MMA Rankings > MMA Featherweight Rankings
MMA Featherweight Rankings
A review and ranking of MMA 145-pound Featherweight fighters - December 2010 Update
When Zuffa announced the merger of the UFC and WEC in late 2010, Jose Aldo soon became the first ever UFC Featherweight Champion. While Aldo, widely regarded as one of the best pound for pound fighters in MMA, had a title fight with Josh Grispi scheduled for UFC 125, the fight fell through due to an injury to Aldo during training. Several fights which will impact the rankings of the top 145 pound fighters in MMA will occur in the coming months, but Aldo is not expected back until March 2011 at the earliest.
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Jose Aldo (left) dethroned Mike Brown as the top featherweight in the world at WEC 44 and is the first Featherweight Champion in UFC history. |
1. Jose Aldo – (UFC - 14-1) – Truly one of the world’s best pound-for-pound fighters, Aldo has won an amazing eleven straight and has been a Champion since November 2009 at WEC 44. He has defended his title twice including his most recent win at WEC 51 this fall via KO against Manny Gamburyan. Since the WEC has now merged with the UFC, Aldo will have some new competition and will likely defend his UFC Featherweight Championship belt this spring.
2. Mike Brown - (24-6) – Brown, a former WEC Champion, rebounded from a loss to Manny Gamburyan to defeat Cole Province at WEC 51 via TKO. This hard-hitting American Top Team veteran also owns two victories over WEC poster boy Urijah Faber. He will fight Diego Nunes at UFC 125 on January 1st, 2011; it will be his second overall appearance inside the octagon and his first since UFC 47.
3. Manny Gamburyan - (11-5) – The former TUF 5 runner-up is coming off of his first title fight, a KO loss against Jose Aldo at WEC 51. Gamburyan won three of his four bouts with the WEC and will now return to the UFC. After getting injured against Nate Diaz at the TUF 5 finale, Gamburyan split his next four fights. He doesn’t currently have a UFC bout scheduled, however when he does return, it will be for the first time since January 2009.
4. Michihiro Omigawa - (12-8-1) – Omigawa is currently on a five-fight winning streak including victories for four different promotions (Sengoku, ASTRA, DREAM, Dynamite). Omigawa lost twice in the UFC over three years ago as a lightweight; however he will return to the organization in 2011 as a featherweight and will get undefeated prospect Chad Mendes at UFC 128 for his return match.
5. Bibiano Fernandes - (8-2) – The DREAM Featherweight Champion has won seven straight contests defeating opponents like Joe Warren and Joachim Hansen along the way. His only two career losses were against Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto and Urijah Faber back in 2007-08. His next bout, his second title defense, will be against Hiroyuki Takaya at Dynamite 2010 on New Year’s Eve in Japan.
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6. Josh Grispi - (14-1) – “The Fluke” has been anything but, winning ten consecutive bouts including all four of his WEC contests. He defeated Mark Hominick, Micah Miller, Jens Pulver, and LC Davis all by stoppage for the WEC. Grispi will now compete inside the UFC’s octagon and will face Dustin Poirier at UFC 125 on January 1st. 7. Hatsu Hioki - (27-1) – Hioki has looked impressive after winning back-to-back bouts and seven of his last eight overall. Hioki regularly competes in his homeland of Japan for organizations like Shooto, and World Victory Road. He owns notable career victories over fighters such as Mark Hominick and Jeff Curran. He will next compete December 30th for the World Victory Road Featherweight Title against Marlon Sandro. 8. Joe Warren - (6-1) – Warren, a former wrestler at the University of Michigan and US Olympic hopeful, is improving with each and every bout. He began competing in Japan for DREAM, but after losing to Bibiano Fernandes in 2009 at DREAM 11, he made the move to the United States and Bellator. He has won four consecutive since and is now the Bellator Featherweight Champ after knocking out Joe Soto at Bellator 27 in September. He doesn’t have a fight scheduled at this time. |
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9. Chad Mendes - (9-0) – The Team Alpha Male fighter has won all nine of his bouts since turning pro in 2008. He won five bouts for Tachi Palace Fights before joining the WEC in March 2010. In 2010, he has defeated Anthony Morrison, Erik Koch, Cub Swanson, and Javier Vasquez. He will take on Michihiro Omigawa at UFC 128 in March in his promotional debut.
10. Diego Nunes - (15-1) – The 25-year old Brazilian won the first thirteen bouts of his career before dropping a WEC 44 bout in November 2009 to LC Davis. Since that loss, he has rebounded and won back-to-back bouts defeating Raphael Assuncaao at WEC 49 and Tyler Toner at WEC 51. He will face Mike Brown at UFC 125 on January 1st in his UFC debut.
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By Nick Russell
ProFighting-fans.com Senior MMA Staff Writer
Published December 2010
Photo used with permission from the UFC