MMA Rankings > MMA Lightweight Rankings
MMA Lightweight Rankings
A review and ranking of MMA 155-pound Lightweight fighters - December 2010 Update
In defense of his UFC Lightweight Championship belt BJ Penn had cleaned out the cupboard of 155-pound fighters in the UFC; or so we thought. Shortly after he dominated Diego Sanchez at UFC 107, it was announced that Penn would face Frankie Edgar at UFC 112 in a fight that few thought Edgar had any chance in. Edgar used his quickness and wrestling base to defeat Penn by unanimous decision and solidified his place as one of the best pound for pound fighters in MMA. With an opportunity to avenge his only career loss in facing Gray Maynard later this year, Edgar looks to not only defend his belt, but also start carving his place in UFC history.
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Frankie Edgar picked BJ Penn apart at UFC 112 and again at UFC 118 and will face Gray Maynard at UFC 125. |
1. Frankie Edgar – (UFC - 13-1) – The current UFC Lightweight Champion has won five straight contests including back-to-back title victories over former champ BJ Penn. “The Truth” claimed the title at UFC 112 with a unanimous decision victory over Penn, and then made his first title defense in a rematch at UFC 118 with the same result. He is 8-1 inside the octagon with notable wins over another former champ Sean Sherk, and top of the division lightweights Mark Bocek and Spencer Fisher. He will try and redeem his only career loss at UFC 125 when he takes on Gray Maynard in the main event.
2. Gray Maynard – (UFC - 10-0-0-1) – Maynard has been a success since appearing on TUF 5; he has won eight in a row since suffering a strange no contest in his UFC debut. The former Michigan State wrestler has only stopped one of his nine opponents since arriving inside the octagon. He defeated Kenny Florian at UFC 118 to earn his first Lightweight Title shot at UFC 125 against Frank Edgar. Maynard defeated Edgar at UFC Fight Night 13 in April 2008.
3. BJ Penn – (UFC - 16-7-1) – Although Penn has temporarily turned his attention to the welterweight division, he remains one of the world’s best at 155. He won his last bout at UFC 123 via KO against Matt Hughes. Penn is only the second fighter in UFC history to hold title belts in two different weight classes including a long run as the lightweight champ. He will fight Jon Fitch at UFC 127 in February 2011 in his next bout.
4. Gilbert Melendez – (Strikeforce - 19-2) – The Cesar Gracie JJ fighter has won four straight bouts and became the undisputed Strikeforce Lightweight Champion with his “Evolution” victory over Josh Thomson last year. Melendez also defeated Shinya Aoki this past April at “Nashville”. Over the course of his career, he has also competed for PRIDE, WEC, and K-1 organizations. There have been rumors that Strikeforce would like to put a bout together with Bellator Champion Eddie Alvarez; however nothing has been made official.
5. Eddie Alvarez – (Bellator - 21-2) – The Philadelphia native has won six straight bouts and became the Bellator Lightweight Champion in June 2009. He occasionally fights for the DREAM organization, a place where he suffered his last loss, a submission defeat against Shinya Aoki. He has stopped his last six opponents, but doesn’t have a bout currently scheduled at this time.
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6. Shinya Aoki – (Strikeforce/DREAM - 26-5-0-1) – Aoki, Japan’s best lightweight, is on a three fight winning streak and has won six of his last seven overall. Aoki won the DREAM Lightweight Title in October 2009 with a victory over Joachim Hansen. In his most recent action, Aoki defeated Yokthai Sithour at a DEEP event this past October. He has sixteen submission victories to his credit throughout his career. 7. Tatsuya Kawajiri – (DREAM - 26-6-2) – “The Crusher,” a knockout artist, lost his last bout against Shinya Aoki snapping a four-fight winning streak. Kawajiri has mostly fought for PRIDE, Shooto, and DREAM organizations. He will take on former Strikeforce Champ Josh Thomson in December at Dynamite 2010. He holds notable wins over Charles “Crazyhorse” Bennett, Per Eklund, and Joachim Hansen. 8. Kenny Florian – (UFC - 14-5) – Kenny Florian lost in his UFC 118 title eliminator bout against Gray Maynard. “Ken Flo” has fought for the UFC Lightweight title twice in his career and remains one of the division’s best. He has been in the organization since April 2005 and has compiled eleven victories in fifteen fights. He was the runner-up on The Ultimate Fighter 1 losing to Diego Sanchez. |
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9. George Sotiropoulos – (UFC - 14-2) – Sotiropoulos, an Australian-native, has won eight straight fights including seven since arriving on The Ultimate Fighter 6. He began as a welterweight but has thrived as a lightweight defeating the likes of Joe Stevenson, Kurt Pellegrino and Joe Lauzon at UFC 123 this November. He will fight German-based Denis Siver on the UFC 127 fight card in February in Australia.
10. Sean Sherk – (UFC - 32-4-1) – Sherk, a former UFC Lightweight Champ, won his most recent bout at UFC 119 this past September over Evan Dunham in a “fight of the night” performance. He won the title at UFC 64 with a victory over Kenny Florian and would go on to defend it once before falling to BJ Penn. Sherk has notable career wins over the likes of Nick Diaz, Florian, and Karo Parisyan.
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By Nick Russell
ProFighting-fans.com Senior MMA Staff Writer
Published December 2010
Photo used with permission from the UFC