The Rankings: The Featherweights: Oct 21, 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 Featherweight Rankings 

*Click on fighter’s name for a full scouting report*

The Featherweight Rankings

1) (Last ranking – 2) Jose Aldo – Interim UFC Featherweight Champion – 37 points (out of 40)

Record: 26-2
Last Five Fights: 4-1
Record vs Top 10: 4-1 (W-Edgar, L-McGregor, W-Lamas, W-Edgar, W-Swanson)
Next Fight: TBA

Have we seen the last of Junior in the cage?

2) (2) Frankie Edgar – UFC – 33 points
            Record: 20-5-1
            Last Five Fights: 4-1
            Record vs Top 10: 2-2 (L-Aldo, W-Swanson, W-Oliveira,  L-Aldo)
            Next Fight: vs #10 Jeremy Stephens – UFC 205 – Nov 12th

Now where does Frankie Edgar’s career go?

3) (3) Conor McGregor – UFC Featherweight Champion – 30 points

Record: 20-3
Last Five Fights: 4-1
Record vs Top 10: 2-0 (W-Aldo, W-Holloway) 
Next Fight: vs Eddie Alvarez – UFC 205 – Nov 12th

Will the featherweight king actually ever fight at featherweight again?

4) (4) Max Holloway – UFC – 28 points
            Record: 16-3
            Last Five Fights: 5-0
            Record vs Top 10: 4-1 (W-Lamas, W-Stephens, W-Oliveira, W-Swanson, L-McGregor)
            Next Fight: TBA

Mad Max has his career on a roll now.

5) (5) Anthony Pettis – UFC – 23 points
            Record: 19-5
            Last Five Fights: 2-3
            Record vs Top 10: 2-0 (W-Oliveira, W-Stephens,)
            Next Fight: TBA

Showtime doesn’t look particularly healthy at 145 pounds, but he had a nice performance in the cage against Charles Oliveira.

6) (6) Ricardo Lamas – UFC – 18 points
            Record: 16-5
            Last Five Fights: 3-2
            Record vs Top 10: 1-2 (L-Holloway, L-Aldo, W-Swanson)
            Next Fight: vs #8 Charles Oliveira – TUF Latin America 3 Finale – Nov 5th

The Bully had a headlining fight with B.J. Penn fall through, but got a tougher matchup booked right away.

7) (7) Daniel Straus – Bellator Featherweight Champion – 13 points
            Record: 25-6
            Last Five Fights: 3-2
            Record vs Top 10: 1-2 (W-Freire, L-Freire, L-Freire)
            Next Fight: TBA

Straus finally got a win over Pitbull, but most importantly got Bellator gold around his waist once again.

8) (8) Charles Oliveira  – UFC – 9 points   
            Record: 21-6, 1 NC
            Last Five Fights: 3-2
            Record vs Top 10: 1-4 (L-Pettis, L-Holloway, L-Edgar, W-Stephens, L-Swanson)
            Next Fight: vs #6 Ricardo Lamas – TUF Latin America 3 Finale – Nov 5th

do Bronx continues to struggle against the elite of the division.

9) (8) Cub Swanson – UFC – 9 points
             Record: 23-7
             Last Five Fights: 3-2
             Record vs Top 10: 2-4 (L-Holloway, L-Edgar, W-Stephens, W-Oliveira, L-Lamas, L-Aldo)
             Next Fight: vs Doo Ho Choi – UFC 206 – Dec 10th

Two in a row for Cub.

10) (tied) (8) Patricio ‘Pitbull’ Freire – Bellator – 7 points
                          Record: 25-4
                          Last Five Fights: 3-2
                          Record vs Top 10: 2-1 (L-Straus, W-Straus, W-Straus)
                          Next Fight: TBA

Champion no more.  And now a broken shin to boot.

10) (tied) (NR) Jeremy Stephens – UFC – 7 points
                              Record: 25-12
                              Last Five Fights: 2-3
                              Record vs Top 10: 2-1 (L-Holloway, L-Oliveira, L-Swanson, L-Pettis)
                              Next Fight: vs #2 Frankie Edgar – UFC 205 – Nov 12th

Coming up to 10 years in the UFC, and Jeremy Stephens is still creeping around the top 10.

Bubbling under: Renan Barao, Doo Ho Choi, Mirsad Bektic

Check back on Monday for our Bantamweight rankings