USAT/SBN May MMA Consensus Rankings: Light Heavyweight

by Kid Nate on May 27, 2009 10:59 PM EDT in Rankings Comment 40 comments

Rank	Fighter	%	Promotion	Last Rank
1	Lyoto Machida	96	UFC	3
2	Rashad Evans	96	UFC	1
3	Quinton Jackson	94	UFC	2
4	Forrest Griffin	87	UFC	4
5	Mauricio Rua	84	UFC	5
6	Keith Jardine	68	UFC	6
7	Wanderlei Silva	59	UFC	7
8	Antonio Rogerio Nogueira	55	Affliction	8
9	Renato Sobral	53	Strikeforce	9
10	Luiz Cane	48	UFC	13
11	Thiago Silva	45	UFC	11
11	Chuck Liddell	45	UFC	10
13	Dan Henderson	40	UFC	12
14	Rich Franklin	30	UFC	14
15	Tito Ortiz	22	Unsigned	15
16	Vladimir Matyushenko	20	Free Agent	16
17	Matt Hamill	19	UFC	18
18	Brandon Vera	17	UFC	17
19	Goran Reljic	15	UFC	28
20	Sokoudjou	15	DREAM	20
21	Jon Jones	14	UFC	22
22	Steve Cantwell	14	UFC	19
23	Jason Brilz	14	UFC	22
24	Jared Hamman	13	Strikeforce	24
25	Muhammed Lawal	13	WVR	24
25	Rafael Cavalcante	13	Strikeforce	20

Rankings compiled by Richard Wade.

With the emphatic rise of new #1 Lyoto Machida, the 205lb division rankings are probably as definitive as they have been in ten years. Not since the heyday of Frank Shamrock as UFC champ has there been an undisputed champion. Throughout the runs of Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell atop the UFC Light Heavyweight division, Wanderlei Silva was in the midst of his impressive run as the PRIDE champion.

Even after the acquisition of PRIDE and the migration of the top PRIDE fighters to the UFC (I know, I know, #8 Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Ricardo Arona didn't come along, but #20 Sokoudjou had already dashed their title hopes), it has taken two years for things to shake out -- and that's assuming that Machida will actually be able to defend his belt.

Ironically, both Machida and #3 Quinton "Rampage" Jackson came to the UFC via the defunct WFA rather than from PRIDE (more yeah yeahs, I know Rampage was a big wheel at PRIDE for a while but he got drummed out of PRIDE by Chute Boxe before the UFC merger).

Machida has hardly had a chance to take the belt home and rumors are already swirling that he and Rampage will host the next seasons of TUF before Quinton gets his title shot.

The next big fight in the division won't happen until August when #4 Forrest Griffin meets #1 Middleweight Anderson Silva meet at UFC 101. That would be a natural #1 contender match for the winner of Machida/Jackson but unfortunately Anderson and Lyoto train together and don't want to fight each other. If Griffin and Jackson both win, a rematch for the belt will be an obvious move.

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How about if Rampage and Anderson Silva win? Would Dana make that fight?

by subo on May 27, 2009 9:30 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

in a minute

"the spirit of your average dumbass with more overblown rhetoric" OR "the self-appointed savior of MMA"

by Kid Nate on May 27, 2009 9:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Poor, poor Okami. I hope he’s looking forward to his interim title loss to Maia.

by subo on May 27, 2009 9:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Woah man..

You just made like nine picks right there.

I poop rainbows.

by Blackout612 on May 27, 2009 11:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I was hoping someone would notice that.

by subo on May 27, 2009 11:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Nate-

The rankings show Rampage 3rd, but the article calls him #2. Minor oversight.

I poop rainbows.

by Blackout612 on May 27, 2009 11:09 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

good catch

thanks much.
I’m thinking ahead to next month when I expect Rashad will have dropped because all the sites will have updated since his loss.

"the spirit of your average dumbass with more overblown rhetoric" OR "the self-appointed savior of MMA"

by Kid Nate on May 27, 2009 11:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah

I half expected Rampage in second this go around.

I poop rainbows.

by Blackout612 on May 27, 2009 11:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

this not fighting my friend shit has to go. i wouldnt give anybody a fight at that caliber unless they understood you fight who you fight. friend or foe you got the winner. Spider vs Dragon could be epic.

"If I wanted to spend a half hour between two hairy legs I'd go to your mother's house." -Don Frye

by Pitbull on May 27, 2009 11:15 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

To be fair...

It’s more “I’d rather not fight my friend” than it is “I won’t fight my friend” at this point. Cross that bridge when they get to it, I’m sure.

I poop rainbows.

by Blackout612 on May 27, 2009 11:17 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

All I want to know is how is Tito Ortiz #15? How is he even ranked? He hasn’t fought in a year and his record over his last three is 0-2-1… granted it is against some good company, but still…

by E. Spencer Kyte on May 27, 2009 11:19 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Answer: He’s not in the UFC.

by subo on May 27, 2009 11:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

And because some people think that his performance against Machida at UFC 84 should keep him up. I’m not one of those people.

"I see him beating Anderson Silva. I see him picking him apart. Him at a 131 years old...(trails off)." - Tito on Belfort at Affliction:DOR

by Rundownloser on May 27, 2009 11:33 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Tito did better against Machida than Evans did… Oh and he by all rights had Evans beat if not for the point deduction. If Evans is still in the top 10 next week, Tito should certainly be top 15.

by MuayThaiHasaBeltsystem on May 28, 2009 12:16 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I wouldn’t be shocked if Tito had the ability and skill of somebody in the top-15 or top-20, but I don’t think that his record over the last three years should put him there.

"I see him beating Anderson Silva. I see him picking him apart. Him at a 131 years old...(trails off)." - Tito on Belfort at Affliction:DOR

by Rundownloser on May 28, 2009 12:22 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Why do people say this stuff about the Tito/Rashad fight?

I can turn around and say that Evans would have had Tito beat if Tito didn’t do the thing that caused the point deduction.

It’s a useless statement, that fight was a draw. That’s it, it’s over, Tito fans need to stop qualifying it by mentioning the point deduction.

by Phildo on May 28, 2009 11:01 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

ya i know but if friends are two of the best in the division ( silva as great as he is still has to prove he is worthy in 205.) then you fight who is there. like rashad and jardine wont fight. If i was dana white and they were who needed to be matched up to figure out the division id make it happen.

"If I wanted to spend a half hour between two hairy legs I'd go to your mother's house." -Don Frye

by Pitbull on May 27, 2009 11:21 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I’m guessing Trevor Prangley is 26th?

by Nick Thomas on May 27, 2009 11:28 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The Bro Code is messing with this division.

by spectaa on May 27, 2009 11:36 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Loved the rankings, but I have one small bit of (hopefully constructive) criticism. Aren’t Unsigned and Free Agent the same thing?

by Chromium on May 27, 2009 11:40 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Maybe with Tito it’s because the UFC has a right of first refusal on his contract, so he’s something of a restricted free agent?

I poop rainbows.

by Blackout612 on May 27, 2009 11:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

unsigned refers to fighters who aren't fighting anywhere

free agents are fighters making the circuits of the smaller shows.

"the spirit of your average dumbass with more overblown rhetoric" OR "the self-appointed savior of MMA"

by Kid Nate on May 27, 2009 11:46 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ah, fair enough.

by Chromium on May 31, 2009 6:02 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

WTF!!!!!!!!

why is wanderlie higher then chuck, he has ben having just as bad fights as chuck, and isnt doing all that well

by mma is #1 on May 28, 2009 12:10 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The Consensus MMA Rankings are not so much “Why”, as they are more of a “What”. They are a collection of the views of inferior sites that ~~The Borg~~ Bloodyelbow have assimilated, and fed through an excel spreadsheet.

Keep firing Assholes!

This is a dream competition for me. I drink as much coffee as I want, and eventually I hallucinate.

by Ubernoober on May 28, 2009 12:17 AM EDT up reply actions 2 recs

?

inferior sites?
what sites are you hating on?
otherwise, good analysis. The Consensus Rankings are more of a “what” than a “why”.
Honestly, I think Chuck is falling faster because he’s older and people are expecting him to retire. Wanderlei is inspiring big hopes at middleweight.
Tito’s knack for being in the limelight also keeps him artificially highly ranked.

"the spirit of your average dumbass with more overblown rhetoric" OR "the self-appointed savior of MMA"

by Kid Nate on May 28, 2009 12:21 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Bloodyelbow is my favorite MMA site. therefore in my opinion, all other MMA sites are inferior of Bloodyelbow. I was just trying to keep the Borg analogy rolling.

Keep firing Assholes!

This is a dream competition for me. I drink as much coffee as I want, and eventually I hallucinate.

by Ubernoober on May 28, 2009 12:32 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

all other MMA sites are inferior of to Bloodyelbow.

Fixed it 4 u :p

by subo on May 28, 2009 1:24 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

now I get ya

: )

"the spirit of your average dumbass with more overblown rhetoric" OR "the self-appointed savior of MMA"

by Kid Nate on May 28, 2009 9:02 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Pointing out that a site is inferior to BE is hardly hating.

Bolts from the Blue // "Game over." - Jamal Williams
Bloody Elbow // "Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit upon his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats." - H.L. Mencken

by Richard Wade on May 28, 2009 12:38 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Because he is right.

Hello, Japan!

by Mr.Kib on May 28, 2009 4:49 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Because he has won a fight since UFC 79 and Chuck hasn’t?

by ufc4 on May 28, 2009 12:53 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think the last 4 champs including Machida have all been pretty definitively #1.

I dislike Matt Hughes.

by MonkeyCHops on May 28, 2009 12:52 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Well, when Forrest won it from Rampage there was some dispute as to who actually won that fight, a lot of people scored it for Rampage. Then Forrest went out and lost his next fight to Rashad but he already had two challengers waiting in the wings.

by ufc4 on May 28, 2009 12:56 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

He still won the fight, if you beat the undisputed champ you are the undisputed champ.

I dislike Matt Hughes.

by MonkeyCHops on May 28, 2009 12:57 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Machida may seem more dominant but he has only proved nothing more than Forrest or Rashad did.

I dislike Matt Hughes.

by MonkeyCHops on May 28, 2009 12:58 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I suppose. But I for one wasn’t a huge believer that Forrest was #1. Rampage seemed off to me that fight and the conclusion certainly wasn’t definitive. He barely beat a terribly out of shape Shogun that put him in the title match after having recently lost to Keith Jardine and Tito Ortiz. I know that rankings don’t care about a lot of that, but I for one was skeptical. Rampage’s definitive wins over Chuck and Hendo I thought gave him the legit #1 spot though.

by Dooda on May 28, 2009 1:57 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Rampage's reign

was always haunted IMO by the specter of Wandy and Shogun beating his ass again. Remember Quinton didn’t excorcise the ghost of Chute Boxe beatdowns past until after he lost the belt.

"the spirit of your average dumbass with more overblown rhetoric" OR "the self-appointed savior of MMA"

by Kid Nate on May 28, 2009 9:03 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Where Machida has cleanly dispatched of everyone. There were no questions, controversies, or injuries. I’d agree that Machida, suddenly, is the clearest cut #1 in a while, even though he’s gonna have to defend a couple times it to be labeled as dominant.

by Dooda on May 28, 2009 1:59 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I suppose at this point its hard to make an argument that he might not be the best fighter in the division. There is certainly no argument that he should be ranked #1. With those other guys there was always still an argument that someone else might be better. Time will tell but Machida is most likely the most talented fighter in the division right now.

I dislike Matt Hughes.

by MonkeyCHops on May 28, 2009 2:26 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs