: TBA

Mr. Wonderful got back on the winning track at his old stomping grounds of Penn State.

7) (6) Mamed Khalidov – KSW Middleweight Champion – 12 points
            Record: 34-4-2
            Last Five Fights: 5-0
            Record vs Top 10: 0-0
            Next Fight: TBA

The King of Polish MMA hasn’t lost in his last 15 fights.

 

8) (tied) (NR) Douglas Lima – Bellator Welterweight Championship – 11 points
                             Record: 30-6
                             Last Five Fights: 4-1
                             Record vs Top 10: 0-1 (L-Askren)
                             Next Fight: vs #2 Rory MacDonald – Bellator 192 – Jan 20th

The Bellator champ has a stiff challenge awaiting him in Los Angeles on the 20th.

 

8) (tied) (9) Kyoji Horiguchi – Rizin Bantamweight Champion – 11 points
                         Record: 23-2
                         Last Five Fights: 5-0
                         Record vs Top 10: 0-0
                         Next Fight: TBA

Supernova put on a dominant performance over New Years in Japan – three fights over three days, all finishes.

 

10) (NR) Patricio ‘Pitbull’ Freire – Bellator Featherweight Champion – 9 points
                  Record: 26-4
                  Last Five Fights: 3-2
                  Record vs Top 10: 0-0
                  Next Fight: TBA

Training injuries have Pitbull on the sidelines for a bit.

 

Dropped off: (8) Michael Chandler, (10) Andre Harrison 

Bubbling under: Michael Chandler, Andre Harrison, Patricky ‘Pitbull’ Freire, Benson Henderson, Bibiano Fernandes, Tenshin Nasukawa, Brent Primus, Jon Fitch, Darrion Caldwell

 

 

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