UFC rankings/MMA rankings featured in USA Today for September 2009
by Jesse Holland on Oct 2, 2009 11:25 AM EDT
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Our partners in crime over at BloodyElbow.com have once again published their divisional rankings for mixed martial arts in the nation’s largest daily newspaper, USA Today, for the month of September 2009.
For those of you unfamiliar with the process, here’s how it works:
"The rankings, which will offer a definitive perspective of top MMA fighters across all weight-classes, will be released monthly and published in the Sports section of USA TODAY, online at USATODAY.com and on SB Nation’s MMA commentary and community blog, BloodyElbow.com … The USA TODAY/SB Nation Consensus MMA Rankings are compiled each month by Nate Wilcox and Richard Wade of BloodyElbow.com. The rankings utilize each of the top MMA rankings from multiple unique sources. A weighted-formula is applied to normalize and distill the various rankings into one consensus ranking per weight class."
To check out the latest USAT/SBN rankings click here. We’ve also listed their top 10 in each class after the jump for your convenience.
What do you think? Share your ranking rants in the comments section below.
Heavyweight:
1. Fedor Emelianenko
2. Brock Lesnar
3. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
4. Frank Mir
5. Josh Barnett
6. Junior Dos Santos
7. Shane Carwin
8. Randy Couture
9. Brett Rogers
10. Andrei Arlovski
Light Heavyweight:
1. Lyoto Machida
2. Quinton Jackson
3. Rashad Evans
4. Mauricio Rua
5. Forrest Griffin
6. Gegard Mousasi
7. Thiago Silva
8. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
9. Anderson Silva
10. Rich Franklin
Middleweight:
1. Anderson Silva
2. Nate Marquardt
3. Dan Henderson
4. Yushin Okami
5. Jorge Santiago
6. Demian Maia
7. Vitor Belfort
8. Robbie Lawler
9. Yoshihiro Akiyama
10. Chael Sonnen
Welterweight:
1. Georges St. Pierre
2. Jon Fitch
3. Thiago Alves
4. Matt Hughes
5. Josh Koscheck
6. Jake Shields
7. Mike Swick
8. Carlos Condit
9. Paul Daley
10. Paulo Thiago
Lightweight:
1. B.J. Penn
2. Shinya Aoki
3. Eddie Alvarez
4. Kenny Florian
5. Frank Edgar
6. Tatsuya Kawajiri
7. Diego Sanchez
8. Joachim Hansen
9. Gray Maynard
10. Sean Sherk
Nothing brings MMA fans closer together than a list of divisional rankings. Let’s hear it: Who belongs and who doesn’t? And be sure to say why. "He sucks" is not a valid argument.
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Tim Sylvia, yes I said Tim Sylvia is the 16th best HW in the world??? VOer guys like Kongo, Rothwell, and Alex Emelianenko and others! Forrest Griffin is still ranked higher than not only Anderson Silva, but Gegard Mousasi too!!! Matt Hughes is the 4th best WW and those LW rankings are just simply ridiculous!!! Usually I like stuff from USA Today Sports, but they need to learn something about MMA!!!!
by ---Caesar--- on Oct 2, 2009 6:44 PM EDT up reply actions
This is a compilation of many MMA sites. The rankings are then normalized. USA today doesn’t make them. BloodyElbow does. Some sh!tty sites with crap rankings might throw it off a little bit but for the most part it captures what people have done in their careers not hypothetical results if guys fought.
by NameNotRequired on Oct 3, 2009 1:52 AM EDT up reply actions
not to sure how rich franklin even ranks at 205 hes had one fight there and lost
by bare_it on Oct 2, 2009 11:59 PM EDT up reply actions
HOW THE HELL IS ANDERSON RANKED LOWER THEN FOREST IN LHW?
by MMANIAC on Oct 2, 2009 11:29 AM EDT reply actions
LOL! That’s rediculous. These rankings are so far off, it’s not even funny.
by LJ on Oct 2, 2009 12:17 PM EDT up reply actions
205 is almost impossible to rank and have people agree. Anderson killed Forrest, who beat Rua and Rampage. Forrest loses to Rashad. It is too hard to figure out. Number 1 is Machida, from there on you can make arguments for every spot.
by naturalshadow on Oct 2, 2009 1:05 PM EDT up reply actions
Anderson Silva is one of the 3 best LHW’s out there that’s for sure, I don’t get what any of these fools do above him on the list. Forrest has had tons of losses and his wins came when his opponents were injured and out of shape, he almost got a win when he fought the most injured unhealthy Tito Ortiz to date.
Diego should be ranked higher, and Matt Hughes should be ranked lower-.
by RoBerto on Oct 2, 2009 1:58 PM EDT up reply actions
One of the 3 best? You think? He’s number 1 and Machida is a distant number 2.
by GSP4Prez on Oct 2, 2009 3:33 PM EDT up reply actions
Lol the champ is a distant #2? after all, AS has beaten forrest and James Irvin!!! Good rankings!!
by frosnt on Oct 2, 2009 3:50 PM EDT up reply actions
Yeah, I have to go w/ Anderson at #2 and Lyota at #1. Unless they start fighting a lot of the same guys, and Silva looks way more dominant against the opponents than Machida, I don’t know how you can rank him higher (unless they fight of course).
by LJ on Oct 2, 2009 4:02 PM EDT up reply actions
As soon as I saw that ridiculous ranking this list lost all legitimcacy. Forrest #5 and Andy #9, were BE taking the piss when they gave USA today those rankings? Diego, Mousasi and Vitor are ranked far too low as well, Hughes and Santiago are far too high and it’s a joke that AA and Barnett are ranked period. This is why I don’t like the ranking system in MMA it’s too subjective, there is no consensus and, if it was up to these clowns, has beens like Hughes would be on the verge of title fights while top contenders like Diego and Vitor wouldn’t get a look in.
by David W-S on Oct 2, 2009 7:51 PM EDT up reply actions
I respect those rankings. I wouldn’t have Griffin over Silva as Light Heavyweight since he just knocked him out. I would also have Mousasi and Thiago Silva a little higher. Josh Barnett needs to be excluded from the rankings!
by brotherwolf on Oct 2, 2009 11:34 AM EDT reply actions
Mousasi only beats Babalu at 205, yet he is top 5? Like I said earlier, that division is too hard to rank.
by naturalshadow on Oct 2, 2009 1:06 PM EDT up reply actions
That’s because all the “hardcore” fans love everyone not in the UFC.
by DolFan on Oct 2, 2009 3:08 PM EDT up reply actions
WOW, for the MOST part i actually agreed with the list!
Nick Diaz should be in there somewhere forsure tho, as much as i dislike him!
jhorge Santiag’s position should be shuffled too!
Matt Hughes (one of my favorites)got a GIFT being named the number 4 guy in the UFC’s Current WW Division.
by SoCalStunNa on Oct 2, 2009 11:35 AM EDT reply actions
Besides Silva should be ranked the #2 LHW everything else is debatable. Obviously they aren’t 100% accurate as they gather rankings from ranking boards across the world and put them together to make this list. Of coarse many boards might not have Silva ranked on the LHW because they only have him as a middle weight fighter lowering his ranking and belfort might not of been ranked on every board by his performance over Rich as Franklin too is clearly a top ten middle weight but is only on the LHW board.
by Puck Head on Oct 2, 2009 1:07 PM EDT up reply actions
Daley wins one fight against an overrated fighter and is bumped into the top ten??
by JayJay on Oct 2, 2009 11:44 AM EDT reply actions
LMAO at anderson silva’s rating…halarious he would probably beat everyone on that list.
by nathan on Oct 2, 2009 11:53 AM EDT reply actions
You guys don’t read shit. These are CONCENSUS rankings, meaning they’re just tallied rankings from different sources. A lot of sources only have Anderson ranked as a MW, hence his low ranking at LHW.
by Pat on Oct 2, 2009 12:05 PM EDT reply actions
How is Florian even ranked he has lost the big fight twice.
by angelo on Oct 2, 2009 12:11 PM EDT reply actions
becuase of the wins to get to the big fight, twice.
by Stryker on Oct 2, 2009 2:22 PM EDT up reply actions
so if you cant beat numberone you arent wothy of top 10?
by Egads on Oct 2, 2009 2:24 PM EDT up reply actions
how the hell did Barnett go up in the rankings since missing a fight and being popped for roids? very confusing
by f*ck it on Oct 2, 2009 12:14 PM EDT reply actions
He didn’t go up…he went from 2 to 5. I’m no mathematician but…..
by introvert on Oct 2, 2009 3:29 PM EDT up reply actions
sanchez 7th at LW? below florian, who he schooled? and in the face of a title fight against BJ? Get a clue…
by frank ed furter on Oct 2, 2009 12:40 PM EDT reply actions
You are really using a fight almost 4.5 years ago AT 185 in defense of why Diego should be above Florian?
How do you factor in a common opponent to your equation? Joe Stevenson – Kenny finished him, Diego didnt. Personally I would have had Diego at #5 (and Frankie Edgar at #7), right below Kenny, that’s just me though.
by WB on Oct 2, 2009 2:12 PM EDT up reply actions
how is Deigo Sanchez ranked so low?
and where’s king mo?!
by Matttttttt on Oct 2, 2009 1:02 PM EDT reply actions
Wow….Seeing M. Hughes the #4 WW in the world looks off to me!! And after F. Griffin’s last performance #5 might be pushing it a little too.
by C Max on Oct 2, 2009 1:18 PM EDT reply actions
Do these people that do these ratings watch MMA?
by Nick Diaz 209 on Oct 2, 2009 1:34 PM EDT reply actions
These rankings are an average of rankings on boards accross the world Silva might only be rankes as a middle weight fighter on some boards so when they are averaged at LHW his ranking drops because he is not on the top ten because they didn’t rank him as a LHW fighter same as many didn’t rank Franklin at MW. Some boards are not up to date with the results from the latest fights either these ranking are compiled from many other boards and averaged together.
by Puck Head on Oct 2, 2009 1:48 PM EDT up reply actions
Matt Hughes @ 4? Are you kidding me? Condit @ 8, and Daley @ 9? Wow, Im speechless
by Nick Diaz 209 on Oct 2, 2009 1:37 PM EDT reply actions
yeah, Hughes would get destroyed by anyone in the top 10.
by Stryker on Oct 2, 2009 2:23 PM EDT up reply actions
The best ranking…
I dont have anything to say.
Perfect
O, I forgot: Forrest, for me, behind Anderson Silva.
by Fabio Almeida on Oct 2, 2009 2:03 PM EDT reply actions
Fedor holds #1 until someone proves otherwise. He’s been in that position for too long for rankings to move him down the list without being beat. He’s bordering on the mythical.
by aelhues on Oct 2, 2009 2:41 PM EDT reply actions
He’s taking a lot of heat for not challengeing the best thought wich makes it more mythotical than mythical.
by Puck Head on Oct 2, 2009 2:48 PM EDT up reply actions
Fedor is not #1 anymore. Ducking top competition should drop you in the rankings.
by Ron Konkoma on Oct 2, 2009 2:43 PM EDT reply actions
What do you mean ducking? Bret Rogers opponents have a combined record of 68-69. That’s good right?
by DolFan on Oct 2, 2009 3:12 PM EDT up reply actions
He is the pinnacle of top competition…anyone he fights isn’t top competition when he’s the best of the best.
When you guys gonna understand this fact?
by introvert on Oct 2, 2009 3:31 PM EDT up reply actions
brock is the top, to say hes beaten all the top guys is a big lie..
by guyverbob on Oct 2, 2009 7:39 PM EDT up reply actions
why is Couture still ranked at HW? Seriously, stop this nonsense. I highly doubt he wants USA today’s pity ranking. If you rank Couture as a top 10 HW for no reason you might as well list Cro Cop as well. At least Cro Cop has actual wins against elite fighters at HW in the past 4 years.
Everything else looks good. Good to see they have Fitch where he belongs. I don’t understand the Silva ranking though. Maybe it is because he only has 2 fights at LHW, but I mean Lesnar is ranked at HW and he only has 4 fights in the UFC at HW. LHW is a cluster fuck though, and I don’t see how you can’t have Shogun in the top 3 at LHW. One fluke loss in the UFC, I am sure he will avenge that loss as well after the Machida fight.
by reality check on Oct 2, 2009 3:37 PM EDT reply actions
FEDOR # 1. hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by DSM on Oct 2, 2009 3:38 PM EDT reply actions
Paulo thiago shouldnt be on there at WW probably kampmann or nick diaz are more deserving, frank edgar is too far up beating a sherk who forgot he is a wrestler not a striker is something only tyson griffin couldnt do. Frank Mir’s ego maybe top 5 but everyone below him would probably knock him out and is better and as much as kongo,herring and Gonzaga are mediocre they are all better then Mir and perhaps rogers and arlovski as well. And anderson Silva should probably be #2 or 3 even at LHW.
by hamburglar on Oct 2, 2009 4:15 PM EDT reply actions
hughes and barnett are not top ten fighters. One is a has been and the other cant win a fight with out juicing
by SluggerCitySoldier on Oct 2, 2009 5:31 PM EDT reply actions
How long does Fedor get to stay at #1 by not fighting anyone, and then when he does fight someone, it’s a total Can that isn’t even on the list?? That dude is a joke.
by kg on Oct 2, 2009 6:11 PM EDT reply actions
Arlovski???? I might, and i say might, be willing to put him just above Tim Sylvia, but they wouldn’t see my list unless it was a Top 50. I sure am glad that these ranking have no bearing, cuz they are a joke.
by kg on Oct 2, 2009 6:14 PM EDT reply actions
CAIN VELASQUEZ WOULD DESTROY HALF OF THOSE HEAVYWEIGHTS
by sam on Oct 2, 2009 6:20 PM EDT reply actions
NIGHTSHADOW, MOUSASI ALSO HAS WINS AGAINST JACARE, MELVIN MANHOEF, DENIS KANG, MARK HUNT, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY HECTOR LOMBARD!!!!!!
by sam on Oct 2, 2009 6:21 PM EDT reply actions
MOUSASI ALSO DESTROYED JACARE, MELVIN MANHOEF, MARK HUNT, DENIS KANG, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY HECTOR LOMBARD!!!!!!
by sam on Oct 2, 2009 6:22 PM EDT reply actions
Again, these rankings are a compilation of all the major rankings across the ‘net. BloodyElbow doesn’t do any ranking ourselves…we simply compile
by Brent Brookhouse on Oct 2, 2009 10:51 PM EDT reply actions
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