MMA Rankings > MMA Light Heavyweight Rankings
MMA Light Heavyweight Division Rankings
A review and ranking of the top 205-pound Light Heavyweight fighters in MMA - June 2010 Update
The 205 pound weight class in Mixed Martial Arts may well be the deepest of all divisions in terms of talent. Sitting atop the 205 pound rankings is current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Mauricio "Shogun" Rua who won the belt avenging his UFC 104 loss to Lyoto Machida. While the UFC dominates this division it is worth noting that two Strikeforce fighters make the 205 pound Top 10 list led by Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion "King Mo" Lawal at #6 on our list below.
Here are the top ten light heavyweights in Mixed Martial Arts midway through 2010.
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Mauricio "Shogun" Rua (right) lost a controversial decision to Lyoto Machida at UFC 104 but avenged the loss with a win over Machida at UFC 113 to become the new UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. |
1. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua (19-4, 3-2 UFC) – With Shogun’s first round KO victory over Machida at UFC 113, he moves into the #1 spot. Shogun is currently sidelined for 6 weeks following another knee surgery, but when he returns, expect a tough fight with #3 Rashad Evans that could disrupt the ever changing LHW rankings.
2. Lyoto Machida (16-1, 8-1 UFC) – Machida has fallen to #2 following the first loss of his career. A potential fight with #4 Qunton "Rampage" Jackson has been rumored, as have fights with #7 Forrest Griffin and #10 Rich Franklin. It will be interesting to see how the Karate master bounces back from his first loss, and whether being knocked out will eliminate any aggression Machida was incorporating into his game.
3. Rashad Evans (15-1-1, 10-1-1 UFC) – With his unanimous decision victory over #4 Quinton Jackson, Rashad Evans has solidified himself as the #3 LHW in the world. A future showdown with #1 Rua will determine whether Evans can return to the pinnacle of the division.
4. Quinton Jackson (30-8, 5-2 UFC) – Following his disappointing unanimous decision loss to Rashad Evans, Jackson has dropped out of the Top 3 in the division. A win over #2 Machida in a rumored fall matchup, would propel the A-Team star back into the Top 3. But talks of a fight with #10 Frankilin have also been circulating, and could be the best opportunity for Jackson to get back on the winning track.
5. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (19-3, 2-0 UFC) – After a stunning performance against former Top 10 fighter Luiz Cane, Lil’ Nog put on a disappointing performance against Jason Brilz at UFC 114. A win is a win as Lil Nog’ cracks the Top 5. 6. Muhammad “King Mo” Lawal (7-0, 2-0 Strikeforce) – Only 7 fights into his MMA career, and just 2 into his Strikeforce run, “King Mo” is already making waves in the hotly competitive LHW division. Lawal easily has the best wrestling in the division, and with a weapon like that in a division dominated by strikers, Lawal could fast become the #1 in the world if he ever decides to jumps ship to the UFC. 7. Forrest Griffin (17-6, 8-4 UFC) – It was only two years ago that Griffin was on top of LHW division, but since then he has been knocked out in 2 of his last 3 bouts, with his sole win coming over an old Tito Ortiz via split decision. A scheduled fight with #5 Nogueria was called off after Griffin was forced to undergo the knife to repair his injured shoulder. When he returns, a fight with either #2 Machida or #10 Franklin will tell us just where Griffin stands in the LHW division. |
8. Thiago Silva (14-2, 5-2 UFC) – With Silva’s only losses coming from fights with #2 Machida and #3 Evans, he remains in the Top 10. Had he been able to stop Evans at UFC 108 and not let the fight go to the judges, Silva could’ve been in the Top 5. Silva’s next fight is at UFC 117 when he takes on unranked Tim Boetsch. A win over Boetsch won’t help Silva move up in the rankings, but it will boost his confidence after dropping 2 of his last 3 in the Octagon.
9. Gegard Mousassi (28-3-1, 2-1 Strikeforce) – No fighter dropped in the rankings more than Mousassi following his unanimous decision loss to “King Mo” in April. Mousassi displayed holes in his game that will need to be improved on if his wishes to crack the Top 5. Rumored participation in the Dream Light Heavyweight tournament will further establish Mousassi as a Top 10 fighter, but do nothing to increase his ranking at the current moment.
10. Rich Franklin (28-5-0-1, 13-4 UFC) – Following his devastating knockout of Chuck Liddell this past weekend, Franklin has moved himself into the Top 10 of the LHW division. He will be sidelined for at least 2-3 months to heal his broken arm, but when he returns a fight with #4 Jackson or #7 Griffin could move him even further in the ranks.
On the bubble: Jon Jones, Randy Couture, Ryan Bader.
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By Jeffrey Concerto
ProFighting-fans.com Senior MMA Staff Writer
Published June 2010
Photo used with permission from the UFC